I was walking in my normal patch in South Devon and heard a great deal of noise coming from a tree. On inspection approx 90 small birds, about the size of sparrows, were making the noise and they would suddenly take off and forage in a field filled with stubble of last years sweetcorn crop. On inspection they had small grey, bunting like bills, dark eye lines and their breasts were streaked at the top and sides.There was a suggestion of a light supercilium. On some of the birds this streaking was less pronounced and the feathers had more of a reddish tinge under the throat turning to a golden grey down the sides. The leg were black and the back of the bird was brown with a pattern not disimilar to a dunnock or pipit. When disturbed they would fly back to the top of the tree or telephone wire before swooping down as a flock to the field again.
I have not seen this type of bird on my patch before (kept daily records for 5 years).
I wondered if these were linnets (did not have grey heads) or twite or if anyone has any other ideas? I did manage to get a few photos but unfortunately am not IT literate enough to load them when the computer said they were the wrong size!
I have not seen this type of bird on my patch before (kept daily records for 5 years).
I wondered if these were linnets (did not have grey heads) or twite or if anyone has any other ideas? I did manage to get a few photos but unfortunately am not IT literate enough to load them when the computer said they were the wrong size!
