🍃 Seasonal Visitors – Birds & Nests at Reddings Retreat

Seasonal Visitors are the migrants and passage birds that mark the turning of the year. Some arrive in spring to breed, others pass through on migration, and many return in autumn or winter to feed in the valley. Their presence is fleeting but always memorable.

📸 Photos 

Photos are a work in progress and will be added as and when they are received from guests and local photographers.

 

🔑 Rarity Key

  • Very Common – seen daily in season

  • Common – regularly seen but not everywhere

  • Occasional – present in smaller numbers

  • Local Speciality – especially characteristic of the Wye Valley

  • Declining / Conservation Concern – reduced in numbers nationally

🌼 Spring & Summer Migrants

Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita / Siff-saff)

  • Description: Small olive‑brown warbler with pale underparts.

  • Size: 10–11 cm.

  • Where it lives: Woodland edges, scrub, gardens.

  • Nest: Dome of grass and leaves on the ground.

  • Eggs: White with fine speckles; 5–7 per clutch.

  • Call/Song: Repetitive “chiff‑chaff” notes.

  • Seasonal Presence: Summer visitor (March–October).

  • Similar Species: Willow Warbler (longer wings, sweeter song).

  • Spotting Tip: Listen for its simple, rhythmic call.

  • Photo Tip: Best in spring when singing from exposed branches.

  • Rarity: Common.

  • Folklore: Its call is said to mark the true arrival of spring.

 

Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus / Siff-saff y helyg)

  • Description: Similar to chiffchaff but with longer wings and more melodic song.

  • Size: 11 cm.

  • Where it lives: Young woodland, scrub, hedgerows.

  • Nest: Dome of grass on the ground.

  • Eggs: White with reddish speckles; 4–7 per clutch.

  • Call/Song: Sweet, descending song.

  • Seasonal Presence: Summer visitor (April–September).

  • Similar Species: Chiffchaff (shorter wings, harsher call).

  • Spotting Tip: Listen for its flowing, musical song.

  • Photo Tip: Capture while singing in spring light.

  • Rarity: Common.

  • Folklore: Associated with renewal and gentle change.

 

Garden Warbler (Sylvia borin / Telor y berllan)

  • Description: Plain brown warbler, no obvious markings, but rich song.

  • Size: 14 cm.

  • Where it lives: Dense scrub, woodland edges.

  • Nest: Cup of grass and roots in shrubs.

  • Eggs: Pale with brown speckles; 4–5 per clutch.

  • Call/Song: Rich, fluting warble, similar to Blackcap but less varied.

  • Seasonal Presence: Summer visitor (April–September).

  • Similar Species: Blackcap (male has black cap).

  • Spotting Tip: More often heard than seen.

  • Photo Tip: Patience needed; best in dense foliage.

  • Rarity: Occasional.

  • Folklore: A hidden singer, symbol of modesty.

 

Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla / Penlas du)

  • Description: Male has black cap, female chestnut cap.

  • Size: 13 cm.

  • Where it lives: Woodland, gardens, scrub.

  • Nest: Cup of grass and roots in shrubs.

  • Eggs: Pale green with brown speckles; 4–6 per clutch.

  • Call/Song: Rich, fluting warble.

  • Seasonal Presence: Summer visitor (April–October); some overwinter.

  • Similar Species: Garden Warbler (plainer, no cap).

  • Spotting Tip: Listen for its nightingale‑like song.

  • Photo Tip: Best in spring when singing openly.

  • Rarity: Common.

  • Folklore: Known as the “northern nightingale.”

 

Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus / Tylluanen goch)

  • Description: Male has orange breast, black face, grey back, red tail.

  • Size: 14 cm.

  • Where it lives: Open woodland, parkland, orchards.

  • Nest: Tree holes, walls, nest boxes.

  • Eggs: Pale blue; 5–7 per clutch.

  • Call/Song: Sweet, whistling song.

  • Seasonal Presence: Summer visitor (April–September).

  • Similar Species: Robin (smaller, rounder, no black face).

  • Spotting Tip: Look for tail flicking.

  • Photo Tip: Best in spring when males sing from perches.

  • Rarity: Occasional.

  • Folklore: Associated with fire and renewal.

 

Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca / Telor brith)

  • Description: Male black and white, female brownish.

  • Size: 13 cm.

  • Where it lives: Deciduous woodland, nest boxes.

  • Nest: Tree holes or boxes.

  • Eggs: Pale blue; 5–7 per clutch.

  • Call/Song: Short, sweet warble.

  • Seasonal Presence: Summer visitor (April–September).

  • Similar Species: Collared Flycatcher (not in UK).

  • Spotting Tip: Look for fly‑catching sallies from perches.

