Tuesday 10 December 2019

Winter Thrushes at Bramfield Churchyard

1st December 2019

We are now in December and the Yew trees are laden with berries, so time for a visit to Bramfield Church to see whether the winter thrushes are enjoying the feast. Bramfield is best known for its winter Hawfinches but, apart from the UK invasion in the 2017/2018 winter, they normally arrive in the New Year. Sadly last winter none appeared at all.

The first winter thrushes to appear were Fieldfares. although these were not here for the Yew berries, but to have a good vantage point to spot the marauding Sparrowhawk. Every time it attacked the churchyard the thrushes exploded out of the trees and flew to an adjacent area only to return about 20 minutes later. Thankfully the Sparrowhawk got bored and gave up after about an hour.










Apart from the usual suspects, Blackbirds and Song Thrushes were also enjoying the berries, but of course these could just as easily been migrants from the continent.




And it was not only the winter thrushes that were enjoying the berries!!


But the reason I came for were the Redwings. When I was just 10 years old these were one of the first "rare" birds that I saw and spurred me on to see a whole lot more. I still love seeing them, especially when they are on the Pyracantha in the garden.










I wonder whether the Hawfinches will re-appear this winter?









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