Redwings in the night...

Winter is on the way, and our Redwings have just arrived. These small winter thrushes have made the journey from their arctic breeding areas, and records submitted to BirdTrack have shown them moving into Ireland since mid-October.

Mid-October has seen the arrival of Redwings into Ireland. These highly sociable thrushes are one of our most abundant winter visitors, arriving into Ireland from Iceland and Scandinavia. They are often heard flying over at night, and generally arrive each autumn between October and November.

"It is amazing to think that these small birds can make the arduous journey from their northern breeding grounds to Ireland in the course of just one night", says Niall Hatch, Development Officer with BirdWatch Ireland. "Migrating in near total darkness, Redwings keep in contact with others in their flock by way of a very characteristic metallic buzzing call, for me one of the classic sounds of autumn. When I hear them arriving it always reminds me that winter is just around the corner."

Once they arrive, they live a nomadic existence. The smallest of our thrushes, they are particularly vulnerable to the cold, and they move in response to weather and food availability. Large-scale movements to the southern half of Ireland in response to cold snaps have been witnessed. In Ireland and Britain, they forage in open fields for earthworms, often seen in the company of other thrushes and with Starlings. In cold weather they often forage in woodland, looking for food in leaf litter. They also feed on hawthorns and on fruit in gardens.

The first record this autumn came from Northern Ireland, and within a week birds were well distributed throughout the remainder of Ireland. By this stage, some had already been present in Britain for up to a month.

BirdTrack will continue to monitor the movements and occurrence of all birds in Ireland and Britain, and this is thanks to the wide network of people who submit their sightings on a regular basis. We still have a lot to learn about wild bird movements, and it is an area where members of the general public can really play a vital role. Why not join BirdTrack by registering at www.birdtrack.net, submitting your sightings and become part of this fascinating and valuable ornithological project?

Notes for Editors

1) BirdTrack is an online international bird recording scheme www.birdtrack.net organised by BTO on behalf of BTO, RSPB and BirdWatch Ireland.

2) To register for BirdTrack visit the BirdTrack website (www.birdtrack.net and click on the 'Register for BirdTrack' link). Registration is free.

3) We need to gather a large number of lists at all times of the year. Complete lists (all species seen and heard) are preferred but incomplete lists and casual records will also help build our understanding of populations.

4) Results produced by BirdTrack will help us to map the migration and movements of birds and monitor of scarce birds in Ireland and Britain. Maps are available from ocrowe@birdwatchireland.org for use in publications.

5) BirdTrack follows on from the successful Migration Watch project that looked at spring migration in 2002-2004. BirdTrack runs all-year and gathers information on spring and autumn migration. We know very little about the timing of arrival and departure of winter visitors and this is just one area where BirdTrack will provide useful information.

6) BirdWatch Ireland is the largest independent conservation organisation in Ireland and the designated national BirdLife International partner in this country. Its aim is the conservation of wild birds and their natural habitats. Established in 1968, it currently has over 10,000 members and supporters and a local network of over 20 branches nationwide. It owns or manages an increasing number of reserves which protect threatened habitats and the birds that rely on them, produces several publications dealing with birds and nature conservation in Ireland, and carries out educational and survey work.

For further information please contact:

Olivia Crowe or Niall Hatch
BirdWatch Ireland, Rockingham House, Newcastle, Co. Wicklow, Ireland
Tel: 01-2819878
Email: ocrowe@birdwatchireland.org or nhatch@birdwatchireland.org

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