Tuesday 7 April 2009

A Thrush, a Pellet and a Rook

Over the past few days it has been pleasant to listen to a Song Thrush filling the air with a beautiful array of notes. Late yesterday I actually spotted it on the lawn in the back garden. It was keeping very close to the building so I nearly had to climb in the sink to get a shot. I wasn't going to miss this opportunity if I could help it as it is such a rare event here. Years ago I could hear thrushes bashing the living daylights out of snails every day.

The pale section at the bottom of the photo is the window sill!
Song Thrush

This morning I noticed what looked like a bird pellet lying on the path under my aerials. At first I though it might be from an owl but examination showed it seems to be made up of seed husks and small pieces of stone.
Bird Pellet
There's that 5p again (we pensioners can't afford 10p pieces) The 5p being about 18mm across.

Bird Pellet

Research on the web brings me to the conclusion that it is from a Crow or Rook.

Writing of Rooks: One was sat on the large fat ball feeder yesterday but flew off before I could photograph the evidence. It didn't go far, just to a tree where it could watch and wait for another opportunity.
Rook 1

After a short wait, me still with camera in hand, it decided it was safe to return.
Rook 2

Rook 3

Unfortunately it spotted me and veered off disappearing to pastures new.
Never mind - there will be another day and I know it will be back in the not too distant future.

Nest Box Update
Everything seems to have come to a full stop for the moment. The contents have not changed for over 48 hours. This has happened before so I am not too worried yet.

7 comments:

  1. Lovely shot of the Thrush John. Yet to see one in my garden, but I always hear one singing down the road from me.

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  2. Nice photo of the thrush. Do you know why there are fewer of them now than years ago? Is it just general change of the environment or something specific?

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  3. Thanks both for the comments.

    Mick: It appears the Song Thrush is on the red list as the population has been declining for well over 20 years as farming has become more intensive - less food and fewer nesting sites. Even in my village so much green space has been lost. When I moved here over 30 years ago there were orchards in front and behind my property. Immediately behind was a meadow with horses grazing. Now both orchards have disappeared under housing as has the meadow.

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  4. It's sad that the Song Thrush is on the Red List. I very very occasionally get one in the garden so it's cause for much celebration when I do. Their song is wonderful!

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  5. holdingmoments: I saw one briefly early last year and was beginning to think that was that until recently. I just happened to wander through to the kitchen at the right time to spot it.

    Tricia: Gets me down to hear the unpleasant sound of Collared Doves nearly all year round while the beautiful singers get scarcer.

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  6. Lovely photo of the Song Thrush John, ours is still around and the song is just so cheery!
    Very interesting about the pellet too.

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  7. I live fiften miles inland from Edinburgh and this year we have had visiting Mistle Thrushes in our garden. They are really beautiful birds and are a pleasure to watch. They seem to be an unofficial lookout for the small finches when they are picking the berries from the trees. Is this usual behaviour ?

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Thank you for visiting. Hope you enjoyed the pictures. Any comment, or correction to any information or identification I get wrong, is most welcome. John

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