FEBRUARY
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Eastern Black Redstart (phoenicuroides) Esplanade
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Back on the "twitching" trail .. a first for me in 2026. A wonderful rarity on the north Norfolk coastal strip .. on the 8th of the month it was the 46th day of it's stay in Sheringham! Some readers may know the usual Black Redstart that we see here in the UK (a pair even bred on the roof of Lloyds Bank in Bury St Edmunds). The visitor in Norfolk is a vagrant from the southern Turkey/Iran region .. an Eastern Black Redstart .. a very pretty first year male bird .. and way off track from the northern India wintering area he was heading for when blown off course by the seasonal gales. He is obviously feeding well and loves Sheringham ... apparently he even gets some contact with a local Black Redstart when they meet along the cliff face but is probably confused about the winter plumage colouring.
"Start" is an old English word for a tail: Our resident Black Redstart has red undertail feather colouring with a greyish/blackish overall look .. hence Black Redstart. The Eastern form (Likely phoenicuroides) .. as you can see from the photos is much more colourful and doubtless a hit with the ladies. For the non-birders the latin word groupings are a bit nerdy but vitally important to fully understand a species and how they are doing in the natural world. I use italics for the "Likely" as the only way you can be absolutely sure as to form is with laboratory DNA testing. The Eastern bird has three forms that live in their home territory and you only get DNA from a dropped feather or poo!! As of yet no one has managed to see him "in the act" and rushed over to collect a specimen. I will pass on that one!
Incidentally .. readers may wonder why I was not quicker to react to the first sighting .. simple .. the good old rubbish wet weather we have endured since the turn of the year. Of course I watched the forecasts and judged .. thankfully correctly .. that Sunday the 8th was a day to give it a go. Although rainy and foggy on the drive up the SUN actually showed over Sheringham and it even got stronger from 9.30 am. I could not believe my luck. A lovely sunny morning and the bird was still there and showing really well. ( The next day .. the 9th .. it poured all day !!!)
As for the home scene .. not a lot of new interest, The female Great Spotted Woodpecker comes to the peanut feeder daily together with Blue and Great Tits and the resident Song Thrush is still singing his heart out from 0600 am every day .. even on the rainiest of days. Always gives me a lift ... amazing stamina. Surely Mrs Song Thrush will be impressed !
Over the past months I have often reminded readers to look up as well as all around. February and early March are raptor (birds of prey) pair bonding time: wonderful aerial displays consisting of sudden swift diving turns with close passes accompanied by loud excited calls. Even talon "locking" and food passes if you are lucky. During the month I have already watched a pair of Red Kites performing over the front field and you can expect the local pairs of Common Buzzard to join in the fun prior to nest refurbishing duties. If it ever stops raining I I know of a site in Norfolk where there are resident pairs of Goshawk with similar display flights at this time of year so will certainly try my luck.
Brian Taylor
"Start" is an old English word for a tail: Our resident Black Redstart has red undertail feather colouring with a greyish/blackish overall look .. hence Black Redstart. The Eastern form (Likely phoenicuroides) .. as you can see from the photos is much more colourful and doubtless a hit with the ladies. For the non-birders the latin word groupings are a bit nerdy but vitally important to fully understand a species and how they are doing in the natural world. I use italics for the "Likely" as the only way you can be absolutely sure as to form is with laboratory DNA testing. The Eastern bird has three forms that live in their home territory and you only get DNA from a dropped feather or poo!! As of yet no one has managed to see him "in the act" and rushed over to collect a specimen. I will pass on that one!
Incidentally .. readers may wonder why I was not quicker to react to the first sighting .. simple .. the good old rubbish wet weather we have endured since the turn of the year. Of course I watched the forecasts and judged .. thankfully correctly .. that Sunday the 8th was a day to give it a go. Although rainy and foggy on the drive up the SUN actually showed over Sheringham and it even got stronger from 9.30 am. I could not believe my luck. A lovely sunny morning and the bird was still there and showing really well. ( The next day .. the 9th .. it poured all day !!!)
As for the home scene .. not a lot of new interest, The female Great Spotted Woodpecker comes to the peanut feeder daily together with Blue and Great Tits and the resident Song Thrush is still singing his heart out from 0600 am every day .. even on the rainiest of days. Always gives me a lift ... amazing stamina. Surely Mrs Song Thrush will be impressed !
Over the past months I have often reminded readers to look up as well as all around. February and early March are raptor (birds of prey) pair bonding time: wonderful aerial displays consisting of sudden swift diving turns with close passes accompanied by loud excited calls. Even talon "locking" and food passes if you are lucky. During the month I have already watched a pair of Red Kites performing over the front field and you can expect the local pairs of Common Buzzard to join in the fun prior to nest refurbishing duties. If it ever stops raining I I know of a site in Norfolk where there are resident pairs of Goshawk with similar display flights at this time of year so will certainly try my luck.
Brian Taylor