Saturday, 19 January 2008

Blackbird




Managed to duck between the showers and do a litter pick on the section round the bridge at White Lion Meadow. Noted these prints - rat or water vole? - and a trolley completely submerged.
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The part-albino blackbird I've been seeing for a couple of years now. How long do blackbirds live?
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8 comments:

  1. Jane Adams19 January 2008 at 07:48

    Hi. Blackbirds live on average for about 2.4 years, (but the oldest one recorded was 21 years & 10 months!) I expect albino birds have an even shorter lifespan, due to being spotted by predators. Take care. Jane

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  2. Kate19 January 2008 at 10:17

    Thanks, Jane!

    Ooh, stuning pics on your blog.

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  3. Nik Perring19 January 2008 at 12:01

    To add to Jane's comments...

    According to my RSPB book, they can live, on average, up to five years.

    Twenty-one years old is incredible. I wonder if it turned into a greybird.

    Nik.

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  4. Kate19 January 2008 at 12:19

    Water voles go a bit grey if they live long enough, (which they generally don't).

    I'm quite grey myself under all the Harmony.

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  5. Nik Perring19 January 2008 at 12:24

    Nothing wrong with greyness; I think I'm partially in the club.

    While on the albino subject...

    http://www.acclaimimages.com/search_terms/albino_blackbird.html

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  6. Kate19 January 2008 at 12:35

    Wow! You don't se that every day of the week.

    Here's a nice video of fieldfares because I know you like that sort of thing. If you click on 'View in High Definition' and then on 'Full Screen' you get a smashing picture.

    http://www.woodlanereserve.co.uk/video_of_the_month.htm

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  7. Nik Perring19 January 2008 at 12:55

    Wow! That is a smashing picture. Fantastic quality. Thanks for that. And you were right - I do like that sort of thing.

    Thanks!

    Nik.

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  8. Anonymous20 January 2008 at 07:57

    The lower print looks to have a bit of the rat about it – but it all seems mighty squelchy.

    We feed our blackbirds apples and they go for them as much as that fieldfare. There are about eight that visit our garden. They seem to spend a lot of energy chasing each other off. Not a great team bird – unlike the starling which seems much more tolerant of its own.

    I’ve not seen a “white head” like that before but have come across quite a few widows peaks.

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