  • Photo Tip: Best in spring when males display.

  • Rarity: Occasional.

  • Folklore: Symbol of fleeting beauty.

 

Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata / Telor brith llwyd)

  • Description: Grey‑brown, streaked breast, upright posture.

  • Size: 14 cm.

  • Where it lives: Gardens, orchards, woodland edges.

  • Nest: Cup of grass and moss on ledges or in creepers.

  • Eggs: Pale blue with speckles; 4–5 per clutch.

  • Call/Song: Thin “tseeep” call; weak song.

  • Seasonal Presence: Summer visitor (May–September).

  • Similar Species: None locally.

  • Spotting Tip: Watch for repeated fly‑catching flights.

  • Photo Tip: Capture mid‑air insect catches.

  • Rarity: Declining / Conservation Concern.

  • Folklore: Associated with patience and persistence.

 

Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe / Bras y graig)

  • Description: Grey back, black eye‑stripe, orange breast, white rump.

  • Size: 14–15 cm.

  • Where it lives: Open fields, rocky ground.

  • Nest: Holes in walls, burrows, crevices.

  • Eggs: Pale blue; 5–6 per clutch.

  • Call/Song: “Chack” call; simple song.

  • Seasonal Presence: Passage migrant (March–May, August–October).

  • Similar Species: Whinchat (streaked, white eyebrow).

  • Spotting Tip: Look for white rump in flight.

  • Photo Tip: Best on stone walls or posts.

  • Rarity: Occasional.

  • Folklore: Known as the “white arse” in old dialects.

Swallow (Hirundo rustica / Gwennol)

  • Description: Sleek, glossy blue‑black above with a deep red throat and long tail streamers. White underparts and graceful, agile flight.

  • Size: 17–19 cm; wingspan 32–35 cm.

  • Where it lives: Open countryside, farmland, meadows, and villages. Strongly associated with barns and outbuildings.

  • Nest: Mud cup nests built inside barns, sheds, and under eaves.

  • Eggs: White with reddish speckles; 3–6 per clutch.

  • Call/Song: Liquid twittering and cheerful “vit-vit” chatter; constant vocalisations in flight.

  • Seasonal Presence: Summer visitor (April–October). Migrates to Africa for the winter.

  • Similar Species: House Martin (shorter tail, white rump, no red throat); Swift (all dark, longer wings, screaming call).

  • Spotting Tip: Look for low, fast flight over fields and water as they hunt insects.

  • Photo Tip: Best captured in flight with tail streamers visible; also photogenic perched on wires.

  • Rarity: Very Common in season.

  • Folklore: Long‑standing symbol of luck, safe return, and the true herald of summer.

 

House Martin (Delichon urbicum / Gwennol y tŷ)

  • Description: Glossy blue‑black above with a bright white rump and underparts. Short forked tail, compact body, and fluttering flight.

  • Size: 13–15 cm; wingspan 26–29 cm.

  • Where it lives: Villages, towns, and farmsteads; strongly associated with buildings.

  • Nest: Mud cup nests built under eaves and ledges, often in colonies.

  • Eggs: White, 3–5 per clutch.

  • Call/Song: Constant twittering and chirruping calls, softer than Swallow.

  • Seasonal Presence: Summer visitor (April–September). Migrates to Africa in winter.

  • Similar Species: Swallow (longer tail streamers, red throat); Swift (all dark, longer wings, screaming call).

  • Spotting Tip: Look for white rump in flight and mud nests under eaves.

  • Photo Tip: Best captured at nest sites or in flight against rooftops.

  • Rarity: Common in season.

  • Folklore: Believed to protect homes and bring good fortune when nesting under roofs.

 

Swift (Apus apus / Swift)

  • Description: Sickle‑shaped wings, all‑dark plumage, and a screaming call. Spends almost its entire life on the wing.

  • Size: 16–17 cm; wingspan 38–40 cm.

  • Where it lives: Towns and villages; nests in roof spaces, crevices, and old buildings.

  • Nest: Sparse nest of feathers and debris glued with saliva inside cavities.

  • Eggs: White, 2–3 per clutch.

  • Call/Song: Piercing “screaming parties” in summer evenings; no true song.

  • Seasonal Presence: Summer visitor (May–August). Among the latest arrivals and earliest departures.

  • Similar Species: Swallow and House Martin (shorter wings, white underparts, different calls).

  • Spotting Tip: Look for high, fast, scything flight and screaming flocks at dusk.

  • Photo Tip: Best against clear blue skies; use fast shutter speeds to freeze wingbeats.

  • Rarity: Common in season.

  • Folklore: Said never to land except at the nest; symbol of eternal flight and freedom.

