Stonefaction
Dundee Birding....(target 150 in 2024).
Lou, while searching for photos of Linnets etc looking long legged (on swaying branches, stood in water etc) I found this young Stonechat opposite a Chaffinch on a short sequence of photos I have from a few years ago. The bill looks thin in all 4 photos, as I would expect a Stonechat's bill to look. The one in the original photo, even allowing for foreshortening looks different to what I would expect to see (which may not be what I WOULD see in reality).
Also the relative size of the eye to the head looks more Twite/Redpoll/Linnet than Stonechat to me in the original pic, and the fluffed up appearance gives a roughly finch-like head and shoulders profile, much more so than I can find in any Stonechat photo of mine (and a quick scan on google). Being indecisive I can argue with myself for both Stonechat and Finch with myself on this one.
Now, I know you and Andrew (who I have had the pleasure of having met) are much more experienced birders than me (as are probably at least some of the others on this thread), however I don't think I, personally, would be comfortable enough putting a definite ID, one way or another, on this bird if this photo was all I had to go on (unlikely in the field).
I have just enough doubts for me to choose to sit on the fence (My Redpoll suggestion was just that - a suggestion based on my interpretation of the jizz). On the balance of probability it is likely you guys are indeed correct. I'm not doubting you, I'm just trying to see what you are seeing (I do follow your reasoning for it being a Stonechat).
Do we know if Pancho has any other photos of this bird? If so, I would be interested in seeing them (no matter the quality).
Also the relative size of the eye to the head looks more Twite/Redpoll/Linnet than Stonechat to me in the original pic, and the fluffed up appearance gives a roughly finch-like head and shoulders profile, much more so than I can find in any Stonechat photo of mine (and a quick scan on google). Being indecisive I can argue with myself for both Stonechat and Finch with myself on this one.
Now, I know you and Andrew (who I have had the pleasure of having met) are much more experienced birders than me (as are probably at least some of the others on this thread), however I don't think I, personally, would be comfortable enough putting a definite ID, one way or another, on this bird if this photo was all I had to go on (unlikely in the field).
I have just enough doubts for me to choose to sit on the fence (My Redpoll suggestion was just that - a suggestion based on my interpretation of the jizz). On the balance of probability it is likely you guys are indeed correct. I'm not doubting you, I'm just trying to see what you are seeing (I do follow your reasoning for it being a Stonechat).
Do we know if Pancho has any other photos of this bird? If so, I would be interested in seeing them (no matter the quality).
