Tim writes: I took this photograph in the Peak District’s Crowden Valley in mid-September when lots of birdwatchers were trying to see the Lammergeier. But I was more amazed at the number of Ring Ouzels feasting on Rowan berries. The best count I heard of was 50 on 1 September but I visited frequently during September and regularly saw more than thirty. But large groups are usually more skittish as the flock is only as brave as the timidest member. If one flies off alarm calling, it usually spooks the whole flock. But with smaller numbers on the day I took this I managed to get a little closer than usual. They seemed to intersperse feeding deep in the bracken out of sight, with the occasional foray into the Rowans. The yellow bill, brown colouration and sullied breast crescent suggest this is an adult female, but they are not particularly easy to age and sex.
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50 (or even 30) Ring Ouzel top a Lammergeier any day.
They are damned good in those numbers even a ten is pretty amazing but topping a Lammergeier not quite for me. I agree with Tim the bird appears to be an adult female, certainly female and first years rarely have that much yellow on the bill or that good a crescent. I didn’t see one at all in 2020 for the first time for many years.
Wonderful birds wherever you find them…..
For several years in a row until about three years ago, one or two ring ouzels turned up on passage each spring on top of a high grassy mound which had various toxic wastes contained within it. The surrounding site had been transformed into an urban nature reserve on Pride Park, a large industrial estate on the south side of Derby city. It was called The Sanctuary Local Nature Reserve and was the site for a famous victory over the owners, the city council, who applied (to themselves as the planning authority) to convert part of it into a bespoke outdoor cycle training track back in 2012/13.
There was something magical about seeing these fine mountain birds in such an unusual urban setting. (I recall David Lindo seeing them at Wormwood Scrubs, another urban stop over for them).
The grass has grown longer now and looks to be unsuitable for them any more….