🍂 Autumn & Winter Visitors

Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago / Gylfinir bach)

  • Description: Medium‑sized wader with long straight bill and cryptic brown, buff, and black plumage.

  • Size: 25–27 cm; wingspan 40–45 cm.

  • Where it lives: Wet meadows, marshes, damp fields, and river edges.

  • Nest: Ground scrape hidden in tussocks.

  • Eggs: Olive with dark blotches; 3–4 per clutch.

  • Call/Song: Sharp “chipper” calls; males display with drumming sound from tail feathers.

  • Seasonal Presence: Winter visitor and passage migrant; some breed in upland UK.

  • Similar Species: Jack Snipe (smaller, shorter bill, bobbing behaviour).

  • Spotting Tip: Often flushed suddenly from wet grassland; zig‑zag flight.

  • Photo Tip: Long lens; best chance at dawn/dusk near marshy ground.

  • Rarity: Occasional locally.

  • Folklore: The drumming display was once thought to be the bleating of “heavenly goats.”

 

Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris / Coch y maes)

  • Description: Large thrush with grey head, chestnut back, and spotted breast.

  • Size: 25–26 cm; wingspan 39–42 cm.

  • Where it lives: Fields, orchards, hedgerows, and open countryside in winter.

  • Nest: Breeds in northern Europe; not in the UK.

  • Eggs: Pale blue with dark spots (in breeding range).

  • Call/Song: Harsh “chack‑chack” calls; chattering in flocks.

  • Seasonal Presence: Winter visitor (October–March).

  • Similar Species: Mistle Thrush (larger, paler, less chestnut).

  • Spotting Tip: Watch noisy flocks in fields and berry bushes.

  • Photo Tip: Best in snowy fields or feeding in orchards.

  • Rarity: Common in winter.

  • Folklore: Associated with harsh winters and abundance of berries.

 

Redwing (Turdus iliacus / Coch y gaeaf)

  • Description: Small thrush with cream eyebrow and distinctive red flanks.

  • Size: 21 cm; wingspan 33–35 cm.

  • Where it lives: Hedgerows, orchards, fields, and woodland edges in winter.

  • Nest: Breeds in Scandinavia and Iceland; not in the UK.

  • Eggs: Pale blue with dark spots (in breeding range).

  • Call/Song: Thin “tseeep” flight call; soft thrush‑like song on breeding grounds.

  • Seasonal Presence: Winter visitor (October–March).

  • Similar Species: Song Thrush (no red flanks, more spotted breast).

  • Spotting Tip: Look for flocks feeding on berries in hedgerows.

  • Photo Tip: Capture against berry‑laden branches for colour contrast.

  • Rarity: Common in winter.

  • Folklore: Said to bring the first frosts of winter.

❄️ Wintering Waterfowl

Eurasian Teal (Anas crecca / Corhwyaden yr eithin)

  • Description: Small dabbling duck; males with chestnut head and green eye patch, females mottled brown.

  • Size: 34–38 cm; wingspan 58–64 cm.

  • Where it lives: Wetlands, flooded meadows, river edges.

  • Nest: Ground nest in dense vegetation.

  • Eggs: Creamy white; 8–11 per clutch.

  • Call/Song: Male whistles; female quacks.

  • Seasonal Presence: Winter visitor; some breed in northern UK.

  • Similar Species: Garganey (summer visitor, different head pattern).

  • Spotting Tip: Look for small size and fast flight in flocks.

  • Photo Tip: Best in golden light to show male’s green patch.

  • Rarity: Common in winter.

  • Folklore: Associated with winter floods and abundance.

 

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta / Creyr bach gwyn)

  • Description: Elegant white heron with black bill, black legs, and yellow feet.

  • Size: 55–65 cm; wingspan 88–106 cm.

  • Where it lives: Rivers, lakes, estuaries, wetlands.

  • Nest: Stick platform in trees or reedbeds.

  • Eggs: Pale blue; 3–5 per clutch.

  • Call/Song: Harsh croaks at colonies.

  • Seasonal Presence: Increasingly common year‑round; more visible in winter.

  • Similar Species: Grey Heron (larger, grey plumage).

  • Spotting Tip: Look for bright yellow feet when feeding.

  • Photo Tip: Best in early morning light to avoid glare on white plumage.

  • Rarity: Occasional locally.

  • Folklore: Once a rare visitor, now a symbol of climate change and shifting ranges.

 

Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata / Hwyaden Fandarin)

  • Description: Striking male with ornate orange sails and multicoloured plumage; females grey‑brown with white eye‑ring.

  • Size: 41–49 cm; wingspan 65–75 cm.

  • Where it lives: Lakes, ponds, wooded rivers.

