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Twite and more, Scotland, UK (1 Viewer)

Pancho85

Well-known member
Hi, I saw this bird in the Isle of Skye last Saturday. What is it?

twite1.JPG
twite2.JPG

Also I saw this one, which I'm quite sure it's a young wheatear, isn't it?

wheatear.JPG

This one I'm not sure about what it is

linnet.JPG

And also this wadder...greenshank?

wadder.JPG
 
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Young Meadow Pipit, young Wheatear, Linnet (also young? I fail to see a yellow bill for Twite) and Greenshank in my opinion.
 
nobody thinking that greenshank looks too dark on undertside? maybe a young redshank? but then where is the white trailing edge?
 
nobody thinking that greenshank looks too dark on undertside? maybe a young redshank? but then where is the white trailing edge?
No problem for a well-marked breeding plumage bird; Greenshank is a reasonably common breeding species on Skye, so a very plausible sighting too.
 
Twite for me; they get a dark bill in the summer, just something us lowlanders aren't used to seeing :t:. The dark streaking fits Twite much better. Twite is also much the commoner of the two on Skye.

Are Stonechat and/or Whinchat also present on Skye? I mean, I don't get a twite or linnet feel at all on this bird...
 
I also got a Saxicola feel when first looking at that photo and was suprised at people suggesting Linnet and Twite, but on a second look it pretty clearly has a finch-type beak, so I think it has to be a Carduelis sp. doing a chat impression!
 
The rounded feathers in that link are completely different from the straight lines of the bird in the OP picture. I don't see a chat here
 
The rounded feathers in that link are completely different from the straight lines of the bird in the OP picture. I don't see a chat here

I don't see too much of a difference and, in any case, any differences are likely to be produced by the different angle of view.
 
No, still don't see the similarity and don't think the angle of view covers it. I still see a definite finch's tail and can't get a chat here
 
Having initially thought that it did look Chat like, I looked much closer at the bill (cropping the photo in to just the eye and bill area) and decided that whatever it was it didn't look like a Chat after all. The bill shape looked more finch-like but didn't look quite right for a Twite (or Linnet). It did remind me more of the size and shape of a Redpoll bill, so I searched for photos of young juvenile Redpoll and found a few where the bill is grey and the black patch below hasn't yet formed.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ivl_wildlife_photography/4755396758/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/elmaben/6365630457/in/set-72157629469754600

Now, I've never seen a juvenile Redpoll at this stage of its development in real life, so feel free to shoot down the suggestion. I'm not seeing a Chat like bill though.
 
stonefaction. the bill looks deceiving. it is foreshortened (almost front view) and probably not fully grown. trust a whole bunch of experienced birders who all said it is a stonechat, add me. compare with many pics of juv stonechats - because that's what it is. jizz, structure and stance is totally different to that of carduelis finches. long legs for instance. different head shape etc.
 
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