American Robin

[caran166]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

Are you sure? They are very rare vagrants over here- not always annual, though occasionally 2 or 3 may turn up in a particular year.

Perhaps you can get a photo to confirm it is this species?

Yes It was an American Robin for sure.

I did not know what it was so then I Identified the bird in The illustrated encylopdia of birds book. I watch birds her all the time as I back onto a river and an old park, and national trust park across my road too. I have all types of birds her from woodpeckers, sparrowhawks, marsh tits warblers, redwings, fieldfare etc, amongst many others too. I actually saw 2 one lightish brown and red front the other pure balck with red front on different days.
I will try and take some photos next time I see them if I can. What a lovely pair and such a rare sighting then?
Best Wishes Carol.

[Adam Cheeseman]

Originally Posted by caran166

Yes It was an American Robin for sure.

I did not know what it was so then I Identified the bird in The illustrated encylopdia of birds book. I watch birds her all the time as I back onto a river and an old park, and national trust park across my road too. I have all types of birds her from woodpeckers, sparrowhawks, marsh tits warblers, redwings, fieldfare etc, amongst many others too. I actually saw 2 one lightish brown and red front the other pure balck with red front on different days.
I will try and take some photos next time I see them if I can. What a lovely pair and such a rare sighting then?
Best Wishes Carol.

A Fiver says they turn out to be Fieldfares or Mistle Thrushes.

PS - last AMRO I saw was down near Hayle in Cornwall in 2004.

[solus]

Originally Posted by caran166

I actually saw 2 one lightish brown and red front the other pure balck with red front on different days.
I will try and take some photos next time I see them if I can. What a lovely pair and such a rare sighting then?
Best Wishes Carol.

A pair????!!!!! Even more unlikely, I'm sorry to say! Especially as an American Robin is NOT "pure balck [black?] with red front". You'll need photos and/or a much more detailed description but IF you are really sure you could get in touch with your local Bird Recorder who may arrange for someone locally to take a look.

Have you considered other possibilities using a decent field guide or two?


My money's on female Blackbird Adam.

[Picidae]

Originally Posted by caran166

Yes It was an American Robin for sure.

I did not know what it was so then I Identified the bird in The illustrated encylopdia of birds book. I watch birds her all the time as I back onto a river and an old park, and national trust park across my road too. I have all types of birds her from woodpeckers, sparrowhawks, marsh tits warblers, redwings, fieldfare etc, amongst many others too. I actually saw 2 one lightish brown and red front the other pure balck with red front on different days.
I will try and take some photos next time I see them if I can. What a lovely pair and such a rare sighting then?
Best Wishes Carol.

Hi Carol

This is an American Robin
http://presidentavenue.com/yardbirds...an_robin_m.jpg

This is a male Common Redstart (a common summer visitor to Britain). Look how similar it is to an American Robin!
Iris

Female also fits your description (breasts can be almost as red as males sometimes but otherwise they are light fawny brown)
Iris

I believe you may have seen a pair of Common Redstarts - migration is late March/early April - they may be on passage or potential breeders in the old park

[Picidae]

And this stunning photo (if link works!)
Iris

[diggleken]

Might also be stonechat, even though a bit early............?
Carol, if you dont get a photo, can you give a more detailed description, including eyes, behaviour - on ground or in trees, amount of red, beak size, colour and shape plus size compared to say a blackbird and a bluetit, which we all know I think?
That would help as an american robin is only just smaller than a blackbird.
Cheers
Ken

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by diggleken

Might also be stonechat, even though a bit early............?
Carol, if you dont get a photo, can you give a more detailed description, including eyes, behaviour - on ground or in trees, amount of red, beak size, colour and shape plus size compared to say a blackbird and a bluetit, which we all know I think?
That would help as an american robin is only just smaller than a blackbird.
Cheers
Ken

Why a bit early? Stonechats are residents, though appreciate there are local movements.

I do feel when this was originally posted it was a touch early for Redstart, though certainly a possibility.

[Picidae]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

I do feel when this was originally posted it was a touch early for Redstart, though certainly a possibility.

Was this posted on another thread Aeshna? The OP says 'today' in his post which is dated 20 March (not 'february' as he/she stated in the text of the post and I just assumed he/she'd got the months mixed up)

20 March certainly isn't too early for Common Redstart but 20 February almost certainly would be! 10 year average arrival date for Common Redstart arrival in Sussex is 27 March - that's the average, which means arrivals fall before (earliest is 13 Mar) and after that date.

Only know about Sussex but some March arrivals include:
2005 16 March - two individuals:
20, 25 and 29th - three individuals in different locations:
2008 25 March

[aeshna5]

I haven't seen any records of Redstart yet for this year- certainly checking some of the southern observatories- Dungeness, Sandwich + Portland- no Common Redstarts yet this year up to yesterday.

I agree it's a possibility, but I I'm not convinced that that's what the OP's bird is. Without a photo we will never know what the bird is.

[diggleken]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

Why a bit early? Stonechats are residents, though appreciate there are local movements.
.

Yes of course theyre residents, but mainly in the north and west, so as the poster is in Kent, thats where some migrants will arive, so enhancing the possibility.
Cheers
Ken