Birds Show Birds

[grebeman]

Redwing, Bill
(Now Barrie can come along and tidy up all my mistakes in description and terminology)

Nothing much to add gentlemen, you seem to have sorted that one out. In passing Bill, and this is meant to be constructive, but you do seem to have some problem over judging size, you need more practice. You're dealing with a Song Thrush sized bird. As pointed out these guys, and Fieldfares, are both much less tolerant of humans.

Barrie

 

[BillN]

Nothing much to add gentlemen, you seem to have sorted that one out. In passing Bill, and this is meant to be constructive, but you do seem to have some problem over judging size, you need more practice. You're dealing with a Song Thrush sized bird. As pointed out these guys, and Fieldfares, are both much less tolerant of humans.

Barrie

Thanks

Yes it was Song Thrush sized in winter mode, i.e. puffed up - I just thought Redwings were "small thrushes" ......... these were the first that I have seen and recognised

 

[BillN]

It's Christmas folks

He hid

Then he was tempted by the odd sunflower heart

 

[spinyman]

Seagulls in flight.E-M5. 20mm@ f1.8,1/600s


View attachment 63338



Seagulls by spinyman, on Flickr

Seagulls by spinyman, on Flickr

 

[Pelao]

People
I don't make photographs of birds. But I do love such photographs. Please keep them coming.

 

[Michael T]

Turkey Vultures

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

 

[BillN]

Happy New Year to all


Barrie/Paul - ID (confirm) needed

Seen in back garden

Is this a Marsh Tit ...according to Page 345 of the 2nd Edition it is too far South for a Willow Tit, (which I thought it was a first because of the grey tail feathers and more of a grey colouring)

Quite elusive and moves around a lot faster than the Blue and the Great

they were taken within 3 mins of each other - looking at the images I am not now sure if they are the same bird, but I think that they must be although I only ever saw one at once. It was "around" about up to a dozen chaffinches, a nuthatch, 3 or 4 Great Tits and a couple of Blue Tits.
I did not hear the call as I took the images through our living room window

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

They do seem to be difficut to distinguish between

http://www.birdwatch.co.uk/categories/articleitem.asp?cate=23&topic=119&item=486

 

[pdh]

hehe post it on BF without a location and see the feathers fly about ID ...

 

[grebeman]

Bill, you've picked two of the most difficult species to differentiate in the field. Call is about the most reliable method. I had an instance of seeing a bird in the hand caught by ringers who identified it, with difficulty, as a Willow Tit. I remained unconvinced and, when released, the little devil flew off without calling. I'd say the second one is a Marsh Tit given the apparent lack of feather edging in the wing. The first one has some, but it's not exactly prominent. Both that and the more bull necked appearance attributed to the Willow Tit depends so much on stance, quality of the light, etc. So, say 95% in favour of Marsh Tit.

Barrie

 

[BillN]

hehe post it on BF without a location and see the feathers fly about ID ...

The votes are coming in - Marsh Tit

one guy mentioned a "bill spot" which can be seen on the first image

 

[grebeman]

bill spot"

I've not heard that one before

 

[BillN]

I've not heard that one before

presumably he is implying that the Marsh has a bill spot and the Willow does not

 

[grebeman]

Yes, I was suggesting that I had not heard that character of the species described before or being used as a means of differentiating between the two species, but that sort of knowledge is being gained all the time. I no longer take periodicals such as "British Birds" where these sort of things get discussed, so I'm not up to date on such advances.

Barrie

 

[BillN]

Yes, I was suggesting that I had not heard that character of the species described before or being used as a means of differentiating between the two species, but that sort of knowledge is being gained all the time. I no longer take periodicals such as "British Birds" where these sort of things get discussed, so I'm not up to date on such advances.

Barrie

Barrie/Paul

another quote from a BF confirm


"Very nice Marsh tit. Glossy top of head, mandible spot, no light wing panel"



a few of their friends

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

 

[BillN]

Morning Barrie/Paul

another ID needed, please

seemed too big for a Dunnock, (but as Barrie has said, sometimes I have problems with size!) ....... but quite a few Dunnocks around as evidenced by the second image

Crop taken from a distance _ ID needed - is it a Dunnock? ....... as I said seems too big in my eyes!

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

My resident Dunnock, (well one of them)

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Had a visit from a nice Song Thrush who just wanted to get nearer and nearer

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

 

[pdh]

If someone wanted an exemplar of "arrow shaped spots" for ID purposes, these would be perfect!

 

[BillN]

If someone wanted an exemplar of "arrow shaped spots" for ID purposes, these would be perfect!

Thanks Paul - what surprised me was that the Song Thrush in the UK has a RED status - (I suppose it's those bloody cats again!!)

out here I'm not sure how many there are as;

"Hunting migratory song thrushes has long been a
popular sport in southern Europe. It remains legal in
France and Spain"



Is my ID "needed" a Dunnock - first image

The Marsh Tit has also been keeping my busy today as it's the first that I have knowingly seen

 

[grebeman]

Morning Barrie/Paul

another ID needed, please

seemed too big for a Dunnock, (but as Barrie has said, sometimes I have problems with size!) ....... but quite a few Dunnocks around as evidenced by the second image

Crop taken from a distance _ ID needed - is it a Dunnock? ....... as I said seems too big in my eyes!

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

It's rather dull and hiding any decent ID features, however given it's stance and structure I'm going with a thrush of some kind. I would agree that it's too big for a Dunnock. There's a hint of an eyebrow, but I can only see it in front of the eye. I'm not certain if a twig is hiding the rest of that feature. I would really expect it to be a paler base colour below, but I'm tempted to suggest a Redwing (I'm looking at it on a laptop, so not the best of monitors).

Barrie

 

[BillN]

Thanks barrie

There were redwings around in the last two weeks

Will this help any further - a "blow up" of the image

(I could be getting confused sizewise when I compare naked eye - then bins - then I take a shot with a telephone, (450mm in this case), get it back to my computer and look at it - then I change my mind on what I thought it was ...... most confusing!

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

and the original image at 420mm, (300mm plus TC x1.4), from about 30 mtres, (but there again I am not great in judging distances to the metre)

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

I'll nip out and try to find it - although it's a little dark and it does not look as if the light will get any better ......... it will be there tomorrow ...... so I may get a second look

 

[grebeman]

Hmmm, not a Redwing, but I'm convinced it's a thrush species which leaves us with rarities from eastern Europe, outside of my experience, but a 1st winter Black-throated Thrush would be the nearest. Described in the guide I'm looking at (not Collins, can't find it) as being neutral grey above with paler grey fringes to the wings, and dirty white almost unspotted belly. An interesting bird that would get the pulse racing I think.

Barrie

recent sighting

Black Throated Thrush Twitch Oct. 6, 2012