Turdus pilaris, 30th October 2008

First it was the Redwings and now it was the turn of the Fieldfares to arrive in numbers. I visited Moss House Farm late morning on my way back from seeing a client to put some food out at the feeding station. One of the most obvious additions over recent days was the increase in the number of Fieldfares.


Approaching the site in my car I could see mixed flocks of Fieldfare, Redwing and Starling flying over with the biggest numbers in the flocks belonging to Fieldfare. At the farm they were feeding in sprayed off potato fields and stubbles, presumably feeding on invertebrates. There were 313 Fieldfares with 70 Redwing and 100 Starlings. This was a minimum count and I suspect there were a lot more.

Around the tailing's outside the barn a number of Chaffinch fed, about 20, and single Grey Wagtail ran around on the 'tailing mountain' looking for invertebrates. A number of Pink-footed Geese were moving over the farm looking for favourable feeding sites and in total I recorded 1,480 birds.

At the feeding station itself Tree Sparrows had increased to 145, perhaps as a result of the cold weather. I will be at the Northwest Ringing Conference on Saturday 1st November, so it will be Sunday 2nd before I am out again. let's hope it will be a good day.