The Carlisle Fieldfare

Fieldfare

(from Wikimedia Commons, copyright Adam Kumiszcza, license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en)

Well, I know it's been a long time. The topic that has prompted me to resume my electronic pen is the "Carlisle Fieldfare."

What is a fieldfare, some of you may be asking? It's a large Eurasian thrush that hoves to this side of the pond about once every 35 years or so. Here is the Wikipedia entry although it is rather disappointingly brief.

This particular bird was seen first on St. Patrick's Day (perhaps it was an errant Irish bird?) on the Greenough property (where we take out dogs walking regularly) by fellow-Brit Alan Ankers. I'm not sure how serious Alan was about birding before he left England, but since living over here he has become very expert. I've been on a few nature walks with him. Nice guy. See his posting on the Yahoo group for Nature in Carlisle that he set up (and which I subscribe to).

I don't know when I first saw the posting but probably the next day. I didn't pay it much attention. It's just a fieldfare, I thought. Whoa! Wrong response. To every other American birder, a fieldfare is big news. See the article and photo in our local paper later that week [this link probably won't work after a certain period of time so I have reproduced the photo here - with many thanks to our wonderful Carlisle Mosquito].

Judging from the posts on the MASSBIRD listserv, the scenes probably got even more crazy later. People were still pouring in from all over the Northeastern US just to see our bird.

Again, based on MASSBIRD sightings, it would appear that our fieldfare only stayed a week, after having moved a little Southward. But apparently, the homeowners on Maple St. and the police have all been very helpful and welcoming to the twitchers.

So, it got me wondering. Where exactly have I seen fieldfares? I seem to recall them in large flocks mixed in with redwings. On Otmoor, perhaps? Or have I only seen them further North? I probably should have rushed out to get another sighting early last week when I heard about it.

So, it seems that Carlisle has finally found itself in the news, although as far as I can tell not in the radio or TV media. If you're interested, google Carlisle and Fieldfare and you should get plenty of hits, including some good photos of the actual bird, such as this one by J. R. Trimble.

Cheers and good birding!