Dusky Thrush at Beeley

Me and Paz went down to Beeley in Derbyshire today for a Dusky Thrush that had been discovered late last Sunday, it has been showing all week although has been very mobile and elusive at times, we arrived on site and headed to Dukes Barn to stake out the little orchard behind there which the Thrush has been favouring on a regular basis rather than chase around the village and it seemed most of the other birders had decided on the same course of action, to say it was packed was an understatement but I eventually managed to get in position up against the dry stone wall, after around 45 mins we were rewarded with our first views when it dropped into a hawthorn, fed on a few berries and eventually dropped to the ground to feed on fallen apples for few minutes before flying off again, it repeated the performance another couple of times during the morning then happy with our lot we took our leave just after midday. After a spot of lunch we headed back with several Red Kites and Buzzards seen en route and called in at Fairburn Ings, a pair of Kingfishers were on view at the screen but the feeders were very quiet, also a good selection of water birds were on Village Bay but there was no sign of the recent redhead Smew, I heard later it had moved into the Main Bay in the afternoon.

initial views in the Hawthorn

before dropping to feed on apples

often difficult to get a clear shot as it moved around in the long vegetation

parting shot of it in the Hawthorn shortly before it flew off for the third time and we took our leave

some Fairburn birds

and mammals