In a Thrush to go to the Zoo, 15th December 2019

Late on Wednesday evening news broke of a Black-throated Thrush that had been found within the grounds of Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire. As is often the case these days a certain degree of speculation surrounded the report and when there was no repeated sighting of the bird on Thursday the knives were out and some commentators considered that the report was a hoax and that the accompanying photograph of the bird had been photoshopped! Then on Friday the bird was refound by a couple of trustworthy local birders and a major local twitch was on. I was working on that Friday so couldn't get there and besides, even I could, the traffic would be horrendous. On Saturday I was at football watching my team put in an absolutely abject performance but the Thrush had remained so it was likely that it would still be around on Sunday when Mrs Caley and myself would have the opportunity to go.

We'd seen a Black-throated Thrush before, in Maidenhead way back in January 1999, so it wouldn't be a lifer but would be an unexpected and a bonus year list addition. The fact that the bird was in the Whipsnade Zoo grounds meant that we'd have to pay to gain entry but it's always nice to have a wander round a zoo and check out some of the interesting animals even though I'm not entirely at ease with such animals being kept in confined captivity. There had been much discussion on social media about the high entry fee to get into the zoo but compared with what I paid to watch premier league football the day before it was a mere trifle! The forty odd quid it would cost to get in was also less than we'd spend on diesel getting to Norfolk or just about anywhere else in the country from Oxon so it would actually be a cheap day out!

The weather forecast was favourable with sunny intervals promised until the afternoon at least so when I pulled the curtains apart at home I was a tad disappointed to see gloomy grey skies and a spattering of rain drops hitting the patio. Our garden feeders were graced by no less than three Great Tits which is a high number for us beating the average, as it happens, by about three! It was a good morning for birds since we also had Blue Tits and Goldfinches adorning the feeders too. This glut of small birds didn't go unnoticed either since Mrs Caley suddenly shouted, "Sparrowhawk!". And there stood on the back fence was a lovely juvenile female Sparrowhawk which wore the bemused expression, I thought, of a bird that had narrowly missed out on breakfast. A nice start to the day!

Sparrowhawk

The best of the views and the best photos of the Black-throated Thrush had been obtained in the mornings so it made sense to gamble on the bird still being present and get to the zoo in time for it opening at 10 o'clock rather than wait on news. When we parked up at quarter to ten there were already a few other birders there with the same idea. We were able to pay our entrance money, actually nearer fifty notes when adding in the voluntary 10% "conservation contribution" which is designed to make one feel better about ones self because the animals then get a treat, before the doors opened. We waited with maybe another twenty hopeful souls for the doors to be unlocked and then eagerly made our way towards the children's zoo, known as "Hullabazoo" where the Thrush was supposedly hanging out. Mrs Caley and I don't move too quickly but we managed to keep the leaders in sight so when they stopped abruptly and set their scopes to the ground we realised that they must have spotted the target. We joined them and listened to the directions being given which pointed to a bare shrub at the end of the path ahead of us. Apparently the Thrush had been feeding on the ground and was flushed by the charge of the advance cavalry and had flown into the shrub. I quickly located the Black-throated Thrush, #288 on the Old Caley year list, and erected my own scope so that Mrs Caley could clock the bird as well.

Black-throated Thrush, Whipsnade Zoo, 15th December 2019

The Thrush had been feeding below an ornamental tree, as usual I've no idea what type but some have suggested Pyracanthas while others have said Cotoneaster or even a Holly, and would likely want to return to it to feast on the many berries that hung from the branches. For that to happen we'd all need to move backwards a few metres to give the bird some space. Collectively we all agreed and all moved back, except the chap who had initially suggested it who stayed in the same spot! He then resolutely refused to budge when others tried to persuade him. What is wrong with some folk? Hence the Thrush stayed put in the bare bush for the next ten minutes until the ignorant sod got bored and walked away haughtily proclaiming "I've seen the bird, bugger won't come closer, I'm off for a coffee". Less than two minutes after he left the Black-throated Thrush flew into the tree and began feeding on the berries! I was well enough placed to grab some nice action shots but unfortunately this is December and it was remember a grey morning, not that I'm using that as an excuse for my failings with the camera of course.

Just as the Black-throated Thrush exited stage left and flew off to some trees about a hundred metres away, the sun came out! How I, and others, could have done with that while the Thrush fed on the berries but now at least we had perfect conditions to photograph some of the Redwings that were also dining on the fruits.

Redwing

We staked the tree out for another half hour in the hope that the Black-throated Thrush would return but it was just Blackbirds and Redwings that were interested. We decided it was time to move off and look elsewhere around the zoo and see if either we, or much more likely one of the other twitchers, could re-find the bird. By the miniature railway sheds there are some other berry laden bushes and the Thrush had been seen feeding there at times on Saturday. A good few twitchers were assembled there and apparently the Black-throated Thrush had been seen briefly but had flown off with a large flock of Redwings towards the Elephant enclosure. Whipsnade Zoo covers a large area and it was beginning to look as if we'd have to cover most of it in order to keep up with our quarry! I've learned from experience that it pays to watch your fellow birders when on a twitch, you can't find everything yourself, so when a mini stampede erupted amongst the scope and camera carrying army towards the Elephants (luckily not the other way around), we followed as quickly as we could. The Black-throated Thrush was in full view on a narrow strip of grass beneath some tall Beech trees and between a carpark and one of the service roads. It was showing beautifully well but we were about fifty metres away which is too far for my lens so after setting Mrs Caley up with the scope I sidled along the line of twitchers to get a bit closer. For ten minutes I took one hopeless shot after another blaming the fact that it was so dark under the trees that shutter speeds were snail paced. I collected Mrs Caley and the scope and found a spot where we were able to use a road sign to allow a slightly closer approach and at least managed to grab some useable shots.

