Blackbird
The garden Blackbird proving that for a bird with glossy black plumage, the honeysuckle isn't the best place to hide. Norwich - April 2023
Having completely stripped the local Rowan tree of its berries, the local Blackbirds have rediscovered the mealworms in my garden. The bird in the picture immediately above is drinking from an old pet's water bowl I've put out as their usual water sources are frozen hard.
Norwich - December 2022
Norwich - December 2022
The current dominant garden female, with her pale chin and throat patch. Norwich - January 2022
The male Blackbird drinking from the 15" drip tray which I use to provide water. February 2021
The male...
... and female garden Blackbirds demonstrating the same pose. Norwich - February 2021
A very confiding first winter male Blackbird with chocolate brown primary feathers in the wing, which, as the pictures show, came right up to my feet as he searched through the mud. Earlham Cemetery, Norwich - January 2021
A first winter male with beautiful chocolate brown primary feathers on the wing. In the back garden, Norwich - December 2020
As I soaked my leek seedlings the other day, the male allotment Blackbird took full advantage. Norwich - May 2020
A helper at the allotment...
.. although I'm not so sure I approve of such efficient worm removal! Norwich - April 2020
The garden male checking out the mealworm tray. Norwich - April 2020
Garden Blackbirds; the male...
... and the female. Norwich - March 2020
Juvenile, Cockermouth Cemetery, Cumbria
A male blackbird (possibly the same bird as in the pictures below - if so, he's looking a bit worse for wear) followed me round the allotment as I raked and hoed the beds. He was being very successful. Obviously there is a nest full of chicks somewhere nearby. Norwich - May 2019
A male inspecting the bed that I'd freshly dug on the allotment...
... and female checking through a freshly dug area on the allotment. Norwich - March 2019
Despite Storm Gareth, nest building is in full swing for the garden blackbirds. Norwich - March 2019
Two first winter (hatched in 2018) males. The upper picture shows a bird in a state of more advanced bill and iris development than the bird in the lower picture, possibly indicating that the he's from an earlier brood than the lower male. These make a useful comparisson with the fully mature male in the picture below. All three of these pictures were taken in a period of less than 24 hours in my back garden, which is tiny. It's amazing how many different birds visit. Norwich - January 2019
A very handsome bird on the feeder struts, Norwich - January 2019
Female foraging in the back garden hedge - January 2019
Female with a single white feather. Marriott's Way between Taverham and Attlebridge - November 2018
A female blackbird performing acrobatics to get at the fat in the feeders. The soft bodied invertebrates such as earthworms and snails that form a sizeable part of their diet are becoming increasingly hard to find in the protracted hot, dry spell. I have since put some mealworms out on the ground.
The photographs have a strange quality due to the fact the feeder was in shadow and the background still in bright sunlight. Norwich - July 2018 |
One of the local males singing in the shade of a wonky chimney pot - May 2018
Male in full song on one of the few sunny days in the first fortnight of April 2018 - Burnham Overy Staithe
Undeterred by the weather, this female kept on gathering nest building material in the back garden of our rented cottage - Wells, April 2018
One of the female blackbirds that frequents the garden taking advantage of the water beneath the ice that I broke this morning. It looks almost as if she's pushing the ice down with her left foot to expose some of the water below. Norwich - March 2018
There is currently between 6 and 8 inches of snow in the garden, making feeding the birds quite difficult, as the continuing snow covers the food quickly. The water bowl on the stand is frozen solid and the ground water dish has disappeared! I've put a fresh dish of water out but that's slowly sinking into the snow too. I cleared the seed tray an hour ago, that is now covered with snow again. Trying times for the birds.
Norwich - 28 February 2018.
Norwich - 28 February 2018.
After one of the heavy snow showers today, this male was foraging for seeds dropped by the birds on the feeders in preference to the pile of mealworms available. Norwich - February 2018
Male blackbird drinking from the water. I'd broken the ice only 5 minutes previously. Norwich - February 2018
One of 3 regular female blackbirds that has been visiting my garden this winter. In the bottom of the three pictures above she's watching another of the regular females in the picture below. Relationships seem very cordial at present. I'm not sure if the loose white feather is one of her own that she's moulting or one that she's inadvertantly picked up elsewhere. Norwich - January 2018
A female feeding on mealworms from the ground tray, whilst being watched by the bird in the pictures above. The detritis all over the path is there as a result of the blackbirds tossing aside loose material on the garden as they search for food. Norwich - 2018
Matching iris and bill. Riverside Walk, Norwich - January 2018
Watching me watching him... I love the way the low sun backlights the bill at this time of the year. In the garden, Norwich - December 2017
Male feeding in the seed tray after a freezing night. The first time I've seen a blackbird in the seed tray in all the years I've been feeding the birds. More unusual as mealworms were available in the usual place. Norwich - December 2017
Norwich - July 2016
Foot problem - Norwich 2015
Male, looking worse for wear post breeding
Female
Definitely in need of a rest
Juvenile
Excavating for mealworms, Norwich
Feeding on mealworms after the first genuinely cold night of winter 2015/6
Cock of the gareden - same male as last year with the foot problem 2016
First winter male gradually gaining yellow beak - February 2016
Female