Bird ID Confirmation Please ?

IanC_UK

IanC_UK

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Ian Cook
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Is this a young Sparrow ? or something else !

Taken in my parents garden from about 4 foot away with the 100-400 !!! lol

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Thanks in advance :)
 
It looks quite big Ian. but that's probably because you don't normally get that close to them. I'd guess a young female house sparrow but I could well be wrong.
 
Well i'm probably wrong but there are 5 types of sparrow and it doesn't seem to have the same facial markings as any of them, nor the specs on it's back like a sparrow. Err, i'm no bird expert though.
 
Thats not a sparrow Im sure. I will try to find out.
 
It's causing some here too! Ive been thru every bird on the RSPB website and cant find it. The closest I can find is a Nightingale but even that isnt very close.
Its the light gold coloured eye that is the problem...most birds dont have those light eyes. The yellow at bill base is not indicative of a juvenile, it isnt that leathery stuff the juveniles have..it is actual feathers above and below.
I thought its face looked quite like a cuckoo...but it isnt.
Im sure it is too early to be a juvenile anything.

I will keep hunting!! :D
 
I agree...thats what I first thought...but ive trawled the list of warblers (UK) and nothing with that yellow around beak. Perhaps he's been eating the oilseed rape flowers? :D

The beak looks slightly too chunky for a warbler, theirs are quite slim I think.
This has given me something to do instead of housework!! :woot:
 
Ive looked through all our native species of warblers and pipits and none have those noticeable light eyes. They all have dark eyes.
At this time of year could be a migrant but I dont know how you'd find out.
 
The body is certainly similar, Ian. But the lesser whitethroat has a very slim bill from the side...and no yellow....and dark eyes! :shake:
 
IanC_UK said:
could it be a female common whitethroat ?
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Well that's what I was thinking and the book i'm looking through shows light eyes on the male and female in spring.
 
Well I reckon you're right! And I think it may well have been dipping into the oilseed rape flowers for insects....what do you think?
 
Janice said:
Well I reckon you're right! And I think it may well have been dipping into the oilseed rape flowers for insects....what do you think?
Click to expand...
It says they take nectar and pollen from flowers in spring....
 
Thats it then. Great work, Ian. A new breed on here I think!
They are only here between April and September, and are very secretive so you have earned a few brownie points for that one! ;)
 
Well thanks all for looking and making suggestions, i think i can safely say its a female Common Whitethroat :) cool :) never even seen one before ! makes a difference from Sparrows, and the facgt it let me sooo close to take these pics is even more amazing !

I am in Spalding in Lincolnshire at my parents, so we are surrounded by flowers and pollen, especially as the annual flower parade has just taken place ;)
 
Great thread, knowing nothing about these things myself I thought that there was going to be the discovery of a new species with all the suggestions but no definite answers;)

Good to see that answers were found in the end(y)
 
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