Thrushes at last
The Rowan berries were the topic of many conversations in Assynt this autumn-winter. I suppose that time scale could really have started with summer.
The first photo I took this year of a rowan tree straining under the weight of its berry crop was on 31stAugust. The berries were well ripe and red even then.
A typical conversation went something like “Have you seen the masses of rowan berries?” ‘Yes, aren’t they fantastic. Have you ever seen them like that before?” “No, not for a long time” “Sign of a hard winter!”
By the time October had arrived the typical addition to the typical conversation was “So, where are all the thrushes this year?” “Still time, but the storms might well strip the berries before they arrive.”
We arrived at the end of October and some bits of weather had come and gone. Surprisingly, the wind and rain had little impact on the berries. Neither had the thrushes as they still hadn’t appeared in any number.
Thrushes at last!
During October the Field Club received a few scattered reports of Redwing, Turdus iliacus. These were being heard and seen from the likes of Nedd, Oldany and Strathan. Redwing are nocturnal migrants so at that time of year you can stand outside in the evening and listen for their call. Some of the books describe that as a protracted, indrawn ‘stűűűf’. Okay sorry, here’s a link to a recording held on the Xeno-canto Foundation’s extensive website.
Then, on 15th November the first report of Fieldfare, Turdus pilaris arrived, then another and another. One count from the same date covered numerous flocks noted from Gleann Leireag to Elphin. The total was put at 1000+ birds.
Since then, the chatter of Fieldfare and their consumption of the rowan berries has continued unabated.
At this time of year most of the thrushes we see are winter migrants. That includes Blackbirds, Redwings, Song and Mistle thrushes, but the vast majority are Fieldfares.
If you have spotted huge flocks of colourful blackbird sized birds flying about with a lot of chatter coming from them, they are the Fieldfares. The call is described as sounding like ‘schack-schack-schack’ and is very distinctive. Here’s a Zeno-canto link of that sound.
Why are they here?
Why are the Fieldfare here? Main reason is to escape the extreme cold now setting in where they breed. That can range from Sweden through Finland and most of the way across Russia.
Another reason they migrate is to find food. This year of course they will find an abundance of rowan berries here in Assynt. That seems to be the case across most of the country this year.
The attached Fieldfare photos were taken on 21st November 2024 in Lochinver and opposite Loch an Ordain at Torbreck. The flying birds and Scots Pine tree photo was taken on 27th November at Loch Drumbeg.
If you spot them and have a minute or two to stop your own activity then it’s well worth it so you can simply enjoy seeing and hearing them. In the car? Even better, cars make great hides so stop, put the window down and enjoy. It’s free!
Back to the ‘late’ arrival of the Fieldfare in particular. From the records submitted to the Field Club we know they were here by 15th November which is around week 45 or 46 in the year.
I did a bit of research on the British Trust for Ornithology’s (BTO) website. This revealed that for the past four years, in the Highland recording area, the peak counts received via BirdTrack were: 2021 – wk47; 2022 – wk45; 2023 – wks43 and 45; 2024 – wk45.
It seems that the birds know better than we do when they are due to arrive!
The historical weekly peak count for Fieldfare is shown in graph 5 here and it is quite a large number!
Waxwing watch
One final little bit. We haven’t, as I write had any reports of Waxwing, Bombycilla garrulus yet this year. Back to the BTO and BirdTrack, where the historical reporting rate for Waxwing in Highland shows their peak counts occurring in weeks 45 and 50.
Still plenty of time, and berries!
David Haines