White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)

OTHER NAMES: Greater White-fronted Goose, Greater Whitefront, Specklebelly
Latin Etymology: Anser ("goose") albifrons ("white-forehead")

Adult White-fronted Goose (subspecies A. a. flaviostris - "Greenland White-Fronted Goose") at Keswick, Cumbria - April 2011

Featured Subspecies: Anser albifrons flaviostris
Weight: 1.9-3.3kg  /  Length: 64-81cm  /  Wingspan: 130-165cm
UK GREEN LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

White-fronted geese are a migrant species which turn up in various regions of the UK in Winter in large groups. This particular bird is a bit of an oddity - it was found with a mixed group of other geese grazing on a sheep field, on its own, outside normal wintering sites. It is of the Greenland race rather than the Siberian one - it can be identified by the orange rather than pink beak. Ordinarily however the best places to look for these birds would be in established Wintering sites.

Related Species:

Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Anser
Featured Subspecies: A. a. flavirostris, A. a. albifrons, A. a. elgasi, A. a. gambelli, A. a. sponsa

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A local but fairly abundant Winter migrant (2,400 birds of subsoecies albifrons, 13,000 of subspecies flaviostris)

 - A single bird seen at Keswick in 2011 associating with Greylag Geese.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)

OTHER NAMES: Redstart

Latin Etymology: Phoenicurus ("crimson tailed") phoenicurus ("crimson tailed")

Adult male Common Redstart (subspecies P. p. phoenicurus) at  Cold Ashby, Northants - April 2022

Featured Subspecies: Phoenicurus phoenicurus phoenicurus

Weight: 11-23g  /  Length: 13-14.5cm  /  Wingspan: 23-26cm

UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Generally known just as the "Redstart" in the UK (the Black Redstart being only a modern coloniser after all) this is a species with a generally westerly bias to it's range in the UK, associating more with birch and oak woodland that most British woodland birds.  However, there are exceptions and there are also sites in the South East in which it can be found such as Thursley common.  It has a lot of overlap with the Robin in it's diet and behaviour, but unlike that species is a Summer migrant, and thus can also be found on passage, sometimes in small numbers together - such as the three females I saw together in the grounds of Alexandra Palace in September 2015.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Muscicapidae
Genus: Phoenicurus
Subspecies: P. p. phoenicurus, P. p. samamisicus

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A local but fairly numerous Summer breeding migrant (100,000 pairs)

 - Birds seen on breeding territories at Derwent Water and Thursley Commom, and the park surrounding Alexandra Palace on passage

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)

OTHER NAMES: Red-breasted Goosander, Red-breasted Sheldrake, Garbill, Sea Robin
Latin Etymology: Mergus (unidentified bird named by Pliny) serrator ("saw")

Adult male Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) at East Wemyss, Fife -  January 2026

Featured Subspecies: N/A

Weight: 780-1350g  /  Length: 52-58cm  /  Wingspan: 70-86cm

UK GREEN LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Red-breasted mergansers are the rarer species of "sawbill" found in the United Kingdom - they are far less numerous and more localised Goosanders - found more in the North and West of the country. They also Winter around the coast in other parts of the country. Smaller than Goosanders, the defining feature is the red neck of the name when comparing it against Goosanders.  I first came across this species while intentionally looking for them in the lake district, but have subsequently had the odd distance view along the Kent coast.

Related Species:
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Mergus
Subspecies: none - monotypic

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A scarce and local breeding species (2,400 pairs) and uncommon Wintering species (9000 birds)

 - A small flock seen on Derwent Water in April 2011.  Also on the sea off North Kent and Fife in the Winter.

JAPAN - Japanese - ウミアイサ / Umi-aisa  ("Sea merganser"/"Sea Autumn-Sand")

A Winter migrant

  - TOKYO/HOKKAIDO 2014 TRIP: Seen on the sea in Akkeshi.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Common Raven (Corvus corax)

OTHER NAMES: Raven, Northern Raven, Corbie
Latin Etymology: Corvus ("raven") corax ("raven")

Adult Raven (subspecies C. c. sinatus) at Berkeley, Californial - August 2022

Featured Subspecies - Corvus corax sinatus
Weight: 165-230g  /  Length: 24-33cm  /  Wingspan: 50-73cm
UK GREEN LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Raven is not only the largest passerine in the UK, but also, along with another species of Raven, the World. It is a huge, impressive bird which without close inspection might resemble a crow - it is however substantially larger (being bigger than a buzzard) and has a distinctive wedge shaped tail in flight. The other two major signs are the very heavy set bill compared to the other crows (which can be seen in my photograph) and more dramatically, it's "kronking" call which though not necessarily one of the most pleasant calls, is in my opinion one of the most powerful and dramatic calls, especially if you are walking on a high hillside somewhere. As for photography - the fact it's a big bird helps, just getting a good view is the challenge - unfortunately my first bird was seen as dusk with bad lighting.

As a side note, I have also recently seen a pair of Raven's over Geddington - given that these bird's have only just started to re-establish in the county after an absence of a hundred years, I hope this results in them breeding around the village in the coming years.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Corvidae
Genus: Corvus
Subspecies: C. c. principalis, C. c. sinuatus, C. c. clarionensis, C. c. varius, C. c. corax, C. c. hispanus, C. c. laurencei, C. c. subcorax, C. c. tingitanus, C. c. canariensis, C. c. tibetanus, C. c. kamtschaticus  

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A local but increasing resident breeding species (7400 pairs)

 - A locally reasonably common species seen at Trevose Head, St. Bee's Head, Derwent Water, and Haweswater. Roaming birds encountered on a few occasions at Geddington

UNITED STATES 
Range centred on the Rockies and Pacific Coast
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at Roy's Redwoods, San Francisco and Berkeley

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Branta ("burnt" from Old Norse) leucopsis ("white face")

Feral adult Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis) at Derwent Water, Cumbria -April 2010

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 1000-2250g  /  Length: 55-70cm  /  Wingspan: 130-145cm

UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Barnacle Geese are a slightly difficult bird to accurately designate, and it's not helped by the fact that this bird is quite probably a feral specimen. However, in summary they are a species which arrives during the winter in Scotland and Northern Ireland from Greenland and Svalbard. While relatively numerous where they do arrive, the fact it's in a relatively out the way location for only half the year means that unless you happen to be in the right place in Winter they are much harder to see. The native feral population, which according to the RSPB website numbers about three thousand is probably a much more viable bet and can be found anywhere, though resident flocks in the Lake District are probably some of the better bets.

Related Species:

Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Branta
Subspecies:  none - monotypic

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Breeds locally (900 pairs) and local Winter visitor (58,000 from Greenland,33,000 from Svalbard). Also feral (3000 birds).

 - A single bird at Rutland Water. A large feral flock at Derwent Water

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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