I have noticed large groups of Fieldfares around in the last week. I believe
these often move South in search of berries when the weather is extremely
cold or snowy in Scandanavia and Northern Europe.
The last time I saw these and Redwings in large flocks was 1963.
Now I think it is a rural myth to say they are a harbinger of severe weather
in the UK but ......... (also see Will's forecast, which is sensibly
uncertain about potential outcomes).

Dave, S.Essex.

On Fri, 26 Dec 2003 18:33:19 -0000, "DC"
wrote:

I've noticed a lot more Starlings around lately.


Phil (south Wales)

Last winter, there was a huge cop of rowanberries in Scandinavia and I
saw fielfares and waxtails all winter in southern Finland. This year,
there has been hardly any rowanberries - and hardly any seedeaters are
left.

Birds of Britain says about fieldfares:
"Only a proportion of the Scandinavian fieldfares migrate. The
remainder spend the winter in their home countries, often in very
large numbers. snip By mid-November normal fieldfare emigration in
Scandinavia is at an end unless weather conditions become severe. Then
and particularly if the berry crop fails, 'weather migrants' may
arrive in East Anglia at any time during December or even in January.
Like waxwings, fieldfares are nomadic and show no allegiance to
regular wintering areas."

more here
http://www.birdsofbritain.co.uk/bird.../fieldfare.htm

Cheers, Elena, the non-twitcher

(phil) wrote in message ...
On Fri, 26 Dec 2003 18:33:19 -0000, "DC"
wrote:

I've noticed a lot more Starlings around lately.


Phil (south Wales)

DC wrote in message
...
I have noticed large groups of Fieldfares around in the last week. I
believe
these often move South in search of berries when the weather is extremely
cold or snowy in Scandanavia and Northern Europe.
The last time I saw these and Redwings in large flocks was 1963.
Now I think it is a rural myth to say they are a harbinger of severe
weather
in the UK but ......... (also see Will's forecast, which is sensibly
uncertain about potential outcomes).

Dave, S.Essex.



Fieldfares are normally around in large groups in Winter, but they are
normally in the fields where most people don't see them.

When I lived in Devon around 1990 I remember one Sunday when there was a
gale force easterly with a maximum temperature of minus 4. Every garden in
Ivybridge was full of Fieldfares and Redwings eating berries.




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I have noticed large groups of Fieldfares around in the last week. I
believe
these often move South in search of berries when the weather is
extremely
cold or snowy in Scandanavia and Northern Europe.
The last time I saw these and Redwings in large flocks was 1963.
Now I think it is a rural myth to say they are a harbinger of severe
weather
in the UK but ......... (also see Will's forecast, which is sensibly
uncertain about potential outcomes).

Dave, S.Essex.



Fieldfares are normally around in large groups in Winter, but they are
normally in the fields where most people don't see them.

When I lived in Devon around 1990 I remember one Sunday when there was a
gale force easterly with a maximum temperature of minus 4. Every garden in
Ivybridge was full of Fieldfares and Redwings eating berries.

Yes, as I said I don't think they are a predictor of cold weather here but I
have also noticed more in severe weather, for whatever reason.

Dave. Thanks for interesting responses.