Ring Ouzel -The Mountain Blackbird.
27th April 2024
The shy and difficult to approach Ring Ouzel is a favourite bird of mine. I have made no secret in previous blog posts of my admiration for these lovely birds. I am attracted to them because of the lonely, remote and difficult habitats they occupy. They are a bird of the high mountains, shunning the lower grasslands which would probably be more food laden and definitely more hospitable. They build their nests high up in the rocky gullies and boulder-clad hillsides of the Brecon Beacons. Their diet is virtually the same as the Blackbird, worms, beetles and other small animals in spring and summer, then changing to berries, notably Rowan, in the autumn, when on their southerly passage to their wintering grounds in Southern Spain and North Africa.
These birds are in serious decline as a breeding bird in the UK so in the spring you must treat their breeding grounds with respect. Do not approach birds that are alarm calling because that will mean they probably have a nest nearby.
With this in mind I decided to walk the higher Beacons yesterday to see if I could at least see one of these elusive birds. I started my ascent through the lower slopes with Willow Warblers singing frequently and as I climbed higher Stonechats started to appear. Two young Japanese tourists I passed on the way up were shod in lightweight canvas shoes, (which looked new) and were wearing just a thin top. This is totally inadequate for walking in the mountains, even in spring, but I see it so often. It’s OK if nothing happens, like the weather doesn’t deteriorate or you don’t step into cold wet mud or water or slip because of the lack of tread on your footwear. People dressed like this illustrate perfectly the reason why the mountain rescue service is kept so busy these days.
I pushed on finally reaching the top of the ridge, a cold brisk wind prevailed so I put another layer on under my jacket. I strapped my Canon R5 and RF 100-500 lens with a 1.4 teleconverter attached over my shoulder just in case I saw something. This gives me 1120mm of reach (500x1.6x1.4) but remains a very compact, lightweight and super sharp set up. I couldn’t even contemplate carrying my 600mm prime lens with a tripod and gimbal head up these slopes, it’s just too heavy and very awkward to set up in the wind - it’s asking for problems.
I walked along across the top of the ridge when suddenly a Ring Ouzel appeared on a fence post above me.
I was really surprised, I didn’t expect this, but I shot it immediately, however, I knew it wouldn’t be a good shot because there was a white background behind the bird because I was below it. It quickly disappeared though and I couldn’t see it after I had walked a little higher – I walked on. On a dry stone wall a Northern Wheatear flitted along in front of me, keeping its distance as I walked. High above a Peregrine Falcon swept across the sky and disappeared very quickly indeed. Ravens played on the wind, flying upside down at times, as they like to do for no other reason I assume than for fun.
I had now reached what I considered to be prime Ring Ouzel Habitat and I sat down in the heather for some respite from the wind. This heather is like a good quality mattress on a bed, it’s so comfortable you sink down into it almost like its been sprung. I was looking across at the top of a rock with a grassy mound above it, my gear was nestled in the heather by my side, a few spots of rain blew in on the wind but I was confident they were not going to come to anything. I poured myself a welcome cup of coffee and settled down on my very comfortable natural bedding. After a few minutes I thought I could hear a Ring Ouzel’s song, borne on the wind, I wasn’t sure but I’ve heard them singing enough times over the years to be put on alert. I was looking down into the valley some three hundred feet below and I could hear people’s voices, sound carries such a long distance, especially if the wind is in the right direction. The song became louder and now I was sure it was a Ring Ouzel, that lonely and evocative high pitched whistle which fits so perfectly into these remote surroundings. I looked left and unbelievably there it was, not fifteen yards away, sat on that grassy mound, one of my favourite birds – the elusive Ring Ouzel.
I gently lowered my coffee cup, picked up my gear and photographed him, it’s a lovely feeling when your lens focusses on your subject and I never get tired of it. There was no shutter noise to disturb him, a great feature of mirrorless cameras. I sat there in the heather with this elusive bird for twenty minutes as his gentle song drifted out into the valley and was then lost on the wind.
He seemed completely at ease with me and I cherish these little cameos because they may never happen again, these really are special birds.
Then, inevitably he just flew away, lost from sight and I decided it was time for me to go, because after sitting still for half an hour that mouintain chill was starting to embrace me.
I picked my way carefully down the mountain and after a hundred or so feet I could again hear a Ring Ouzel singing, I stopped to listen and it appeared to be coming from just below me. I carefully slid down the heather, peering over and yes there it was, another male bird singing.
