Winter visitors

10 comments

While all was still under snow and frozen up, we had some winter visitors to our unkempt garden. 6 big thrushlike birds with yellow lines above and below the eye. A large red mark under the wings and a white flash behind that. Thrush like markings on the breast. They flung the leaves about and poked vigourously in the vegetation, and the robin was quick to lurk to see if anything tasty came his way. It was verging on dusk and photos taken through glass….hastily. We looked on the internet and they were Redwings come to visit in town, as the fields and woodland margins froze up. Then, alas, along came Mr Blobby, one of our bird watching, visiting pussy cats and they wisely flew away.

The colouring ensures they blend with the feeding background. This is the best photo I got as it was nearly dusk.

The bird would not turn round, as requested. They are quite a large bird that normally lives in Scandinavia. There are 3 birds in this photo3 in a triangle

This rather faint photo shows the Thrushy markings on the breast

Another 2 birds, only the nearer one blends in well. I hope they found some tasty snacks under my messy garden foliage, mostly Star flower leaves. This tiny bulb prepares for its early display from November on.

15 Jan, 2010
11 likes

Comments

Gee19

You are lucky to have had these visitors, Dorjac. Some other GoYers have had them too but none in my garden so far. I am still hoping. Really enjoyed your blog.

15 Jan, 2010

Tulsalady26

Hi Dorjac I enjoyed your blog I think the bird you have is a Fieldfare, they have a speckled chest like a thrush but have a white line down the center.

15 Jan, 2010

Terratoonie

Well done on getting pics of these unusual feathered visitors.
Good blog :o)

15 Jan, 2010

Louise1

Dorjac, your visitors with the white eye stripe and red chest are indeed Redwings :-)
They've been sighted in a lot of gardens lately, mine included :-)))
As mentioned before, the others could well be Fieldfares, they are quite a large bird (have a grey head) and travel with Redwings often.

15 Jan, 2010

Lincslass

You did well getting the photo`s,I haven`t seen any in my garden but daughter has had both in hers, she made me laugh as yesterday she spent an hour sitting in her childrens playhouse, camera at the ready but no visitors, after fetching son from school later she noticed her visitors were back in her garden but alas it was too dark for photo`s, needless to say she was spitting feathers..LOL...

15 Jan, 2010

Dawnsaunt

Lovely blog.
Lin: I can just picture your daughter in the playhouse, ha ha.
We've been lucky enough to have the Fieldfares visit yesterday and today.

15 Jan, 2010

Moon_grower

Lucky you Dorjac I'd be delighted to see redwings in the garden. We've had lots of fieldfares - which look like large thrushes but have a red dab just below their neck. Whilst the redwings have the distinctive eye lines and, surprise, red under their wings...

15 Jan, 2010

Dorjac

I was really pleased, as I read about them in gardens. They were in my niece's garden in N.Wales. Your daughter, Lin, must have been cold in the playhouse, funny they call in at dusk. I didn't get a clear view of all the group. They were very busy feeding, but blend in so well and very cautious too.

15 Jan, 2010