Hi,
I was sitting in our new summerhouse, binoculars to hand and bird feeders full. The ususl suspects; chaffinches, great tits, greenfinches, even jackdaws swinging on the feeder - then a greenfinch-sized pair I didn't recognise.
One was side on to me, the other was behind the feeder so I could just see its underside. The one I could see most clearly has a chestnut brown cap with pale eyebrow and brown cheeks. The head looked almost like it had a crest so it had a clear forehead. Its back was brown and marked with distinct dark streaks. The underside was pale but distinctly yellow towards the rump. The other one looked similar if slightly less richly coloured. Their bills were not as powerful looking as a greenfinch.
I thought of siskin (for no good reason), but they didn't look like any picture I have of a siskin. The head was not yellow so yellow hammer is out. Cirl bunting, I'm sure, is also out because we live in north Buckinghamshire and they too seem more yellow around the head.
I watched them for a few minutes, happily eating seeds and spitting out husks. A reed bunting flew in while they were there, but didn't stay.
Any suggestions?
Hello FalcoJock
Welcome to the forum. When you mentioned "cap" and the colour I automaticlly thought of a female Blackcap but with the other markings I'm not sure. I'm certainly not an expert although there are many on here who will know what it is for sure.
Regards
Kerry
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kezmo6310/
Thanks Kesmo. Definitely not a black cap though. Maybe "cap" indicates something more distinct than I saw. The crown was chestnut but the rest of the head was brown too but not so richly coloured - and the paler eyebrow.
I'm beginning to think I imagined them because all research in books and the RSPB bird identifier has come up with nothing that is exactly like I believe I saw...
Sorry FalcoJock,
Despite having been birding for over 30 years, I'm totally rubbish at forming a mental picture from a written description! I'll give it some thought though.
Come to think of it, this wasn't a female Reed Bunting, was it?
Cheers Mickycoop.
I'll borrow my daughter's camera with the powerful zoom next time I'm basking in the summerhouse - just in case they show up again!
No, I'm sure it was not a female Reed Bunting. They looked like a pair to me i.e. male and female. The horizontal eyebrow marking was not like a Reed Bunting.
FalcoJock said: Hi, I was sitting in our new summerhouse, binoculars to hand and bird feeders full. The ususl suspects; chaffinches, great tits, greenfinches, even jackdaws swinging on the feeder - then a greenfinch-sized pair I didn't recognise. One was side on to me, the other was behind the feeder so I could just see its underside. The one I could see most clearly has a chestnut brown cap with pale eyebrow and brown cheeks. The head looked almost like it had a crest so it had a clear forehead. Its back was brown and marked with distinct dark streaks. The underside was pale but distinctly yellow towards the rump. The other one looked similar if slightly less richly coloured. Their bills were not as powerful looking as a greenfinch. I thought of siskin (for no good reason), but they didn't look like any picture I have of a siskin. The head was not yellow so yellow hammer is out. Cirl bunting, I'm sure, is also out because we live in north Buckinghamshire and they too seem more yellow around the head. I watched them for a few minutes, happily eating seeds and spitting out husks. A reed bunting flew in while they were there, but didn't stay. Any suggestions?
Hello Falcojock!
Thanks for giving us a thorough details here - sounds to me to be a bang description of yellowhammers, - 1st winter birds or adult females rather than the brilliant yellows seen in the males.
They are a sparrow sized finch with a long tail and red brown rump and elements of yellow in the plumage. The mantle/back of the bird is olive-brown with heavy black streaking. Female would be described as grayish green, streaked crown, at times with a small yellow spot, grey green head sides with no yellow on the cheeks. As seen in this image from birdid.co.uk:
http://www.birdid.co.uk/Images/613F.jpg
As a species, they breed commonly on farmland, in bushy areas, woodland edges and pastureland. They can also often be seen heaths and coastal meadows.
They are predominantly resident breeders here but the population often expands during the winter when migrants from Scandinavia arrive to overwinter in the UK - avoiding the harsher weather in NE Europe. The best population estimate I can offer here is 792,000 breeding territories within the UK during the summer months. However, this figures accounts for a decline of –55% between 1970-2007 making them now a red listed species of conservation concern.
Thank LloydScott. I've looked at a lot of Yellowhammer photos, including female and young and I have to admit there is nothing else close to what I saw. I wonder if my binoculars accentuate the colour a bit. I haven't seen a picture with the rich brown crown.
I will keep a close watch on the feeder to see if they / it returns. I'd like to get a photo.
I'm used to seeing Yellowhammers flitting along hedgrows, keeping just ahead as we walk along country lanes, and didn't recognise these as the same bird.
But nothing else fits so I guess Yellowhammer gets it!
The only other suggestion I have is tree sparrows as their backs look similar on to a reed bunting's. They also have a brown head so it's worth a try!
Holly
Apologies to Mickycoop, I saw a single one on the bird feeder this evening and I now believe it is a female Reed Bunting (or maybe a first winter juvinile did someone say?). As well as the horizontal eyebrow, there was the tell tale pale moustache.
I also noticed that there was a plain coloured collar between the well marked head and the streaked back. The male seems to have a white collar, so the pale grey collar must be the female equivalent.
So, mickycoop and the female Reed Bunting gets it...
Thanks all who answered.