A new 'bird' on the block!

The Fieldfare that has been resident for the last 3 days in my garden was joined early this morning by what I first thought to be another Fieldfare. This was clearly not to be a friendly meeting as they had a mid-air combat and eventually both ending up in the lying snow beneath the apple tree! Looking through my bins I could see it was a Thrush but not a Fieldfare, it was a Mistle Thrush! As you can see in the images it has an unusual colouration in that it has a few white (leucistic) feathers.

Well, let battle commence! The Mistle Thrush has ended up the victor. The Fieldfare is now, along with the Blackbirds, eating the almost spent apples that have fallen on the ground, that is when the Mistle Thrush allows them to! I thought Fieldfares were aggressive but the Mistle Thrush has taken it's crown for defending food territory!

I have to admit to feeling just a little sorry for the Fieldfare.


                                                 The 'mighty' Mistle Thrush.

 

I wonder if we will have another new 'bird' on the block tomorrow. :-)