I NOTE your excellent reader picture in ‘Your Say’ on Wednesday (June 13) Argus, taken by John in his Ringland garden. However, this is a mature male bird, as shown by slate-blue wings, back and prominent red-brown breast. The female bird (similar to first-year birds) is an overall dark brown bird of wing and mottled breast, without the prominent breast of the male.
I have seen the odd male in my garden overlooking Chepstow Road allotments, with first-year birds/females regularly from late autumn to early spring, but none last winter. Birds fly in low and fast (60-70mph), taking sparrows by surprise off the feeder, or even at ground level, similar to quick fly runs down the central hedge/stream line of the allotment.
P Warwick, East Grove Road, Newport
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