Harley Posted June 15, 2006 Share Posted June 15, 2006 I think Chris may be able to help with this one. Mum is visiting at the moment and just before she came away (from the UK) she noticed 3 birds in the garden that she has never seen before. They were brown, about sparrow size with sharp pointed beaks (like a robin). They had a bright yellow flash down the outside edge of their wings, maroon colour on their head and six distinctive white spots down their back. Quite sleek looking.Any ideas anyone?Thanks[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixietoadstool Posted June 15, 2006 Share Posted June 15, 2006 Maybe goldfinches? Valerie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris pp Posted June 16, 2006 Share Posted June 16, 2006 I think that Valerie is right, no other bird fits that description. Try this photo, it's on my site and it possibly gives a better idea of colours. This one is taken in bright sunlight, on an overcast day it would appear much duller.Chris.L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted June 16, 2006 Share Posted June 16, 2006 And I think both Valerie and Crispy are right! They love teasel/niger seeds from hanging feeders - or if you have a wild bit in your garden, you can grow teasels easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted June 16, 2006 Share Posted June 16, 2006 That's not strange - that's beautiful!The Green Parrokeets at school are strange... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted June 16, 2006 Share Posted June 16, 2006 They are. And the great thing is they normally come in flocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted June 16, 2006 Share Posted June 16, 2006 Yes - huge great noisy mobs. My pal Alan lives in Twickenham, and they drive him demented flocking in his garden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted June 17, 2006 Share Posted June 17, 2006 He should just get some earplugs and enjoy the sight! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted June 17, 2006 Share Posted June 17, 2006 Ah, but he is the man that grumpy old men are named after. If he can't hear them he can't rant on about them for hours...You should hear his opinions on herons. If you've got half an hour to spare... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Roy Posted June 17, 2006 Share Posted June 17, 2006 [quote user="Dick Smith"]Yes - huge great noisy mobs. My pal Alan lives in Twickenham, and they drive him demented flocking in his garden.[/quote]They are Ringneck parakeets, we used to breed them when we lived in Norfolk. You can get them in a beautiful light blue and a pure white - but they will revert to green through breeding eventually if they are in the wild. They do make a bit of a racket when they get going, I must admit!They cost a fortune to buy over here as a breeding pair[:(] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted June 17, 2006 Share Posted June 17, 2006 Why are they in the wild??? I thought that they were an Aussie bird and native there, not England? Oh, probably the same reason as the grey squirrels are now wild in England. Carefull breederz?John (wild in France, but not breeding!![kiss]) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris pp Posted June 17, 2006 Share Posted June 17, 2006 They are in France as well, some quite large populations around Paris, I thought I saw one near here earlier this year and I'm in the middle of no where. As far as I know they are not a problem for any native species (apart from Dicks mate in Twickers).Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 We were watching them tonight, they were listening to the Eagles concert at Twickenham...Very pretty grass-green colour, well camouflaged in the trees, noisy and very restless. They don't seem to interact with anything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 [quote user="Dick Smith"] they were listening to the Eagles concert at Twickenham...[/quote]Not much better than the parakeets. Eagles just go 'EE-ak EE-ak', don't they? Can't see the entertainment value in that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Roy Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 [quote user="Jonzjob"] Why are they in the wild??? I thought that they were an Aussie bird and native there, not England? Oh, probably the same reason as the grey squirrels are now wild in England. Carefull breederz?John (wild in France, but not breeding!![kiss])[/quote]They originate from India and unfortunately they manage to escape sometimes. Although I am sure there are people who buy them from pet shops thinking they are nice looking, then don't like the noise so let them go![:@] We lost one for nearly a week once, and could see him in the surrounding trees and eventually the calling of his mate brought him back [:)]This link shows the colours that are possible, although the real wild ones are always green. They are a beautiful bird and quite comical sometimes if you watch them.http://animal-world.com/encyclo/birds/parakeets/RingneckParakeet.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harley Posted June 18, 2006 Author Share Posted June 18, 2006 Have shown mum the picture and she says no. The body was dark brown, the whole head red and the wing had a single straight flash of yellow on the outer edge. The white spots started at the shoulder. They had the beak of an insect eater and were looking under the tiles on the roof as though searching for insects.[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris pp Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 Well, I'll have to through my hands up on this one, I can't think of any other bird that fits the description.Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharkhunter Posted June 18, 2006 Share Posted June 18, 2006 Don't suppose a lesser spotted woodpecker would fit the bill, no pun intended [:)] Maybe not brown but certainly dark, has white spots and some red on its head ?????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris pp Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 It's the yellow flash on the wing that causes the problems Hugh. I suspect, and I hope that this is taken in the right way, that the "mental picture" of what was seen isn't 100% correct.Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 As Crispy said, trying to recall the exact details of a bird you've seen is notoriously difficult, especially once it's gone. I even find it hard when the bird's in front of me and I've got my reference book open! I reckon the goldfinch is still favourite. Hugh's lesser spotted is a good call for a second shot but three of them together seems unlikely. An even longer shot would be swallows, given the red splash on the head and the fact they were messing about on the roof, but no yellow there either and white underneath.[img]http://www.normandie-chambres.co.uk/pics/swallow2.jpg[/img]Not the best pic but it's all I've got. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris pp Posted June 19, 2006 Share Posted June 19, 2006 Final fling from Chris, don't anyone say I don't keep trying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixietoadstool Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 Is that a female green finch?It doesn't have a red head and it is mostly a seed feeder too. The yellow flash is certainly there though!Valerie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcazar Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 [quote user="chris pp"]Final fling from Chris, don't anyone say I don't keep trying. [/quote]It's beak looks like it just tried to eat a lemon[:D]Alcazar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 [quote user="Pixietoadstool"]Is that a female green finch?It doesn't have a red head and it is mostly a seed feeder too. The yellow flash is certainly there though!Valerie[/quote]Yes, it's a greenfinch. We get a few bird casualties each year crashing into our windows and doors and they seem to be the most prone to it. Tried sticking up bird of prey outlines in red, yellow and black on the windows which has helped a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris pp Posted June 20, 2006 Share Posted June 20, 2006 Yep, it's a female green-finch, but I assuming that it has to be "a looks like". If you get the light in a certain direction the top of the head can get a brownish/reddish look with an overall brown appearance for the rest of the bird, tis true that it is primarily a seed eater but they happily eat just as many insects.I'm trying aren't I?Chrispy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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