Fat ball feeder visitors

simonali said:

Our fat ball feeder is having some unusual visitors recently. The local male blackbird is using it quite frequently, as is at least one robin. What looks to be a juvenile blackbird is also trying to emulate the elder bird. I think we also have a warbler of sorts using it, but without any form of optics to allow me a closer look I can't be sure. Am I correct in assuming these all to be unusual?

Not if our fatballs are anything to go by.

Expect just about any bird, including greater spotted, starlings, woodpeckers, all the main tit families including long tailed tits, squirrels, wood pigeons (though they do struggle being so large).

If you can invest in a pair of optics, it is worth the time and money, you don't need to spend mega bucks, and enjoy what you see.

From what you're saying, my guess is the fatball feeder isn't too close to the viewing point, which I'm guessing is a main home window, so a smartphone will struggle to take a half decent photo. So if you want to take photos, again without breaking the bank, there are some good compacts and bridge cameras out there, or, for around £150 you can set up a trailcam quite close to the fatballs and just let that take photos or videos 24/7, and there you will see a lot more without having to be by the window all day everyday.

Don't the adult females have a yellow beak like the males? This one has a black/dark brown beak. Maybe Mr. Blackbird just has a very young wife?!

Mike, I literally can't recall the last time I saw a starling. They seem to be very rare round these parts.

No, females don't have yellow beaks. Not all male blackbirds have a yellow beak either, just to confuse matters. It's thought that migrant continental males have dark beaks, but UK resident have yellow. Unless they interbreed.... just to confuse matters even more. :o)

And to be even more confusing while the juvenile male moults his wing feathers will remain brown (known as a 1st-winter male), also the eye ring and bill will be a "dirty" yellow, and it will be another year before his plumage is entirely black, and his eye ring and bill are pure orange-yellow. ;-)

And THAT is why we love birds so much 

I looked up photos before posting that and there were pics of both. The ladies on this page for example:

birdwatchireland.ie/.../

Whereas our one looks more like the lady top right here:

ebird.org/.../eurbla

Is that soooooo lol