Hi from West Sussex, can anyone help?

JayneM · #1 (**permalink**) 30-04-2007, 10:58 AM

Hi all from sunny West Sussex, I was wondering if someone could help me identify a bird that was in my garden.
I have never seen this type of bird before, even when I lived up in Wales.
I tried to take a picture but a neighbour scared it away

So all I have is a desciption.
The bird was around the size of a small woodpecker, and the same size beak, the markings on the wings were prominent brown and white stripes, it had a white crest on its head very streamline not fluffy (sorry dont know the correct term).
Ive looked everywhere to see if I can find the name of the bird with no success and not having a picture doesnt help.
Soo if anyone has any ideas they would be most helpful.
Thanks Jayne

Tursiops2 · #2 (**permalink**) 30-04-2007, 12:49 PM

Hallo Jayne, welcome to the forum.
This is a bit of a puzzler

Your bird sounds like a strange hybrid of jay and hoopoe. Was it one of these... http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/ga...age-25095.html
Hoopoe is rare, but not impossible, given the time of year and your location. There have been several records in southern UK over the last couple of weeks, and given the current easterly winds, there might well be more to come.

HTH
Tursiops2

goosey · #3 (**permalink**) 30-04-2007, 01:51 PM

Hi Jayne, it sounds as if you have an interesting bird there

Welcome to WAB, now you are here I hope you decide to stick around

.

JayneM · #4 (**permalink**) 30-04-2007, 02:47 PM

Hi both, thank you for the warm welcome I'll be sure to stick around

I do like wild birds and have plenty that come to visit my garden, but I do also have 3 parrots

Sadly it wasnt a hoopoe, I had looked before, well I shall just have to keep wondering and hoping I may come across it again, knowing my luck I'll never see it again

demicav · #5 (**permalink**) 30-04-2007, 05:20 PM

Hello Jayne, welcome to the site. There's plenty about wild birds around here.

kaz · #6 (**permalink**) 30-04-2007, 08:09 PM

Hello and welcome to the site.

Oscar2006 · #7 (**permalink**) 30-04-2007, 08:52 PM

description sounds like a Hoopoe to me, does it look like the link posted by Tursiops2?

rlchew · #8 (**permalink**) 30-04-2007, 09:06 PM

Hello Jayne

Welcome to WAB.

Your ID puzzler has me stumped .... I would have suggested Hoopoe too but you have ruled that out.

Richard

FungiJohn · #9 (**permalink**) 30-04-2007, 09:09 PM

Hello Jayne and a very warm welcome to WAB. Enjoy!
I'm sure someone can help with your bird.

John

goosey · #10 (**permalink**) 30-04-2007, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayneM

Hi all from sunny West Sussex, I was wondering if someone could help me identify a bird that was in my garden.
I have never seen this type of bird before, even when I lived up in Wales.
I tried to take a picture but a neighbour scared it away

So all I have is a desciption.
The bird was around the size of a small woodpecker, and the same size beak, the markings on the wings were prominent brown and white stripes, it had a white crest on its head very streamline not fluffy (sorry dont know the correct term).
Ive looked everywhere to see if I can find the name of the bird with no success and not having a picture doesnt help.
Soo if anyone has any ideas they would be most helpful.
Thanks Jayne

Perhaps it was an escaped exotic pet, or from a private collection?

Tursiops2 · #11 (**permalink**) 30-04-2007, 10:36 PM

I'm stumped by this one. I really can't think of any British bird that has that combination of crest and wingbars, except hoopoe. It must be an escape of some sort. Intriguing.
T2

Susie · #12 (**permalink**) 30-04-2007, 11:19 PM

Hello Jayne,

Welcome from another inhabitant of West Sussex.

buzfuz8149 · #13 (**permalink**) 01-05-2007, 07:28 AM

Hi Jayne,

A warm welcome to WAB, I can not help with the ID - I agree possibly an escapee. Keep on wabbing it's good fun and very addictive.

Carol.

JayneM · #14 (**permalink**) 01-05-2007, 10:13 AM

Thank you all for such a warm welcome, this is my 1st time on a wildlife forum, so very much a newbie, only experience I have is in parrots which Im a Moderator on a parrot forum.
This bird really has me stumped too, its deffinitly not a Hoopoe, whether it has scaped from someones aviary could be a possibility, but nevertheless Ive still never saw one before lol.
I know its not a parrot species.
Im sure I will learn lots from this forum you seem a very friendly bunch, and hope you dont mind me asking questions along the way
Jayne