Uk Swansea (1 Viewer)

meakinsl

Member

• Apr 2, 2009

• #1

Hello,

Failry new to birdwatching and have started to take pair of binnoculars with
me on my daily walk round the park in Morriston, Swansea, Wales.

Today saw a bird haven't seen before and was after some help identifying
it as flicking through my bird book and rspb site not sure.

It was a smallish bird, about same size of a goldfinch. It was a greyish colour
but had a distinctive black crest. I instantly though it to be a black cap as
looks very similar in the book but no picture I have seen has the cap having a
crest to it. The eye looked to be a deep red, saw it for about 10 seconds and
it didn't come back. Wish I had noted some more details (legs etc) but at the
time was convinced it would turn out to be a black cap.

Apologies if not giving enough info and that have any other identification info,
any help appreciated.

Regards,

Lawrence

 

phil baber

Clipped Wing

• Apr 2, 2009

• #2

Wasn't anything like this was it?

http://www.birdsisaw.com/bis/Photographs/Sardinian_Warbler_09868.jpg

 

meakinsl

Member

• Apr 2, 2009

• #3

That is the closest thing I have seen to it, I would say the crest was a little more
pronounced that the one in the shot but the red eye looks correct. Can't see it
that in my bird book - is it quite a rare visitor ?

 

birdboybowley

Well-known member.....apparently so ;)

• Apr 2, 2009

• #4

A Sardinian Warber is a pretty rare visitor yes. Was it one....I'd still stick to Blackcap but you never know

 

Tib78

Well-known member

• Apr 2, 2009

• #5

Dartford warbler(?):http://www.haylinggolf.co.uk/files/haylinggolf.co.uk/62/DartfordWarbler.jpg

 

G

gowerboy

Well-known member

• Apr 2, 2009

• #6

There are Dartford Warblers dotted around Gower and Mumbles...........

 

pianoman

duck and diver, bobolink and weaver

• Apr 2, 2009

• #7

Have often seen a "crest" impression on a blackcap, but never a red eye-ring. Given the law of averages though one would be very reluctant to say Sardinian or Dartford. I wonder if the light hits the eye at just the right angle, might you get a red-eye effect.

Perhaps, Meakinsl, you can remember if the hood is as extensive as Sardinian (you did say "cap" rather than "hood") and if the redness was the whole eye rather than an eyering.

 

Motmot

Eduardo Amengual

• Apr 2, 2009

• #8

This pic from a previous thread shows a somewhat 'crested' Blackcap

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3541/3404790951_c1827c1c1a.jpg

 

meakinsl

Member

• Apr 3, 2009

• #9

Looking at that last picture of the blackcap think that would be it from my memory.

Whilst I would love it to have been the sardinian warbler it was more the eye that was
red than an eye ring that looking at at the warbler picture again the ring is quite
distinctive and would have remembered that.

I think the 'red eye' comment would explain it - it was a very bright sunny day in
Swansea yesterday (a rareity in itself !).

Many thanks for all your replies, a great forum that will be returning to. Will be out
and about at lunchtime with the binnoculars so will stop for a while where I saw the
bird yesterday, there is no chance of a red eye effect today as it is grey and misty.

Lawrence