Goldcrests

[Dunelm]

I recently had the misfortune of spending a long weekend at Centreparc - the Whinfell site in Cumbria, just off the A66.

However, my stay at this horrible place was made much more interesting once I discovered a large colony of goldcrests in the area around the car park. It seems that the thinning of the conifer plantation has allowed heather to come through and provide a great habitat for these birds. They are obviously accustomed to people as I watched a pair for almost 20 minutes from about 10 feet. It made everything else seem less depressing...

Anybody else had close encounters with these lovely birds?

 

[Butchd]

Only time I've been really close was on my honeymoon in the cotswolds. There was a conifer right outside the window and there was a goldcrest flitting about just a few feet from me.

 

[JonnyP]

Yes, beautiful birds and Britains smallest too. It is mainly the conifers themselves that the birds are feeding in, not the heather. They are a very common bird and a walk through most conifer plantations will reveal them, mainly high up in the trees, but they do come down low sometimes, as you saw. They are often heard before seen with their little mouse like squeeking....I have some photos of them somewhere, I will try to dig them out....

 

[BorderReiver]

They are lovely aren't they?

I saw one last week in my local wood.Bit surprised as it's the first time I've seen one there.

 

[Ben_Hillwalker]

Cracking little birds. They only weight about as much as a 5p piece but they manage to overwinter here.