Mystery bird??

[Hedgehoggy]

I suggested GSW because from some angles the red rump isn't visible and the female doesn't have a red nape, so a cursory glance at a female GSW would've presented as 'matt black with large white dappling' - imo anyway! Nevertheless, as you already have visiting GSWs and are therefore familiar with them, that definitely rules out my suggestion!

Can't think of any other species, which feeds from hanging feeders, to fit your description Has it been back again?

[Stevelphoto]

It almost sounds like a spotted nutcracker!

[Astra]

It still sounds like a Starling to me

[Mary Iannetta]

starlings are too glossy & too spotted.......spotted nutcracker (that was a new one for me) is too spotty...it was only the breast that was spotted-the rest was matta black.....haven't seen it again since june : (

[Cotham Marble]

Originally Posted by Mary Iannetta

I've only sen this once, at close range, feeding at my mesh-covered birdfeeder on peanuts.
It was about the size of a starling - but was matt black, with large white dappling on it's chest, & a medium sized curved beak. I can't find any pictures that look like it.
I live outside Dundee, on east coast of Scotland, near wwodland & open countryside.
Does anyone have any ideas as to what my myster bird can be?

Young male blackbird with leucistic markings ? Although hanging feeders and peanuts are not usual blackbird fare a young bird might be desperate enough to experiment. And there is a slight curvature to the blackbird beak, which in the males can be quite dark in colour until the second year.

CM