Redwing

[frugalfred]

Gang of 6 Redwing busy feeding this morning on my Chestnut-leaved Holly (Ilex castaneifolium) ripping off the berries.

[gness]

Morning, Fred...don't you just love when the birds suddenly decide the berries are just right......and strip them all.....

No Redwing for me yet...in fact none in this garden at all....it's the only thing I miss about my last house....the variety of birds visiting....x

[frugalfred]

Hi, gness; they are wary and start at the top of the tree, and work downwards. My resident male blackbird is not impressed by this invasion, taking his winter rations!

[gness]

I bet he's not......
I put a new feeder up last week and the robin owns it...woe betide any other bird that comes near.....☺

[frugalfred]

There's been a scrap between Mr. Blackbird and one of the Redwing. No harm done, just Mr. B. asserting his rights to the territory!

[ladybirder]

Fred I am going out shortly and will be buying an Ilex castanefolium if I can find one so then I too can attract Redwings. I was going to get a Holly anyway so no sweat just have to see if I can find the same as yours:-)

Gness, once you've had a house where a wide variety of species visit it's so hard to settle for fewer varieties of our little friends when we move I find. Now I'm lucky if I get 40% of the visitors I used to get.

[ladybirder]

Who won Fred?

[frugalfred]

Mr. Blackbird! But not for long. The Redwing reappeared shortly after the chase.

[frugalfred]

ladybirder - Google "Ilex castaneifolium" and click on images. You'll see the species berries very heavily. The leaves are like sweet chestnut, (Castanea sativa) but evergreen, hence the specific name

[ladybirder]

I've been doing just that Fred (googling) and this isn't going to be as easy as I thought. RHS says they are hard to find although I have found a supplier @ £225 for a largish one £12.50 for a tiddler. BUT they will tolerate most things as long as they have free draining soil and that I don't have. I'm improving it slowly but it is still far from FD, it's heavy clay then solid thick layer of chalk and granite:-( Now I'm thinking of the small one in a pot which ain't gonna feed many birds! Grrrr.

[frugalfred]

Two Redwing now taking a bath in the pebble pond.

[paddywak]

Please stop bragging.We've got that many furry bird killers around here all we ever get are a few starlings and scraggley pigeons apart,that is,from a beautiful sparrow hawk who patrols the area two or three times a week.