British bird with a red mohican (1 Viewer)

[LindseyB]

Hi,

I've just joined this site because I saw a new bird in the garden today and am having trouble identifying it so help would be appreciated.

I live in Berkshire and was sitting on a window seat looking out of the window and a quick flash of bright red caught my eye. The bird was fairly close to the house (my camera not!) and was flying between pots of standard bay trees on the terrace. I would think it was smaller than a robin and seemed quite happy picking off insects from the bay balls.

Looking at my very old book of British birds, I thought it might have been a linnet as it says that they like low bushes and the trees in their pots stand at around 1.5 metres high but when I Googled an image of a linnet, the red was nowhere near as bright as the one in my garden.

I know it's difficult without a photo, but can anyone suggest what it might have been? It then flew off into the wisteria.

Thanks for reading.

Lindsey

 

[Trystan]

The red on a linnet can vary, but perhaps not the most likely bird in a garden. Have a look at redpoll and goldfinch for starters...

 

[Penny Clarke]

or maybe a Common Rosefinch:eek!::

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/s/scarletrosefinch/index.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Rosefinch

Keeping looking for it and try and get a picture!

Cheers

Penny:girl:

 

[LindseyB]

Sorry, as a newbie, I was expecting to hear an email ping if I got a reply ...

It may be a redpoll but the red was definitely just on the top of its head. Hadn't even heard of a rose finch before.

It was quite flighty and swooped from bay to bay. I now have my camera here so will try to get a piccie next time.

Thanks again for reading.

 

[njlarsen]

Sorry, as a newbie, I was expecting to hear an email ping if I got a reply ...

You can look at the top of the page where it says thread tools: click there, click subscribe to this thread, click the frequency with which you want emails.

And: Lindsey, welcome to Birdforum!

Niels

 

[alan_rymer]

Goldcrest, or Firecrest? UK's smallest birds.

 

[LindseyB]

Thanks all. The cat's sitting on the terrace right now, so I'm unlikely to see anything for a while. I'll try and catch a photo next time.

KR

 

[stonechat1]

[...]
It may be a redpoll but the red was definitely just on the top of its head.
[...]

Sounds like a female Redpoll:
http://peregrineprints.com/zzz_Article_Redpolls.htm
And a warm welcome at BF, Lindsey!
Roman

 

[LindseyB]

Thanks Roman. Watch this space for a photo ....

KR

Lindsey

 

[knotsbirder]

Thanks Roman. Watch this space for a photo ....

KR

Lindsey

Sounds exactly like a Lesser Redpoll to me:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/walesnature/lesser_redpoll_dave_hill.jpg

Sam