This month branch committee member Karl Woods tells us about the Black Redstart ‘Phoenicurus ochruros’ (Irish name – ‘Earrdheargán dubh’), a lovely but scarce little bird that some people may not realise we get in Ireland. However there seems to be an increasing number of winter sightings and so now is a good time to have a look for it if you want to see something a bit different.
It looks a little like our resident Robin in shape and size, which it could be confused with if not seen well or in poor light. The long tail and a good look at the colour should help separate it as something different, especially if you are used to seeing our resident Robins around.
Most sightings are likely to be juveniles or females, which look very similar to each other. These are sooty grey/brown all over but when seen moving, or in good light, have a lovely reddish orange colour on the underside and the sides of a long tail. Adult males have a more contrasting look with darker colours and a paler belly. They also have a black mask on the face and a white patch on the wings. While adult males are less likely to be seen in Ireland, they do occur here, so it’s worth learning the colour and pattern, as they are a very striking bird to see. Some of the birds seen here can be young males, which look more like the female/juvenile, but bits of the black mask or white are starting to appear on the wings.
Behaviour-wise, they love rocky areas or buildings, giving them a great crossover into urban areas. They will usually perch up on top of buildings or walls before flying down on to the ground where they will hop or flit around, feeding on insects. Another thing to watch for is their very upright stance when perched, making them look a little taller and more slender. While doing this they frequently vibrate their tail, which sometimes helps to show the lovely orangey colours.
The Black Redstart does not breed in Ireland, so it is usually seen as a passage migrant on coastal headlands in spring and autumn, when some of the continental European and British birds move between breeding and wintering territories. Occasionally, small numbers do overwinter in Ireland. The last few years have seen a large increase in wintering birds around Cork with good numbers already being recorded over the last couple of months. They have been seen this winter in town centres (including Cork city), as well as coastal areas and farmland in both East and West Cork. It is worth keeping an eye out when going for a walk, or even going to the shops. They can turn up almost anywhere but some of the more likely places to watch for include:
• Rocky coastline – They can be seen flitting around rocky/shingle beaches or flying between ledges on the cliff faces at the back of the beach. Sometimes they will go back and forth between the beach and any buildings behind it.
• Towns/cities – Keep an eye on the tops of buildings or any ledges on the sides. Overgrown urban yards, factories, areas with lots of walls or playgrounds may also be productive. Several have also been seen around housing estates, moving between different buildings and gardens.
• Farmland – Farms with lots of outbuildings or stone walls/fences and so on.
• Graveyards – Old cemeteries can provide a nice habitat with lots of headstones, walls and buildings to fly between.
The BirdWatch Ireland West Cork Branch would love to hear about any of your sightings, or you can post any pictures of them to our Facebook page.
BirdWatch Ireland West Cork Branch News
Upcoming outings being held by the Branch are:
Sunday, January 19: Whooper Swans in the Bandon Valley
Sunday, February 2: The West Cork Bird Race
Visit our website www.birdwatchirelandwestcork.ie for more information about these events. To receive news and reminders about our events subscribe to our mailing list by going to http://eepurl.com/dHAz79. For more information about the Branch, contact Fiona O’Neill at secretary@birdwatchirelandwestcork.ie.
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