This is the blog for bird sightings and related news in the Calderdale area. It is generally updated daily. Any non-member wishing to report and post sightings should send them to info(at)calderdalebirds(dot)co(dot)uk
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Fieldfares at Jay House Lane
At 0830 this morning 27 Fieldfares feeding in field opposite the cottages along with 56 B/H/Gulls, 2 Common Gulls and 3 Lapwings is this one of the earliest records.
This would be a very unusual record Mike as Fieldfares are predominantly if not entirely winter visitors, are you sure they weren't Mistle Thrushes which are known to form quite large post breeding flocks at this time of year?
I think you will find that these birds are almost certainly Mistle Thrushes, probably mostly juveniles which can sometimes resemble Fieldfares. Earliest date for Fieldfare is a single over Baitings on 26th August 2003.
Copies are available at £6.00 each from the GO local store at Woodlesford, Pellon price . Hopefully they will also be available at the Fox and Goose Hebden Bridge ,
4 comments:
This would be a very unusual record Mike as Fieldfares are predominantly if not entirely winter visitors, are you sure they weren't Mistle Thrushes which are known to form quite large post breeding flocks at this time of year?
I think you will find that these birds are almost certainly Mistle Thrushes, probably mostly juveniles which can sometimes resemble Fieldfares.
Earliest date for Fieldfare is a single over Baitings on 26th August 2003.
They were a long way off and the light was poor and the colours were not the usual mistle thrush so back to the drawing board.
I've been caught out mis-identifying distant juv Mistles as Fieldfares - easily done.
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