Nightingale in Yorkshire..? Is it possible?

Yesterday we had a visitor to our bird table in the small town of Ilkley about 2pm in the afternoon - plain, pale grey/buff colour all over, wings slightly darker than the body, pointy beak, dark eyes, pinkish legs. Smaller than a blackbird, bigger than a robin. Probably starling size. I've never seen one of these birds before. It was after the fat tray and squared up to a wood pigeon! I watched them for a few minutes. It was quite agile and could balance and get at the caged fat balls. I looked it up and it looked like a photo of a nightingale - But I thought these don't come as far north as Yorkshire. Any ideas anyone? Thanks

  • Not totally impossible Luc-ee I am out at Ripon and while I have never seen a Nightingale locally I heard about very rare sightings of in the Harrogate area back in the '80's and '90's. Make a note of what you remember of your bird and then maybe get in touch with either the Wharfedale Naturalists group or Bradford Ornithological group both of which cover your area. I am sure they will be interested in your sighting and maybe some of their members will have seen a similar bird. To me as ex recorder for our local group I would have been interested in your sighting considering what you have noted.
  • Is it possible it could have been a juvenile starling? Just a thought.
  • A Nightingale in Yorkshire. Now that would be quite a wonderful thing. I hope that it was.