Reed bunting becomes 37th visitor

The deep snow in the middle of March didn’t deter the birds from visiting the feeders at Bracken House. With food hard to find in the fields dozens of birds were noted grabbing a quick snack in the garden.

A male Reed Bunting. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

One notable visitor was a male reed bunting. Predominantly a farmland and wetland bird, the reed bunting is typically found in wet vegetation but has recently spread into farmland and, in winter, into gardens. Sparrow-sized but slim and with a long, deeply notched tail, the male has a black head, white collar and a drooping moustache.

This was the 37th different species of bird noted at Bracken House and its sighting made the effort of filling the feeders in a raging blizzard all worth while.

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