The Beast from the East and Winter Visitors

I woke up in the early hours of Wednesday feeling very hot and sick, with a very dry throat and a bit of a cough. Bit of a problem as I had my annual outpatients appointment at the Hospital later that day.
Although very cold, at least the sun was shining, and the occasional snow shower wasn't really settling as it was very dry and powdery. Going outside to fill the feeders was rather unpleasant as I discovered that the wind was causing a severe wind chill and it was necessary to put out some dishes of water on the patio as the pond had completely frozen over. At least the sun was heating the ground and the thin dusting of snow was melting rapidly.
I made it to the Hospital, the car's thermometer at 3pm was reading -3C, and the walk from he car was horrendous as I was heading east straight into the wind. At least the ground was largely dry and ice free. When I got back home I sat down and was surprised to see a Song Thrush the other side of the patio window. Although they are still around locally-I hear several at this time of year singing, they have always been rare visitors to the garden. The resident Blackbirds took exception to this stranger and drove it off, but it soon returned. I had a brainwave and chopped up one of the suet blocks containing fruit and scattered it under the window-which had the desired effect as two Song Thrushes appeared late in the afternoon.
Thursday was a really nasty day. It twas overcast, we had had a bit more snow and I don't think the temperature got above -5C. I put out a second feeder with sunflower hearts as I was now getting up to 25 Goldfinches visiting-double the normal amount. I was also scattering seed and more suet on the patio and under the palm tree where it was really sheltered. Looking out from one of the bedrooms a bit later I saw a Fieldfare fly into a garden opposite but lost it soon after. I went to get the camera out, and four Fieldfare flew into my Rowan briefly and then dropped into a neighbours garden where he still had some windfall apples under his tree. We sometimes have Fieldfares fly over in winter, but I have never ever seen one in a local garden-they don't even visit the remnant Hawthorn and Holly hedgerows we have outside (though Redwings have done).
Over the course of the day, we had the usual visitors-2-3 Blackbird, 1-2 Robin,1+Dunnock, several Blue Tits, and the ever present Wood Pigeons and Goldfinches. One Song Thrush continued to appear from time to time, but getting decent photos was frustrating at it was very jumpy. In the early afternoon, having topped up the piles of suet I was happy to see a Fieldfare under the palm. It made it's way up the path and almost but not quite made it onto the patio. I grabbed the camera and got some frame fillers from less than fifteen feet away.

 Today has been a slightly better day from a weather perspective, with temperatures of -2C. The wind is still bad and we are expecting more snow tonight. I have seen one of the Fieldfares again, early on. The Song Thrushes are still visiting-the above images were taken today. One of the local Magpies has discovered the fat feeder in the elder by the gate. The other birds are still visiting as usual.
I managed to get Mum out to the local supermarket-very few birds seen on the way apart from one Red Kite, and nothing at all in the wooded area by the car park.
I am surprised at the lack of other birds visiting the garden. I would have expected Long Tailed Tits, maybe a Coal Tit. Even Starlings haven't called in. No finches or House Sparrows either even thought hey are still Hanging on locally. I'm assuming they are visiting some of the other gardens  that have feeding stations.