Over the last few weeks, I have been noticing quite a few reed buntings at Yew View. Over the last couple of years, we have been feeding millet seeds in a quiet part of the garden, alongside a mature hedgerow that they like sitting in, along with the house sparrows.
Reed buntings are a sparrow-sized bird of reedbeds, wetlands and farmland, feeding on seeds and invertebrates. In the winter, reed buntings join mixed flocks of buntings, finches and sparrows to feed on seeds on farmland. During the breeding season, males can be spotted perched high on reeds, rushes or scrub, voicing a simple, three-note territorial call. The females breed low in the dense vegetation, constructing their nests from grass, reeds and moss.
I decided to set up a trail camera for a few hours, to see if I could capture some footage of them as they are very flighty and I have not been able to get a good look of them.
I was not disappointed. In just a few hours, I got more than 300 clips. The males are just coming into summer plumage, with black heads, throats, with a white collar and white 'moustache'. . As they moult out of winter plumage, their heads become speckled as the black feathers begin to appear. The females are more streaky with pale band above the eye.
Next week, I am going to take my camera and see if I can get some pictures of these lovely birds!
Note: The temperature noted by this trail camera is not accurate! it was lovely and sunny, but not that warm!
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