Nancy Angus’s Spark Bird Story

My Spark Bird – The Fieldfare

It was January and we woke up to what for us here in the south east of England was a heavy fall of snow. Several inches covered the garden, the branches of the trees and the roof tops of the nearby houses. The sky was blue – it was a beautiful, bright, sparkling winters day.

The temperature stayed low and the snow didn’t melt for 4 days. Where I live this is a rare event in these days of climate change, and it was hugely enjoyed by adults and children alike. People were out with their toboggans or walking in the local woods… it was magical.

On the third day of the snow I was looking out of the window in my kitchen when I noticed a solitary bird in the garden that I had never seen before – it looked a bit like a Song Thrush but it was larger and more colourful. I knew a little bit about birds so could recognise a few but this one was definitely unfamiliar. I did a bit of research on my computer and discovered that it was a Fieldfare, a member of the Thrush family that would normally be seen in flocks in the countryside. I read that in prolonged cold weather they will visit more urban areas in search of food, feasting on berries if they find them. I also discovered that the Fieldfare is a winter visitor and spends the summers in Scandinavia and Russia and that while it isn’t a rare bird it is red listed so becoming harder to see.

I trained as a ceramicist and for many years I had made pots and taught for a living, but for the previous few years I had been caring for my family and I had lost touch with the creative part of myself.

Seeing the Fieldfare made me want to draw and paint again and I started working in my sketchbook for the first time in years – painting and collaging images of birds. Now if I go out for a walk I will always take my binoculars with me and I will record what I see when I get home – but apart from that brief and magical encounter sadly I have never seen another Fieldfare.

Perch with Nancy!

@nancycangus on Instagram

What’s Your Story?

In an effort to place the spotlight on the birding community I am seeking birders who are interested in sharing their spark bird story to be featured on the Modern Birder Collective. Whether you’re a backyard birder, nature trail birder, or in an urban setting, every birder has a story to tell which can inspire others to discover the joy of birding.

SUBMISSION

Want to share your story on the Modern Birder Collective?

It’s easy! Simply write up your unique spark bird experience and email it to modernbirdercollective@gmail.com. Be sure to include the following:

Your name as you’d like it to appear in the published post.
A photo to be used as the featured image.
Your story, written by you, I’ll copy and paste it directly into the post. It can be as short or as detailed as you’d like to capture your experience.
Any social media handles (optional) you’d like to include so fellow birders can connect with you and grow the community.

Looking forward to connecting with you soon & happy birding!