Beardies!

In October I visited Alkborough Flats - a little nature reserve close to Scunthorpe in North Lincolnshire to hopefully capture some images of Bearded Reedlings - scarce and shy little birds with a lot of character!

My first visit to this reserve was solely to spot the population of Bearded Reedlings that were reported as showing rather well! I have seen fleeting glimpses of these birds at other locations but the sheer numbers being reported here coupled with a good weather forecast meant I couldn’t turn down the opportunity!

The Bearded Reedlings tend to show best in the first couple of hours and last couple of hours of daylight. An early start was needed to ensure I arrived for the optimal time with the lovely low morning light too. As I arrived at the car park it was only a short walk before I spotted a couple of other photographers with the same goal.

During the spring/summer season these birds tend to stay hidden among the reeds, feeding on insects as they “ping” around. During the autumn/winter however those insects disappear and their diet switches to seeds. In order to digest the seeds they swallow pieces of grit to help break down the seeds in their stomachs.

They come down onto the reserves paths to eat grit, which is why this time of year they are easier to spot! I was amazed at the sight of around 40 Bearded Reedlings gathering. On the fence posts, the path and constantly flitting up and down between reeds and footpath.

While it was amazing to see them all coming down onto the path, my main aim was to try capture images of them looking more natural perched among the reeds - a tough task as they do not sit still for any length of time! I did manage to capture various poses but I did leave itching to try again!

Bearded Reedlings are also known as Bearded Tits but are in fact not a member of the Tit family. They were once considered similar to Long Tailed Tits so were banded within the same category. They don’t actually have beards either! The males have more of a moustache under the eyes running down the face while the females are all brown. They are very sociable birds, gathering in groups and flitting around together with a characteristic “ping ping” call as they dive in and out of the reeds. They also form life long pairs.

I enjoyed the morning spent at Alkborough flats, a first time visit but won’t be my last! The trip may have been for 1 species but other interesting species were seen including Marsh Harrier, Sparrowhawk, Stonechat, Roe Deer, Muntjac Deer and a couple of dragonflies still around. Even the sight and sound of Pink Footed Geese arriving into the Humber on migration from the north. The reserve is quite large and I only really covered one side of it, so certainly on the “to revisit” list!

Puffin Cruise