Feeding flexibility

We often spend time at breakfast here watching Black Redstarts coming to feed on moths which are on the outside porch walls having been attracted there by the outside security lights.  The birds are very adept at hovering by an insect before grabbing it and quickly moving on.  They find it almost impossible to cling to the walls so hovering is their best method.




Great Tit


I had never seen any other species attracted by this ready food source until this week when one of the local Great Tits decided to have a go.  This bird adapted the bull in the china shop approach by charging in and falling all over the place until it discovered it could easily cling to the walls.  Once this had been achieved the Great Tit was getting a better capture rate than the Black Redstarts.