Odd corvid/woodpecker looking bird

[~T~]

Sorry no pictures of this since I only saw it maybe for a about 10 seconds before it flew off. I actually had my camera as it was my mates wedding at a hotel (this was first thing in the morning when I looked out our room window) but didnt get time to use it. So this bird I first thought was an oddly marked magpie but was more the shape of a jay. Its wings were black/white like a magpie or hooded crow but the upper body was speckled like a thrush or starling and the most prominent part was a long woodpecker looking bill, I can only describe it as looking like a cross between a jay and a woodpecker lol. It was digging at the lawn then took off when it saw me at the window, it flew much quicker than youe average corvid too.

Any ideas? I've not seen anything like it before

[Dogghound]

In Britain?

[~T~]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

In Britain?

Yep, Lanarkshire in Scotland (Symington to be exact).

[rossy]

where you near any water ? lakes or lochs ? rossy.

[~T~]

Originally Posted by rossy

where you near any water ? lakes or lochs ? rossy.

Nah though quite near the river Clyde.

[shenk1]

Was whisky involved

[The Woodman]

Nutcracker?

[shenk1]

Thats what the bride threatens the groom with

[~T~]

Originally Posted by shenk1

Thats what the bride threatens the groom with

I have just googled nutcracker and the spotted kind does look very similar to the bird I saw. From what I can see though they wouldnt be in the UK at this time would they?

[faz]

juvenile green wood pecker perhaps the light showed the back as b&w