Unidentified bird

Box Brownie

Box Brownie

Messages
15,786
Edit My Images
No
Sorry no picture but........

Spotted in the garden (in Surrey) very briefly.

Approx though possibly a tad smaller than a Blue Tit

Two very narrow black stripes along the back of the head.

White otherwise the rest of the head & neck i.e. no solid black areas like a Coal Tit.

No distinct colour on the body.

Initially I thought it was (maybe still is?) a tit but nothing matches what I saw??? What with the high winds I wonder if this is foreign visitor, but what was it?

Edit
Widening my Merlin search....I found the Azure Tit, now bearing mind I saw it for all of approx 10-15 seconds (approx 15 to 25ft away as it flitted from one perch to another ) maybe just maybe what I describe as the narrow head stripes were the thin black eyebars ???
 
Last edited:
Box Brownie said:
Edit
Widening my Merlin search....I found the Azure Tit, now bearing mind I saw it for all of approx 10-15 seconds (approx 15 to 25ft away as it flitted from one perch to another ) maybe just maybe what I describe as the narrow head stripes were the thin black eyebars ???
Click to expand...
“ A wintering bird in a British location would no doubt break all records for the number of observers paying homage to its presence!”
(Bird guides)
 
  • Like
Reactions: mex
You state; No distinct colour on the body.

So did it look like a predominantly white Blue Tit?

I suppose the possibility of a Leucistic Blue Tit is on the table.

Fingers crossed for Azure though.
 
gramps said:
“ A wintering bird in a British location would no doubt break all records for the number of observers paying homage to its presence!”
(Bird guides)
Click to expand...
Obviously there is for me the uncertainty factor......but its unusual appearance was what caught my eye.
The Weasel said:
You state; No distinct colour on the body.

So did it look like a predominantly white Blue Tit?

I suppose the possibility of a Leucistic Blue Tit is on the table.

Fingers crossed for Azure though.
Click to expand...
A good point, though as I mentioned it looked a tad smaller than the Blue Tit and not as rounded as one.

When it landed on one perch it then went into the ivy on the wall, it found what I thought was an Ivy berry (the birds do love them) and flew with its prize to the now denuded Acer and looked like it was about to peck the berry......however, it opened its beak and the berry escaped and flew off !!!!! I can only surmise it caught a beetle of some sort perhaps a Ladybird?

I would like to hope it might visit again but that more anticipation than expectation :)
 
Have you tried looking at Birdtrack to see if anyone has reported anything similar nearby? .......or a local Bird club sightings page?
 
nc_killie said:
Have you tried looking at Birdtrack to see if anyone has reported anything similar nearby? .......or a local Bird club sightings page?
Click to expand...
No but I do reference GoBirding for Surrey and that can be fairly/variably active

I will look up Birdtrack.
 
Azure tit would certainly turn your garden into a shrine. Let's hope it hangs about a while and gives you enough time to grab a few shots of what ever it might be.
 
If it's an Azure Tit then it is a long, long way from home.

Azure tit
 
FWIW

Though I have not spent time looking for its second(?) visit, we did see a lovely Thrush (Song or Mistle???) in the garden today. This is a very occasional visitor :)
 
jerry12953 said:
Have there ever been any sightings of azure tits in the UK? I suspect not.

TBH identifying birds from someone's verbal description of something they saw for a few seconds is just about impossible.:)
Click to expand...
Indeed, it never came back during any of the following days AFAIK.

The number of birds around are fewer than other years. By count the most abundant are the house Sparrows with a few Blue Tits, Robins & Blackbirds (mostly males)

The Pyracantha bush has been getting continuous attention from the Robin (3 berries per visit) and the Blackbird (6 berries per visit). Plus this morning 4 Wood Pigeons came to eat the berries, this was a first as the branches are a bit whippy and the fruit hard to reach but they took a few berries between them
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top