Fieldfares

Thanks John. Blakeney Point birder Paul Laurie had some interesting comments about winter thrushes at Monday’s meeting of Grimsby RSPB. I’ve blogged a write-up of his talk at www.thewryneck.blogspot.co.uk

Sea Buckthorn is a very good nesting habitat Jim on this NNR there is probably the highest density of nesting whitethroats in Lincolnshire
and the fruit is eaten by a wide range of species , and is now a new fad as a health supplement !!, its also a very good barrier to people and dogs.

regards John

Thanks John. Perhaps they’re readying themselves for an early departure in order to get the best nesting sites back home. Re the buckthorn, I used to be a fan of the plant, but less so now. Birds seem reluctant to perch on it and the berries seem to be a food of last resort - literally well down the pecking order.

Coming in from the west Jim so i assume from the midlands and west country, a few stands of sea buckthorn still have fruit and the cattle grass fields
are attracting some flocks.

Interesting records, John. Any theories on whether these birds are a fresh intake from S’via (perhaps presaging a cold snap ahead)or alternatively wanderers from other parts of the UK?

Is there much research on dispersal behaviour of winter thrushes when they reach our shores? How high do they fly when they cross the North Sea and do they depend on avoidance strategies to avoid wind farms and other tall structures? Has there been much electronic tagging of either fieldfares or redwings either by the BTO or its Nordic counterparts?

With each passing winter, I see fewer winter thrushes and am assuming that climate change/ food availability might be a factor in their distribution. It would be a sad day if they stopped coming (as with turtle doves and cuckoos).

C 50 fieldfare 14 redwing and 31 blackbirds in the Churchill lane area 100118 a marked increase over recent weeks