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Bird identity

wildlife, gardening, environment, Rural living, Pets and Vets
Slarti
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Bird identity

#18895

Postby Slarti » December 30th, 2016, 7:40 pm

This afternoon, in the top of a tree next door, were 2 birds taking what sun there was.

At first glance I thought they were thrushes, but their bodies were the wrong shape. Too long and lean. So I grabbed my pocket binoculars to have a squint.

Although the body and wings were as a thrush, the head was more pointed and had a broad, curved, lighter band from the beak towards the back of the head.

I've looked in books and online without success.

Little bs flew off before I could get my camera.

Any ideas from my description?

Slarti

scotview
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Re: Bird identity

#18931

Postby scotview » December 31st, 2016, 8:47 am

Try Googling Siberian thrush and look at the photos.

SlickReturns
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Re: Bird identity

#18999

Postby SlickReturns » December 31st, 2016, 1:44 pm

The presence of a prominent, lighter stripe above the eye made me think straight away of Redwings.

What make of tree is it? These thrushes are fond of Hawthorn haws and, when there are no haws remaining, Redwings will get stuck into Holly berries.

Slarti
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Re: Bird identity

#19070

Postby Slarti » December 31st, 2016, 5:26 pm

scotview wrote:Try Googling Siberian thrush and look at the photos.


Sort of, but not. They are much darker birds in those pictures with a much more startling band on the head.

Cheers
Slarti

Slarti
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Re: Bird identity

#19074

Postby Slarti » December 31st, 2016, 5:34 pm

SlickReturns wrote:The presence of a prominent, lighter stripe above the eye made me think straight away of Redwings.

What make of tree is it? These thrushes are fond of Hawthorn haws and, when there are no haws remaining, Redwings will get stuck into Holly berries.


I didn't do a good job of describing the light band on the head.
The eye was in the middle of the band, which made up the central 1/3 of the head.

As for the trees, I have no idea other than they are tall as I am seeing the wispy tops over the tops of other trees, so they are probably 15m tall and, I think, in the garden of a neighbour of my neighbour. And as the plots round here developed over the years, I'm not even sure what road that neighbour would be in. I have 5 properties adjoining mine, in 4 different roads! Other gardens are worse in that respect.

Cheers
Slarti

bionichamster
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Re: Bird identity

#19319

Postby bionichamster » January 1st, 2017, 10:18 pm

Fieldfare I suspect.

The two common winter migrant thrushes that show up in (often in small flocks) at this time of year are redwings and fieldfares, your description more closely resembles the latter.

BH

Slarti
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Re: Bird identity

#19410

Postby Slarti » January 2nd, 2017, 12:14 pm

bionichamster wrote:Fieldfare I suspect.

The two common winter migrant thrushes that show up in (often in small flocks) at this time of year are redwings and fieldfares, your description more closely resembles the latter.

BH


That could well have been them and if so, a first for me. Pity they didn't stay long enough for me to get the camera.


Cheers
Slarti

SlickReturns
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Re: Bird identity

#19479

Postby SlickReturns » January 2nd, 2017, 2:48 pm

Pity they didn't stay long enough for me to get the camera.


Perhaps some more will arrive soon. Meanwhile, this BTO video might help:
https://www.bto.org/about-birds/bird-id ... -fieldfare


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