Winter visitors spotted!

North Yorkshire Moors Moorland Organisation

Sighted this week on the #NorthYorkMoors, our winter visitors Brambling and Snow Bunting have already returned, captured beautifully with thee lovely photos.

Bramblings are similar in size and shape to the chaffinch. The male brambling has a black head in summer, and an orange breast with white belly. In flight it shows a long white rump. Gregarious in winter, it may form flocks of many thousands and often joins with chaffinches. Numbers can vary between winters depending on food supplies.

Snow Buntings are large buntings, with striking 'snowy' plumages. Males in summer have all white heads and underparts contrasting with a black mantle and wing tips, whereas the females are more mottled above. In autumn and winter birds develop a sandy/buff wash to their plumage and males have more mottled upperparts.