Song Thrush

Tilting it's head from side to side this little song thrush was looking for food in the snowy ground and I just thought it looked so cute! A bit of a messy beak but it was rather wet!!

It was in competition with a largish rat who swam swam in disturbed it and unfortunately pushed it on it's way. The rat I have to say at this point is the nearest I got to getting a squirrel (it was furry okay!!) for today's challenge dbifulco - there was not one anywhere in the vicinity and short of travelling to a squirrel sanctuary or conservation area miles away that was that!

You can distinguish the call of the song thrush as it sings it's phrases twice over and it is this repetition which distinguishes it from a blackbird or mistle thrush. They should be starting to sing now in January and when you do hear it the song is truly wonderful and worth stopping and listening to.

My day was made by catching sight of a barn owl hunting just by chance at the side of the road on my way home tonight. Slammed on the breaks, grabbed the camera as it was fairly good light too - pressed the button but missed THE shot. It always helps to turn the camera on first :)) Spent a while watching it with the binoculars as it weaved it's way down the hedge row and then the canal bank - just magical!