  • Nest: Tree holes near water.

  • Eggs: Creamy white; 9–12 per clutch.

  • Call/Song: Quiet whistles and clucks.

  • Seasonal Presence: Introduced species; feral populations now resident, more visible in winter.

  • Similar Species: Wood Duck (North American, not UK).

  • Spotting Tip: Look for males in full plumage in winter.

  • Photo Tip: Best in calm water for reflections.

  • Rarity: Occasional.

  • Folklore: In Asia, a symbol of love and fidelity.

 

Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus / Cornchwiglen)

  • Description: Distinctive crested wader with black and white plumage and rounded wings.

  • Size: 28–31 cm; wingspan 67–72 cm.

  • Where it lives: Farmland, wetlands, pastures.

  • Nest: Ground scrape in open fields.

  • Eggs: Olive with dark blotches; 3–4 per clutch.

  • Call/Song: “Pee‑wit” call; tumbling display flight.

  • Seasonal Presence: Resident breeder; large winter flocks from northern Europe.

  • Similar Species: Golden Plover (smaller, golden spangled).

  • Spotting Tip: Look for flocks wheeling over fields in winter.

  • Photo Tip: Capture tumbling display flights in spring.

  • Rarity: Declining / Conservation Concern.

  • Folklore: Known as the “peewit,” linked to trickery and mischief.

 

Pochard (Aythya ferina / Hwyaden biggoch)

  • Description: Male with chestnut head, black breast, grey back; female brown with pale face.

  • Size: 42–49 cm; wingspan 72–82 cm.

  • Where it lives: Lakes, reservoirs, gravel pits.

  • Nest: Ground nest in reeds.

  • Eggs: Pale green; 8–10 per clutch.

  • Call/Song: Male whistles; female growls.

  • Seasonal Presence: Winter visitor; some breed in eastern England.

  • Similar Species: Tufted Duck (smaller, tufted head, yellow eye).

  • Spotting Tip: Look for chestnut head and pale grey back in males.

  • Photo Tip: Best in calm water with reflections.

  • Rarity: Declining / Conservation Concern.

  • Folklore: Once abundant, now a symbol of changing wetlands.

 

Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis / Hwyaden Gochgoesyn)

  • Description: Small stiff‑tailed duck; males in breeding plumage have bright blue bill and chestnut body.

  • Size: 35–43 cm; wingspan 58–62 cm.

  • Where it lives: Lakes, reservoirs, wetlands.

  • Nest: Floating nest of reeds and vegetation.

  • Eggs: White, large for body size; 6–10 per clutch.

  • Call/Song: Generally quiet; males display with bubbling sounds.

  • Seasonal Presence: Introduced species; now heavily controlled in UK, but occasional individuals still appear.

  • Similar Species: None locally.

  • Spotting Tip: Look for cocked tail and compact body.

  • Photo Tip: Best in profile to show tail and bill.

  • Rarity: Occasional.

  • Folklore: A controversial bird — once common, now almost vanished due to conservation policy.

 

Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna / Hwyaden yr ehedydd)

  • Description: Large, striking duck with white body, dark green head, chestnut breast band, and red bill knob in males.

  • Size: 58–67 cm; wingspan 100–120 cm.

  • Where it lives: Estuaries, mudflats, coastal wetlands; occasionally inland.

  • Nest: Burrows, rabbit holes, or under vegetation.

  • Eggs: White; 8–12 per clutch.

  • Call/Song: Low honking and whistles.

  • Seasonal Presence: Mostly coastal breeder; inland birds appear in winter.

  • Similar Species: None locally — unmistakable.

  • Spotting Tip: Look for bold plumage and large size in mixed flocks.

  • Photo Tip: Best against mudflats or estuary backdrops.

  • Rarity: Occasional inland.

  • Folklore: Known as the “burrow duck,” tied to coastal folklore.

⚠️ Disclaimer

These guides are designed for guest enjoyment and casual identification at Reddings Retreat. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, they are not a substitute for professional field guides. Bird presence and nesting behaviour can vary seasonally and annually. Please observe wildlife responsibly and avoid disturbing active nests.

 

🌿 Final Note / Share Your Spotting

Every sighting adds to the story of Reddings Retreat. If you capture a special moment — whether it’s a robin feeding chicks, a swallow returning in spring, or a flock of redwings in the orchard — we’d love to hear about it.

📩 Share your spotting with Charlotte directly, or tag us on social media. With your permission, we may feature your photo or story in future updates of our guides.

 

📚 Further Resources

For quick help identifying calls and photos, try the free Merlin Bird ID App. It’s a great way to log your sightings and build your own record of birds spotted at Reddings Retreat.

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