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At least it kept him warm dashing about chasing off
others. When temporarily replete he would keep watch
from his favourite fence post at the end of the garden.
One morning a strange sight met my eyes. As usual,
greenfinches and titmice were feeding, clinging to the
nuts hanging from the trees. Dunnocks were flickering on
the edges of groups of sparrows pecking away at seed on
the ground. However, there were five cock blackbirds
sitting on the fence gazing fearfully at a large plump
fieldfare who was swallowing large chunks of apple as fast
as he could.
This colourful visitor, did not even stop eating when I
went into the garden to replenish the food supplies. The
only other member of the thrush family which fed that day
in our garden, was a lame song thrush who was desperate
for food and homed in on some apple on a table near the
house. The fieldfare gave him a glance, and then ignored
him, sensing no real contention from the pitiful bird.
Our old blackbird had several goes at the fieldfare, but
retired each time the loser, eventually retreating to a
branch of an elm tree in a neighbour's garden, The
younger birds flew off to find other sources of food, but
kept returning to the fence to see if the intruder had
left, but not daring to challenge him.
The old bird achieved one small victory. He swooped down
behind the fieldfare, scooped up a bit of apple, did a
smart about turn and flew off triumphant.
But it was short lived. Soon afterwards the fieldfare
took a rest from eating and settled himself on the, until
now, sacrosanct fence post. The blackbird watched him
from his branch, defeat in every line of his body.
This situation continued for two more very cold days, the
snow still lying firm and white. The following morning
he was gone.