• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Bird Spotted Red head white body black wings (2 Viewers)

Ben-in-Devon

New member
This my first post so HELLO!
We clean a holiday home in Axminster Devon, and all the glass in the lounge is filthy we both knew it was a bird but never seen it until yesterday,my wife saw it really close up flapping in the window it was white medium sized body with a red head and black wings.
We've looked up some pictures on Google and it's a USA woodpecker???
Is this common?
(She's 100%)
 
This my first post so HELLO!
We clean a holiday home in Axminster Devon, and all the glass in the lounge is filthy we both knew it was a bird but never seen it until yesterday,my wife saw it really close up flapping in the window it was white medium sized body with a red head and black wings.
We've looked up some pictures on Google and it's a USA woodpecker???
Is this common?
(She's 100%)

Hello Ben
It would Very Very uncommon and highly unlikely

However as the other posters have said try and get a photo that will allow you to get a positive ID

Its usually a Greater Spotted Woody.... a lovely bird too :t:
 
Ben-in-Devon!......If the bird's 'entire' head is red, with c50-50 black/white wings, and a white body with a 'solid black' tail?......expect c5000 people for tea this weekend!
 
Sorry to go a bit off topic, has an American woodpecker species ever been seen in the UK?

I believe Scilly had a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker!...methinks early September
early'80's?..I feel an exact time and location will be forthcoming!

cheers
 
Two records (UK, 4 in WP) of Yellow Bellied Spasucker:
75: Tresco Scilly, 1st winter male 26th Sept to 6th Oct
88 Cork, Cape Clear, 1st winter female,16th to 19th Oct
 
Like flicker and sapsucker, but not the other eastern woodpeckers, red-headed is migratory, so not an impossible occurrence.
 
Thanks for the welcome and all the helpful replies.

Spoke to my Wife again and just wanted to make sure,
The head is completely red so I've trawled all pictures to find the most red headed Great S W and shown her these, but she said "No all red around the eye"
Body is more white and not so flecked height around 200mm++
Black wings.

When the bird was flapping at the window my wife was about a metre away, I need to get a picture!

Lucky guests are at the house at the moment.

I'll try my best.
Ben

BTW I don't think it's going anywhere it loves the reflection.
 
Last edited:
I'm loving peoples optimism here!

Have you considered other birds, Goldfinch?

R.

Ben!....here are two images of Goldfinch!...perhaps either yourself, or your wife..might like to eliminate these from your considerations...

cheers
 

Attachments

  • Def.Gldfnch.on feeder perch.jpeg
    Def.Gldfnch.on feeder perch.jpeg
    69.4 KB · Views: 500
  • Gldfnch.wings outstretched.jpeg
    Gldfnch.wings outstretched.jpeg
    99.8 KB · Views: 413
Warning! This thread is more than 13 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top