Fieldfares have been reported in gardens all over the country, even in many places where they haven't been seen before, driven in to feed where their normal habitat of agricultural fields and hedgerows have been blanketted in snow. We quite often get a few here, but there is a definite increase in numbers currently.
These largely Scandinavian visitors can be very bold, as is this individual who spent the last two days eating and jealously guarding some apple quarters I put out. He or she divided its attentions about equally between filling its stomach and driving off Redwings, Song Thrushes and Blackbirds (the previously dominant Blackbird took this as quite an affront but had to capitulate to this larger and certainly more determined thrush).
I must admit, if I had this thing repeatedly flying at me, I might take cover in the nearest bush myself.
I'm not sure how long they will hang about as the snow is now largely thawed, but I have a stock of apples in just in case.
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