Cirl Buntings

Towards the end of November 2025, Kev found a small wintering group of Cirl Buntings on the outskirts of Beer.  Our presumption was that these birds were the small Beer breeding population (plus a few more) that have been around since 2024.  

I hadn't managed to get up there at all until this morning, when I had a spare half-hour in what was surprisingly pleasant weather, which was a nice change!

Just where Kev had marked on a map for me, sure enough there were four Cirl Buntings - two of each sex.  They mostly stayed high in larger trees, so photos weren't great, but one of the females did briefly come lower down...

Love that rich red-brown colour on the yellow breast and flanks

 

This was the brownest female present, all others had more yellow around the face and breast, so presumably it's a first-winter?

Same female as above on the deck - still looking very brown

 

Four is about the number that's been seen here during the last few months, so I thought that was it and I headed off feeling pleased to get them on my patch year list at my first attempt.

However, when I was about 20 paces from leaving the field, I could see several more Cirl Buntings in front of me.  It was tricky to get a handle on how many were there, but counting them as they erupted out of the hedge showed it was a flock of 16+!!!  That's loads more than the local (known) breeding population - wow!

Such amazing looking Buntings.  They took so long to get here!

Whenever I see a Cirl flock in a hedge, such a small proportion of the flock actually sit out proud with most being partially or wholly invisible.  There's four in this shot.

I presumed my original four were part of this 16, however Kev later had around 25 birds so I think I can safely say I saw 20+ this morning, especially as my first four actually flew off in the opposite direction to where I then saw the flock of 16.  Also a single Yellowhammer in the same field.

What an incredible turn up for the books!  This must be one of the bigger single gatherings of Cirls east of the Exe? For now, anyway...

Thanks for reading!