Tuesday 7 April 2015

The Hummingcrest

Sorry to bombard, but I had to share this joyous little encounter I had at the front door as twilight approached. I had just been doing some very low grade bicycle maintenance and getting more oil on myself than the chain as usual, when I heard some quiet bird song and looked up into the silver birch tree above.

A little goldcrest probably the weigh of a boiled sweet was making its way among the birch twigs, singing its persistent little trilly "seeeep-seeeeep" song as it did so.

The goldcrest was so small, it could rest on branches thinner than a matchstick as it snacked off tiny insects among the buds. The most notable thing was its flight, it must be the nearest bird we have in the UK to a hummingbird. It was actually seemingly hovering, and flying backwards at times.

Goldcrests are incredibly unafraid. Only the robin of wild birds will allow a human to come closer, and this is how I was able to watch the bird for over twenty minutes as it worked a few feet above my head.

Hence, I was able to grab a few little pictures as it flitted about above me.

Si



8 comments:

  1. I have never heard of this goldcrest before Simon, it sounds a wonderful little bird and I enjoyed your photos. Thanks for your comment on my goose and duck post. I hadn't even thought of hybridization.

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    1. Tiny little birds, about 3 and a half inches beak to tail, named for the gold mohican they sport. They are pretty unflappable around people.

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  2. Fabulous little bird. The smallest bird in Europe.
    They visit my garden working through the conifers.
    I have never been able to get an image. Unlike your Goldcrest, as soon as I get close they fly............one day :)

    Well done.......

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  3. A great sighting - they are lovely little birds and, as you say, can be very confiding. We've had a pair round the garden recently.

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  4. I had one visit a couple of weeks ago! They are a joy to watch.

    Chuffed for you Si!

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  5. I think if you had a semi decent digital camera with a decent zoom, you could get great little shots of these characterful birds. My mobile isn't up to anything really!

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  6. OK, a really good camera with a really really fast shutter speed!

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