Tuesday 13 December 2016

Dusky Thrush - Beeley village day 10

I gave the weekend a miss in anticipation of the large number of visiting birders wanting to see the Dusky Thrush. It sounds like there were perhaps a 1000+ visitors over the weekend, which appears to have run smoothly with Dukes Barn offering a free park a ride from the Chatsworth Calton Lees car park. As far as I'm aware this is the first time a park and ride has been provided for a UK twitch!
I have spent this morning and yesterday morning at the orchard with around 50 other birders each day, many of whom were making second visits. The weather has remained misty and overcast with some heavy rain showers and although it was present in the orchard most of yesterday morning it sat preening for long periods when it was generally partially obscured in the apple trees. It occasionally fed on the ground when I took the photo below which shows the rusty outer edges to the tertials, secondaries and base of the outer tail feathers.
Dusky Thrush


There was a report of a potential Black-throated Thrush on the bird news services for 09:30 yesterday but I was there and there was no mention of it, so not sure how that came about.
This morning it wasn't seen in the orchard by mid-day but most visitors managed to catch up with it late morning from the track which runs up the hillside on the other side of the hedge bordering Dukes Barn ropes course. 
May try again tomorrow but again the weather forecast is poor.
Dukes Barn are hosting the annual village Xmas lunch tomorrow (Wednesday 14th) so their parking may be restricted and there will be no access 22nd December to 2nd January as they have a private function.

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