bleached photo warning: bird in pine tree | Ees, Netherlands | February 2023 (1 Viewer)

[HouseCrow]

A fellow volunteer nature guide posted this in our appgroup, I suggested i have a go at it, and then i got stuck fast.

Of course, the bird on this bleached out phone photo is near impossible to ID with certainty, but I still think it may be helpful in some ways to look at bad photos and try to decipher the keypoints that are valuable for an ID.... for future queries.

This bird was briefly seen perched in a pine tree (near here: 52.889565987402925, 6.82092421970463)
size estimated as Magpie size, but I can't belief that is right... would Hawfinch be too far fetched to your trained eyes?

Any thoughts?

photos are 2mb originals, no crops added

Hope to hear from you
cheers
Housecrow

PS. Next time will be something Japanese again no doubt






PS. Next time will be something Japanese again no doubt

 

[RafaelMatias]

Of course, the bird on this bleached out phone photo is near impossible to ID with certainty, but I still think it may be helpful in some ways to look at bad photos and try to decipher the keypoints that are valuable for an ID.... for future queries.

I'd say it's 100% impossible to ID with certainty. This said, it reminds me of Brambling

 

[KenM]

Posture, structure, deep bill, wing colour and wing bar position are commensurate with Hawfinch imo.

Cheers

 

[THE_FERN]

Posture, structure, deep bill, wing colour and wing bar position are commensurate with Hawfinch imo.

Cheers

A highly leucistic individual..

 

[dantheman]

Hawfinch seems a pretty reasonable shout imo - jizz/structure (chunky, triangular bill(?), short tail), that white wing bar and face 'markings'

Can't see a Brambling myself, but would Chaffinch have to be ruled out? Can Hawfinch raise their head/crest feathers? (that would be a negative if not)


What species of pine is it?? ;-)

 

[vergan]

Hawfinch seems very reasonable, given the conditions, to me.

 

[RafaelMatias]

size estimated as Magpie size

Failed to read this bit. Size is notoriously difficult to determine on lone birds as we all know, but regardless of accuracy, agree Hawfinch would then be plausible, yes.

 

[Stonefaction]

I'd go for Mistle Thrush (I think the 'bill' isn't an accurate representation of what is actually there, based on the level of detail the camera is producing).

 

[HouseCrow]

Thanks all for your views. The exact type of tree has not been determined... Probably a typical Dutch small fir tree spec plantation.
Mistle Thrush, that may be a good option. Accepting some photo distortion....

I will try to get a little more info on the fir tree and exact location.

Cheers
H

 

[Redmist]

The angle and perspective are not the easiest, but the tail looks a bit long for hawfinch for me. I’m not brave enough to make another suggestion though…

 

[HouseCrow]

I have finally been able to add the location, and in this case more importantly, the tree where the bird was seen. It is most likely a spruce.

However, a long back and forth on whatsapp with the observer makes me think @Stonefaction might be correct here: Mistle Thrush.
The birds (there now turned out to be 2 birds) flew off a bit kestrel-like, flying near the ground to the next perch (not seen). She keeps thinking of Northern Wheatear, which is not an option this time of year. The clear grey areas and the lack of breast spotting she had seen may be an effect of the sun, or simply something missed.
All in all I think it is unlikely to stick to Hawfinch for this. Mistle Thrush is for many of us a rather enigmatic bird, not often seen, bigger than our other thrushes, very different looking in some respects and sometimes almost simply Song Thrush-like...

Thanks for participating in this search. If you have a different view or extra info....please comment

cheers,
Gerben

 

[jogresh]

First impression is Mistle Thrush

 

[Stonefaction]

HouseCrow - here are a few photos to support my suggestion of Mistle Thrush. the first shows the large triangular undertail area. The second photo is the first one badly edited to try to replicate the feel and angle of the original photos. The pale wing panel area (visible in your pic1) and pale-ish face are quite noticeable in this one. The third pic is a vaguely similar angle. Supporting evidence for me is that the bird is perched right at the top of the tree, something which I often see Mistle Thrush do. While searching I did find a few that also suggested how the resolution of the photos may have arrived at the triangular 'bill' shape but if you half close your eyes and look at the first photo it is possible to get an impression of that effect.

 

[HouseCrow]

As I wrote in my last reply, I think you nailed it with Mistle Thrush. I still fail to see the features you mention in the observer's phone shots, though. Partly because I cannot see beyond the blurriness anymore... The undertail is bleached out completely in her shots isn't it?

Mistle THrush it most likely is...is the best we can do with these shots.
Thanks all for having a look

cheers
G

.

 

[jogresh]

Genuine apologies, my initial scan was sloppy and brief, and after a better look I think Hawfinch the most likely culprit, tho I agree that we can't be certain! Soz for (perhaps) muddying the waters. 🤦‍♂️