I like this photograph of a Common Blackbird more than I should.
The Common Blackbird is an introduced species that can be found almost everywhere is Melbourne. They have at times visited my backyard and they love my blueberries when they are in season.
Most people don’t adore these birds but I do find this photograph taken on 22 May 2025 at Trin very appealing. The focus is perfect, the background is reasonably burred with features that alluded to the habitat. It is a classic bird-on-stick photograph but the saturated orange beak compliments the black feathers on the body of the bird very well. It is quite likely my best picture of the Common Blackbird thus far.
I grew up in England. I loved the bkackbird we saw there almost every day: beautiful black feathers with a yellow beak.
Today, living here here in the Western Cape for 7 years, I had only seen thrushes, with their tawney chests. But suddenly, for the first time ever, there was a jet black bird with a yellow beak!
What a wonderful surprise! He flew off, as if shy of being seen, & hasn’t resturned…
Any comments, or info..?
The Common Blackbird in the photo is a species that was introduced to Australia from Europe. From the information available to me, I don’t think they are present in Western Cape. Perhaps what you have seen is a species that looked similar. There are Starlings in your areas that looked similar to Blackbirds.