He couldn’t see me because he was looking out over the rocks. I managed to just about get him in the frame, difficult because of the foliage this time, before he too flew away. This had turned into a special day and I happily descended down the rest of the mountain back to my vehicle.
https://youtu.be/k1FMtpBY5Yc
These birds are in serious decline as a breeding bird in the UK so in the spring you must treat their breeding grounds with respect. Do not approach birds that are alarm calling because that will mean they probably have a nest nearby.
With this in mind I decided to walk the higher Beacons yesterday to see if I could at least see one of these elusive birds. I started my ascent through the lower slopes with Willow Warblers singing frequently and as I climbed higher Stonechats started to appear. Two young Japanese tourists I passed on the way up were shod in lightweight canvas shoes, (which looked new) and were wearing just a thin top. This is totally inadequate for walking in the mountains, even in spring, but I see it so often. It’s OK if nothing happens, like the weather doesn’t deteriorate or you don’t step into cold wet mud or water or slip because of the lack of tread on your footwear. People dressed like this illustrate perfectly the reason why the mountain rescue service is kept so busy these days.
I pushed on finally reaching the top of the ridge, a cold brisk wind prevailed so I put another layer on under my jacket. I strapped my Canon R5 and RF 100-500 lens with a 1.4 teleconverter attached over my shoulder just in case I saw something. This gives me 1120mm of reach (500x1.6x1.4) but remains a very compact, lightweight and super sharp set up. I couldn’t even contemplate carrying my 600mm prime lens with a tripod and gimbal head up these slopes, it’s just too heavy and very awkward to set up in the wind - it’s asking for problems.
I walked along across the top of the ridge when suddenly a Ring Ouzel appeared on a fence post above me.
I was really surprised, I didn’t expect this, but I shot it immediately, however, I knew it wouldn’t be a good shot because there was a white background behind the bird because I was below it. It quickly disappeared though and I couldn’t see it after I had walked a little higher – I walked on. On a dry stone wall a Northern Wheatear flitted along in front of me, keeping its distance as I walked. High above a Peregrine Falcon swept across the sky and disappeared very quickly indeed. Ravens played on the wind, flying upside down at times, as they like to do for no other reason I assume than for fun.
I had now reached what I considered to be prime Ring Ouzel Habitat and I sat down in the heather for some respite from the wind. This heather is like a good quality mattress on a bed, it’s so comfortable you sink down into it almost like its been sprung. I was looking across at the top of a rock with a grassy mound above it, my gear was nestled in the heather by my side, a few spots of rain blew in on the wind but I was confident they were not going to come to anything. I poured myself a welcome cup of coffee and settled down on my very comfortable natural bedding. After a few minutes I thought I could hear a Ring Ouzel’s song, borne on the wind, I wasn’t sure but I’ve heard them singing enough times over the years to be put on alert. I was looking down into the valley some three hundred feet below and I could hear people’s voices, sound carries such a long distance, especially if the wind is in the right direction. The song became louder and now I was sure it was a Ring Ouzel, that lonely and evocative high pitched whistle which fits so perfectly into these remote surroundings. I looked left and unbelievably there it was, not fifteen yards away, sat on that grassy mound, one of my favourite birds – the elusive Ring Ouzel.
I gently lowered my coffee cup, picked up my gear and photographed him, it’s a lovely feeling when your lens focusses on your subject and I never get tired of it. There was no shutter noise to disturb him, a great feature of mirrorless cameras. I sat there in the heather with this elusive bird for twenty minutes as his gentle song drifted out into the valley and was then lost on the wind.
He seemed completely at ease with me and I cherish these little cameos because they may never happen again, these really are special birds.
Then, inevitably he just flew away, lost from sight and I decided it was time for me to go, because after sitting still for half an hour that mouintain chill was starting to embrace me.
I picked my way carefully down the mountain and after a hundred or so feet I could again hear a Ring Ouzel singing, I stopped to listen and it appeared to be coming from just below me. I carefully slid down the heather, peering over and yes there it was, another male bird singing.
He couldn’t see me because he was looking out over the rocks. I managed to just about get him in the frame, difficult because of the foliage this time, before he too flew away. This had turned into a special day and I happily descended down the rest of the mountain back to my vehicle.
https://youtu.be/k1FMtpBY5Yc