A Redwing lost among the Rowan berries, Sorbus aucuparia

In most years the autumn migration of Redwings and Fieldfares through the western Highlands is over in a matter of a week or so. The birds pass through, hardly pausing to feed or rest. As far back as August I suspected that this year things might be different. All over the north the Rowan berry crop was exceptional. In over forty years living in Scotland I have never seen a crop of berries that even came close to that which weighed down the branches of almost every Rowan tree.

Fieldfare

By mid October the first redwings arrived from the north-east migrating west down the Great Glen. For more than a week parties of up to 100 flew by throughout the day. The local Rowan berries were largely ignored. By the third week of the month Redwings and a few Fieldfares had started to feed on the Rowans. However they remained frustratingly mobile, giving little chance for any photography. As the month progressed the migration from the north-east lessened and a movement of mainly Fieldfares gathered momentum from the west. For days the air was filled with birds passing over. I have no idea how many there were. Flocks numbering up 1000 birds at a time dropped from the sky to feed. By late afternoon on the 31st the last Rowan had been stripped bare and the fallen berries were being hoovered up from below the trees. In the dusk more than 100 Fieldfares, Redwings and Blackbirds were down on the grass feeding in the garden. Next morning only the Blackbirds remained.

Photographically the whole event was rather frustrating as the weather was heavily overcast and light levels very low. Wide apertures, high ISO and relatively slow shutter speeds were not conducive to photographing a feeding frenzy.

Fieldfare

Redwings

Many of the birds around on the Scottish coast in October are likely to be migrants or winter visitors from further north. Their Scottish bred counterparts will have already moved south.

Feeding Dunlin

Drake teal in partial eclipse plumage

Slavonian Grebe moulting into winter plumage

Young male Merlin