bird identification

roddy007 · #1 (**permalink**) 12-12-2010, 10:40 AM

I was watching all the usual birds feeding this morning, when a bird I didn't recognise hopped into the picture! It was about the size of a female blackbird but more upright and looked slightly more jay-like. It was black and white with a full white breast and black wings with a white tip on his tail. There may have been a couple of white feathers in there too. It may have had a slight ruff to the back of it's head but not definite as it didn't hang around for too long but was happy to peck at seeds on the floor. Looked at all pics. It's really bugging me now. Help!

diggleken · #2 (**permalink**) 12-12-2010, 10:52 AM

Hi roddy, welcome to WAB!
This sounds like its a leucistic blackbird, not unusual (tom jones?) and the ground feeding is blackbird too.
This thread with great pics may help.........
Blackbird with white in tail
Cheers
Ken

Acipiter · #3 (**permalink**) 12-12-2010, 11:02 AM

The only other bird I can think of is a magpie, unless its some thing from some ones collection of course, a pic would help a lot if it returns.

roddy007 · #4 (**permalink**) 12-12-2010, 11:29 AM

thanks for the reply but deffo not a magpie, I know as we had one come down our chimney last year and hop all over the front room! Much smaller. It's not the white tailed blackbird either so still stumped! Tried to get a pic and hoping it comes back but we;ll have to wait and see!

roddy007 · #5 (**permalink**) 12-12-2010, 11:31 AM

there was a lot more white. Whole breast was white. I'm now sat watching my garden like a hawk!

Acipiter · #6 (**permalink**) 12-12-2010, 11:33 AM

Pied wagtail?

Naturenutz · #7 (**permalink**) 12-12-2010, 12:03 PM

leucistic blackbird as previously stated.The amount of white varies in amount and location and does not have to be on the tail.

Picidae · #8 (**permalink**) 12-12-2010, 05:37 PM

Most likely a leucistic blackbird as stated but it may be worth adding that a winter Ring Ouzel is not completely out of the question. Most winter over in Morocco and Algeria or Southern Spain (in lesser numbers) but most years we have records of UK winter ouzels (as do other parts of Europe) but it would be a very good record though.

aeshna5 · #9 (**permalink**) 12-12-2010, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Picidae

Most likely a leucistic blackbird as stated but it may be worth adding that a winter Ring Ouzel is not completely out of the question. Most winter over in Morocco and Algeria or Southern Spain (in lesser numbers) but most years we have records of UK winter ouzels (as do other parts of Europe) but it would be a very good record though.

There has been a record in the last week at Rainham Marshes of a Ring Ouzel.

roddy007 · #10 (**permalink**) 12-12-2010, 11:30 PM

thanks for all the posts. Not a pied wagtail deffo. It did have the ringed ouzel look about it but more white, so I reckon the leucistic blackbird would have to be right then, however, I am going to keep an eye for it and have my camera at the ready! You never know, could be a rare bird! Cheers.