[Misc] The Official NSC Bird Spotting Thread.

[Eric the meek]

Can someone help please? I had a couple of what I assumed to be tits in my garden the other week. One on the table, and one on the ground. Size wise, they were between a sparrow and a starling. Red/orange beak, black head, mottled body. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

 

[BrightonCottager]

Can someone help please? I had a couple of what I assumed to be tits in my garden the other week. One on the table, and one on the ground. Size wise, they were between a sparrow and a starling. Red/orange beak, black head, mottled body. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

Can't think what this is with red/orange beak.
Start here: https://www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/big-garden-birdwatch/birdwatch-id-guide-round-two

 

[tedebear]

Can someone help please? I had a couple of what I assumed to be tits in my garden the other week. One on the table, and one on the ground. Size wise, they were between a sparrow and a starling. Red/orange beak, black head, mottled body. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

Female black bird?

Species of the day: Blackbird | Sussex Wildlife Trust

 

[Eric the meek]

Female black bird?

Species of the day: Blackbird | Sussex Wildlife Trust

No, sorry. They weren't as big as a blackbird. The beak wasn't quite as long either.

My knowledge is rudimentary, but I'm fairly sure they were some kind of finch or tit, but there's nothing I've seen in the guide yet that comes close.

However, I'm beginning to doubt myself over the colour of the beak. It is possible I saw the redness around their throat. I saw them for only a few seconds.

I'll keep looking, but thanks anyway.

 

[tedebear]

No worries, could also have been a chaffinch I guess, we get those around here, with Robins, and also every now and then we get Woodpeckers they have flashes of red...

 

[Eric the meek]

No worries, could also have been a chaffinch I guess, we get those around here, with Robins, and also every now and then we get Woodpeckers they have flashes of red...

Yes, I wondered about a chaffinch. Also a bullfinch, but neither really fit the bill. I'm pretty sure about the black head and mottled body, but now not so sure about the colour of the beak.

If I discount the red/orange beak, I'm drawn to a brambling. The season fits as well. It's like a chaffinch - see link below.

 

[chip]

Hamza Yassin was on Radio 4 today, his work has appeared on Atenborough and other programs. Well worth a listen, a really engaging person with such passion. He also explains how his Dyslexia can be an advantage to him, and demonstrates this while bird watching.

This Natural Life - Hamza Yassin - BBC Sounds

Martha Kearney meets wildlife cameraman Hamza Yassin to learn about his love of nature.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Zeberdi]

Can someone help please? I had a couple of what I assumed to be tits in my garden the other week. One on the table, and one on the ground. Size wise, they were between a sparrow and a starling. Red/orange beak, black head, mottled body. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

Sounds like a perfect description for male winter Brambling

They are quite common visitors to feeders and birdtables in the mid-winter - they’ll use seed feeders and feed on the ground.

’Mine’ haven’t arrived yet but they usually start piling into the garden in between now and end January

ML627187620 - Brambling - Macaulay Library

Macaulay Library ML627187620; © Steve Heinl; Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska, United States

macaulaylibrary.org

 

[Eric the meek]

Sounds like a perfect description for male winter Brambling

They are quite common visitors to feeders and birdtables in the mid-winter - they’ll use seed feeders and feed on the ground.

’Mine’ haven’t arrived yet but they usually start piling into the garden in between now and end January

ML627187620 - Brambling - Macaulay Library

Macaulay Library ML627187620; © Steve Heinl; Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska, United States

macaulaylibrary.org

Yes, that's it. Thank you very much !

I opened the link and that picture confirms it. That's what I had in my garden. So well done.

Unfortunately, we have two cats, who are both hunters, so putting a feeder or bird table out is a non-starter.
I might do something up on high though.

 

[1066familyman]

I seem to remember someone either on this thread, or the photography one, asking about where to see Spoonbills locally?

Well, I've seen three of them over at Rye Nature Reserve, just by the Discovery Centre, for the past couple of weeks. Likely to stick around for a bit I would have thought, if anyone is interested.

 

[Bodian]

Unfortunately, we have two cats, who are both hunters, so putting a feeder or bird table out is a non-starter.
I might do something up on high though.

Our cat is a renowned killer - brings in mice regularly, as well as dead rats. But hardly ever birds - yet we have plenty of feeders - both hung up and on a low wall. He just sits and chatters at them through the window. If they are high enough up, the cats soon lose interest when they realise they're not going to succeed.

 

[Kneon Light]

Bit of a rarity for me this week as an Adelie penguin showed up - First one I've seen in 3 years living in Falklands