Bird ident please?

[Jonzjob]

Has anyone any idea what this lovely little warbler, I think, is please?

[URL=http://s47.photobucket.com/user/Jonzjob/media/Nature/Little%20warbler%201_zpswr8gdctl.jpg.html][IMG]http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f180/Jonzjob/Nature/Little%20warbler%201_zpswr8gdctl.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

The poor little thing flew into our kitchen window yesterday. After a rest in my hands and on the side of a lined box we keep handy it flew off. So we hope that it survived!

[URL=http://s47.photobucket.com/user/Jonzjob/media/Nature/Little%20warbler%202_zpsecn63elq.jpg.html][IMG]http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f180/Jonzjob/Nature/Little%20warbler%202_zpsecn63elq.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

It was so calm in my hands and weighed in at about 1/2 of nothing.

The old saying goes that the bird in the hand, etc. well I normally find that the bird in my hand does it on my wrist, or a small one like this, on my hand [:-))]

[Yonner]

I think its a seagul J.

[ventodue]

Wow ! This is a good one, John!

It’s a sub-adult of either Siskin, Carduelis spinus, Fr. Tarin des aulnes; or of Citril Finch, Serinus citronella, Fr. Venturon montagnard.

1. First off, it’s a finch, not a warbler - bill shape and size tell us that.

2. By the colouration, it’s one of the green finches. But the wing bars rule out Greenfinch.

3. So that leaves us with either Siskin or Citril Finch. These two species are very similar - both have double wing-bars, for example, more or less yellow according to the sex and the time of year. But which?

To be honest, I’m not sure. It doesn’t help that your bird hasn’t yet put on full adult dress.

1. Against Citril Finch is the fact that Citril Finch is really a bird of the mountains - viz. the French name - from where it doesn’t move much. Nearest typical habitat to you would be the Pyrenees or the Montage Noire. That’s not to say one couldn’t turn up in the plains, but it would be unusual.

2. Against Siskin is that your bird shows very little belly streaking. Even the juveniles have this and it’s retained into adulthood. Your bird does have some light streaking, but it’s on the back; but this is right for Citril. Sub-adult Siskin should also show something of a pale supercilium - I can’t see anything on yours. For a first year bird, the sides of the face should also typically be browner, rather than grey. However, confusingly, female Siskins tend to go greyer around the face in the winter. So no great clue there!

3. For Citril Finch is the tail which is quite long - Siskin is relatively short.

4. For Siskin is the pale area at the base of the primaries (I think that's where it is ...). I can't find any references to this showing in Citril.

So, conclusion: Err, not sure!

Craig

[Jonzjob]

OK, there are lots of different makes of seagulls. So which one [8-)] Don't say it's a albitruss either, cause it ain't that big. (OK that's got that knutter out of the way [Www]. Nearly as bad as Wooly [:-))] )

I posted this on several forums and the consensus seems to be a juvenile chaffinch and looking at a load of photos of it I would tend to agree.

We get lots of them here in our garden but were a bit thrown that there

could be youngsters around this early, but the weather has been so very

mild??

Edit : -  I nearly forgot to say that it was defiantly a wobbler 'cause it was terribly unstable on its feet [blink]

[Yonner]

It was me wot answered on the other forum John, hence the seagull quip. (Did you spot the question about your wood turning)

I'm no expert, but it may be a young 'un from last year, not put his/her first years feathers on yet.

[HoneySuckleDreams]

for me it's a normal Chaffinch - 1st year Juvenile

 

Citril fiches are a lot greener and Siskins have a barred front

[Al Rogers]

My go-to birdman (who somehow managed to avoid a stretch in Alcatraz) confirms it's a chaffinch – Fringilla Coelebs. He says it looks like a female, not yet full-grown. Good shots of a delightful little creature.

[andyh4]

http://didier.oiseaux.net/pinson.des.arbres.2.html#monde

http://didier.oiseaux.net/pinson.des.arbres.3.html#monde

[Jonzjob]

I think that we are agreed that it is indeed a chaffinch.

I have put raptor silhouettes in front of the big windows that form the front of our house, but they still hit them occasionally. They are wonderful to hold and admire but I would much rather see them at a slight distance. This is one of those silhouettes

[URL=http://s47.photobucket.com/user/Jonzjob/media/Nature/1st%20snow%202016_zps0i2cdubw.jpg.html][IMG]http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f180/Jonzjob/Nature/1st%20snow%202016_zps0i2cdubw.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

This has to be my favourite, a siskin. It started in my hand, climbed onto my arm and then up to where you see it there

[URL=http://s47.photobucket.com/user/Jonzjob/media/Nature/Johnampsiskin4_zps88dba195.jpg.html][IMG]http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f180/Jonzjob/Nature/Johnampsiskin4_zps88dba195.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[woolybanana]

Poor beast, just about to be eaten by a hairy monster, or did it want to mate, or even nest in that truly threatening, old man's beard???!!!

Nah, it was too terrified to move.

By the way jj, just put a foto of yourself in your big windows, that should scare off anything live, even the postie!

[Jonzjob]

You really are a silly-billy Wooly, it isn't a hairy monster, it's a delightful likkle feathry birdypoo [kiss]

I tried a banananana silly-wet there. It worked a treat for a while. They just fell on the terrace in fits of birdy laughter for a while. That was until they realised that it was just a slippery skin situation [:-))] They just had la peau glissante moment [blink]

Cheeky sod, frighten le facteur indeed [:-))]

[Alan Zoff]

Ooops. Seems I have logged into CBeebies by mistake.

[woolybanana]

Some good stuff on CBeebies. Glad you enjoy it. My favourite is 'In the Night Garden', and yours?

[ventodue]

My, am I the Stupid One! Sorry John, and thanks to everyone else for pointing out my foolishness: yes, of course it's a Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs, Fr. Pinson des arbres.

Duh! Apologies again!

[Ever overthink things? Yeah, well, happens ... :-)) ]

[Jonzjob]

As long as the apology was said kneeling down on sharp stones I 'think' that I can accept it [8-)]

Oh, OK, no need for the sharp stones [8-|]

[ventodue]

It was, John, it was ....

Actually, I'm still trying to work out how I could have been so dumb .  But keep that between you and me, will you?

Craig