Bird News from Robin Newlin
A visit to the arboretum on a cold snowy morning in search of winter finches found only Bramblings (a conservative 200), Hawfinches (3) and Siskins (12). Other birds included a Northern Goshawk, a Eurasian Sparrowhawk, 3Eastern Buzzards and 3 Cinereous Vultures, a Solitary Snipe, several Great Tits, Coal Tits, Varied Tits and aLong-tailed Tit (heard calling). I did see one Yellow-bellied Tit—being carried off by a Bull-headed Shrike. Woodpeckers were represented by 2 each of Grey-capped Pygmy and Great Spotted, and buntings by small numbers of Yellow-throated and Rustic. A few Goldcrests, a Eurasian Nuthatch, a few Eurasian Jays, severalNaumann’s Thrushes, a Red-flanked Bluetail and a Daurian Redstart round out the colorful band.
Brambling Fringilla montifringilla, © Robin Newlin
Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes, © Robin Newlin
Eastern Great Tit Parus minor, © Robin Newlin
Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus, © Robin Newlin