Blackbird - Svarttrost - Turdus merula

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Common Blackbird - Svarttrost - Turdus merula
Koltrast - Solsort - Merel - Mustarastas - Amsel - Merle noir - Mirlo Común

Blackbirds are a migrant over much of their Scandinavian range and are regularly seen on offshore installations in the North Sea. This male was photographed on the deck of a vessel working at Sleipner B in March 2009.

Birds are often scared off platforms and onto vessels when helicopters arrive on the platform - something I supsect was the case with this Blackbird.

Migrating Blackbird offshore - on the back deck of a vessel near Sleipner B, March 2009

During overcast weather migrating birds can be drawn towards the lights of offshore platforms or vessels where they form "circulations". Flocks of birds circle endlessly during the hours of darkness wasting precious energy, increasing the risk of collision and also the risk of predation by owls and raptors such as Sparrowhawks and Peregrine Falcon.

Male Blackbird killed by collision with offshore vessel during a nocturnal "circulation".
German Sector of the North Sea, November 2011

Female Blackbird rests on the deck of a survey vessel

Migrating female Blackbird resting on deck, November 2011
For more about nocturnal bird photography see this link.

Female Blackbird rests on the deck of a survey vessel

Picture taken in fully automatic mode using camera's in-built flash, November 2011

Blackbird - Svarttrost - Turdus merula

Blackbird way out of natural habitat....

Sleipner B platform

Female Blackbird, Tjeldstø, Øygarden, January 2010

Blackbird bathing at Herdlevær, October 2019

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