Reed Bunting

Above: Reed Bunting (male).
Below: Reed Bunting (female).

Reed buntings are widespread and common UK residents. Although favouring marshland they have spread in recent years to more dryer habitats, especially in winter. In spring males perch openly and sing their heads off.

They are reminiscent of sparrows except that in spring and summer the male sports a black head with white collar and moustache. The back is heavily streaked brown, the wings are brown with black edges to the feathers, especially the black-tipped primaries. The breast is white with some brown streaking on the upper breast and flanks and sometimes a slight, warm buff wash with the streaking. The tail is brown, the beak is dark grey and the legs are pink. The male in spring and summer sports a jet black head with a black bib that extends down into the breast. He also has a thick white collar and a reasonably broad white moustache stripe. In autumn and winter the black fades to a scaly black/brown, almost as pale as the females head but not quite and he retains a hint of a collar, although by now this is more buff than white. She has no collar and a pale head with a striped pale brown and mid brown pattern  and a more prominent white over black moustache stripe.

I suppose it's easy to mistake a winter lapland bunting for the more common reed bunting but the lapland bunting has much more chestnut brown in it's body pattern, especially at the nape of the neck, it also has a black-tipped yellow beak and much darker legs.

Since they prefer wetland this is the best place to look for them. They are likely to be found anywhere with reed beds or other damp vegetation. They are not particularly shy and I have been able to approach these birds quite closely if the approach is made slowly and without any quick or jerky movements.

For photography almost anywhere you find these birds will do but for really close shots a hide or some cover is probably best. For that reason, the feeding stations at Martin Mere, Moore Nature Reserve, Risley Moss, Woolston Eyes and Pennington Flash are all likely to produce good results, with Pennington being my personal favourite as it's guaranteed (almost) to see them here and you really do get them very close to the hide.