A Great-tailed Grackle was found at Calshot in Hampshire in late autumn, and despite it's almost certain status as a bird that had just hopped off a boat originating in the US, it has proved a popular attaraction during its extended UK stay,
A few days after arriving it relocated a short distance to Holbury, where it was being fed in a specific garden, so the hope was that it wouldnt be hard to find in its suburban location.
Arriving just after dawn, it was soon present on top of a telepragh pole, before flying to its preferred gardena and feeding on the grass under some feeders. The bird was very confiding and a bit of a character, having to be moved out of the road at one point, then buzzing my head as it swooped from the garden across the road into the trees,
Its beautidul blue sheen pluamge was evident in the sun,
A faecal sample taken a few weeks previously, analysed by the Aberdeen University team, confirmed it to be a male of the Central and Eastern US subspecies.
A steady number of visitors came and went to enjoy this rare visitor form the US, the second occurance in the UK. As of March 2026 the bird is still in the area and interestingly another was found at Speke near Liverpool in early 2026.
Thanks for looking!
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