Reed bunting

This is a male reed bunting feeding on sunflower seeds scattered in the snow in the garden early this morning. He's in his winter plumage, the beard and top of the head are much blacker in the breeding season. He's still a handsome little chap though.

Reed buntings as the name suggests usually breed in wet places, such as reedbeds and willow scrub along rivers and canals. Last year was the first winter we have had them in the garden. This year, we have already had a male and a female, even before the latest cold snap. This species is increasingly using gardens in the winter, and this is thought to be due to the decreasing availability of food in the countryside with agricultural changes. The bunting has proved more adaptable than some of the other birds that relied on winter stubbles. Interestingly, last year we had the first tree sparrows in the garden over the winter, but unlike the buntings they have remained with us all year.

This bird has a ring on his left leg. It suggests he is likely to have originated from the RSPB Leighton Moss nature reserve, which is about 4 miles away as the bunting flies.

This was again taken from the icey front room with the window open before I left for work. I knew there would be no opportunity to escape from the office today with a succession of meetings lined up.