Mixed flock of finches (1 Viewer)

[joannec]

Mixed flock of finches All day there has been a delightful mixed flock of finches on my patch in Sussex, about 20 chaffinches, 10 greenfinches, 8 goldfinches and 3 or 4 of what look like serins but I am doubtful as I don't think they should be here. They are too small to be yellowhammers and are not siskins. The males are very yellow and they most look like serins in my field guide. Any id help ?
Joanne

 

[joannec]

I just realized that by accident I put this in the members forum. Can it be changed to the bird forum? Thanks.
Joanne

 

[Keith Dickinson]

Serin is a possibility as you do get occassional late birds. How heavy is the streaking on the birds? Is there a supercilium (streak above the eye), and how long is it?

 

[HH75]

Hi there,
Serins are still quite rare in the UK, could these birds have been Siskins?
Regards,
Harry

 

[joannec]

The females are quite streaky on the belly and breast and mostly brown on top, less yellow than the males. The head and breast of the males is bright yellow especially on top but the breast also bright. The back ogf the males is streaky yellow/green/brown, less bright than the head and breast. They definately aren't siskins, no black cap, but about that size, perhaps a little bigger but smaller than a greenfinch. I didn't especially notice a streak above the eye but they were flitting about alot.

 

[Keith Dickinson]

Hi Joanne,
I've copied these from BWPi, hope this makes it easier to be sure of the id. Serin are passage migrants and rare breeding birds in the south. Passage usually over by end of Oct, but could be late birds. :t:

 

[dbradnum]

I think you'll find that your birds are probably Siskins, just not adult males. The females and young birds are much less smartly marked, and don't have the black cap you mention. Take a look at the following:

<photo one>, <photo two>, <photo three>

There is some variation in plumage brightness, and the strength of the streaking according to age and sex.

The chances of more than one Serin in the same place in the UK in November are almost vanishingly small, to be realistic - sorry! Nice selection of birds to have nearby, though - watch out for Hawfinch and Redpoll, since both have been on the move in small numbers recently.

 

[joannec]

Thanks for the pictures Dbradnum and Keith. The birds I saw were yellower than Dbradnums juvenile siskins and I have to say most like Keiths pictures of the serins, both m and f. I have never seen serins before and I don't like to jump to conclusions as I am cautious with my ids. There were 3, 1 m and 2 f, at least among my flock of finches but they are now gone. They hung around with the chaffinches and others for most of Tuesday.
Joanne

 

[mcapper]

Looks like a case of the one(s) that got away!

Matthew