One of the free roaming park Wallabies appeared less than impressed by mine and others efforts!

Wallaby

The Black-throated Thrush was once more disturbed, this time by a car whose driver stopped to see what all the birders were looking at, which was now nothing since he'd scared the bird off! Another fifteen minutes or so passed and the birds didn't return so, having some passable images in the bag, we decided that we'd at least get some value for money and have a look at a few of the zoo attractions. Then we saw another sudden rush amongst some of the birders, apparently the Black-throated Thrush had returned to the berry tree by the children's zoo where we had seen it earlier, so we also made tracks there as quick as we could. The Thrush was partially hidden in the top of the tree but soon emerged to give up some excellent views. It was now feeding voraciously on the berries and was also defiantly guarding a couple of bunches against all comers which included a fair few Redwings and Blackbirds.

While the views were unrivalled, the sun had also put in an appearance, I was struggling to get some really decent shots since the light was slightly against me so once again I left Mrs Caley enjoying fine scope views while I moved along the line of twitchers and toggers and positioned myself with the sun more at my back. Unfortunately the Thrush didn't help me by moving back into the shadows of the tree. They just don't read the script!

It wasn't long though before the Black-throated Thrush re-emerged from the shadows to feed on the berries again and I now had a chance of getting some better photos. Able now to use a lower ISO and much faster shutter speeds I was delighted, if I may say so myself, at what I captured. It's always a good feeling when good fortune shines on you as brightly as the sun. While I was shooting away I found myself thinking that I must surely have a late entry onto the Old Caley calendar for next year.

My luck was also in when the Thrush flew to another nearby tree because I was primed to keep shooting and consequently managed to get some respectable flight shots, always a bonus!

The last couple of frames of the bird perched in the bare upper branches of the tree showed just how grey the Black-throated Thrush's plumage is. But of course the black throat is extremely prominent. I do like birds that are named "like it says on the tin".

The Black-throated Thrush departed high back towards the Elephant enclosure so we did call it a day, on the twitching front at least, and went for a coffee while I tweeted out a few back of camera photos with a few happy smiling emoji's attached. We then explored the Zoo for a couple of hours heading first to the Penguins. There are two types of Penguin at Whipsnade, Rockhoppers with their wild head feathers and Black-footed which are also known as Jackass Penguins owing to their loud braying calls that sound similar to that of a Donkey. Hopefully one day I'll get to see some Penguins in the wild.

Black-footed or Jackass Penguin

Rockhopper Penguin

We passed the very impressive looking Lynx, a species of cat that many are keen to see re-wilded into the forests of Scotland. I wonder though how detrimental their reintroduction would be on the already dwindling and threatened local Capercaillie population. Unfortunately predators such as Lynx and Wolves won't be picky when it comes to choosing to prey and may not feast exclusively on the Deer as people hope.

European Lynx

The Zoo boasts most of the larger and more noteworthy of the big mammals of Africa and Asia, for example there are Lions, Tigers, Giraffes, Chimpanzees, and the huge Rhinos as well as having many smaller and less well known Antelope and Deer species. I spotted a Magpie stood on the back of one of the Rhinos and thinking that it would make for a shot similar to the Oxpecker meets big animal photo that you see in many of the coffee table books, went for the capture. But of course it obviously wasn't allowed and the Magpie flew off before I could press the shutter but at least I had a nice image of a couple of the Rhinos. It is a sadly sobering thought though to see such magnificent creatures safe in the confines of a zoo park when you consider the daily perils they face in their own environments. If I could have one wish granted it would be for Humans to stop slaughtering life on this planet for their own greed. Money will be worthless when there is nothing left.

Northern White Rhinoceros

Meerkats are universally liked and amuse everybody with their antics and poses, I clicked away at a couple and, of course, exclaimed "simples" as I did so.

Aleksander & Sergei Meerkat

My interest is always more with birds than other animals so I was a little disappointed at the relative paucity of them in the Zoo but we found a pond that had a few stunners around it in the shape of some Pink Pelicans and White Storks, a bird that is now almost impossible to count on a UK list owing to the recent reintroductions in the south of the country, as well as a few Geese and Duck species. Next to the Base Camp Cafe, relatively expensive but cheap compared to Wembley on Cup Final day, there is a nice collection of Ibis species including Sacred and Black-faced. There are also Snowy and Great Grey Owls, sadly in small aviaries although there is a flying display area for them. Cranes are also well represented with Eurasian, Demoiselle and Crowned varieties. On our walk around the grounds we also encountered many common wild species in the pens, Nuthatch, Treecreeper and Kestrel to name just a few.

"Pink" Pelican

White Stork

We warmed up in the Butterfly House where there are tons of free flying exotic species and also an interesting glass case that contains "hatching" imago's from rows of hanging chrysalises although you'd probably have to stand and stare at it all day to see something actually happen. A bit like the row of twitchers, which contained a friend of mine, that were still stood by the berry tree waiting for the Black-throated Thrush to return. According to Jim, the Thrush didn't and he had to be content with just a distant view of the bird high up in one of the trees. Lucky we went earlier then....