Garden Mystery (1 Viewer)

[Ruby]

Hi,

Came down to make a cup of tea this morning and found this on my feeders.

I imagine that it is some sort of escaped caged-bird, but no idea really.

Whatever it was, it seemed to be feeding quite happily in the snow... the usual birds were quite wary of this funny thing and tended to give it a wide berth...

Sorry about the pic - it was still practically dark....


Ruby

 

[Corax67]

Hi Ruby,

Looks a lot like one of the canary varieties found in pet shops and aviaries.

I would agree that it is almost certainly an escapee from a house / aviary / shop - probably local to your home.

Nice to see something different on the feeder though.

 

[tom tams]

Hi Ruby

It looks like a Chaffinch,
can you try and get a few more pictures of it.

Tom

 

[Stewart J.]

Hi Ruby, agree with Tom looks very Chaffinchy?

Stewart

 

[Tom c]

looks more like a wild bird but some albino genes!as above looks like a chaffinch

 

[Ruby]

Funnily enough, that was my first thought this morning....It was feeding with a flock of Chaffinches and general jizz was pretty similar. The other birds clearly didn't know what to make of it though...

Here's another picture I took shortly afterwards (not much of an improvement, quite frankly!!)

I had to go out first thing...just got back and the bird wasn't immediately visible... I'll keep an eye out...


Ruby

 

[Tom c]

Keep a close eye Ruby!with plumage like that the local sparrowhawk has an easy target!

 

[KnockerNorton]

This is quite tricky on those pics.

A few things for canary - the combination of white, yellow and 'normal' feathers is typical of many canaries, and is very very unsual in the wild. Also, canaries come in many subtle forms of structure, so it's hard to tell from a few stills how it actually moves etc.

for chaffinch - that bill does look very chaffinchy. Too big for most canaries. And the structure does look about right (but see above). Legs are also about the right lenght (bit short for canary)

Really wouldn't like to say without seeing it or hearing it call (canary will never go 'pink!')

 

[helenol]

Keep a close eye Ruby!with plumage like that the local sparrowhawk has an easy target!

I had a bright yellow canary in the garden (with a leg ring on), couple of days later, all that remained was a pile of feathers!

 

[Ruby]

Keep a close eye Ruby!with plumage like that the local sparrowhawk has an easy target!

Funnily enough, I was thinking exactly THAT too!!

I was thinking of its chances of survival.... seemed perfectly happy in the (sub-zero) weather, but you may as well paint a target on his back for the Sprawk....and I do have one that regularly targets my garden!!

 

[Nick-on]

FWIW there was a picture of a similar (same?) bird in the Wiltshire Times a few weeks ago, that was also thought by most people to be a chaffinch.

nick

 

[Ruby]

Oh well.... It seems to have gone now - hopefully not to a sticky end!

Shame really - quite a handsome thing...

 

[roger hill]

Hi Offord
(canary will never go 'pink')

There is a breed of canary called (red factor canary) Which range from a pale pink to a deep red with a white frosting.
Birds have this pink hue,but also have it enhanced with a chemical which is mixed with pepper and scrambled and fed to the birds.Breeders have their own secret concoction to get brighter birds.
Regards Roger.

 

[håkon baust hansen]

There is no doubt about this bird- it is a Chaffinch, obviously having some trouble with the genes!

 

[Geoff Pain]

First thoughts on seeing photo,before reading threads,was Chaffinch.

 

[cavan wood]

We had an albino american robin in our yard for two summers in a row, and the neighbors say it was there for at least one year before we moved in. It was almost entirely white with a few black splotches on the wings. Three years for a robin is no record, but it's not bad for a white bird on green foliage.

Scott

 

[KnockerNorton]

Roger, I meant it will never call 'pink', not turn pink!

I know about RF Canaries, as I used to be an aviculturalist.

 

[Ruby]

...It's back!!!

 

[Andrew]

Does seem rather like a Chaffinch and pretty cute at that too!

 

[roger hill]

Sorry Offord, i'm an idiot

Regards Roger.