Autumn Arrivals

[James M]

It seems alot of winter migrants are already here, saw my first Fieldfare today and there have been reports of hundred of Redwing crossing the Pennine. Anyone else seen any signs yet? skiens of geese? flocks of Waxings?

[earsnow]

Lots of Redwing last night while badgerwatching and Brent geese the other night calling while passing over my house. Wonderful sound to hear in the middle of the night when your in bed

[frogesque]

One of the best sightings of geese on the wing today, probably over a thousand! They rose en masse wheeling and honking when a hot air balloon flew over and spooked them. This was at Milnathort today, near Loch Leven opposite RSPB Vane Farm. I think they are Greylag geese but I've also seen pink footed geese before.

[Northernlights]

Saw my first bunch of 5 whooper swans today in a nearby field today, usually around 20 later in the winter.

[James M]

Skeins of Geese flying over yesterday, not sure what they were but could have been pink feet?

[James M]

30+ Redwings flew over yesterday evening.

[valiant]

A pair of Redwings in my garden at the moment, scavanging around in the leaf litter under the laurels. At first I thought they were Thrushes. Had to look them up as I rarely see them. Striking plumage.

[Paul Sherman]

Saw my first Fieldfare in the Garden today since about 1999 - Think these are Winter Visitors from Scandinavia, as it flew off striking white under the wing and Tan/Brown on the top of the wing, thought it was a thrush at first but just looked it up on Tinternet and it was Indeed a Fieldfare!

Paul S

[Methuselah]

Saw an unfamiliar bird today. At first, I thought it was a mistle thrush, but it was too big. It had a white but speckled underside and was dark bluey-black on top. Any ideas??

PS: I do wear glasses!

[Crepuscular Ray]

Saw an unfamiliar bird today. At first, I thought it was a mistle thrush, but it was too big. It had a white but speckled underside and was dark bluey-black on top. Any ideas??

PS: I do wear glasses! :lol:

Pete, that sounds like it could be a fieldfare. They're actually a bit smaller than mistle thrushes (which are the biggest thrushes in the Europe), but a bit fatter-looking, especially when they're fluffed up with the cold. They can also look more blue-black on the back than is obvious from photos or illustrations: http://www.rspb.org....are/index.aspx.

Over the weekend, I saw both fieldfares and redwings in the garden, which for urban central London is very unusual - a first in the near-twenty years I've lived here.

BTW, the Springwatch/Autumnwatch team have got a 'Snowwatch' programme on tomorrow at 8pm on BBC2 about the effect of the cold weather on wildlife.

[TheGardener]

We had 10 Fieldfares and 2 redwings in our garden on Saturday all in the same tree. Also saw Pink footed goose and a little grebe on the Thames at Greenwich this week.

[Methuselah]

Thanks for the info, Ray...It was certainly fluffed up!

[Shiny_Bottom_1]

Do Robins count

We've had a few this winter, but haven't seen any, I think, since we moved in 4.5 years a go.

[Gray-Wolf]

Do Robins count

Don't think they need too but if you could prove it there's money to be made.......

As for the Fieldfare/Redstart thingy we had a Fieldfare amongst our bevy of blackbrids (4 males 3 females) that were hanging around with intent on sunday.....I always thought the Blackbird's real name was a rather rude request.........or is that just me?

[Nick L]

Had a Redwing visiting our garden the past few days, first time we have ever had one. Been feeding the birds lots the past few weeks, loads have been turning up. A great spotted woodpecker started becoming a regular visitor in December, loves the suet block. Saw a heron in our garden this morning, thankfully he couldn't steal any of our fish (again) thanks to the thick ice over the pond.