Firecrest

Ascending sprite, flitting jewel

The firecrest is a ‘birder’s bird’. Tiny, restless, exquisitely marked, and never common, a close encounter with a firecrest can make your day.

Although they are scarce, and mainly limited to the south and east of England for now, they do turn up in all kinds of places, and not just the ‘special bird spots’. During winter and migration seasons, they can …