Bird Id needed please

[cherrybee]

In my garden this afternoon I heard a bird sing that did not sound like my usual visitors.I finally spotted it up near the top of my neighbors tree,its not too tall but with only a 3x zoom I crept as close as I could and took 2 shots before it flew off.They are not really good enough for the gallery but I really would like to know if it is a new visitor to the garden so I can keep my eyes open for a better pic

[SteveA]

Quick guess - Dunnock.

[Barbara]

It could possibly be a female house sparrow cherrybee? I get a lot in my garden but I could be well off the mark, and probably am

[Barbara]

Just had another look at it cherrybee, the female house sparrow looks more slender than this so more than likely I'm wrong

[Alan]

A chaffinch?

[Oy]

That beak doesn;t look at like like a finch beak.

Dunnock is a possibility.

[cherrybee]

Originally Posted by Oy

That beak doesn;t look at like like a finch beak.

Dunnock is a possibility.

Definately not finch beak too slender.Dont think its a dunnock either see them a lot on my many walks. Maybe it is the house sparrow after all.They have increased quite a lot in my garden lately as have the starlings as they are nesting in next doors roof.There are quite a few House sparrows some look like youngsters.It may have been the light and also the hight that threw me a bit and I am not very good with birdsong

[Alan]

To my eyes in the second picture it looks like it has a blueish head and a slightly rosey breast! Maybe a chaffinch with a duff beak? Or even an optical illusion with the light making it look narrower! Also the pic looks like it's been sharpend a bit. This sometimes distorts things!

[cherrybee]

Originally Posted by Alan

To my eyes in the second picture it looks like it has a blueish head and a slightly rosey breast! Maybe a chaffinch with a duff beak? Or even an optical illusion with the light making it look narrower! Also the pic looks like it's been sharpend a bit. This sometimes distorts things!

Yes i did sharpen it but only a little.Oh well I hope I see it again but a bit closer this time

[John]

I saved it in photoshop and zoomed the photo many times and that beak doesn't appear to be an optical illusion. If that is the case it knocks out Finch, Sparrow and Bunting and it makes the Dunnock more a possibility. The thing is the breast area doesn't appear to have the markings I would expect from a Dunnock.

My first thoughts after that was possibly Spotted Flycatcher but again the markings don't look quite right and I would have thought the Spot Fly would have a more slender look about it.

Is there any way you can describe the song you heard. If not I'm afraid that IMHO this bird will stay as an LBJ (Little Brown Job)

John

[Beryl]

The blue-ish head and line down the tum looks to me like a great tit but as it is a little blurd it is hard to say

[SteveA]

It's a Dunnock - poorly exposed under difficult lighting conditions.

Study what you can see of the head pattern. Look at how short the wings are.

[cherrybee]

Originally Posted by John

I saved it in photoshop and zoomed the photo many times and that beak doesn't appear to be an optical illusion. If that is the case it knocks out Finch, Sparrow and Bunting and it makes the Dunnock more a possibility. The thing is the breast area doesn't appear to have the markings I would expect from a Dunnock.

My first thoughts after that was possibly Spotted Flycatcher but again the markings don't look quite right and I would have thought the Spot Fly would have a more slender look about it.

Is there any way you can describe the song you heard. If not I'm afraid that IMHO this bird will stay as an LBJ (Little Brown Job)

John

No I am hopeless with birdsong anyway some have different songs for different things so perhaps it was some other call I had not noticed before.Never mind thanks everyone for trying.It will have to be the LBJ

[cherrybee]

Originally Posted by SteveA

It's a Dunnock - poorly exposed under difficult lighting conditions.

Study what you can see of the head pattern. Look at how short the wings are.

camera only on auto not to good for this type of photo still waiting for my other one to come back from repair.The lighting wasnt good anyway as it was after 5 this evening and very dull and cloudy

[SteveA]

Originally Posted by John

The thing is the breast area doesn't appear to have the markings I would expect from a Dunnock.

Dunnocks underparts are most obviously marked only along the flanks.

EDIT, Compare with http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/ga...mage-5614.html

[Beryl]

Originally Posted by SteveA

Dunnocks underparts are most obviously marked only along the flanks.

EDIT, Compare with http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/ga...mage-5614.html

Yup. It could well be a dunnock I was looking to the linage down the tum of the bird and the devided tail but I' no expert and it's so blurd

[Beryl]

Originally Posted by cherrybee

No I am hopeless with birdsong anyway some have different songs for different things so perhaps it was some other call I had not noticed before.Never mind thanks everyone for trying.It will have to be the LBJ

CB You can down load bird songs and sounds and there are some on the forum , it's handy , you'll soon get to know some of the poular birds very soon

[Tursiops]

I'd say Dunnock as well, not much else it can be.
T