id from description, no photo, cheshire, uk (1 Viewer)

[bartolli]

My sister in law saw this bird on her feeder in mollington, adjacent to farmed fields: about blackbird size; bright rosy pink underside; grey back + top of head; black "zorro" mask from beak through eyes; long thin beak.

My suggestions, all rejected, included: jay, redstart, nuthatch, wheatear, bullfinch, et al!

Looking through my bird books hasn't helped. Any suggestions welcomed!

Ta!

 

[JustinG]

Rose-coloured Starling

 

[Jos Stratford]

Sounds a little like a Brahminy Starling, would be an escape.

 

[Woody67]

Rose Coloured has a complete black and is pinkish on the back . Although Nuthatch is not Blackbird size the description of grey back and top of head and Zorro mask from beak through eyes would suggest Nuthatch.

 

[bartolli]

Ta for the suggestions, Googled some images + both negative. General comment from s-I-l + missus that the back and top of head was grey with the black mask just through the eyes to the beak. they added that this bird was very distinctive and stood out from the usual visitors.
Many thanks.

 

[condliffen]

Sounds like red backed shrike to me. Have you checked that in any pics?

 

[condliffen]

Sorry - great grey shrike. (Didn't read the back colour properly!)

 

[ClarkWGriswold]

Not pink underneath B but what about a juvenile Green Woody?

Rich

 

[Woody67]

Not pink underneath and has a green back.

 

[condliffen]

Lesser grey shrike has pink underneath, but is it likely to be round there?

 

[Woody67]

Nor does it have a long thin beak.

 

[condliffen]

Just trying to get as close as possible to the description given. One or two aspects of the field ID may be inaccurate.

 

[condliffen]

Nuthatch sounds best, but size would have been misjudged.

 

[Woody67]

I agree, sometimes when a bird is viewed from a distance and there are no other birds in the immediate area for size comparison the size of the bird could be misjudjed.

 

[condliffen]

@Bartolli: on what basis was nuthatch rejected? Did you show them pics? Very common to get nuthatches coming to feeders.

 

[bartolli]

Hi folks! As I thought of possibilities and as everyone makes suggestions, I'm showing them photos. I did think of lesser/great grey shrikes but beak is apparently totally wrong. I tried nuthatch as it sounded v likely, but this was a definite no, mainly down to size, but also "it didn't look like that". Distance from the bird was less than 20 ft.

Would agree that some aspects of the description may not be spot on, esp as they are not birdwatchers.

Many thanks for the suggestions so far.

 

[Tiraya]

Sparrowhawk possibly?

 

[pianoman]

I think Wheatear...buff underparts could look pink in some lights.

 

[ChrisBish]

On a feeder - Nuthatch surely? They are quite bulky and appear bigger than they are and would be the first thing to rule out on description and behaviour (Wheatear on a feeder?!!!). Depending on the type of feeder, the posture may have been very different to the Google images of a bird crawling along on a branch too...

 

[bartolli]

Thanks for all the comments, I'm inclined to think it was prob a nuthatch, even though sil + missus keep rejecting the various nuthatch photos I show them! Maybe they'll manage a photo next time.