We are reaching the end of another marathon year. A second and last chance to connect with the birds which are truly winter visitors to the country, and with some that may have eluded you in the warmer months.
Water Rail
This delightful little bird is notorious for being heard but rarely seen, living most of its life concealed within reedbeds. Presumably the loud calls are because the birds are also hidden from each other behind the reeds, so need to turn up the volume to make contact. Water Rail sounds include whistles, squeals and grunts (often with a high note above a lower grunt), as well as sharp ‘tic’ calls somewhat like Coot calls. They usually only emerge from reeds in the crepuscular hours, but sometimes creep along shallow reed edges during the day. Very cold weather forces them in to the open in search of food (and open water) and at this time of year is probably the best time to see one of these beauties.
Cetti’s Warbler
Like the Water Rail this handsome, red-brown and grey warbler is a bird with a loud voice which is seldom seen well. Usually found near water, male Cetti’s Warblers shout out the familiar explosive song at irregular intervals, often moving unseen to another bush or similar cover before shouting again. They also have a less familiar sharp ‘tic’ call and a rapidly repeated version of this which is somewhat like a ‘sharper-edged’ version of a Wren’s call. Talking of Wrens, these are perhaps the only confusion species, but the warblers are longer tailed, more red-brown above and lack any barring or streaking (apart from subtle markings on the undertail coverts).
Long-tailed Tit
Arguably our cutes bird, the Long-tailed Tit is a sociable species which, outside the breeding season, forms extended family flocks, often roving with other small birds, especially ‘true tits’, to forage their way through woodland or gardens or similar habitats. They are tiny, black, white and pink pom-poms with very long tails: unique. Listen for the soft, squidgy, ‘raspberry’ calls or the ‘see-see-see’ contact call as the birds move through.
Barn Owl
All our owls are a delight on the eye (unless you are a vole or shrew… ), but the ghostly Barn Owl is also very distinctive in its handsomeness. Surely a bird for which unmistakable is appropriate. Though they will also hunt in broad daylight, Barn Owls are most often seen as the light fades, which at this time of year comes round all too quickly. They are largely birds of open country, hunting along verges and over ditches and fields for small mammals.
Rough-legged Buzzard
We are surely due a bumper Rough-legged Buzzard year soon. These are northern birds which don’t breed in the UK, but visit in very small (but variable) numbers in late autumn, often for the winter., favouring open country. Rough-legged Buzzards are more than just buzzards which hover (plenty of Buzzards habitually hover, too!), they are longer winged (giving an almost eagle-like or harrier-like profile), with much white in the tail, generally pale plumage (often with a dark belly patch and carpal patches on the wing) and feathered ‘trousers’. And they ooze with arctic charm!