I saw a goldcrest!

[Amoeba]

... but then I woke up!

But really, are there any in Edinburgh? I really want to see one, but haven't had any success looking. Where are the best habitats to see them? I thought I'd seen one once in a scots pine but it was so hard to confirm I probably won't ever find out if I did or not.

[Jason Claxton]

Maybe the Goldcrest population is lower near to you, but here Conifer plantations are good,with the trade off that the birds often very high up.They also inhabit Deciduous and Mixed woodlands, and hedgerows also,where they are of course lower down.I should think that if you persisted looking in these habitats you would see one.I'd keep looking, but maybe there is local shortage near you.Best of luck.

Jason

[Amoeba]

Thanks for the advice. Might be worthwhile getting some binoculars? Lol... I say that because there are conifer plantations up the hill near by.

It may also be that I'm not very good at looking for them. I hear wrens singing all the time, but I can count only two times I have ever seen one, and it was possibly the same wren since it was in the same place on the same day, just different hours. If goldcrests are as small as wrens well, that alone could explain why I have never seen one.

Yeah, anyway though there is a place near where I live that from your suggestions sound like it would be ideal habitat so I'll have a look there some time. Thanks.

[Rob_D]

Yes, Goldcrests are very small like wrens, and likewise fairly approachable. They will come close and low down. Best way to find them is via their repetitive and high pitched song with a little squeek at the end.

http://www.xeno-canto.org/sounds/upl...2009-05-18.mp3

[aeshna5]

Certainly around London they are fairly common ( though numbers reduced over last year or so due to winter cold) in most parks where there are specimen conifers.

If you can hear + recognise the calls/song this is your best bet to locate them as they can be otherwise unobtrusive.

[Jason Green]

Afternoon Amoeba,

I only ever look for them on Scots Pine - that's your best bet in my experience. Find a good spot with the sun shining from behind you illuminating every branch, then wait whilst checking every branch visually/with bins'. Give it time, and keep listening for the high-pitch song/call. It rarely stops moving, and calls a lot of the time s as long as you can pick-up the high call you should know if any are around or not.

I imagine the long, hard winter has pruned-back numbers - particularly further Noth/towards Scotland. They should recover, but I'd expect higher numbers next year than this - but hard to tell. Contact your local RSPB/wildlife group for the best sites for this jewel near you.

Good luck!

Take care,

Jason

[Chris Hammond]

Here's one working through the branches of a cedar. I've seen more in the past 12 months than I have in the previous decade down here in Suffolk.

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by Jason Green

keep listening for the high-pitch song/call. It rarely stops moving, and calls a lot of the time s as long as you can pick-up the high call you should know if any are around or not.

No good for me - I've had tinnitus for years that prevents me hearing them!
8^(

Jim

[Nickynockynoonoo]

One seemed to spend most of the day in our garden, until I spotted two at the same time. They are lovely little things and are nearly as confident as robins around people. They have been here for months. We live in Surrey so much warmer than where you are and we have a conifer hedge, which helps.