Help!!!! Has Mrs. Chaffinch been visiting my garden unbeknown to me?
I think she has been disguising herself as Miss Sparrow, lurking in the conifer bushes with the real sparrows, posing for photos, and sticking her tongue out at me for well over a week. I was delighted this morning when I first spotted her, and submitted a post saying she was the first Mrs. Chaffinch to visit me. Spurred on by a sparrow photo posted by Littleowl, I had a look through my sparrow pictures this evening - and there she was!!! I took this picture on 21st February along with several others of the sparrows in the same bush, and diligently filed it away in my sparrow folder. I'm not seeing things am I?
Cheers, Linda.
See my photos on Flickr
Hi,
sorry but the photo shows a female House sparrow- the lower ( greater covert ) wing bar is too narrow for a chaffinch.
:))
S
For advice about Birding, Identification,field guides, binoculars, scopes, tripods, etc - put 'Birding Tips' into the search box
Thank you everyone - any more offers?
Lesser stuffed dodo?
Do I put the photo back in my sparrow file? That's where it came from!
compare it with this pic - http://gallery.photo.net/photo/5467162-lg.jpg of a chaffinch
Hi Sparrow,
Some interesting comments and Identifications.
Never easy trying to identify stuffed birds!!!!!
Been able to see certain feathers certainly helps making an identification.
As Seymouraves has stated in his reply the Lower Greater Coverts are visible and the breast pattern is clearly visible as the bird is facing the camera.
Seymouraves is on the money as he always is! :-}
It is a Female House Sparrow, you were correct in filing it with your sparrow pictures!
The following links will give you a detailed look at both species.
http://www.ibercajalav.net/img/419_HouseSparrowP._domesticus.pdf
http://www.ibercajalav.net/img/426_ChaffinchFcoelebs.pdf
Regards Buzzard
Nature Is Amazing - Let Us Keep It That Way
Lol!! Nice pic anyway Sparrow! :-)
"All weeds are flowers, once you get to know them" (Eeyore)
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Thank you everyone for your input. I now feel a total idiot not recognising one of my own little treasure pots, and mistaking her for a common or garden chaffinch!!! At least I wasn't on my own though. LOL LOL.
Thanks Anna, Seymour and Buzzard for putting me right, and for the links. Much appreciated.
The photo will go back where it belongs, with the sparrows! At least the real Mrs. Chaffie paid me a visit eventually.
I think I need to study my books a lot more ! lol : -)
Littleowl
My sparrows have almost no white on them, but as I think I've said before, I am short sighted so who knows
Sarah
I've learned that I still have a lot to learn...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bramble67/
Hi Bramble,
My male sparrows have quite a lot of white on at the moment. I usually bird watch from upstairs, so I am looking down and see them flying below me across the garden. It is amazing how much white they have on their wings. I have often mistaken them for chaffinches without binoculars, and only when they land do I realise they are sparrows.
I do seem to be getting finches at the moment. My goldfinches have been with me daily for several months, but in the last couple of weeks I have had a redpoll, Mr. and Mrs. Siskin, and Mr. and Mrs. Chaffinch. I can now add my greenfinch to the list. Sadly the redpoll hasn't returned, the siskins haven't been so far this week, and the chaffies haven't turned up again. Good job I got some piccies or no-one would believe me!
My female sparrows that is. Of course we would believe you.