Fieldfare in my garden

[Marcia]

Hi All,

It's the first time I saw a Fieldfare!
He ate lots of apples and stayed around for a couple of days, bossing the blackbirds.







Then the glacial era came with 11 inches of snow here in the Pennines and I haven't seen him since. I hope he returns.

Marcia

[jaykay]

My father has taken great delight in phoning me this morning to report approx 100 fieldfare's in and around his garden! talk about rubbing it in, I've never had one in the garden so good luck to you and I hope he returns

[Astra]

Lovely photos

Only once had a Fieldfare in the garden, it perched in the Walnut tree for about a minute and that was it!

[Steve_In_Cheshire]

This year is the first time we have seen fieldfares in our garden, talk about aggressive. I put apples out for the blackbirds and the fieldfares bully them off aggressivley, as soon as a blackbird lands anywhere near the apples the fieldfares chase them off, one in particular sits on the fence above the apples keeping lookout and guarding them.

[Harold Smith]

Until yesterday I had never had Fieldfares in my garden. Had seen them often in neighbours' trees. Four came down and fed on the dried mealworms I had put out. They were mixed in with a group of about 30 starlings. They showed no agression to any of the other birds. I think they were too cold and hungry to worry about the others. After about five minutes something spooked all the birds and they flew away. Sadly they did not return when the others came back.

Harold.

[AndrewB]

There were several in the trees this morning, plus a couple of redwing, but they wouldnt be tempted down into the garden!

I hadnt thought of putting out some sliced apple for them but will see if I can pick up some inexpensive soft ones in the supermarket tomorrow.

[Steve_In_Cheshire]

Originally Posted by Harold Smith

They showed no agression to any of the other birds. I think they were too cold and hungry to worry about the others.

Trust me, if you put apples out and the fieldfares are feeding on them they will chase off any blackbirds that come within a certain distance of them.

[lmm59]

Over the weekend I have had the pleasure of seeing my first fieldfare (had to look it up in my bird book as I ddint know what it was!) I live on the outskirts of Melksham, Wilts.

Its visited my cottage garden on Sat & Sunday and its spent its time stripping the holly of red berries and scaring everything else away! what a fab bird this is - hope he stays around so I can admire him a bit more - guessing this extra cold weather has brought him from the fields???? Is it quite rare to see one?

[Wiggywoo]

I too have had my first fieldfare experience these past 3 days. Initially I was delighted to have such an interesting visitor, with Day 1 being spent marvling at it's lovely plumage and quaint demenour. But not for long I can tell you! By Day 2 he had become an aggessive bully, dive bombing the poor regulars (blackbirds) in the crab apple tree and chasing off all rivals on the ground. By Day 3, my usually thronging garden was a desolate wasteland, all but the solitary fieldfare, who had successfully commanded the garden for himself!!!

[Wild-Woman]

We have had one visiting fieldfare and 4 redwings in the last few days. We have also have more blackbirds and a mistle thrush than we normally have.
I'll be sorry to see our migratory friends take off on their return journey but I've really enjoyed these wonderful additions to our garden birds.