Yesterday there was a frantic scramble at the breakfast table – there was a fieldfare in the birch tree – the first we’d ever seen in our garden. Later, as I drove down the Bedfordshire lanes on the way to visit a friend, I saw fieldfare in the hedgerows and when I arrived there were redwings and fieldfare in her garden – again the first they’d ever seen. In the last few days, thousands of fieldfare and redwings have arrived from Northern Europe and they’ve been seeking out gardens in search of food and shelter. There have been so many that the RSPB organised an impromptu redwing and fieldfare count today and reports of large flocks have been sent in from all over the country.
Fieldfare in the snow (image: Alan Garner)
It’s a rare treat to see these birds so close to home, but they are visiting gardens because of the harsh weather and they act as a reminder that all garden birds need our help in the cold weather. The RSPB recommend:
- providing fatty food, making fat balls and homemade bird cakes, and putting out kitchen scraps such as mild grated cheese, porridge oats and soaked, chopped currants, although be aware that currants are poisonous to dogs
- providing water – with a ping pong ball in the bowl to stop it freezing or putting out juicy fruit like apples and pears
- providing shelter – nest boxes work well and will be used by garden birds like long-tailed tits for roosting
- offering winter shelter such as in evergreen climbers, dense hedges like privet and hawthorn, and evergreen shrubs and trees
- even if you don’t have bird boxes or evergreen shelter, the RSPB advises propping a bucket up sideways or grouping plants in containers together to provide some shelter from the wind
Considering the fact that around one quarter of a typical UK city comprises private gardens and that the total area of UK gardens is roughly equivalent to an area one fifth the size of Wales, the potential for gardeners to make a real difference to the fate of our garden birds is clear. Our birds need a little help from us and in return we get to watch one of nature’s most beautiful sights from the comfort of our own homes.
Another occasional winter visitor to our garden (image: Alan Garner)
What birds has the Beast from the East brought to your garden this week? Do you have any tips for ways to help our garden birds through this cold spell? Please leave your comments below. Thank you.
More information on feeding garden birds is available from the RSPB website.
Nic Wilson 
Oh, that first fieldfare likes cotoneaster.
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Yes, both the redwings and fieldfare love cotoneaster berries. My dad photographed the redwing and the fieldfare – they both visit the cotoneaster in our next door neighbour’s garden.
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That is why the pretty berries do not last. Some people like the berries (not to eat of course). Most like the birds. I do not know the names of the birds who get the berries here.
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We had a visit from some reed buntings during the last snowy spell.
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How wonderful! Fabulous birds!
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Our garden was full of birds and we have 4 pairs of blackbirds and a fieldfare which I had no idea what it was till a rspb post. Snow made amazing bird watchingx
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Lovely! It’s been a special few days – let’s hope they all survive the cold weather x
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We’ve had field fares too. Has to look them up because had no idea what they were!
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There have been so many people seeing them for the first time! 😊
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We have had redwings & a load of fieldfares in our garden – I counted 13 fieldfares in the tree at one point. The last time I saw redwings in any great numbers was back in the winter of 2010, so it was nice to see them again. This morning almost all the snow has gone – and so have they !
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That’s a good showing – hope they found some berries and can now get to the fields again 🙂
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So envious here in South London – I would love to see these beautiful birds in my garden but all the sunflower hearts and dried mealworms I put on the ground and in feeders disappears instantly into the voracious mouths of parakeets, pigeons and squirrels! I try to tell myself that they need food too – but my charitable thoughts are stretched mighty thin!!
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Hmmm an interesting trio! Good on you for feeding them – maybe there are fieldfares and redwings in the parks nearby? Hope you get to see some before they head off for the spring. 🙂
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No Redwings (we had 6 5 years ago) but a small flock of 22 Fieldfares on our and neighbours Pyracantha – the first Fieldfares we’ve had in the garden. We’ve never had Waxwings in this garden, though – they are beautiful birds.
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Still an impressive number! Hope they all found berries and are now back in the fields feeding.
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