# What kind of bird did i see?



## loubyfrog (Feb 29, 2012)

A bird flew into our garden yesterday and had a bit of something to eat......it was one of the most beautiful birds ive ever seen in the U.K,never seen one before and don't know what it was so hope you can help me name it.

It was a little like a chaffinch,reddy brown underside but about 10 times bigger (like a cahffinch on steroids) It was bigger than a blackbird but smaller than a magpie.It had a rather long black beak too.

I was mesmerized by this stunning bird,i tried twice to have a closer peek but it flew away both times so its quite shy unlike the tits and finches that doesn't mind when i'm in the garden.

Soooooo...does anyone know what kind of bird it was?sorry that my description isn't that good.


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## Jonescat (Feb 5, 2012)

Ooh exciting! Redstart?

File:Gekraagde Roodstaart 20040627.JPG - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://www.rspb.org.uk/Images/redst_tcm9-17008.jpg?width=530&crop=(252,438,1482,1130)

Stonechat?

The RSPB: Stonechat

What did it eat when it was there?


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## Sleeping_Lion (Mar 19, 2009)

Possibly a Jay?


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## JANICE199 (Feb 1, 2008)

*Sounds like a jay to me also.... anything like this? *


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## IrishEyes (Jun 26, 2012)

My first thoughts were of a Jay, stunning birds but I've only been lucky to see one twice.


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## Gintam (Jul 1, 2013)

Hi, it also sounds like a Jay to me, we have had one in our garden twice and it took some bread bits I had put down, did not stay took food and flew into tree to eat. Beautiful bird.


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## Phoenix24 (Apr 6, 2013)

Jonescat said:


> Ooh exciting! Redstart?
> 
> File:Gekraagde Roodstaart 20040627.JPG - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> 
> ...


Would have been nice except these birds are both smaller than blackbirds, and are more slender than a chaffinch.


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## rona (Aug 18, 2011)

Couldn't be one of these by any chance?

Hoopoe (Upupa epops)


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## Calinyx (Oct 14, 2011)

Funny....i once called a bullfinch a chaffinch on steroids when i first saw one of them. There's also a brambling that looks like a chaffinch and will often hang around with a group of them.


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## we love bsh's (Mar 28, 2011)

jays are mu OH's favourite bird


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## Valanita (Apr 13, 2010)

rona said:


> Couldn't be one of these by any chance?
> 
> Hoopoe (Upupa epops)


I would be over the moon to get one of these in my garden.


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## rona (Aug 18, 2011)

Valanita said:


> I would be over the moon to get one of these in my garden.


I did see one, many many years ago while visiting my twin.
Couldn't believe my eyes


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## Jonescat (Feb 5, 2012)

I saw one in France once. I was amazed at how small and delicate they were - I was expecting something parrot sized I think!

OP - are any of these what you saw?


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## Phoenix24 (Apr 6, 2013)

You would be incredibly lucky to get a hoopoe!

We could get silly now, but the description given also could have matched:

Bar-tailed godwit (male in summer plumage)

http://www.birdlife.org/images/sized/300/bar_tailed_godwit_dave_bakewell_2.jpg.jpg

Grey phalarope (summer plumage)

http://www.birdholidays.fsnet.co.uk/images/Grey-Phalarope-female.jpg

:biggrin5:


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## Valanita (Apr 13, 2010)

Phoenix24 said:


> You would be incredibly lucky to get a hoopoe!
> 
> We could get silly now, but the description given also could have matched:
> 
> ...


I have seen both, but only here in Winter & in Winter plumage.


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## loubyfrog (Feb 29, 2012)

Sorry for the late reply....been at da seaside for the past few days.

Thanks all for posting the images of all the birdies....Much appreciated as my bird googling efforts were pretty much useless.

I think maybe the pretty bird may have been a jay....it flew into the bird house and gobbled up some seed even though there were plenty of other food (home-made fat ball,peanuts and biscuit crumbs)on the menu.

Are they rare or just shy birds? Hope it comes back again,it was beautiful no matter what it was...if so i'll try and be all stealth like and take a better look.


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## Valanita (Apr 13, 2010)

Not rare, no, but they are rather shy & not often in gardens, unless you live very near a wooded area.


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## Phoenix24 (Apr 6, 2013)

We get the odd jay in the garden from time to time - usually autumn when they are caching food (they like acorns in particular). They are very much woodland birds, hence the oak, but can be found in scrubby or heathland areas too.


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## Phoenix24 (Apr 6, 2013)

Valanita said:


> I have seen both, but only here in Winter & in Winter plumage.


Me too, and certainly not in the garden. Though one year a dunlin flew into a friends garden, probably quite off track!


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## simplysardonic (Sep 1, 2009)

We get jays visiting us quite regularly, although we see more when we walk along the narrow gauge railway, we can get quite close to them if we move carefully enough (or the dogs spot them & bark  )



Valanita said:


> I would be over the moon to get one of these in my garden.


I've never seen them in the UK, but I did see one when I was a child, when I was abroad (can't remember where though)


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## lostbear (May 29, 2013)

Could it be a waxwing?

Birding in Over: Waxwings (scroll down)

They are seasonal, and usually in greedy gorgeous flocks, but it's a possibility.


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## loubyfrog (Feb 29, 2012)

lostbear said:


> Could it be a waxwing?
> 
> Birding in Over: Waxwings (scroll down)
> 
> They are seasonal, and usually in greedy gorgeous flocks, but it's a possibility.


I did think it could've been a Waxwing after the bit of research i did but not quite sure how big they are.

Just wish it would come back...even OH is now thinking i was delusional (as i keep harping on about it) and that it was just a Obese finch.:sosp:


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## lostbear (May 29, 2013)

loubyfrog said:


> I did think it could've been a Waxwing after the bit of research i did but *not quite sure how big they are.*
> 
> Just wish it would come back...even OH is now thinking i was delusional (as i keep harping on about it) and that it was just a Obese finch.:sosp:


About the size of a starling, but - I don't know quite how to describe it - chubbier, but sleek - does that make sense? Probably not - but stand your ground, You SAW it!


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## JANICE199 (Feb 1, 2008)

*My friend has jays visit her garden every day. Along with woodpeckers and all other birds....god i hate her sometimes.*


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## loubyfrog (Feb 29, 2012)

JANICE199 said:


> *My friend has jays visit her garden every day. Along with woodpeckers and all other birds....god i hate her sometimes.*


We had a woodpecker visit last year,Plus some kind of eagle (now....that was HUGE!!)........OH saw them too so i know i wasn't hallucinating about them!! 

I'm now becoming obsessed about this mystery bird....going to refill the coconut shell with a tasty snack to try and tempt it back.

Bill Oddie...eat your heart out


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## JANICE199 (Feb 1, 2008)

loubyfrog said:


> We had a woodpecker visit last year,Plus some kind of eagle (now....that was HUGE!!)........OH saw them too so i know i wasn't hallucinating about them!!
> 
> I'm now becoming obsessed about this mystery bird....going to refill the coconut shell with a tasty snack to try and tempt it back.
> 
> Bill Oddie...eat your heart out


*Jays ( if that is what it was ) love peanuts.*


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## Phoenix24 (Apr 6, 2013)

You don't see many waxwings in the UK outside of the winter season (it is classed as a winter visitor).

BTO BirdFacts | Waxwing


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## AlexArt (Apr 25, 2010)

Could also be a hawfinch - they are pretty big birds and gorgeous, I've only seen one once when we lived down south and it used to visit our bird table!
I do love jays though but tend to be a woodland bird so we don't get very many round here sadly, I saw one once in somerset using wood ants as bug spray - amazing!!


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