Are there any British twitterers out there who can help me?

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 5:06 pm

My garden is full of very busy British birds going about deciding where to nest this year.

I've got the usual assortment of greenfinches, blue-tits, great-tits, blackbirds etc but over the past week there has been a pair of birds that i have not seen before.

As we have had builders in and there is still decorating going on, my books are boxed up and i'm not sure what these are. They are out there every day and have been feeding off berries on the 'firethorn' tree. They are showing great interest also in the eaves of one wall.

It looks like a thrush but bigger. It has a speckled breast and a dull brown colour.

This is West Country area so anyone got any idea's please??

Post by **spot** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 5:11 pm

A fieldfare.

Post by **spot** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 5:13 pm

Like on Surfbirds Online Photo Gallery Search Results

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 6:07 pm

spot;1133451 wrote: Like on Surfbirds Online Photo Gallery Search Results

Yes, that looks like the culprits...... a Fieldfare.

I shall do some googling on the. Thanks Spot.

Howe exciting to have them in my little garden :-6:-6

Post by **spot** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 6:13 pm

oscar;1133481 wrote: Yes, that looks like the culprits...... a Fieldfare.

I shall do some googling on the. Thanks Spot.

Howe exciting to have them in my little garden :-6:-6

They're carnivorous, you know. They eat cats.

Clodhopper · Post by **Clodhopper** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 7:02 pm

Spot: Beat me to it.

Quite common when you notice them. Winter visitors. Migrate to Russia (and prob other places too) last I recall.

Saw some sort of swallowtail butterfly and some sort of leaf-cutting bee I've never seen before, last summer. Things are moving.

el guapo · Post by **el guapo** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 2:33 am

oscar;1133445 wrote: My garden is full of very busy British birds going about deciding where to nest this year.

I've got the usual assortment of greenfinches, blue-tits, great-tits, blackbirds etc but over the past week there has been a pair of birds that i have not seen before.

As we have had builders in and there is still decorating going on, my books are boxed up and i'm not sure what these are. They are out there every day and have been feeding off berries on the 'firethorn' tree. They are showing great interest also in the eaves of one wall.

It looks like a thrush but bigger. It has a speckled breast and a dull brown colour.

This is West Country area so anyone got any idea's please??

its the lesser spotted gordon brown tit

buttercup · Post by **buttercup** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 5:23 am

You got me :yh_rotfl

Thought it would be about the new facebook thing.

Clodhopper · Post by **Clodhopper** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 7:28 am

Oh, and by the way, it's "Twitcher" not "twitterer"!:wah:

Or were you teasing?)

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:16 am

Clodhopper;1133712 wrote: Oh, and by the way, it's "Twitcher" not "twitterer"!:wah:

Or were you teasing?)

I got mixed up there. A twitterer is what Mr O and i call elderly people who complain all the time. Of course, it's Twitcher. :wah:

Right..... the little fella's have been out in the garden today on the berrys again and it is definately not a Fieldfare.

I did some googling on Fieldfare's and they have a slightly different colour to the head in a similar way to a Jackdaw. Also, from what i read, the Fieldfare tends to be a fruit eater and not berry's.

Looking at them again today after looking at pics of a Fieldfair on the net, we both agree this is bigger than a Fieldfare. The net says the Fieldfare is bigger than the thrush but these chaps are still a little bigger.

I do get those pesky Sparrowhawks and the female has a speckled breast so just incase anyone thinks it might be this, then no.

Any more clues anyone??

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:17 am

el guapo;1133625 wrote: its the lesser spotted gordon brown tit

No, your confusing that with the 'Cameron' bird which is 'The Great Tit'.

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:19 am

spot;1133482 wrote: They're carnivorous, you know. They eat cats.

Have you seen the size of my cats? :wah:

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:20 am

oscar;1133770 wrote: I got mixed up there. A twitterer is what Mr O and i call elderly people who complain all the time. Of course, it's Twitcher. :wah:

Right..... the little fella's have been out in the garden today on the berrys again and it is definately not a Fieldfare.

