Garden birds to spot in winter

Whilst we huddle with cups of hot chocolate, wrapped in layers of wool, gearing ourselves up to make those first boot tracks in crisp frost, our wintry gardens are already being enjoyed by the birds. From the cunning Treecreeper to the bolshy Robin, the RSPB help us identify who will be paying your garden a visit in the cold season.

Redwings are the smallest members of the thrush family that we see in the UK. They’re a similar shape to the more familiar song thrush, with a brown back and streaked breast. The key differences are a cream eye stripe, and orange and red patches under the wings. Listen out for flocks of these birds flying overhead at night. You’ll hear a “seeep” sound as they call to one another. During the day they’ll settle in trees and hedgerows to feast on fruit and berries. If they find frost-free lawns and fields they’ll be hopping around in search of worms and other invertebrates.

Some old regional names for redwings include wind thrush, windle and winnard, suggesting a connection between the bird and winter weather. However it’s more likely that these words originate from old European names such as Weingaerdsvogel in Germany, and the modern Vindrossel in Denmark, which relate to the birds feeding on fruit in vineyards. You’ll often see redwings in mixed flocks with their larger cousins, fieldfares. Both species will have travelled from Iceland and Scandinavia, and they’ll return there in March to breed. As they prepare to leave our shores, some may practice singing, and a very small number stay to nest in the north of Scotland. Redwings are on the UK red list, because their populations have been in decline.

If you have berrying plants such as hawthorn, holly and rowan in your garden there’s a chance it