In my last post, I noted that I was already set to break the record for the annual tally of species in our garden. I was not expecting to pass the record quite so soon, and in quite such style!
What I was not expecting was to break it with a 'Garden Lifer', and what a bird it was!! A stunning male Redstart!!!
We don't see too many Redstarts in Leicestershire. Typically speaking there are around 4 reports for the county each spring. So to have one (briefly) land in my suburban garden was, as you will not be surprised to hear, somewhat exciting! Fortunately my camera was to hand and the light was not too bad, so I did get a few shots from a range of about 15 metres. These are heavily cropped images, the first taken from my study window and the second from our kitchen, where the light was from a better direction.
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| Redstart (male) - our garden !!! |
There's a downside to this. My wife is saying that really there's no need for me to go out birding - I could just sit at home and watch the garden all day, and the birds would come to me. My response was 'bring on the Ptarmigan'!
I know that, in my previous post, I said that it would be back to owls for this post, but I'm sure you'll understand my digression! However, I suspect that it will only be a couple of days or so before my next post, which will feature Barn Owls - unless that Ptarmigan shows up meantime!!
What a beautiful bird to get in your garden and great pictures of it too. Last year there were a pair of Redstarts nesting at my Grandma's in Wales, but I have never had one in my garden. I would have been just as excited as you. From Findlay.
ReplyDeleteThank you Findlay. Your Grandma is very lucky!
DeleteA wonderful experience and in your own garden! Great.
ReplyDeleteI suspect that this will be my garden highlight of the decade, Arija, and probably my life!
DeleteWOW! What an amazing bird to see in your garden. A really superb sighting Richard! I would think I was dreaming if I saw one in mine. Actually, I would be more than happy to see one anywhere. Lovely photos too, how lucky you were with the light. The Ptarmigan comment made me laugh. Of course, that was a very clever one to pick, you should be safe with that choice ;-)
ReplyDeleteThank you Jan. I'm still wondering if I was dreaming too!
DeleteNow you are taking the micky out of us all mate with your garden list. Really pleased for you well done!
ReplyDeleteThank you Paul - and sorry for the random e-mail when it happened!
DeleteRedstart in the garden Richard....nice one, though it has to be said the one nesting at Findlay's Grandma's....WOW.
ReplyDeleteYes Pete, well and truly trumped by Findlay's Grandma!! Oh well, I'm still chuffed to bits anyway (for Findlay's Grandma and for me!).
DeleteWow, you lucky devil! There are redstarts across in Teesdale, about 20 miles from us, but we are never likely to get one in our garden.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm confident that I'll not see one in my garden again Phil - unless they have a sudden increase in numbers, and change their habits and habitats. This was a totally freak stroke of luck!
DeleteWell done Richard,stunning Bird,super images.
ReplyDeleteJohn.
Thank you John.
DeleteBeautiful Redstart, and you caught it on camera.
ReplyDeleteThanks Bob
DeleteThe American Redstart migrates through here and I'm hoping to see one. These are lovely, Richard. What fun to capture these!
ReplyDeleteThank you Gail. Wishing you the best of luck with the American version - a very different bird to ours!
DeleteWow Richard, that is brilliant! Lucky you:-) beautiful birds.
ReplyDeleteThank you Linda! A 'once in a lifetime' happening I think!
DeleteMy word, Richard. Now thats worth getting excited about!
ReplyDeleteI thought so too!
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