Tag Archives: Carduelis flammea

Redpolls in the autumn

Redpoll (Carduelis flammea) feeding on Sitka alder (Alnus viridis ssp. sinuata)

The Redpoll is a very common bird in woodlands in Iceland. It is the only original Icelandic woodland bird. Its main diet is insects and Birch seed. In the last decades it has gradually learnt to feed on seeds from other tree species in our fast growing forests.

Redpoll feeding on Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)

This autumn the Birch has failed to produce seeds here in the South for the second year in a row. This is also the case with seed production in Spruce trees this year.

Despite this there are a lot of Redpolls in search of feed in Hellisskógur by Selfoss. Their main feed this autumn seems to be seed from the Sitka alder (Alnus viridis ssp. sinuata) and from the plant Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria). Both of these are common in Hellisskógur and form seeds every year.

Redpoll feeding on Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)

If there is shortage of feed for the Redpolls they are not shy to come into gardens and eagerly take to seed set out for them.  If things are rough part of the stock might leave the country for southerly parts of Europe.

Seeds from the Alder

Auðnutittlingur – Redpoll – Carduelis flammea

Although the Redpolls frequent our feeding trays, they are also diligent in nibbling on seeds from the Sitka Alder and Green Alder. Redpolls eat Birch seeds and all kinds of flower seeds, and insects in the summer time. However, after a cold and wet summer the availability of Birch seeds is scarce.

Recently flocks of Redpolls have been seen feeding on seeds in Alder trees in the South of Iceland.

Redpoll with a white crown

Auðnutittlingur – Redpoll – Carduelis flammea

This little guy is easily recognisable from others of its kind because it sports a white crown instead of the usual greyish brown forehead. This Redpoll was here in the garden two days in November and appeared here one day last week. We have not noticed this colour variation before among the thousands of Redpolls that have visited the garden in recent years.

Ordinary Redpoll

Garden birds

Músarrindill – Wren – Troglodytes troglodytes

July and August are usually the most peaceful months in the garden, meaning that there are not as many birds as in the winter months. We have continued putting out sunflower seed all summer so of course some birds come by regularly. Redwings, Blackbirds and Redpolls nested in our garden and in neighbouring gardens this summer. Most of these birds finished breeding in the end June except the Blackbird that breeds several times during the summer. According to our observations it is now breeding for the fifth time.

Young Red Crossbill

With the coming of autumn more and more birds appear in the garden and last week there were three Wrens here (ad+2 juv), a Goldcrest, Crossbills, Redpolls, Blackbirds, Redwings and Starlings.

Starling

On our blog you can see our weekly report on the birds in our garden: http://ornosk.com/weekly-bird-report/weekly-bird-report-2017/

Redpoll

Peaceful Crossbills

Krossnefur – Common Crossbill / Red Crossbill – Loxia curvirostra

Common Crossbills flock to our garden, both young and old. They have must have got news about the feed that the nice man in Fagurgerði  puts out all year round now. Fagurgerði is actually the old name of our house and later when more houses were built it became the name of the street.

Several adults, both male and female, with chicks visit the feeders and there is a lot of coming and going. They seem such peaceful birds and share the sunflower seeds in blissful harmony with the Redpolls.

In the last ten days there have been up to 18 Crossbills at a time. First there were 3 – 4, a dad with 3 chicks and then their numbers grew as news spread of the full feeders here.

Photography is a challenge

Auðnutittlingur – Redpoll – Carduelis flammea

Redpolls are the most common birds in our garden this winter. There are about one hundred of them that come here every day. They  eat the sunflower seeds that we put out for them and the big old trees probably also play a part in the popularity of the garden.

I keep count of the birds that come here all year round. For information see my Weekly Bird Report.

I never tire of photographing these  quick and adorable birds. The Icelandic winter with its endless twilight poses a challenge for me to constantly try to get better photos that are sharp and clear.

No two are the same

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Auðnutittlingur – Redpoll – Carduelis flammea

After a few years decline the Redpoll population seems to have grown considerably. The summer was extra warm and huge flocks are now seen in gardens and forests. Today there were 80 of them here in the garden.

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They are feeding on sunflower seeds that we put out for them. Sunflower seed attracts a wide variety of birds into gardens.  It is interesting to study the Redpolls different colour variations, no two are the same.

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Chirping incessantly

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Redpoll nest with chicks

Redpolls are among the first birds to lay eggs in the spring and now the chicks have already started hatching.  On my walk today I came across this nest in a spruce tree. Two chicks were in it but three were already out of it sitting on nearby branches, chirping incessantly for food. The parents must be very busy finding food for all these little mouths.

Auðnutittlingur - Redpoll - Carduelis flammea
Auðnutittlingur – Redpoll – Carduelis flammea

Arriving in flocks

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Auðnutittlingur – Redpoll – Carduelis flammea

Again Redpolls have appeared in flocks in Selfoss hunting for food. In the last few days up to 40 have been in our garden. These chirpy  and beautiful birds are welcome guests. Few of them were seen here before Christmas and birders and garden owners missed them and speculated as to their whereabouts. Some even maintained that the stock had declined or that Redpolls had fled the country.  The truth is that enough seed was to be had in birch forests after a favourable summer. So there was no need for them to leave the forest in search of feed in urban areas.  However, here they are again to the joy of probably everyone.

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The photos are from this weekend in our garden in Selfoss.

Enough birch seeds

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Auðnutittlingur – Redpoll – Carduelis flammea

Birch seeds are the main food for Redpolls in the winter months. Last summer a lot of birch seeds matured in the natural Icelandic forests so there is still enough food for them. Redpolls have not been seen in any numbers in gardens and there has been some concern that their numbers are decreasing.

Happy New Year :)

Last winter was harsh and natural feed scarce. The numbers of Redpolls decreased considerably but the drop was far from drastic. In the last few weeks Redpolls have come in the garden in search of food on our feeding trays. The most we have seen recently is 18 birds together.