I am not a bird (feathered kind) watcher but have been feeding the wild birds while we have had snow and heavy frosts and have quite a crowd come into my garden every day. The last 3 days though there has been a stranger visiting - doesn't eat the seeds and nuts I put out but makes a feast from the remaining few apples that have fallen from my apple tree. I think it may be a Fieldfare which is VERY rare in these parts, but just wondered if any birdwatchers may be able to identify it. It is about the same size as a Thrush or large Blackbird





 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

Tim, would you believe, I am a birder and I am very serious about it.

Your identification is spot-on, your bird is indeed a Fieldfare. They are very common on the continent and encoutering a single individual on it's own would be rather unusual over here. SOMETIMES YOU'RE THE BUG AND SOMETIMES YOU'RE THE WINDSHIELD

2010 TDV8 Ultimate Edition, zermatt-ebony-grand lacquer, and all the goodies, plus Superchips Bluefin ECU performance upgrade, Gibson Performance exhaust tips

gone after only 7 months: MY10 TDV63.0 HSE, zermatt-ebony-anigree, Dynamic Response, Rear diff-lock, flappy paddles, premium leather, Sunroof, PTI, privacy glass, S/C design 5 Spoke Diamond Turned alloys

Did you shoot it Tim?  2005 Zambezi TDV6 - Gone but not forgotten
2009 Alaska TDV8 - Gone and much missed.



WINNER - 2009 �Idler Of The Year� Award
Runner Up - 2009 �Just Doing What It�s Designed To Do� Award


DO NOT CLICK HERE!

I've never seen them around this part of Scotland before Roland, but I haven't been looking for them either! But when I have a garden full of Robins, Wrens, Bullfinches, Nuthatches, crossbills, greenfinches, sparrows and the odd
rook the Fieldfare really stood out especially as it was very much a "loner" keeping well away from the general gaggle of common small garden birds.

Thanks for confirming that R, my ancient old Hamlyn Natural History of Europe wasn't too far out with its picture! 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

what did it taste like....not much meat on it

Very Annoyed wrote:

Did you shoot it Tim?

Tim they are a winter migrant and pretty common this time of year. I'm not a twitcher, I do shoot but not song birds! Porsche Cayenne S Diesel 66 Plate

Spotted this in my garden



What is it? 2005 Zambezi TDV6 - Gone but not forgotten
2009 Alaska TDV8 - Gone and much missed.



WINNER - 2009 �Idler Of The Year� Award
Runner Up - 2009 �Just Doing What It�s Designed To Do� Award


DO NOT CLICK HERE!

If you have that in your garden VA, then you have some water level problems...................... mind you with the cold weather of late I suppose it's feet are the right colour for the time of year! 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

Tim honestly you should go back to work  
L 405 2013 FFRR 5.0 SC
--------------------------------------------------------------
WINNER - 2009 �Best Avatar� Award
WINNER - 2009 Comedian Of The Year Award

Very Annoyed wrote:

Spotted this in my garden



What is it?

Come on, VA, Tim and I are seriously talking birds !!

I have expected somebody to come up with the b....... bird  SOMETIMES YOU'RE THE BUG AND SOMETIMES YOU'RE THE WINDSHIELD

2010 TDV8 Ultimate Edition, zermatt-ebony-grand lacquer, and all the goodies, plus Superchips Bluefin ECU performance upgrade, Gibson Performance exhaust tips

gone after only 7 months: MY10 TDV63.0 HSE, zermatt-ebony-anigree, Dynamic Response, Rear diff-lock, flappy paddles, premium leather, Sunroof, PTI, privacy glass, S/C design 5 Spoke Diamond Turned alloys

Jonny Fresh wrote:

what did it taste like....not much meat on it

What boobies? 2005 Zambezi TDV6 - Gone but not forgotten
2009 Alaska TDV8 - Gone and much missed.



WINNER - 2009 �Idler Of The Year� Award
Runner Up - 2009 �Just Doing What It�s Designed To Do� Award


DO NOT CLICK HERE!

and birds...  
L 405 2013 FFRR 5.0 SC
--------------------------------------------------------------
WINNER - 2009 �Best Avatar� Award
WINNER - 2009 Comedian Of The Year Award

BTW, there's also a red-footed variety, the Red-footed Booby which lives around European shores. Blue-footed ones can only be found around South America

...and that's about it for my birding lesson  SOMETIMES YOU'RE THE BUG AND SOMETIMES YOU'RE THE WINDSHIELD

2010 TDV8 Ultimate Edition, zermatt-ebony-grand lacquer, and all the goodies, plus Superchips Bluefin ECU performance upgrade, Gibson Performance exhaust tips

gone after only 7 months: MY10 TDV63.0 HSE, zermatt-ebony-anigree, Dynamic Response, Rear diff-lock, flappy paddles, premium leather, Sunroof, PTI, privacy glass, S/C design 5 Spoke Diamond Turned alloys