Tuesday 5 November 2013

They have arrived.

The fieldfares have arrived.   Huge flocks are swooping over our fields with their chack-chack-chack call.   You can pick out their grey heads and their white underwings as the fly from tree to tree.

As Tess and I walked down the Lane after lunch today the hawthorn bushes and the rose hip bush were full of them.   They flew off as we approached - flew into a bare ash tree in the hedge.   Quietly, so as not to disturb them, I took a photograph.   You can certainly see the bare ash tree but whether you can see the fieldfares in it is another matter.   If you can't - try blowing the picture up larger.   One thing is for sure - they will clean the bushes and small trees of berries and then they will be off to pastures new.   So I am enjoying them in their exotic wildness while I can.

The man from our local Hunt has been to say that they will be foxhunting in our area tomorrow.   I wish foxes could read.   If they could I would be out posting large warning notices for them to lie low.

 

10 comments:

Edwina said...

Yes, I could see the birds when I enlarged the photo. We have started seeing the large skeins of pink-footed geese now, they fly over twice a day, leaving their roosts on the edge of the Wash, flying overhead to go inland to some farmers fields for their daily forage. Then in the late afternoon, they will be back again, you can hear them first. A bit eerie when it's dark and they fly over... I often wonder how the heck they see where they're going, bearing in mind they are heading out to where there are no lights at all. Must be instinct. And yes, there is a lot of bird-life here - referring to your comment on my post - the RSPB reserve is just down the road. And we have buzzards seen nearby, which I am dying to see... love birds of prey.

Em Parkinson said...

They're flocking here too Pat - such beautiful birds. Interesting to hear your opinion on the hunt. You get lynched here if you express a whiff of negativity so I keep my mouth shut!

Willow said...

i know I love fox !

Cloudia said...

Tess, You, Bare trees, avian visitors. Sounds charming. Perhaps you will hear horns tomorrow? Glad you feel as I do about small, defenseless animals!

ALOHA from Honolulu
Comfort Spiral
=^..^= <3
> < } } ( ° >
> < 3 3 3 ( ' >

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the pictures! Our hummingbirds are leaving for southern lands. But the Red-tail Hawks are coming in.
Sandy @ My Yellow Swing

jinxxxygirl said...

Ah but foxes are wise and wily creatures...i bet they already know! Here's to wishing the hunters come up empty tomorrow! Hugs! deb

Heather said...

Lovely photos. Fieldfares are such attractive birds. We don't often see them down here but they have visited during colder winters. Hope the foxes have all gone out for the day when the hunt arrives!

MorningAJ said...

Isn't foxhunting supposed to be illegal?
I'd like to set the hounds off after some of the hunters!

Bovey Belle said...

No sign of any Fieldfares here yet, but I've not been up the valley to Jim''s fields, where I would be more likely to see them.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Yes AJ - fox hunting in its old form is illegal but they can still hunt - they just have to shoot the fox I think. Just as barbaric in my view - although maybe not as cruel as far as the fox is concerned.
Thanks for visiting everyone.