Mystery passerine from Feb 2012, probably Manchester UK (1 Viewer)

Just came across this one while going through old photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/126840895@N05/16467346071/in/dateposted-public/

Doesn't look right for Blackcap (which would perhaps be the most obvious ID suggestion) - looks spotted or streaked underneath. I think it might be something made to look like it has plumage features it actually doesn't by light and shadow. The photo before it (taken a couple of minutes apart) looks like a Song Thrush, but I'm not convinced it's the same bird, even though the tree background looks very similar (it could have been taken in one of several parks in Manchester... or even somewhere else, but all the photos in the same folder on my computer are from Manchester parks)... any other suggestions? I feel like it's probably something really obvious and I just need to factor out something that's an optical illusion, but I don't know which bit that is!

Has a big eyed flycatcher look - spotted?
Paul

Female Blackcap for me.

The flickr page says the pic was taken in February, so Spotty Fly isn't an option!

Why not a female Blackbird from a strange angle? Tail looks quite long to me.

dan pointon said:

Why not a female Blackbird from a strange angle? Tail looks quite long to me.

Click to expand...

Completely baffled when I first saw this, but I think Dan's got it. One of those instances when a bit of shadow can very much alter the look of otherwise familiar birds.

James

Female Blackbird is a persuasive suggestion, but the only thing keeping me from fully accepting it is how pale the unshadowed part of the face looks. I know they're variable, is this within normal variation?