Rusty Hinge wrote:
mark wrote:
For the past few days there has been a large flock, 100+ of Fieldfares
in the garden. I didn't recognise them and had to do a bit of research
to identify.

They have been feeding on windfall apples from three trees. I have
taken some photo's yesterday which was easier said than done. I
collected a carrier bag full of apples (the bait) and put them on the
ground about 15-20ft from a small window, me behind the curtain with
camera. For the first couple of hours nothing, then blackbirds. After
a while a solitary fieldfare came over only to be persistently chased
off by the blackbirds. Eventually I got my shots, but the light was
failing by this time.
I've yet to have a look at the pics but will upload any successful in
the next few days.

This time of year fieldfares and (usually a little later) redwings
arrive from N. Eastern Europe, mainly Scandinavia.

Most years we had them in flocks round our apple trees - we had 36 fruit
tree, mainly apples.

Following Marks practise I put a few apples out this morning, so was
rewarded with a fieldfare this afternoon, never consciously seen one
before. took a book and binoculars to identify it. As I have an
abundance of apples from last years bumper crop I will continue putting
them out. Of late jays and woodpeckers have become common visitors to my
garden in low level North Staffordshire. When young in Somerset Jays
were only seen in woods.

--
Please reply to group,emails to designated
address are never read.