Mistle Thrush

Mistle thrushes in good numbers on Laceby Manor Golf Course regularly. Seen yesterday and today, at least double figure flock, but couldn't count them as I was concentrating on keeping my shot score as low as possible!
Regards,
Patrick.

Heard my first two singing birds of the year this morning - one on tree outside Beachcomber holiday park in Cleethorpes and the other on tree off Tetney Road, Humberston.

However, it wouldn’t surprise me to be told that the species no longer breeds in most of the wards that make up North East Lincolnshire.

I’m inclined to agree with Peter’s comment re habitat-loss. One of the problems is that council planning officers are unlikely to be birders, so they are probably not aware of the potential impact of new developments when they reach decisions on whether to approve new developments.

That’s a turn-up for the books - some political philosophy creeping on to the site. :ohmy:

Not sure I entirely agree with Ray or we’d still be in the Stone Ages.

On second thoughts . . . .

With very few exceptions Progress = Destruction.

These are my thoughts also, Jim.
This one was the first I’d seen this Autumn/Winter. They do not appear to be showing where I would have expected which sadly points to a decline. Also not seen Song Thrush.
Reasons may be many and varied, but the main one could be loss of habitat due to infill building in small and large gardens, encouraged by a thoughtless Council. Sadly it’s not just the space that goes, but in a lot of cases the surrounding trees and hedges as well.
Unfortunately I experienced a lot of this over the years where I used to live. I call it environmental vandalism, they call it progress!

In the most recent county bird report (2016), it is described as “a common resident and partial migrant” but I have seen/heard far fewer over the past couple of years in North East Lincolnshire. Perhaps its nests are particularly vulnerable to corvid predation. It would be a great shame if the species gradually dropped off the radar. Here’s hoping it’s faring better in other parts of the county.