Redwings and Blackbrids

The  Rowan berries around the house have been completely stripped by hordes of Redwings and Blackbirds over the last couple of weeks. Even the hawthorn berries have now bee neaten. The birds were extremely shy but by photographing fro man upstairs window I got some reasonable shots.

The Blackbird below was so stuffed it couldn't close its bill - you can see the berries in its cheeks yet still it tried to carry on feeding.

This bird can be aged as 3 or a calendar year bird by the moult contrast in the greater coverts with the new dark adult ones contrasting with the brown outer juvenile ones. The scaly appearance of this bird may indicate a Scandinavian origin. There again there's no definitive proof.

Even the local House Sparrows have been getting in on the act.

Christmas came early for me as at first light Christmas Eve two Little Egrets flew over the garden heading south west. The first garden and local patch records!