No Fire-crest, but a Super-cilium

It's a great time of year for catching up with Firecrest - although they do breed in small numbers in the south-east in the UK, many birds have only recently arrived from the continent alongside the more numerous Goldcrest, to spend a slightly warmer winter in one of our woodlands or actually any small evergreen copse with a good concentration of Holly bushes - that spiky, dense and dark foliage is a particular favourite.

Close to where I live in Woodford Green not far from the edge of Epping Forest there are several good areas where you can find these cracking little birds during the winter months; Bush Wood in Wanstead, Eagle Pond Wood near Snaresbrook Crown Court and Knighton Wood in Buckhurst Hill, and it was here where today I saw at least two birds possible more frantically working their way through the Holly.

Never the easiest of subjects to photograph due to their constant movement in the darkest areas of the wood, this male did stand still just long enough for me to capture him, although due to the angle, that brilliant flame red crest isn't visible - I'll just have to go back for another go!