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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

I better camp out all night then and try to see it at the "crack of dawn"

I nip out and have a look as my wife has just popped off to the supermarket and she will be "forever" (as usual) - - it's only in the front "garden" -
 
Mmmmmm ...... I better post it "you know where" and ask the question

Hopefully I won't get them around knocking on my door tomorrow morning
 
Barrie/Paul

We have had mist for the last few days ..... but I have been looking for the "bird" ....... and taken a few images of our more common friends

Could the following be the bird ...... again taken from a distance so as clear as I could get it

T.....s merula???
female of course

If so - bugger!!! - (if you excuse my ffrench)


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Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
 
S Africa - Barrie/Paul, some amazing wildlfe out here

I have bought "a book" in an effort to identify them

Some kind of "sugar bird" or bee eater - disguises itself by looking like the flower it feeds on
EDIT - Cape Sugar Bird -(Promerops cafer)


a red capped lark? in the very early morning light
EDIT - apparently this is a Cape Grassbird or Cape Grass Warbler (Sphenoeacus afer)
Cape grassbird - Wikipedia
it really has a wonderful song


Sunbird - tiny thing that lets you get up really close - could be a Southern Double Collared Sunbird - Cinnyris chalybeus
 
A few more, exciting, (for me), spots

I think that the first is a Common Fiscal, maybe known as the "Butcher Bird" - quite a few around here - (also quite a lot of birds seem to be suffering plumage wise - I suppose that it is the middle of summer out here)



The next two are the Knysna Turaco - spectacular bird, but difficult to photograph, as it hides, from me anyway - I have found where a couple are hanging out and I plan to go back to see if I can get better images - I was there yesterday in the middle of an enormous thunder storm



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where's the bird you're asking?

well, I'm wondering if these marks in the snow are from a tree-creeper ... what do you think Barrie?

PS just to be clear, NOT the drying marks at the mid-left bottom (which are a result of washing my hands next to where the film was hanging to dry :redface:)


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20130126-2 by _loupe, on Flickr

 
NOT the drying marks at the mid-left bottom (which are a result of washing my hands next to where the film was hanging to dry :redface:)
tut tut

I see the marks you are alluding to, but I'm not going to speculate on what made them. I've not seen a single flake of snow here so just have no experience to bring to the party on this one! Having said that I'd expect a continuous trail made by the tail as the bird ascended the tree since they rely on their stiff tail feathers for support, I don't see that feature on my laptop screen, so perhaps not.

Barrie
 
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