I did some googling on Fieldfare's and they have a slightly different colour to the head in a similar way to a Jackdaw. Also, from what i read, the Fieldfare tends to be a fruit eater and not berry's.

Looking at them again today after looking at pics of a Fieldfair on the net, we both agree this is bigger than a Fieldfare. The net says the Fieldfare is bigger than the thrush but these chaps are still a little bigger.

I do get those pesky Sparrowhawks and the female has a speckled breast so just incase anyone thinks it might be this, then no.

Any more clues anyone??

A photo' would be useful

Post by **spot** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:22 am

Bryn Mawr;1133773 wrote: A photo' would be useful

Just don't creep too close, they'll have your eyes out as soon as look at you.

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:28 am

Bryn Mawr;1133773 wrote: A photo' would be useful

On this side of the garden, we are fortunate to have floor to cieling windows. The little chaps are paying great attention to the eaves above these windows and the Firethorn Berrys that is right outside one window so tomorrow, i will sit patiently and try to get them on film. Good idea.

:)

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:30 am

spot;1133775 wrote: Just don't creep too close, they'll have your eyes out as soon as look at you.

If we were talking about local 'Buzzards' Spot, that would be very true.

Clodhopper · Post by **Clodhopper** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:35 am

Redstart. Looks quite similar....

Dammit - can't find my birdbook.

Post by **spot** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:42 am

Blimey Gill, it sounds calamitous. You have my sympathy, whatever triggered it.

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:48 am

Clodhopper;1133796 wrote: Redstart. Looks quite similar....

Dammit - can't find my birdbook. Thanks Cloddy but i just googled Redstart and No, definately not them.

Mine is quite large, speckled chest and dull brown colour. Normal coloured beak.

Mr O has just added that the 'Songthrush' is bigger than these chaps.

Clodhopper · Post by **Clodhopper** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 10:02 am

Mr O may well be right. There is definitely one thrush which is noticeably bigger than the others. Fieldfare and Redstart are both thrush family (iirc...), but apart from them I'm out of suggestions. Sorry!

Oh, just one thought - you aren't looking at a female blackbird, are you?

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 10:08 am

Clodhopper;1133848 wrote: Mr O may well be right. There is definitely one thrush which is noticeably bigger than the others. Fieldfare and Redstart are both thrush family (iirc...), but apart from them I'm out of suggestions. Sorry!

Oh, just one thought - you aren't looking at a female blackbird, are you?

Thanks. No, definately not a female blackbird. I have to go out now so i will google some more when i get home. Thanks for taking an interest.

Post by **spot** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 10:41 am

Is it a cuckoo?

If it has a huge tail it might be a hobby.

Chookie · Post by **Chookie** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 2:20 pm

Is it maybe a Redwing?????????

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 2:52 pm

spot;1133896 wrote: Is it a cuckoo?

If it has a huge tail it might be a hobby.

Thanks for all the interest but tonight, the mystery has been solved.

On arriving home, our old neighbour came out as we were getting out the car and said (in a West Country accent), 'errrrre Peeeeeeeeete... I see you got 'Mistle Thrush' then?

On googling, we find this is indeed, the very chaps:

The RSPB: Mistle thrush

How interesting? I've never had these in the garden before.

Post by **spot** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 3:06 pm

I'd rather discounted the possibility on the grounds that it's a thrush.

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 3:12 pm

spot;1134012 wrote: I'd rather discounted the possibility on the grounds that it's a thrush.

I have never heard of a Mistle Thrush if i were honest. If i'd had my books to hand, i probably would have identified him earlier. We were looking at them today and asking weather it was a Thrush after all but it was the size that made us think different. It makes me wonder if they have been in the garden before but we just thought they were Thrush's.

I hope they nest

Post by **spot** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 3:24 pm

oscar;1134021 wrote: I hope they nest :)Defrost a chicken carcass a day and stake it out for them on the bird table, I'm sure they will.

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 3:27 pm

spot;1134031 wrote: Defrost a chicken carcass a day and stake it out for them on the bird table, I'm sure they will. :wah::wah:

No fear..... I'll have those pesky Buzzards everywhere.