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~ a celebration of nature

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Tag Archives: dunnock

Never a dull Dunnock

13 Tuesday Dec 2022

Posted by sconzani in birds

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birding, birdwatching, British birds, dunnock, Hedge sparrow

The Dunnock often get dismissed as an ordinary and dull LBJ (little brown job). I assume its detractors and dismissers have never actually looked at the subtle intricacies of its plumage because it is a seriously handsome bird.

221213 dunnock

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The little belter

27 Tuesday Apr 2021

Posted by sconzani in birds

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birding, birdwatching, British birds, dunnock, Hedge sparrow

Today, just a visual celebration of the little brown bird that’s been entertaining me in recent weeks, belting out its joyful song from the top of every hedge and bush. Once, and still to many, the Hedge sparrow; now, officially, the Dunnock; always, a stunning little songster.

210427 dunnock (1)210427 dunnock (2)210427 dunnock (3)

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Saturday Night Fever

13 Saturday Mar 2021

Posted by sconzani in birds

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birding, birdwatching, British birds, dunnock

Starring The Dunnock as John Travolta.
(The younger among you may need to google this movie reference.)

210313 dunnock

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315/366 Birds in a field

10 Tuesday Nov 2020

Posted by sconzani in autumn, birds

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birding, birdwatching, blackbird, British birds, Chiffchaff, dunnock, Reed bunting

On Sunday, I blogged about the wildflowers I’ve recently found still blooming in local farm fields. When I’ve been wandering those field edges, I have, of course, also been keeping one eye on the skies, to see what birds might be enjoying this currently unmanaged farmland. Here’s a selection …

201110 blackbird

There were several species of winter thrushes feeding in berry trees – Song thrushes, Redwings and a small flock of Fieldfares, and a large number of Blackbirds, the only ones I managed to photograph.

201110 chiffchaff

Two Chiffchaffs were chasing each other through tree branches. They’re late migrating but some Chiffchaffs do remain in Britain so maybe these two will stay local this winter.

201110 dunnock

A juvenile Dunnock was calling constantly, presumably for its parents, but they may well have decided it was time to cut the parental ties.

201110 reed bunting

Reed buntings aren’t always found in reeds. A family of three were flitting from hedge to field, foraging for seeds and insects.

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39/366 Billy, Dickie or Philip

08 Saturday Feb 2020

Posted by sconzani in birds, nature

≈ 2 Comments

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birding, birdwatching, Blue Tom, British birds, dunnock, Dunnock's vernacular names, Hedge Betty, Hedge Mike

The Dunnock has some wonderful vernacular names. From my Fauna Britannica: Billy (Oxfordshire); blue Isaac (Gloucestershire); dickie (Lancashire); hedge Betty (Warwickshire); Philip (Ireland); blue Tom (Stirlingshire); hedge Mike (Sussex) – these are just a few of the 49 names listed, from all parts of Britain. It’s no wonder, as the Dunnock is one of the most common of British birds.

200208 dunnock (1)

It may be dun coloured (hence its most common name, though some people still call it by its former name of Hedge sparrow) but its small frame is packed with character.

200208 dunnock (2)

This particular bird was so intent on blasting out its song today that it almost ignored me, standing on the muddy path in front of it. Another Dunnock was singing its territory and attractiveness as a mate from a nearby bush so I think there was a little competition going on.

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365/365 Blwyddyn Newydd Dda!

31 Tuesday Dec 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, birds, nature, winter

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

birding, birdwatching, blackbird, British birds, dunnock, robin

From me and today’s small feathered friends, here’s wishing you a very Happy New Year. Blwyddyn Newydd Dda!

191231 1 blackbird
191231 2 robin
191231 3 robin
191231 4 dunnock

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67/365 Small bird, big voice

08 Friday Mar 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, birds, nature

≈ 1 Comment

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birding, birdwatching, British birds, dunnock, Hedge sparrow

You might remember the ‘Tiny bird, huge voice’ blog a week ago, about the sound being blasted out by a male Wren. Well, another bird, though not so small, can currently be seen, sitting high on tree branches and hedge tops, also blasting out its ‘Look at me’ song, though not as loudly as the tiny Wren. This small brown bird, once known as the Hedge sparrow, is the Dunnock, and he too sings a merry tune.

190308 dunnock

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A jovial of Dunnocks

12 Wednesday Sep 2018

Posted by sconzani in birds, nature

≈ 2 Comments

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a jovial of dunnocks, birding, birdwatching, British birds, collective noun for dunnock, dunnock, fledgling birds, fledgling Dunnock, Prunella modularis

Apparently, a jovial is one of the traditional collective nouns for the Dunnock (Prunella modularis). Now don’t get me wrong, I love these little brown birds, I really do, but jovial is not an adjective I would normally use to describe them.

