Birding the British Bird Fair I

Coming from a culture of birding “festivals” with their lavish field trip programs,  it’s a surprise sometimes to us North Americans that so little birding goes on at the British Bird Fair. A few of the visitors take the opportunity to look out for the local Ospreys–a rarity, remember, in the UK–but on the whole, it’s unusual to see anyone even wearing binoculars unless it’s a newly bought pair from the staggering selection at hand in the Optics Marquee.

As a North American, I actually had my bins along, and put them to use during a few of my breaks from booth duty. I just don’t get to Europe often enough to ignore any chance to see some birds; and though Rutland Water isn’t the richest area for birding, even the common birds are worth looking at.

This little blind, just a few feet from Marquee 5, looks out over a tiny clearing with seed feeders. The edges were full of Winter Wrens and European Robins, and the feeders themselves drew a modest variety of finches and tits.

European Goldfinches were continuously present, the plain-headed young birds causing some puzzlement among newer birders, the red-headed adults drawing oohs and aahs.

Common Chaffinches, the adults scruffy in their pre-basic molt, and Greenfinches were rarely out of sight, too. Most of the Greenfinches were streaky young birds, and the appearance of the odd bright adult male occasioned happy gasps among the watchers.

Greatly outnumbered by the various fringillids, a few Blue and Great Tits were sneaking in, too, including this Great Tit.

Age and sex, anyone? Here’s another photo to help:

Let me know what you think!