The Wildlife of
Holy Island

 
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Thrushes and Chats - The Redwing

First seen on Monday 26th October 2020 at Holy Island

Redwings are winter visitors, and are also known as winter thrushes. Although at first glance Redwings look like a bit like a Song Thrush, they have a very pronounced stripe above the eye, and of course the red patch under the wing that gives them their name. You can see redwings just about anywhere on the Island, but these were feeding in the trees along Straight Lonnen

In most National Trust properties they start their stay at the very tops of the trees for a while, moving from tree to tree as if they are finding out where everything is. Later in the season they switch to feeding on the berries in the trees. They delicately pluck the berries and toss them into their mouths. In late winter/early spring, when the berries have all been eaten, they move to the fields and meadows and become ground feeders, eating grubs and worms. Having said that, Holy Island is quite different, as it has very few large trees. These Redwing were first seen in October, and were already tucking into the berries and even feeding in the meadows. Redwings have very similar feeding habits to the Fieldfare, and they often feed and fly together.