Wednesday, 20 November 2013

6 Blackbirds

The day started with some of the worst weather of the autumn so far, strong winds and heavy rain. As I sat in the warmth of the conservatory I was astonished to see six Blackbirds fly into our relatively small garden. Given that there was a great deal of chasing backwards and forwards, I suspect that the resident pair was desperately attempting to protect their territory. All in all, there were four cocks and two hens. I have never previously seen more than three Blackbirds together in the garden. It soon became apparent what was attracting these interlopers as they joined several Starlings in our Rowan tree and began to devour the berries.
It is very likely that some of these birds were migrants from the continent, temporarily boosting the numbers and exploiting the rich harvest of wild fruits that currently abound the hedgerows and gardens. They did not stay long possibly due to the defensive tactics of the resident pair.

No comments:

Post a Comment