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Birds in field - maybe fieldfare? Kent, UK (1 Viewer)

louise S

Active member
Sweden
Identifying these might be wishful thinking because they're blurry and flying away, but I thought I'd give asking a shot! Any ideas what these guys might be? They were seen near the coast in Kent. My first guess was fieldfare but I'm not very familiar with them, so I feel like they could really be anything...

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One other photo but I think it might be less helpful than the first! They appeared out of nowhere so the camera was setup to look for something closer
 

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Hello,
adding the date would be usefull here, I hope!
They appear unIDable to me. But first impression was Skylark, but there is too much uncertainty, at least for me.
Then afte a second look, Corn Buntings came into my mind, but I think Skylark might be a better fit (first impression was Skylark, dark tail contrasting with body)

Conclusion? Maybe better to leave them unidentified, or I wait and learn from others
 
Skylark for me. Triangular shape and trailing white edges to wings visible in the photos. Also, birding in north Kent myself, this would be a fairly typical view along the coastal saltings on one of my many ‘exercise’ walks.
 
Thanks for all your input! I'm finding them unIDable as well, but thought it might be worth one last punt here before giving up on them :p . The date was this morning.
 
fit (first impression was Skylark, dark tail contrasting with body)
That would also describe Fieldfare. They look pot bellied with grey rumps, black tails and rusty upper wing coverts with grey flight feathers in the first image - if you take each bird as part of a composite whole! Habitat is also good 🙂
 
If forced I'd go for Skylark. Even so, I'd expect to see at least some white outer tail feathers on some of the birds but I'm not seeing this. I don't go for fieldfare because I'd expect the contrasting grey lower back and rump to be more clearly visible. At the end of the day, though, best left un-id'd unless you've some feeling from what you saw in the field
 
Sorry, if my answer wasnt understandadable.
If I had to choose between Skylark and Corn Bunting (the two species, that came into my mind with these pictures), the dark tail contrasting with paler body and wing fits Skylark better. In most Corn Bunting the tail shows little or no contrast to the body.

But I agree, maybe better left unidentified. I change in quiz modus, which it not advisable here
 
Several of them have white trailing edges to the wing and clearly some of the birds have white on the tail which eliminates Fieldfares in my opinion. When Skylarks spread their tail they will look fairly black - so I would go with Skylarks.
 
I'm saying Corn Bunting as even in low quality shots like these I'd feel like we'd see the white tail sides and trailing edges of skylarks.
 
Agree with Skylark. Was my first thought on jizz and compact as mentioned. Also pretty short tailed (cf Fieldfare long tailed) Pretty concolorous brown - Fieldfare has much more contrasty jet black tail with pale rump, not seeing that here.

Edit: re Corn Bunting - agree there's not much white - what there is could be light through feathers. Do you still get them in Kent?!?
 
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What I find interesting in these unidentifiable threads is how many people offer opinions yet on threads where the bird is difficult but ultimately IDable, there’s not nearly the same level of participation! 😂😂

I think there could be a mixed flock here btw - I see a couple that look perhaps Skylarky but others that have long grey wings with rufous coverts and definitely grey rumps.
 
Thats right, but I think one of the main reasons for this is:
if a bird is idable with confidence/certainty and has been correct identified, than the topic is some kind of closed.
I think, the main difference is, if the bird has been identified with certainty or not.

For the second point, I am not so sure anymore. I have much experience with all the above mentioned species, but I couldnt ID the picture with certainty. The birds looked best for Skylark or for Corn Buntings (with Skylark first thought, so the better answer in species, with I have much experience).

But this thread changed into a "Gull-ID-Thread", where I could learn much from others with more experience. So thanks to all!
 
What I find interesting in these unidentifiable threads is how many people offer opinions yet on threads where the bird is difficult but ultimately IDable, there’s not nearly the same level of participation! 😂😂

I think there could be a mixed flock here btw - I see a couple that look perhaps Skylarky but others that have long grey wings with rufous coverts and definitely grey rumps.
The birds are all roughly the same size though?? (wingspan too).

Threads like this are much more fun - jizz etc. Was surprised to note 36 people were viewing it though!
 
Threads like this are much more fun - jizz etc. Was surprised to note 36 people were viewing it though!
Oh come surely you can spare the time to answer some of the more ‘straightforward’ threads instead of letting others (like me often!!) put our heads on the chopping block all the time before anyone else has commented 😂😂😂. (I suppose these threads are fairly risk free in that they are unlikely to come to a firm conclusion 😉)

They must be Skylarks of course - I am happy to capitulate! (When I am wrong it’s good to know there are so many people available to correct me 😁)
 
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