Minxy little birds - just got glimpses

[Lairyfairy]

Aaaarrrrrghhhhh. I spent hours today listening and watching (or trying to with binoculars at the ready) some small birds - if I give you some information I hope someof you will have some suggestions!

They are small birds - about dunnock size I should think - and they were well hidden in the oak trees which form part of a small wood surrounding some reed beds at the National Coalmining Museum near Wakefield, West Yorks.

They continually call and answer each other even when in flight. I saw a small flock of 4 birds flying about but they were too quick for me to follow them with the binoculars! Their flight was sort of a few rapid flaps of their wings followed by a slight glide before doing the rapid flaps again, and this is how they carried on. As I said, they tweet constantly in the trees - I heard a melodic song coming from one of the oak trees with trills and a variety of other sounds. Not sure if it was the same type of bird though.

I think I saw one of them land - it was at the final range ofthe binoculars and it seemed to be brownish/chestnut on the back and buff/cream on the chest. I couldn't see if there were any other colours as it was too far away, but it did run quickly rather than hop.

I'd love to know what these little critters were - they were driving me mad today ... I think they enjoyed outwitting the rookie twitcher.

[afcbm]

Tree sparrow? ......

[Lairyfairy]

No, I have lots of them in my garden so know what they are like. They seemed very secretive. I saw them fly into the tree tops but couldn't see even one of them! It was like they were taunting me

[afcbm]

ok - know what you mean about being taunted! the number of times i've got a nice photo opportunity and the blighter flies off

[aeshna5]

Not the greatest description so a definitive ID will be impossible (not a personal criticism) + as you say some of the sounds are quite possibly other species.

The general pattern + the fact they were feeding near the tree tops makes me think they may be a family party one of the commoner leaf warblers- Chiffchaff or Willow Warbler.

[2dogs2000]

This sounds like the behaviour of Long Tailed tits. No mention of their tails by OP but even colouring sounds about right.

[werdnal]

Yeah sounds like LTTs to me too.

We get a little flock pass through our garden every afternoon. Rarely actually see them in the trees but hear their chattering. They always remind me of little mice the way they almost scamper around.

[Lairyfairy]

There are long tailed tits there - they have been quite friendly though and have been feeding in the little trees right where I sit - I don't even need the binoculars to see them very clearly. The birds I saw today had short tails. The most striking feature was that they called out whilst on the wing - peeping calls not warbles. I wish I could have had just one glimpse to be able to describe their colour properly.

[Tursiops2]

A family party of Dunnocks?

T2

[Kayleigh]

goldfinches