[colsworld]

Hi Everyone,

Just a quick introduction, starting to become an avid twitcher over the last year, and just getting to recognise birds and songs. Best sight I have seen has to be Swifts flying around the streets of Corfu Town on Holiday last year.

Question I need to ask, Myself and my partner reckon we may have seen Golden-Orioles in two seperate places over the last month? Is there a chance of this? From my books they seem to prefer to hide out high in trees but we saw them flying away from us? If it is not an Oriole can anyone think of anything else it could be??

[KCFoggin]

Hello there and a very warm welcome to you from the staff here at BirdForum.net.

I'm sure it won't be too long before someone from your neck of the woods can answer your question. Enjoy!

[birdman]

Hi colsworld.

On behalf of all the mods and admin staff, let me wish you a warm WELCOME to BirdForum

To answer your question... if it isn't Golden Orioles you have seen (don't know much about them, but I think sightings in the Bristol area would be unexpected) then perhaps you have seen Yellowhammers... they are much brighter than many new birders expect. Maybe, just maybe Green Woodpecker, which is also bright, but as its name suggests, is green, or perhaps someone's escaped cage-birds - but twice would be "unlucky".

Maybe you really did see Orioles!

[helenol]

Hello Col and welcome to BirdForum.net

Regards

[pduxon]

welcome to the forum colsworld. You sure about the Oriole I always thought they were very localized. As Birdman said could be Yellowhammer (alot smaller) or Green Woodpecker - the female Oriole is confusable I believe. Green Woodpecker spend alot of time on the ground (they eat ants).

[John N]

Hi and Welcome to Birdforum. Personally I have never seen A Golden Oriole so you may need the help of someone far more experienced, but I beleive they can be similar to a Green Woodpecker. Hope this helps. John.

[bristolbirder]

Hi colsworld from a fellow Bristolian!

Have to agree with previous posters and say that it's highly unlikely that you have seen Golden Orioles locally. They were almost certainly Green Woodpeckers, which display a flash of yellow in flight, and which are quite common round these yer parts! I have seen them on many occasion on grassy areas, even though they are next to main roads, and they are always to be found in the local parks.

Hope this helps.

Steve

[colsworld]

Thanks for the replies people. As it happens I saw a Green Woodpecker very closely at work, and can definetely say that it is not what I saw before. I think a yellowhammer would be too small as well, but have not seen one of them yet so cannot compare.

Thanks for the warm welcomes from you all. Feel at home already.

Col

[Beverlybaynes]

Hello, colsworld, and welcome! Glad to hear that you're getting comfortable already!

Hope you enjoy your time here!