The wonder of redwings

As swallows and warblers leave our shores and a heavy winter silence seems to descend, a great migration brings hope - the wonderful winter spectacle of redwings.

It would be very easy to hide under a blanket and give in to winter as soon as the birdsong fades and the weather takes a turn for the worse. But there is still so much life to revel in. While leaves faint from the trees and some of our best-loved birds leave our shores for another year, new visitors arrive and the natural world still has plenty of wonder up her sleeve.

Perhaps the most wonderful? Redwings. These small thrushes migrate here each year from the frozen shores of Iceland, Russia and Scandinavia, enduring a perilous 500-mile flight across the North Sea. Many won’t make it through the rough weather, but those that do may arrive as early as September and leave around March or April.

Redwings are one of two iconic ‘winter thrushes’ (the other being the fieldfare) that migrate here each year and are our smallest thrush species. Though similar-looking to song thrushes, they have a couple of extra flourishes that set them apart. The first is a bold, cream stripe above each eye and the second – a fiery orange-red patch burning below each wing – earned them their common name.

A redwing sitting in a tree full of red berries and swallowing a berry — Redwing by Chris Gomersall/2020VISION

But it isn’t just stunning good looks that make redwings such a winter highlight. The real spectacle comes from the simple act of their arrival on our island. You see, redwings migrate at night, giving us an unmissable opportunity to step outside and embrace winter by connecting with the natural world. The best news? You don’t need any fancy equipment, just your warmest clothes, a hot drink and keenly-pricked ears. You won’t see the redwings, but you’ll hear them – a plaintive ‘tseep’ drifting down from the sky as the birds travel overhead, concealed by twilight.

Did you know? 50 – 100 pairs of redwings stay resident in the UK, breeding in the highlands of Scotland.

While this all seems very magical to us humans, the redwings’ epic journey has a very practical end: food. These birds risk it all to take advantage of the delicious bounty here in the UK when their food sources back home freeze up. The majority of birds arrive in October and November and busy themselves with hunting out snails, earthworms, slugs and insects. As winter arrives and the ground hardens, redwings turn to berries; pillaging the ruby harvest drooping from the branches of rowan and hawthorn trees. It’s at this time of year that you may get redwings in your garden – see if you can tempt them by leaving apple halves on the frozen ground.

Whether you venture outside on cold autumn nights to listen for migrating redwings, change your walking routes to bypass stands of hawthorn trees or spend winter feeding redwings in your garden, it’s comforting to know that even when the season seems at its bleakest, these striking birds can bring such joy.