Fieldfares already??

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by faz

all i can say is if its a winter visitor and it has been recorded here still in may why cant they arrive as earley as august i have seen them that earley

The first Fieldfares do arrive as early as August, but this is almost always in very small numbers (with a fair proportion of these usually in Scotland, in particular in the Northern Isles). Very small numbers over-summer, and occasionally breed, as well (about 0-5 pairs annually).
The most likely scenario however is that a mistake has (perhaps) been made with the identification. This is nothing personal against those who have made the reports - you only have to look at the number of misidentifications on sites like this to see that it can happen though. Personally I would view any reports of Fieldfare at this time of year with some scepticism, especially reports of flocks when there have apparently not been many reports of arrivals elsewhere (two on the Shetland Isles on 12th August + 1 on 19th, none at the bird observatories on Fair Isle, or North Ronaldsay (Orkney), plus perhaps a single bird at Spurn). This doesn't mean that they can't have been Fieldfares, but nothing has been posted to suggest that they actually were.

[moonyaker]

The sea temperature on the south coast last week when I was kayaking was 14 degrees centigrade , when I would have expected it to be 16 degrees, and the hazelnuts seem to have fallen at least a month early down here in Wiltshire; things do seem to have strayed from the norm this year.

[Jonathan]

Originally Posted by moonyaker

The sea temperature on the south coast last week when I was kayaking was 14 degrees centigrade , when I would have expected it to be 16 degrees, and the hazelnuts seem to have fallen at least a month early down here in Wiltshire; things do seem to have strayed from the norm this year.

But that doesn't mean a thing to a fieldfare in Norway right now! The temperature in Scandanavia, or the failure of the rowan berry crop there, for instance, might have an effect on how early birds arrive, but not whether our hazelnuts have fallen or not.

Cheers
Jonathan

[faz]

Originally Posted by Jonathan

But that doesn't mean a thing to a fieldfare in Norway right now! The temperature in Scandanavia, or the failure of the rowan berry crop there, for instance, might have an effect on how early birds arrive, but not whether our hazelnuts have fallen or not.

Cheers
Jonathan

well said

[moonyaker]

Well; I was simply pointing to seasonal abnormalities in this country.
Most certainly, I am unaware any correlation between the time when Fieldfares arrive in the UK and the time when hazelnuts fall in Wiltshire.

Conversely, the climate in both The UK and Norway is directly influenced by The Gulf Stream, a less than tenuous link, so to imply that these incidents are entirely unconnected is perhaps a little myopic.

[lappwing]

Originally Posted by philpye

Hi
I'm on the outskirts of Liverpool and on Saturday evening I've seen what appeared to be a flock of around a dozen fieldfares feeding on the berries of a
Rowan tree. At first I thought they were Mistle thrushes but they really did
look like fieldfares. I know it's very early for them in the UK but is it
possible they were?
Thanks
Phil

I spotted what I thought were fieldfares three days ago,near Druridge Bay,Northumberland,fairly large flock,my wife thinks they could be Missle Thrush, help?

[htcdude]

Originally Posted by lappwing

I spotted what I thought were fieldfares three days ago,near Druridge Bay,Northumberland,fairly large flock,my wife thinks they could be Missle Thrush, help?

Hi lappwing,

Welcome to the forum

I would say it's too early for Fieldfare at the moment, and the birds were probably Mistle Thrush.

Fieldfare are larger and have a more distinctive look about them - grey head, brown back, grey tail. Mistle Thrush are a bit plainer.

Nige

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by htcdude

Hi lappwing,

Welcome to the forum

I would say it's too early for Fieldfare at the moment, and the birds were probably Mistle Thrush.

Fieldfare are larger and have a more distinctive look about them - grey head, brown back, grey tail. Mistle Thrush are a bit plainer.

Nige

Fieldfare + Mistle Thrush are similarly sized though Collins bird Guide does give the upper length value of Mistle Thrush as slightly greater.

I agreee more likely a post breeding group of Mistle Thrushes at this time, though a Redwing was trapped + ringed in Sussex a few days ago!

[eenymac]

I just jumped on here specifically to see if there were any reports of Fieldfares yet as I have been seeing what I believe are Fieldfares since last week.
I am currently staying in West Norfolk (last week and this week in West Newton) and have open farmland at the end of the garden. In fact, I can see a tree about 3 hundred metres or so away where they have currently settled. I'll go take a look and see if I can get a better view.

[Adam Cheeseman]

Haven't heard any mention of Fieldfares from the various sources available yet or from word of mouth.

Cheers,

Adam