The Fieldfare is a large, plump thrush, slightly smaller than the Mistle Thrush with rather a long tail. It has a grey head with dark streaks, a pale grey rump, chestnut back and wings and a black tail and flight feathers. Its breast is yellow-orange and very spotted. You could say a rather colourful bird!
They are quite common migrants to Britain in the winter months with over a million individuals making the journey from Scandanavia, although there have been attempts at breeding in the highlands of Scotland by a few pairs. They are found in hedgerows and orchards feeding on berries and fruit, particularly rowan, juniper, elder, hawthorn and holly, but it may also be found in open places such as pasture and on ploughed fields where they eat worms and other invertebrates.
I got the shots below whilst visiting Woodwalton Fen, more of which another time.
All Digiscoped using Lumix FS15 and Kowa TSN-883 x30
You can see that there is a berry missing in the third picture so we know what this bird likes to eat! From what distance do you take these photos John?
ReplyDeleteBazza’s Blog ‘To Discover Ice’
Hi bazza, if you look at the top photo you can see a `haw` disappearing!
ReplyDeleteI use my spotting scope instead of a zoom lens and put my little pocket camera at the eyepiece and shoot through that. The scope has a 30x lens, so I can be a fair distance away, I think I was about 100 metres away from this bird.
J
I really love the whimsy in these photos and in fact find myself having a slight hankering for some red berries. Poisonous to humans I suppose?
ReplyDeleteThankyou Rebecca (I think it`s Rebecca?), no hawthorn berries are not poisonous to humans, you can make a jelly out of them, if you are so inclined!
ReplyDeleteJ
Hi John,
ReplyDeleteThanks for another informative and pictorial delight posting.
I have left a comment on another good friend of mine's blog about your site. I know they will love this. In fact, I shall phone up and make jolly good sure they check you out. :-)
Take care and stay warm
In kindness, Gary.
Thanks very much Gary.
ReplyDeleteAm keeping fairly warm, at least the snow has started to melt now, might be able to do some work now!
J
Wow really beautiful photos and a really beautiful bird! Nice shots!
ReplyDeleteI particularly like that last one, the action picture. But, as usual, they’re all brilliant!
ReplyDeleteThe enigmatic, masked blogger
Thanks very much Sam, the Fieldfare is a lovely bird, but then again I think that of all our feathered friends!
ReplyDeleteJ
Thanks very much Mask, the one in flight was more by luck than judgement and isn`t great, but a little bit different from the normal stuff I post!
ReplyDeleteJ