Durham Bird Club at 50
The county avifauna, The Birds of Durham (Bowey and Newsome, 2012) records that “A public meeting in late 1974 at Sunderland Museum and Art Gallery to discuss bird watching and recording was well-attended. This was followed on 8 January 1975 by another meeting and enrolment for membership of the Durham Bird Club began shortly afterwards.”
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We shall be organising various projects and events during the year to commemorate this special anniversary. These include a "Bird of the Week" feature, appearing below.
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Bird of the Week - Week 17
Redstart – A Flash of Fire in the Woods
​​(Photo by Mark Harper)​​​
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There’s a certain thrill that comes with seeing your first Redstart of the year. One moment the woodland edge looks quiet and still… and then, from a low perch, a bright flicker of colour and a flash of that brilliant orange-red tail - and just like that, spring feels fully underway.
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Male Redstarts are truly striking birds: slate-grey above, with a bold black face, white forehead and that unmistakable orange belly and tail. Females are more softly coloured, but just as elegant. These are birds of open woodland, wooded valleys and mature parkland, and in County Durham they return each spring from the Sahel region of Africa to breed in places like Upper Teesdale, Weardale and the Upper Derwent Valley.
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They’re often heard before they’re seen - singing a short, almost unfinished-sounding song, often starting with a whistle followed by a slightly melancholic phrase and, often, an imitation of another bird's song, from a tree branch or wall. They’re also quick movers, so spotting one often means keeping an eye on that tail: it constantly flicks and shimmers as they feed or sing.
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Redstarts nest in tree holes and walls, sometimes taking readily to nestboxes in the right spots. Their return is always something to celebrate - a sign that the woodland is waking up and full of life again.
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Seen or heard a Redstart yet this spring? Let us know where and when! ​
More information on Redstarts​
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E-mail: admin@durhambirdclub.org.uk
Social media tags: #DBC #DBCat50 #DurhamBirdClub #BirdOfTheWeek
#Durham #Birding #SpringMigration #BirdwatchingUK
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