fieldfare-turdus pilarus-visitor?

[trouble]

Spotting a newcomer to my small garden, I checked my pocket guide to identify my new guest, could this be a field fare in the midlands?-the guide stated there are a few nesting pairs in northern britain, then, a news item on tv commented on field fares arriving from scandinavia with the cold snap. excellent, now I am trying to get a decent photograph of my visitor, with his orange breast , spots and white underwing. is this a very rare occurance, I am no bird watcher and very new to wildlife watching.?

[Dogghound]

Its not a rare bird but a common/local winter visitor.

[trouble]

I know its not rare but was not sure if it was a common visitor, anyway, I am enjoying watching the visits and it has been therapeautic to watch again, for me today after some bad experience I've had with my wildlife pond of late, thanks for your reply

[Dave66]

Hi,
They mey not be rare but they make a nice change don't they. I love watching them and the redwings.

Dave.

[Steve_In_Cheshire]

Ive also seen my first fieldfares in the garden this winter, they certainly arn`t common like blackbirds and most of the other general garden birds. I think the cold snap has forced them into our gardens in search of food, you will have some fun and games if you put apples where you have some resident blackbirds, the fieldfares will bully the blackbirds off the apples and if one lands anywhere near an apple they wil chase it. It can be funny to watch at times, other times the fieldfares get very aggressive.

You may get some redwings not far behind as thats what i found once the fieldfares arrived.

[ksg1970]

Hi we had one for the last 3 days and it disappeared this afternoon. It did get milder (well -1 as opposed to -10) and the snow did thaw very slowly although there is still a lot on the ground.

I had to look at my book to identify it as I didn't have a clue what it was.

I think this extremely cold weather brings in birds we hardly ever (or never) see in our garden,

Last year during the snow we even had a pheasant in the garden which was a one and only occurence.

[rossy]

hello trouble and welcome, dont know of feildfare nesting in britain but once watched a program and these birds nest similar to rooks , and when predators go anywhere near they bomb the invader with their droppings and if its another bird it can be deadly as it contains something that damages the feathers hence they cant fly so wont survive. think im right on this maybe someone on here can back this up . rossy