Yesterday evening news came through of a Red-flanked Bluetail at a local nature reserve just down the road two days earlier. Surely it couldn't still be present. But, along with a few others I was there in the morning searching and, incredibly, there it was. A species that would once have had people travelling the length of the country to see, right here in the Peterborough area. Extremely confiding and calling occasionally, this was a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
Also known by the perhaps better name Orange-flanked Bush-robin, this is now a regular autumn migrant to the UK, usually in very small numbers, mainly from the increasing east Scandinavian population. But perhaps this later arrival is from further east as the range extends all the way to the Pacific coast. Inland records are very rare and this is unusually late in the year. I wonder if it will try to over-winter here.
My previous sightings have been in the UK despite them overwintering in Northern Thailand. I'll be looking out for them when I'm back there in January; they are always a joy to see.
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| Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus |
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