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| Ring Ouzel (Turdus torquatus) |
We were up early yesterday to check the moth trap, which we ran for the second time this spring. As I was gathering up my camera gear in anticipation of getting some photos, Mike came bursting in to the house. "Come quick!" he called. "It's a Rouzel!" Ring Ouzels (Turdus torquatus) are migrants here in southeastern England. This bird was on his way from wintering grounds in North Africa to breeding grounds in Scotland or northern England. On migration, Rouzels are found along the country's southern and eastern coasts, typically in areas of short grass. This fellow paused for only 15 minutes or so, flitting around in various treetops (and on the telephone wire right above our shed) and singing challenges; I guess his hormone level is high, since he's certainly not going to breed anywhere near here!
Here in the UK, Ring Ouzels breed principally in the uplands, though they do descend almost to sea level in the farthest northern stretches of Scotland. They prefer steep-sided valleys and gullies, building their nests in heather clumps, crevices, or (very occasionally) in trees. They breed from mid-April to mid-July, managing to produce two broods most years. They feed on insects and berries, keying on earthworms in the spring and juniper berries in the autumn. The RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) estimates there are some 6300 pairs of Ring Ouzels breeding in Britain — a number which earns them a "red" conservation status, meaning they're in urgent need of conservation action. Like many of the country's other upland species, this one is in pretty steep decline, with a 43% drop in their numbers over the past 40 years.
To hear what they sound like, click the link below; this is a recording I made of the bird in our garden.
Here in the UK, Ring Ouzels breed principally in the uplands, though they do descend almost to sea level in the farthest northern stretches of Scotland. They prefer steep-sided valleys and gullies, building their nests in heather clumps, crevices, or (very occasionally) in trees. They breed from mid-April to mid-July, managing to produce two broods most years. They feed on insects and berries, keying on earthworms in the spring and juniper berries in the autumn. The RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) estimates there are some 6300 pairs of Ring Ouzels breeding in Britain — a number which earns them a "red" conservation status, meaning they're in urgent need of conservation action. Like many of the country's other upland species, this one is in pretty steep decline, with a 43% drop in their numbers over the past 40 years.
To hear what they sound like, click the link below; this is a recording I made of the bird in our garden.
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