Eastern vagrant Thrush........

8 Jan - A repeat visit to Whipsnade where a vagrant male Black-throated Thrush has been giving very good views, faithful to its berry tree which it is guarding from all-comers. Fortunately the bird was still present and my views were much better than in the fog before Christmas. A stunning bird, Fieldfare-sized with a shiny black throat and upper chest, and now fairly confiding as it has got used to its daily throng of admirers, mostly armed with cameras and lenses. Well worth the repeat trip to get such good views and photo opportunities...… a stop at Otmoor on the way home produced my first Barn Owl of the year, the expected Marsh Harriers, and a large flock of Golden Plovers and Lapwings, but no other raptors, as the Starling murmuration has dispersed very early this year.