bunting maybe? UK (8 Viewers)

[dantheman]

Dan,

I'll juice up the yellow tones on it and post 2moro. See what occurs.

Cheers (and on the 100th post!)

And of course I was always saying all along it might be a Corn Bunting . . lol

Looking forward to it . . .

 

[phil baber]

In response to Dan’s post, I fiddled again in Photoshop.
I tweaked stuff to adjust it for Yellowhammer.
See what you all think….

The second of the original pics does show a pale nape patch, indicative of Yellowhammer. And that split crown?
And did the camera pick out the chestnutty tones of the mantle and make some (moi included) think of Reed?
Then why was there a feint yellowish wash on the originals?
The bill looking hefty, I now believe, it is a ‘camera lie’, and I don’t think you can rely on any of the bill tones captured, or tweak them.

I’ve already changed my mind once after photoshopping the bunt.
Would changing it a second time make me the biggest stringer this year, or get us all closer to resolution? (4 pages!!!)
Is Dan right? Has the new tweaking shown it to be a Yellowhammer?
Whatever, somehow this has turned out to be the most entertaining thread I’ve seen!

And nobody’s lost it! (Yet!)

PS Dan. Download IRFANVIEW for free. It’s much simpler, and you can do a lot of this stuff without all the hassle. It’s great fun! Even my rabbit can use it. It’s turning Dunnocks into Lancys even as I write!

PPS Yay! 100th customer on this thread! I dread to think what the prize is? (Another 100 posts i'll bet!):-O

 

[CAU]

It's a Corn Bunting. If you're worried about the split crown, look at the attachment in post #50, and if you're worried about the nape patch, look at this photo:
http://birdblog.merseyblogs.co.uk/corn29.10.jpg

 

[deborah4]

I'm sure the Yellowhammer idea is tongue in cheek CAU .... but a yellow Corn Bunting sure looks pretty lol!

 

[Flemingo]

Out looking at Corn buntings in the field at the weekend and with them fresh in my mind I look at the photo and I still can't see one!!

 

[phil baber]

I'm sure the Yellowhammer idea is tongue in cheek CAU .... but a yellow Corn Bunting sure looks pretty lol!

What about this one then? It's a bit more yellow?

I wonder if it looked like this when it flew away??? :flyaway:

 

[Jan-Paul Charteris]

It's obviously been at the cider too much as its looking more and more jaundiced as the photos go on I must admit I'm firmly of the opinion that this is a Corn Bunting, but at the same time my initial gut reaction on the first thumbnail was Rustic Maybe it was just the apparently raised crown and incorrect colour reproduction. They aren't species I'd normally expect to confuse.

Jan

 

[phil baber]

So, i've done a tweaked version aiming at Rustic.

 

[Jan-Paul Charteris]

So, i've done a tweaked version aiming at Rustic.

Nice one! a local mega. I'll just have to wear some rustic tinted lenses and ignore the flock of rustic tinted birds it's with when I twitch it 8-P Mind you, I need Corn Bunting for the year list so I'll just take my sea-spray tinted bins

Jan

 

[phil baber]

Pagan,

Looks like you'll get quite a few year-ticks and some juicy lifers when you get up there!
Now we know Photoshop is the ultimate stringing tool.

This thread has been so well-natured. Good that people can keep a sense of humour! Sad about what happened to Deborah over her Iceland Gull :C Maybe some people could learn from this thread, and be nice. As far as i'm concerned any info is good info.

Happy Bunting watching! Whatever they are!:bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::::t:

 

[Tib78]

Hi,

We had exactly the same problem in a French birding forum with a bird that was obvioulsy a bunting on a poor quality photo (no offence).
People were hesitating between Corn, Reed and Yellowhammer (interestingly the 3 commonest buntings in northern France...).

I think we can't rely on the color of the pic, because they just look too warm and...misleading.
I really can't see a Yellowhammer...face pattern looks wrong in my opinion.

My best bet is Corn Bunting but I am not 100% sure.
I found some pics of quite "Warm-colored" Corn bunting...see what you think of it...

 

[Tib78]

Here is the original pic after it was "photoshoped" by myself...

 

[gerdwichers8]

If this could still be of any help, I considered this bird since yesterday and after some thoughts it to be unidentifiable, it mostly settles as a Corn Bunting.

 

[Howard King]

have watched from afar but can't resist to join in even at this late stage of this very entertaining thread I vote Corn Bunting

 

[dantheman]

PS Dan. Download IRFANVIEW for free. It’s much simpler, and you can do a lot of this stuff without all the hassle. It’s great fun! Even my rabbit can use it. It’s turning Dunnocks into Lancys even as I write!

I'll give it a go (might have to get the hamster to give me a hand mind ) In France at the mo, so will try when I return.

RE the bird. No magic bullet then. Cheers for giving it a go, of course, I am fairly disapointed (and slightly surprised) that no 'obvious' Yellowhammer has appeared!!!!! Of course the 'Yellowhammer lacking all yellow tones' as described in both Macmillans etc could still hold....

For me, with my limited experience, I do find it hard to see a Corn Bunting, but for now will bow to superior wisdoms and drop this particular little bunting issue ... (Unless Hammy the 3rd can come up with anything... )

At the end of the day, been an informative and interesting thread, hark back to some of the wise comments made back on page 3.

Cheers.

Dan

 

[John Cantelo]

For me, with my limited experience, I do find it hard to see a Corn Bunting, but for now will bow to superior wisdoms ........

You'll be agreeing with me then ....

 

[tittletattler]

Taken today on Sheppey.

Both very similar to the bird in this thread. The 2nd image is of the smallest bird out of a flock of about 15 birds. Note the bill colour.

 

[deborah4]

Bill colour looks perfectly in range for CB to me, pale pinkish/yellow low.mand, with grey upper edge on the upper mandible as the original pic seems to show. Nice example of how CBs can also show quite a strong pale median crown 'stripe'

 

[phil baber]

Looks like a Corn Consensus is being finally reached. Seeing these new photos (which are great by the way!) just goes to show that Corn Buntings can turn themselves into many different buntings on a less than clear digital image. Rather in the manner of Dunnocks and Robins turning themselves into Lancys and Bluethroats etc at. coastal hotspots!

PS I tried photoshopping the bunt to make it even yellower, but i ended up with Tweety-Pie!

 

[tittletattler]

Bill colour looks perfectly in range for CB to me, pale pinkish/yellow low.mand, with grey upper edge on the upper mandible as the original pic seems to show. Nice example of how CBs can also show quite a strong pale median crown 'stripe'

Indeed Deborah. I would guess (wildly) that the smaller and less obvious CB (right hand bird) is a 2cy bird which perhaps the original bird in this thread was too. Surprising how similar to a Yellowhammer it looks. I did see it in flight and it also called before anyone says "why isn't it a Yellowhammer?"

Also had a Waxwing fly over as I took these shots, which was nice.

Useful thread, this one, as it made me look at and study some Corn Buntings in the field.