Whilst reading a book about wrens recently I was reminded that it is, by some way, Britain’s commonest bird. This might surprise people as unlike other common birds it is not particularly visible.
For well over ten years I have been keeping weekly records of birds seen in our garden as part of the BTO (British Trust for Ornithology) garden birdwatch survey. I only record wrens in about one week in three, unlike, for example, blackbirds and robins which are recorded almost every week.
The wren is our third smallest bird. That, and the fact that they are constantly on the move and keeping pretty low down, means that they are not so often seen.
In contrast, if you know their song, they are easily and often heard. For its size the wren could well be our loudest bird, its song being effectively used to both frighten off rival birds and attract a mate.
Of the two birds that are even smaller, the goldcrest is relatively common around Badby, again more heard than seen although having a much more subdued song. The firecrest is not regularly found in Badby although, occasionally, one will turn up in Badby Woods.
Richard Piner