 
Birds of the BlackthornThursday 30th March 2000
 
THERE'S ICE on the pond this morning, white frosting on the grass, but the afternoon sun is hot enough to melt the black pitch on telegraph poles.Blackthorn is in blossom and today is something of a 'blackthorn winter'; a mixture of seasons. On our walk we come across both winter and summer migrants. Seven Redwings join a pair of Mistle Thrushes in the park. There's quite a difference in size when you see the two together.
We take what we call the 'Chiff-chaff' path down Millbank, a slope of dense scrubby woodland, with oaks, birches and thorns. We heard Chiff-chaffs here throughout last summer. The first of the season is singing here today, freshly arrived from Africa.
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A Kestrel flies over and the redwings scatter, heading for the cover of the trees, while the larger mistle thrushes stay put and carry on foraging, unperturbed by the threat.