This bird visited my feeding station this morning. It was approximately the same size as a robin. It was completely uniform chocolate brown, no paler bits that I could see, no other colours, and no markings or bars. It could have been a robin but definately no red. It fed from a flat feeder tray containing mostly seed, and rooted about in some flower tubs. Sorry, no photos.
Can anyone suggest what is was?
Cheers, Linda.
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Hello Sparrow.
Not sure what the bird could be, although I'm tempted to say a robin but obviously don't know if you saw the front of the bird, so I'm not going to speculate. If you can identify other features such as beak and legs, the following link might be of use.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdidentifier/
Paul
Warning! This post contains atrocious spelling, and terrible grammar. Approach with extreme edginess.
Could it have been a dunnock?
"All weeds are flowers, once you get to know them" (Eeyore)
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Hi Heron and MarJus,
If it was a robin it was missing his red breast, and I know it wasn't a dunnock. It was chocolate brown (like a robin) and absolutely uniform and plain. I couldn't see his beak or feet well enough.
I've been looking through my RSPB pocket guide but can't find it as yet.
Are there robins minus the red breast?
Hi Sparrow
Yes, when they are young. The red breast develops later and I still have young robins around as, due to the mild weather in September / October, my residents hatched a second (or possibly even third) brood.
The necessity of bird-watching is a really good reason for avoiding all forms of housework.
The dust will still be there tomorrow - the birds may not be!
Hi Squirrel,
I had a look at the drawings of juvenile robins and they are speckled. Mine wasn't speckled at all, just plain. I also did the RSPB bird identifier test, and all it came up with were robin and nightingale. As nightingales are long gone, and don't even come so far north in the summer, it has to be a robin.
I'll keep my eye out for it tomorrow and get a better description. I will feel very dim and stupid if it turns out to be a robin!
Hi there
I know what my own experience and others that Juv Robins (speckled and brown) can be confusing as youngsters.
Confusing as much as that the bird can even look like a juv Redstart.
Is there a picture can can provide a definate ID?
Much better with a picture over word of mouth!
Regards
Kathy and Dave
Could it be some kind of warbler?
Millie & Fly the Border Collies
I've been on the look out all day but no repeat sighting of this bird. I have concluded that yesterday either I was seeing things, or I was not seeing things, as the case may be!! It has to have been a robin and I missed his red bits. I now feel so stupid.
Thank you all for your suggestions. I will go to the opticians.
I wouldn't rush off to the opticians just yet as sometimes a camera will show up what the naked eye simply cannot see at a distance. Back in the summer I saw what I thought were two adult female blackbirds (they were some 10-20 feet away from me). It was only when I loaded the photos onto my computer I found they were juveniles (juvenile blackbirds also have a speckling to the breast but I simply did not see it - thank goodness the camera did!).
Thanks Squirrel for that little bit of comfort! Sadly, my photographic skills are about as dim as my eyes! I look at all the photos on this community site and die with envy. Only this morning I had a squirrel on my fence. I took a photo - about 15 feet away from behind the window. All I can see is a bit of fluffy grey in the far distance. If I zoom in, the picture goes all fuzzy. I keep trying different methods and settings, but always end up with rubbish pictures. I don't have a telescopic lens but do have zoom facilities on my camera, but those also produce grainy images. I need a better camera, but first I need new specs and second new binoculars, so the camera will have to wait!!