Wednesday 8 May 2013

Ring Ouzel, 4th time lucky!

6/04/13
We had a short time to spare between the Saturday morning activities and the afternoon gardening job, so, as it was on the way, we again, for the 4th time dropped into Stone to look for the Ring Ouzel. I'd only had very brief views of it a couple of days previously, so I wasn't completely satisfied.
 
We first arrived at the usual drop in spot on the road, and scanned the hedgerow, which only contained a Blackbird, but I picked up two photographers posing purposefully behind their camera's, so I had an idea that the bird was showing on the other side of the hedge. Walking up along the public footpath behind the paddock, I paused to scan the hedgerow from a distance, and in doing so saw that the RING OUZEL was showing in full view only around 30ft from the Togs!
By the time I had reached the stile, the bird had moved off a fair bit, but it still gave great views.
 
With the sun behind us, you could see the pale edges to many of the underpart feathers, and the pale edges to many of the primary feathers, contrasting to the very black base colour.
 
 
And, as you would expect, that white blaze on the front stood out like a beacon!

 
I also managed some video footage of the bird.



 
Eventually, the bird moved further up the hedgerow being chased by one of the local Blackbirds!


 
And to finish, a jingle.
 
"Ring Ouzel, Ring Ouzel,
Its just a Blackbird with a white breast"
 
MB

2 comments:

Jason K said...

A good write up there Craig and cracking video too. For some reason I never took any video (duh!)

midlands birder said...

Cheers Jase.
I've been getting a bit annoyed at myself recently because I have kept forgetting to take video! The only problem being I keep running out of space on the SD card too quickly! However, a 16GB Sd in the camera now, so hoping to get some video in Norfolk this weekend!
MB