Can you identify this bird?

[Stobart Stopper]

I have seen it every day for the past week but it's really unusual. It's about as big as a sparrow, has a red front and a long beak, a bit like a woodpecker. It's not a woodpecker as it's too small, we have a few of those in the garden and I know what they look like. Any ideas?

 

[Callie]

How long is the long beak?

 

[boohoo]

I have seen it every day for the past week but it's really unusual. It's about as big as a sparrow, has a red front and a long beak, a bit like a woodpecker. It's not a woodpecker as it's too small, we have a few of those in the garden and I know what they look like. Any ideas?

There is a woodpecker that size. I think it'a the lesser spotted woodpecker. Has a red tummy and black and white spots..... I think.

 

[Fuchs66]

There is a woodpecker that size. I think it'a the lesser spotted woodpecker. Has a red tummy and black and white spots..... I think.

yep that's the one, about sparrow sized.

 

[Stobart Stopper]

How long is the long beak?

About one and a half inches I think. I am sure it's not a woodpecker. At first I thought it was a robin but it's way too big.

 

[boohoo]

Acutally it doesn't have a red tummy - a red head instead. Could be a bullfinch?

 

[Stobart Stopper]

There is a woodpecker that size. I think it'a the lesser spotted woodpecker. Has a red tummy and black and white spots..... I think.

I got quite close to it just now and it doesn't have any spots, it's got a brown body and reddish/orangey front.

 

[Callie]

They dont have red fronts though? red tops of their heads. Greater spotted woodpeckers have a red patch near their bum - theyre also black and white.

How red is the red front? robin red or pillar box red? what is the res of its colouring

 

[Binkie]

Goldfinch?

 

[Stobart Stopper]

Its definitely not a bullfinch:

It's rather round and fat, that's what made me look at it. I have never seen one like this before.

 

[Callie]

Goldfinches have a very red face, yellowy bits on the wings

bullfinches have a black head with a pinky red tummy

chaffinches have grey heads with pinky red tums

 

[Callie]

Is it a robin



*ducks*

 

[Fuchs66]

OK scrap Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (didn't notice the red breast bit)
Redstart maybe?
http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/r/redstart/index.asp

 

[Stobart Stopper]

Found it! Or rather a pic of it, still don't know what it is, it's the bird inthe pic on this Spring watch site. All I need now is a name.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/birds/thingstodo/

 

[felixthecat]

Redstart or stonechat would be my guesses.

 

[boohoo]

Have bird book in front of me : so suggestions are:

Crossbill
redpoll
brambling
linnet
redwing
Dartford Warbler

That's for starters.

 

[Callie]

where do you see it? in the trees (branches/trunk) , on the ground?

 

[Callie]

Found it! Or rather a pic of it, still don't know what it is, it's the bird inthe pic on this Spring watch site. All I need now is a name.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/birds/thingstodo/

Thats a god damn robin!

 

[Gavin Bl]

Its definitely not a bullfinch:

It's rather round and fat, that's what made me look at it. I have never seen one like this before.

Had a pair round by us recently, very striking, the belly is very much a pink rather than a red IMO. Got that short heavy beak too.

 

[felixthecat]

Having seen that pic its definitely not a stonechat.

Isn't there some resident U75 twitcher who could help? There seems to be peeps interested in everything else around here.

 

[boohoo]

looks like Dartford warbler (according to my book)

 

[Stobart Stopper]

where do you see it? in the trees (branches/trunk) , on the ground?

It was rooting around on the grass this morning, last time I saw it it was in our pear tree a short time ago. It's always in our garden, only seen one so far.

 

[felixthecat]

Thats a god damn robin!

It does look like a robin, doesn't it?

 

[Callie]

looks like Dartford warbler (according to my book)

dartford warblers look a bit more punky if you do a google and theyre much darker brown

 

[Fuchs66]

Thats a god damn robin!

 

[Stobart Stopper]

It does look like a robin, doesn't it?

We have loads of robins, I know what they look like and this one is too big to be a robin. It flies in a different way as well. Alot slower.

 

[Callie]

a fat robin?

 

[felixthecat]

We have loads of robins, I know what they look like and this one is too big to be a robin. It flies in a different way as well. Alot slower.

P'raps it's an old slow fat robin?

 

[Stobart Stopper]

P'raps it's an old slow fat robin?

Shut up!
It's doing my head in. It's beak is too long to be a robin, that pic I posted up looked like it at first but it's just too big.
I will have to wait until my brother gets back down here, he's a bird geek. He will know what it is. It just seems weird as I have only ever seen this one on it's own in the garden, when the robins come down there's at least 3 or 4 flying around at the same time, same as the magpies.

 

[madamv]

Red-breasted Flycatcher?

http://www.birdsireland.com/images/feature_images/bird_in_hand/rbflycapeoct032.jpg