False dawn

I did think my cold was on the wain; it was. However, it was replaced (as is often the case during late winter) with acute sinusitis. That put paid to very much everything, going to town, visiting, long walks in the snow, etc.

By the 16th, I had manged to drive to Lynn. The disturbed sleep continued. The thaw generated by the rain continued. On the Saturday, the light but persistent rain softened the soil and grass sufficiently for J's garden to become a haven for feeding birds. It was almost non-stop toing and froing from the woodland edge to the feeders or beneath the feeders. As I sat there sipping hot drinks, I counted 7 unringed Blackbirds popping in and out of the shrubs.


Blackbird takes it supplements!

The rain eased as dusk approached, so I erected a net and set it lower than usual, ready for the morning. At 8am, the first Blackbird; adult 6 male, 137 wing, 111.5 grams. That's what I would expect at this time of year, enough weight (fat reserves) to get it through several days of bad weather. Not so heavy as not to be able to get away from a Sparrowhawk.

Half an hour later, number 2, a young female with a wing of 131 weighing in at 113g. Another wait, then a young male, wing length 139 and weighing a little more at 116.5g. Then another, making four of the seven. This was a male with a wing of 133 and maybe of more 'local' origins; it was a tough one to call but I decided on 6M after much study, based on the shape of the outer tail feathers. (It looked as though it had not done a 100% PB moult, maybe just a late 95% one; remember Sept/Oct were very dry).


2CY female Blackbird - "continental type"

There after, I caught more usual fare. One new and one retrap of each of the Great, Blue and Coal Tits. The number of birds in and around the garden this morning was much, much lower than yesterday. Then at midday, I caught two more of these unringed Blackbirds. Both were young birds; the female measured 133 and weighed 114.5g but the male, with 5 ogc and a wing of 135, weighed an enormous (for here) 136.5g. It was carrying so much fat, it even showed as a bare (brood) patch without much 'wind assistance' from me.

 The 'big' 2CY male "continental" Blackbird


Finally, it was another Coal Tit, a new 6F, and a retrap 6M Blue Tit. Fourteen birds in five hours meant that I had kept warm most of the time and shifted some of that nasty, sluggish infection. I was really pleased with catching 6 of 'the magnificent 7'. I do like thrushes!


Typical tail feather shapes of a 1st winter Blackbird in Norfolk;
resident, inland UK birds of the same age often have narrower feathers than this.