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Fieldfares

For the past few days two fieldfares have visited our smallish Bristol city garden to feed on the rowan tree berries.

We thought Fieldfares were countryside birds and gathered in flocks, so is this unusual? 

  • Hi Jane,  although we see winter thrushes feeding mainly in the open countryside,  fields and parklands I think if there are berries to be had in more built up areas they will take advantage of the food on offer;   reminds me of the Waxwings that are more often found in built up and even industrial areas as they hunt out the Rowan berries where trees have been planted to enhance the buildings around.       Some birds like your Fieldfares might just be passing through and topping up with food as they continue on their journey.     Nice that you had them to your city garden and hope they hang around until all the berries have disappeared !     We are close to open farmland and have seen Redwings in our garden but not a Fieldfare yet.     We do get all the other thrushes like blackbird, song thrush and even a mistle thrush or two (on occasion).      

  • Thank you Hazy that's interesting. I'm not sure that the blackbirds, sparrows and other small birds want the Fieldfares to hang around as the fieldfares have been shooing them away from our Rowan tree, but it's been a great experience to see the fieldfares as I've never seen them before.

  • Hello Jane, I live in the country and we have had only a few visits from the thrush and Redwings, although not seen any this year yet.

  • Here's a record shot taken through the window of a Redwing which called in to our garden on 1st December.   No fieldfares yet but it is nice to see the other winter thrush.

  • That's a great photo of a redwing Hazy, the Fieldfares are still eating the rowan berries in our garden but unfortunately my camera is not powerful enough to get a photo of them.