Strange bird - ID suggestions?

[Bora_Horza]

Hi All,

A week ago coming out of work at Loughborough, Leics (outskirts of town, scrubby woodland by car park) I heard a loud, clear bird call (i.e. seagull type volume) - cha cha cha! (or something)

The bird that made it was something I've never seen before - body larger than a pigeon, 'long' body shape, head like a woodpecker (long powerful pointed dagger beak), light brown - brown in colour, red/orange cheek patches, and a distinct 'fan' made by the tail feathers. It flew away in a low, swooping manner, on quite short wings.

Trying to describe it is hard! I'd say like a cross between a (large) woodpecker and a roadrunner?

Possibly an escaped pet of some description, but I'm curious as to what it might be! Thanks for any ID suggestions. Cheers!

[Picidae]

Common Snipe is the most obvious possibility - but, especially if you are not too used to identifying birds on brief views, trying to remember and then retrospectively describing accurately what you saw, both in terms of size and plumage details is rather a difficult process (for all of us!) Bill colour can vary and they give a fairly loud vocal 'ca-atch ca-atch' when flushed/or taking off in flight. General gizz colour is light to mid brown. They take off with a well defined fanned tail and have, in varying degrees, rufous tones to cheek/neck. Flight path is low and meandering/zigzagging.

Have a look through some of these pics: (click on 'iris' below)

Iris

[Jonathan]

Originally Posted by Bora_Horza

Hi All,

A week ago coming out of work at Loughborough, Leics (outskirts of town, scrubby woodland by car park) I heard a loud, clear bird call (i.e. seagull type volume) - cha cha cha! (or something)

The bird that made it was something I've never seen before - body larger than a pigeon, 'long' body shape, head like a woodpecker (long powerful pointed dagger beak), light brown - brown in colour, red/orange cheek patches, and a distinct 'fan' made by the tail feathers. It flew away in a low, swooping manner, on quite short wings.

Trying to describe it is hard! I'd say like a cross between a (large) woodpecker and a roadrunner?

Possibly an escaped pet of some description, but I'm curious as to what it might be! Thanks for any ID suggestions. Cheers!

Green woodpecker?

In flight

call

Cheers
Jonathan

[rossy]

hello bora horza woodcock comes to mind . rossy.

[Stephen_M]

Don't know about the beak, otherwise I'd go for pheasant.

[Bora_Horza]

Hi All, many thanks for the responses. I don't think it was a snipe (I've seen these, and curlews, etc), green woodpecker, woodcock (too round and fluffy?) or pheasant. I've also had a go on a few 'bird identification' in 4 clicks type websites, with limited success.

The closest I've come to what I saw is a Northern Flicker (American bird): Northern Flicker - Whatbird.com

The feather colouration in the second 'Copyright © John Schwarz' image looks like what I saw.

Ah well, a minor mystery I'll have to get over Cheers all.

[bob.phillips]

Are you absolutely sure it wasn't a Green Woodpecker??

Bob P

[2dogs2000]

It sounds like a green woodpecker to me too.

[Picidae]

After reading Jonathan's post, I certainly had second thoughts about Snipe possibility (it was the reference to '''like a Woodpecker'' that threw me, I assumed, possibly incorrectly, the poster was already familiar with Woodpecker species! However, I agree, Green Woodpecker seems to be the most likely candidate, especially after seeing the Bora's reference to Northern Flicker - (why anyone would search an American bird forum to identify a British seen bird seems a bit of an unusual way of going about things, before ruling out any British species - one of the hazards of cyber birding/identification I guess

[Astra]

Originally Posted by Bora_Horza

The closest I've come to what I saw is a Northern Flicker (American bird): Northern Flicker - Whatbird.com

The feather colouration in the second 'Copyright © John Schwarz' image looks like what I saw.

Looking at the second picture all I can think of is a JAY ?