180912 dunnock (1)

Indeed, I can empathise with the sarcasm of this birder’s comments: ‘Any birdwatcher worth his salt knows of the joy brought about by watching a dull brown bird dullishly dull about in a dull shrub. Indeed, I find myself incredibly jovial every time I think I’ve seen a good bird and it turns out to be a dunnock.’

180912 dunnock (2)

However, while this little fledgling didn’t look anything like jovial, it certainly did make me smile. And, though my wander around Cosmeston produced some nice migrating birds, the highlight of my Monday was watching this little dumpling hopping along the path in front of me.

180912 dunnock (3)

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A walk in Nant Fawr

12 Tuesday Dec 2017

Posted by sconzani in birds, nature, walks, winter

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

birding, birdwatching, blackbird, Brambling, British birds, Carrion crow, dunnock, Great spotted woodpecker, house sparrow, Nant Fawr, Nant Fawr Woodlands, Song thrush, walk in the woods

There was snow on the hills north of Cardiff on Saturday morning so I thought I’d try to get closer to take some photos but also combine that with a good walk. So, I jumped on a train and went a’stomping. Unfortunately, by the time I got closer, the snow had mostly melted away, which wasn’t helped by the fact that the footpath I had intended to follow, along the eastern side of the Llanishen and Lisvane reservoirs, was closed. So, I contented myself with a wander through the Nant Fawr woodlands and, afterwards, a circuit of Roath Park Lake.

171212 Nant Fawr (1)

I was rewarded with the sight, albeit distant, of my very first Brambling – my shots are heavily cropped so you’ll just have to take my word for it!

171212 Nant Fawr (2) Brambling
171212 Nant Fawr (3) Brambling

A small group of House sparrows was dotting about in bushes at the woodland edge.

171212 Nant Fawr (4) Sparrow
171212 Nant Fawr (5) Sparrow
171212 Nant Fawr (6) Sparrow
171212 Nant Fawr (7) Sparrow

I always thought Carrion crows were mostly solitary birds but this flock of about 20 proved me wrong.

171212 Nant Fawr (8) Crow171212 Nant Fawr (9) Crow

The wood-tapping of this Great spotted woodpecker helped direct my lens in its direction, as did the singing of this little Dunnock.

171212 Nant Fawr (10) Great spotted woodpecker
171212 Nant Fawr (11) Dunnock

And Song thrushes and Blackbirds were enjoying a hearty lunch of berries along the hedgerows.

171212 Nant Fawr (12) Blackbird
171212 Nant Fawr (13) Song thrush

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Birds of Forest Farm

07 Thursday Dec 2017

Posted by sconzani in birds, nature, walks

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

birding, birdwatching, British birds, bullfinch, dunnock, Forest Farm, Forest Farm Nature Reserve, Great spotted woodpecker, Great tit, Kingfisher, long-tailed tit, Moorhen, robin, treecreeper

I had a meeting at Forest Farm last Friday so, of course, I took the opportunity while I was there to have a wander around the trails and along the Glamorganshire Canal. And it was wonderful, though I did come away feeling a little guilty. We’d had a week of low temperatures, with overnight frosts, and there was a bitterly cold wind blowing. It was obvious the wee birds were cold and hungry but I hadn’t taken any seed with me. Here are a Long-tailed tit, a male Bullfinch, a Dunnock, a Robin and a Great tit.

171207 Forest farm birds (1)171207 Forest farm birds (2)171207 Forest farm birds (3)171207 Forest farm birds (4)171207 Forest farm birds (5)

The water of the canal was sheltered from the breeze and very still, making for some stunning reflections (thank you little Moorhen). And I was treated to excellent views of a female Kingfisher, who sat for at least 15 minutes on her branch. From the way her feathers were fluffed up and she was hunched over her ‘toes’, I figure she was feeling the cold as well.

171207 Forest farm birds (8)171207 Forest farm birds (7)

The Great spotted woodpecker was a treat, as were the Treecreepers – at least four of them, perhaps a family group, were actively scuttling up the branches in one small area by the canal. It was a grand day – my meeting went well and the birding was even better than expected!

171207 Forest farm birds (9)171207 Forest farm birds (6)

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sconzani

sconzani

I'm a writer and photographer; researcher and blogger; birder and nature lover; countryside rambler and city strider; volunteer and biodiversity recorder.

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