These are from several days ago, when there was a bit of sunshine and I went out to the park where the Redwing have been showing hoping to get a photo.
On the walk in, I passed a Songthrush in beautiful early morning light
There's a long line of 15ft tall hawthorns all along a stretch of road where the winter thrushes are but first to show was a Dunnock. It was a bit too close but I didn't have time to back off before it returned to the undergrowth.
As you might imagine, such well-established hawthorns currently contain about three Blackbirds per cubic centimetre, presumably many visiting from abroad. It's still not often you get an unobstructed view ... so I started looking for something different, like close-ups.
"What do you mean this isn't mistletoe? I've been waiting ages for a kiss!"
"Now, you've made me drop one!"
An angry Robin popped up - probably angry because there are more Dunnocks than Robins in these bushes.
When a Blackbird did come to the fore, I was cursing because it was against the light, but then I noticed in had a nice rim-light making it stand out ...
... and showing its tongue nicely
When I got to the thrushes, a Fieldfare was posing ... but too high up
The Redwings were there but they just refused to play ball. They remained on the far side of the hedge and wouldn't come out. While I was waiting, a Mistle Thrush popped up.
I'd tried for Redwing and got just about every type of thrush except so, I gave up and continued on. I noticed something in the reed bed and found a pair of Stonechats
Then a Reedbunting
Again, I liked the backlighting here, especially when he was trying to hide behind the half-destroyed bullrush as if trying to avoid the photographer
A bit further on there were even more Stonechats - there were two pairs having a face-off across the footpath although I only ended up with photos of the females
You can just about tell from the eye stripe that they are different ones
I always knew there were Stonechats there but I haven't seen so many before
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Nige Flickr
Unicum arbustum haud alit duos erithacos
(One bush does not shelter two Robins)
Zenodotus (3rd Century B.C.)
Thanks MC
Unknown said:Quite a small 'red' breast.
I thought that but forgot to comment on it. Do you know if it signifies anything or just genetic diversity of plumage?
Lot to learn
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Regards, Hazel
Hi Bricker, this LINK may help you spot the differences which was posted up by one of our experts Seymouraves
Thanks all.
I had been thinking of calling it "un jour de contre-jour" because half the stuff is against the light but I thought perhaps too pretentious (and possibly poor French)!!
I remember when I first came on here, I struggled to differentiate thrushes (amongst lots of other things), too, but I'm gradually getting better! The BTO (LINK) is also a good resource with lots of videos, including one to help differentiate the thrushes
(Pardon the Scottish Accent)