Fair-feather friends
Country Life UK|November 30, 2022
Come autumn, millions of migrant birds flock to Britain to overwinter here. Stephen Moss charts their gruelling journeys from the Arctic, Scandinavia and Siberia and considers why they are prepared to fly so far
Fair-feather friends

EVERY spring, people across the country eagerly await the arrival of birds such as the swallow, swift and cuckoo, which return to Britain to breed and raise a family. We may not be so aware of another group of migrants: those that come each autumn from the north and east to spend the winter months on the British Isles. These birds might not travel quite so far across the globe, yet their arrival is, if anything, even more of a spectacle, as they gather in vast flocks to feed in our fields, marshes, estuaries and coastlines.

They include many large birds, such as ducks, geese, swans and waders. Yet, among their number is a host of songbirds, such as starlings, thrushes and even some warblers —birds we traditionally think of as summer visitors to our shores. They all come here for the same reason: to find enough food to enable them to survive the winter, before they return to their spring and summer homes to breed.

As we brave the chilly air for a walk in the middle of winter, we might not think that Britain’s climate is especially mild. However, compared with the locations migrant birds come from—the Arctic, Scandinavia and Siberia—our winters are positively tropical. This is largely thanks to the warming presence of the Atlantic Ocean and its ocean currents, which make our winter climate much milder than equivalent latitudes around the world. Although the days are short, particularly around the winter solstice, when there may be less than eight hours of daylight, this still offers a lot more time to feed than the 24-hour darkness beyond the Arctic Circle.

Esta historia es de la edición November 30, 2022 de Country Life UK.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición November 30, 2022 de Country Life UK.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE COUNTRY LIFE UKVer todo
Kitchen garden cook - Apples
Country Life UK

Kitchen garden cook - Apples

'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'

time-read
2 minutos  |
October 23, 2024
The original Mr Rochester
Country Life UK

The original Mr Rochester

Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre

time-read
5 minutos  |
October 23, 2024
Get it write
Country Life UK

Get it write

Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution

time-read
6 minutos  |
October 23, 2024
'Sloes hath ben my food'
Country Life UK

'Sloes hath ben my food'

A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright

time-read
3 minutos  |
October 23, 2024
Souvenirs of greatness
Country Life UK

Souvenirs of greatness

FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.

time-read
3 minutos  |
October 23, 2024
Plants for plants' sake
Country Life UK

Plants for plants' sake

The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson

time-read
7 minutos  |
October 23, 2024
Capturing the castle
Country Life UK

Capturing the castle

Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker

time-read
6 minutos  |
October 23, 2024
Nature's own cathedral
Country Life UK

Nature's own cathedral

Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods

time-read
5 minutos  |
October 23, 2024
All that money could buy
Country Life UK

All that money could buy

A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages

time-read
8 minutos  |
October 23, 2024
In with the old
Country Life UK

In with the old

Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery

time-read
5 minutos  |
October 23, 2024