Common Redstart

When I was staring a bit out of my window,
I was suddenly on the alert by a very unusual bird.
He has a beautiful reddish-brown breast and a quickly moving, shivering reddish tail!
An amazing bird, white forehead, black around his face and throat, greyish feathers.

A common redstart, Phoenicurus phoenicurus, or gekraagde roodstaart.
At first, I thought I had never seen such a bird, but then I remembered years ago, I had one in my garden, back in 2010 (male), 2010 (female) and 2011, and even 2012.

Red start

This morning a very beautiful visitor came to my garden.
First I could not believe my eyes.
The birdbath is rarely used by the birds for quite a while, because they like the other one better, and the running water does not work for quite a while.
To my astonishment there was this red bird!
I love the reds in my garden...red flowers...squirrels...red beetles..red birds!

This red bird was a Common Redstart  (Gekraagde Roodstaart) (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)  

I rarely see this bird in my garden...so this is unique to me and makes me happy.
He managed bathing in one drop of water...and he clearly showed off, why this bird is named...
by his red start!
a lovely Red Start... 

Common Redstart

For a couple of days I heard birds screaming, only did not see any.

Till today, as I was doing some gardening.
suddenly I saw screaming young birds,
First I thought they were young robins, but then I saw fatherbird going to one of his young.
Which made me ran inside to grabb my camera!
This was great!
A common redstart (Phoenicurus Phoenicures) (Gekraagde roodstaart) with young!
I rarely see that bird, only once in my garden, and now having fledgelings.
Whaaaw!
Beautiful orange-red firy bird, darkbrown wings, orange-red tail, black colored face.
white dot on the forehead...an amazing beautiful bird.
In my garden!.
After a while The young birds started flying arround.
It looked as if their tails were already some orange.

Such a treat!

female redstart

Then to my surprise she was there as well!
the female redstart...
where would they have their nest?

common redstart

Yesterday evening, I was so surprised...when opening the garagedoor...
seeing a very unusual bird sitting on the fence.
First I could not believe my eyes..seeing a bird I have never seen here in my garden.

Last year I went to a place to make photos of this bird,(click link)
because is such a beautiful lovely bird.
The Redstart or Phoenicurus phoenicurus, Gekraagde roodstaart
Then I could only catch the female...
now it was the male in full glory.
I could capture him from all sides!
such a surprise!

3 eggs redstart

The owner of the house gave me when I left, this nice present.

The common redstarts had build an earlier nest someplace else.
which for some unknown reason was not to be continued.
3 lightblue eggs, like beautiful gems,
perfectly shaped,
only...
all different in size, which makes me wonder...how come?

Common Redstart

To my surprise there was another bird nesting in a shed at the same lovely place.

I could hear the thweating-chirrping of the young..hidden away against the roof behind a flowerpot.
Only the parents were so shy..I could only see a reddish blurr flying.
It was the Common Redstart ( Gekraagde roodstaart)(Phoenicurus phoenicurus).
I only had seen this beautiful bird on pictures...never real-time.
it was so great to have the opportunity to see a bird ...for me so unknown.

I was so happy, I had taken the meal-worms along with me.
That was the only chance to get a better view of these shy...blurring swift bird.
it worked out...the female bird greatly enjoyed the meal-worms...
and dared to come a little closer.
Showing her lovely reddish breast and tail in full color.
The male didn't...The only shot I could get, was very far away in a tree.
he has even more red and a black mask..
such a beautiful birds...!