Twite (Linaria flavirostris)

OTHER NAMES: Mountain Linnet
Latin Etymology: Linaria ("linen weaver") flavirostris ("yellow billed")  

Three Twite (possibly subspecies L. f. pipilans) at Onager Hill, Norfolk - March 2023

Featured Subspecies: possibly Linaria flavirostris pipilans
Weight: 13-18g  /  Length: 13-1cm  /  Wingspan: 22-24cm
UK RED LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A small finch of cold uplands, the twite is arguably the drabbest of the native finches of the UK, with only the often obscured pink rump of the breeding males as colouration on its otherwise brown plumage. Their global range is separated into two broad areas a highly migratory population in Northern Europe and resident birds of Central Asia and the Caucasus. The UK breeding population is in major decline, though it is supplemented by migratory continental birds in Winter. Their distinctive yellow bill is only present in Winter.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Fringillidae
Genus: Linaria
SUBSPECIES: L. f. bensonorum, L. f. pipilans, L. f. flavirostris, L. f. brevirostris, L. f. kirghizorum, L. f. korejevi, L. f. altaica, L. f. montanella, L. f. pamirensis, L. f. miiakensis, L. f. rufostrigata

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A scarce breeder in Northern uplands (7850 pairs), Winters in saltmarshes (100,000 birds)
 - A flock at Onager Hill in March 2023,

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

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Pink-footed Goose (Anser brachyrhynchus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Anser ("Goose") brachyrhynchus ("short bill")

Flock of Pink-footed Goose (Anser brachyrhynchus) Onager Hill, Norfolk - March 2023

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 1.5-3.5kg  /  Length: 60-75cm  /  Wingspan: 135-170cm
UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Pink-footed Goose is probably one of the best examples in the UK of a bird that could be described as locally common.  It visits Britain in the Winter in huge numbers in the areas surrounding some of the major estuary areas such as the Wash, but outside of these it occurs as a vagrant, often associated with other geese species.  This particular one for instance was associating with a large flock of Greylag Geese - a common species in the UK which it's worth checking the flocks of for other grey geese in Winter.  The birds that visit the UK have bred in Greenland and Iceland, while a second population from Svalbard Winters in the Netherlands and Denmark.

Related Species:
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Anser
Subspecies: None - monotypic

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A locally numerous Winter visitor to certain sites - rare elsewhere.

 - Various locations around The Wash, a single bird at Eyebrooke Reservoir in November 2014. 

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

Merlin (Falco columbarius)

OTHER NAMES: Pigeon Hawk

Latin Etymology: Falco ("falcon") columbarius ("pertaining to doves")

Adult Female Merlin (subspecies F. c. aesolon) at Flamborough, Yorkshire - November 2023

Featured Subspecies: Falco columbarius aesolon
Weight: 165-230g  /  Length: 24-33cm  /  Wingspan: 50-73cm
UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List - Least Concern

Out of all the species represented on this blog thus far, none have had more hours put into finding them with so little success.  A dashing little bird and the smallest raptor in the UK, despite repeated visits to sites which are good for them and had reported them regularly, I ended up with at best fleeting glimpses of "probables" flying past me at high speed, or far more usually, no sign at all of them.  Most frustratingly, of all British species this had been one I had wanted to see since a young age.  When I finally managed to take this photograph I hadn't even been looking for one, I was on a casual walk and I'd just happened to turn round and inspect a distant bird that had alighted on a post further back on the path I had just walked down only to realise this chance glance was the bird that had vexed me on potentially dozens of occasions.  For the good of anyone else who wishes to see this lovely if frustrating bird, I'm going to refrain from advice in case I jinx you.

Related Species:
Order: Falconiformes
Family: Falconidae
Genus: Falco
Subspecies: F. c. columbarius, F. c. suckleyi, F. c. richardsonii, F. c. subawesalon, F. c. aesalon, F. c. insignis, F. c. pacificus, F. c. pallidus, F. c. lymani

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Scarce and local breeding species (900-1500 pairs) - migrates internally in the UK in Winter

 - Indiviiduals at Onager Hill, Frampton Marshes  and Flamborough Head in 2023, , 1 female at Harlyn Bay in April 2014.

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

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