You were only waiting for this moment to arise
Not exactly in the "dead of night", but whilst sitting out in the back garden for the last two nights at around 7pm, we witnessed an unusually large number of blackbirds, up to 45-50, in a loose flock, all flying in the same direction (roughly southeast, I'd say). They're obviously not migrating anywhere - they live here, and should be busy nesting right now - but they were certainly all heading to the same place, wherever that was. It was a strange sight, and I'm guessing it has something to do with the sudden change of weather. (If it were a science fiction film, this would prefigure the arrival of an alien spaceship or giant dinosaur.) Any ideas, birders?
Also watched some beautiful swifts, high in the cloudless sky, but that's not weird.
Pic courtesy of the RSPB, naturally.
posted by Andrew Collins @ 7:59 AM
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10 Comments:
I've only just got into admiring birds (I won't say "watching" them, because that might imply that I know the faintest thing about them) while I've been sitting in my garden revising. It's going to be a shame when I move out in July because I won't be able to admire them anymore.
Although, I must say that they have an annoying habit of waking me up. And I really cannot stand pigeons.
Perhaps they have heard the news about Boris and are escaping?
AnonoNick
Blackbirds ROCK!! AS do swallows, blue tits, owls, and most birds of prey. But I think pheasants and partridges are jaywalking* idiots - as evidenced by the vast number or dead ones I see by the side of the road.
*The term "jaywalking" has nothing to do with the jay, which I'm sure is perfectly adept at crossing a busy "a' road.
i don't know why you would get such a large group flying together (you sure they weren't starlings) as the are normally quite territorial and hang about in ones and twos.
I have noticed their singing to be much more pronounced during the summer..guess they like the sun as much as we do
Circling swifts and a blackbird at dusk are the definitive sounds of summer for me.
Round my way it's sometimes disturbed by the piercing racket of flocks of ring-tailed parakeets (supposedly descended from Jimi Hendrix's escaped pets, dubious fact fans!)
Most of our blackbirds are resident, but there are some migratory ones too. However, these are from Scandinavia and turn up here to spend the winter (just like fieldfares and redwings). I wonder if what you saw was a flock of Scandi blackbirds heading back to the fjords, rather than birds arriving?
And yes, they do rock! It still makes me grin when I see blackbirds crashing about in flowerbeds and digging about under bushes!
this is strange I can see no examples on the web (the american ones don't count because it's a differnt bird I think) could be a late migrating flock it has been cold, are you sure they weren't starlings?
I like what Kate Bush said about birdsong from her Arial album - a lot of it is just 'Oi! Get off my manor!'
Or,'Strewth! She's a bit of alright!'
But, there's some other stuff with really does seem beautifully transcendent.
Couldn't agree more about the unutterable delight of bird song. I was kept awake by a blackbird singing in the dead of night on Tuesday morning and didn't mind a bit.
Though can I just pitch in my irrational hatred of magpies? Those long, flippy tails and the scrokking noise they make actually upsets me when I see them. If they were tasty to eat I'd shoot 'em and chuck 'em in the oven.
I spent most of Wednesday evening lying in my garden lsitening to and watching a couple of blackbirds. they seemed to be having a great time playing in the vegetable patch, even doing a fair impression ahummingbirds at one point as they hovered over the rhubarb. One of the finest evenings I have spent in a long time.
I spent Bank Holiday Monday by the canal trying to get a decent photo of the ducks, and mummy duck with her ducklings to send you, but the end results were rather dire. And they wouldn't stay long enough for me to persuade them to kiss you. The adult ducks that is, I'm not sick.
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