Small bird in Gloucestershire UK (1 Viewer)

[Sysipha]

Sorry about the poor quality of the photo but is this a Lesser Whitethroat ? Photographed on Cleeve Common near Cheltenham on March 28th. Thankyou.

 

[Simon G]

Looks like a Dunnock.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Looks like a Dunnock.

It does.

 

[JWN Andrewes]

Female Chaffinch for me. Can't see Dunnock at all.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Female Hooded Robin's the best I can do from this pic, but range is a bit off

 

[Andy Adcock]

Female Chaffinch for me. Can't see Dunnock at all.

Well, it's not a Finch type bill, there's no white shoulder bar and those would be very bright legs for a Chaffinch?

 

[JWN Andrewes]

Well, it's not a Finch type bill, there's no white shoulder bar and those would be very bright legs for a Chaffinch?

It's not a great match I admit!

The bill - It's a poor photo, and I think what is seen of the bill is mostly highlight, with a fair part of the substance lost in the haze, but I could be wrong.

The shoulder patch - It's a poor photo, and I suspect much of the shoulder patch is, as can be the case, being covered by mantle/scaps, but I could be wrong.

The legs - it's a poor photo, but what I can see of the leg looks like a brightly lit pinky Chaffinch colour, blending into a brightly lit yellowy green bud on the twig (one of several in this shot), but I could be wrong.

I'm pretty sure I see white edges to the tail and tertials, the hint of a pale (whitish?) patch at the base of the primaries, and a white vent, all problematic for Dunnock. But I could be wrong. It is, after all, a poor photo!

EDIT - Could even go for female Pied Fly, but it feels a little early, and shape and posture look a bit off. Dunno. Odd one.

 

[PYRTLE]

Chaffinch for me, can see a white patch in the wing and head pattern.
P

 

[wheatearlp]

... but whatever it is it's not a Lesser Whitethroat

 

[KenM]

I note it has a ring, do they ring sedentary birds like Dunnock? I presume rightly or wrongly that rings are for “movers”. If that’s the case...with the bird showing a contrasty (narrow) wing bar, and being somewhat overexposed to the 10’ o’clock lighting, possibly Stonechat might be in the frame?..dunno.

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

I agree with all that this is a very difficult bird and a difficult picture due to quality. For me this is neither a Dunnock nor a Chaffinch for the reasons already mentioned, but I think KenM has nailed it:
the bird seems to wear a ring, which is the wrong size for this bird (or is it a trick by the poor picture quality?, as always no offense!). I have seen this sometimes on cagebirds, so I would go in this direction.

 

[RafaelMatias]

There's no ring there. No tarsus is going trough it, this is well visible despite all the photo artifacts. The "ring" seems to be part of the tree.

 

[Earnest lad]

I prefer the Dunnock option in this case.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

I still think female Hooded Robin's the best fit, given the features in the image, though prepared to accept it could be another petroicid

But at the end of the day, if you're discussing whether something's a Dunnock or a Chaffinch, you're basically discussing what features in the image are and aren't real

 

[Fnagwaa]

I'd go pied flycatcher but early indeed, difficult to see prim projection though...

Compare this pic http://www.worldwildlifeimages.com/...+Charlwood+_WorldWildlifeImages_com_.jpg.html

 

[Nutcracker]

I note it has a ring, do they ring sedentary birds like Dunnock? ....

Yes. Longevity, dispersal, etc. (but many Dunnocks are migratory, too) :t:

 

[Larry Sweetland]

I'd go pied flycatcher but early indeed, difficult to see prim projection though...

Compare this pic http://www.worldwildlifeimages.com/...+Charlwood+_WorldWildlifeImages_com_.jpg.html

Agree Pied Fly is a much better fit than Dunnock or Chaffinch, but not as good a fit as Hooded Robin. It is more likely on range than Hooded Robin, even at this time of year, and less likely on range than Dunnock or Robin.

 

[CARERY]

FWIW my first impression was (male, not fully breeding plumage) Black Redstart - would explain the white in the wing. I'm not sure we can be certain about the leg-colour and I also don't think there is a ring... It's too long-tailed for Stonechat and just not right for Dunnock IMO.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Can anyone give me a reason apart from range why it isn't a Hooded Robin?

Stonechat and Black Redstart (along with Robin) were the most sensible 'in range' suggestions that sprung to mind too :smoke:

 

[RafaelMatias]

Can anyone give me a reason apart from range why it isn't a Hooded Robin?

Emarginations don't look right 8-P