Yesterday we saw not one but three of what we are fairly certain are Mistle Thrushes flying around the trees in between the Trent and Mersey canal and the larger of the two lakes at the nature reserve at Westport.
I only had my little Canon camera with me as we hadn't expected to stop for a walk on our busy morning of shopping, getting my hair cut and taking Christmas cards for recycling. We also had loads of used stamps which I'd been collecting for ages and so we took them to the Westport Lake Visitor Centre for the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust.
After a coffee and toasted teacake we walked around both lakes and it was there we spotted the Mistle Thrush which had the brown head, pink legs and white edges to the tail mentioned by the RSPB on their bird identification site. It isn't a song thrush and we are fairly sure the one above isn't a Fieldfare which when we first spotted the birds we thought they were. I'm so glad the bird was close enough to take a photo of and that it stayed long enough whilst I fiddled with my camera with extremely cold fingers.
According to the RSPB the Mistle Thrush has a red UK conservation status which means it is a highly endangered species.
Here is a link to the RSPB and more about endangered birds.
Also this week I have registered for the Big Garden Bird Watch which will take place this year on 27th to 29th January. We have been participating in this survey for quite a few years now and it is always an enjoyable thing to do, you can do the survey in your own garden or a nearby park or reserve.
Here is a link to more information.
As we walked around the lake we spotted a pair of Little Grebes or Dabchicks as they are also known. They were too quick and also the angle of the sun made it impossible to take any photos with the camera I had with me. It was great to get out in the fresh air and I'm so glad we decided to walk for a while.
What a lovely sighting. I saw one in the garden the other day too. Too shy to come to the bird feeder but sitting on the Rose hedge watching all the starlings feed. I will have to remember to take part this year. Thanks for the reminder. B x
ReplyDeleteThey are usually very shy aren't they? These birds were flitting around looking for food as it was very, very cold and they know people come round with bird seed etc:)
Deletelucky you.WOW?Seeing that thrush.Very exciting and a great photo.
ReplyDeleteThank you, it was great to see the mistle thrush as we see them very rarely:)
DeleteHow wonderful to be able to see three of the same species that are on the endangered list, it must have been a real thrill.
ReplyDeleteWe thought at first they were fieldfares as they are usually seen in small groups but then realised what they were:)
DeleteLooks like a Mistle Thrush to me too. Thanks for reminding me about the garden birdwatch.
ReplyDeleteThanks, John I always worry when identifying birds but thought we had got it right. It was great to see them:)
DeleteGreat photos, when I try to take photos of birds they always fly off.
ReplyDeleteThanks Janet. Nine times out of ten they fly off for me too but just occasionally I get lucky and they sray for a while:)
DeleteLovely & I'm also a bird nut. We don't have any counts here in Oz, that I know of, but as a child (long, long time ago), I was in the Gould of Bird Lovers League & it must have left a lasting love. Of course we don't have Mistle Thrushes here, but it looks a bit like our Wattle Birds. We've a bird feeder & I watch the antics of our birds with much amusement at times. I also pop them on my blog if I'm quick enough with a camera, which can be awfully hard at times. Thanks for the photos, glad you had a great walk & take care.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Susan. I must look out for birds on your blog. It's great fun watching them and we feed them regularly all year in the garden so we get plenty of visitors:)
DeleteWhat a lovely bird! I'm sure those who keep track of such things, will be very happy to know, that it is doing fine. Being endangered and all...
ReplyDeleteSounds like a very nice day!
Here, the weather is just not conducive to even sticking one's nose out! ,-) Enjoy your walking weather. Even if your fingers do get cold.
Thank you. I wish I'd seen them on one of the bird couunt days, that would have been special. We did have a lovely walk even though it was very cold:)
DeleteWhat a beauty! Good spotting. 😊
ReplyDeleteThey are lovely aren't they? Glad we saw them:)
DeleteSuper photo and sounds a lovely walk. Wonderful to see three mistle thrushes too - we just get the very occasional garden visit and sometimes see them on reserves.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to the Garden Birdwatch too :)
Thanks. I think we at first thought they were fieldfares because they were all together I haven't seen a mistle thrush for ages. We occasionally get a song thrush in the garden. As usual I expect all the interesting burds will visit a few days before or after the bird watch. It's just as if they know:)
DeleteHow lucky to spot a rare bird! It looks very pretty with its speckled breast. You did well to get such good photos when caught on the hop and with cold fingers too! x
ReplyDeleteThanks, Simone. I only had a little camera with me which doesn't zoom in very far so I was lucky the thrush came fairly close. I did have cold fingers by the end of the walk:)
DeleteThese are such pretty birds. Well spotted! Marie x
ReplyDeleteThanks, Marie. It was very pleasing to see them:)
DeleteI think it's a mistle thrush, too. Good spot! We got very excited last month when we saw a redwing sitting in the holly right outside our front window, sheltering from the snow, about six feet away from us. We are gearing up for the bird count, too. x
ReplyDeleteIt's great to see all these birds around isn't it? We always get more birds on the count if it is cold weather and they are building up their energy with food to get through the cold evening and night:)
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