Mystery woodland bird, West Wales. (1 Viewer)

[elhix]

Hi there,
In the last few days I've had three sightings of a bird I can't identify at all, here are the facts:

Area: mixed woodland/farmland although the sightings were at my house which is on the edge of a wood.

Size: I'd say slightly larger than a Greater Spotted Woodpecker, less sleek with an almost dove-like roundedness...

Colour: it was difficult to get a clear view due to a bright sky behind but a mottled pattern in with very light to dark brown I think.

Flight: a rolling flight very similar to a GS Woodpecker

Song: varied calls, noticeably louder than and distinctive from all the other birdsong.

I didn't see a long bill, the tail was of average length. Time of sightings: varied through the day.

Can anyone suggest any possibilities? I'm pretty sure I'd know if I saw a photo/drawing. This one has me completely stumped and refering to the books for the first time in ages.

Thanks!

 

[MTem]

Jay? - harsh cackle
Green Woodpecker? - yaffle call

 

[elhix]

Definitely not a Jay. No green and more portly than a Green Woodpecker with a different song - more melodic and varied than the yaffle. Somewhat woodpeckery though, especially in the flight and scampery behaviour in the trees.

There were two of these birds, I got the impression they might have been a pair.

 

[Torchepot]

Mistle thrush?

 

[Andy Adcock]

What about Woodcock?

A

 

[MTem]

Mistle thrush could be a good call ....

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Mistle thrush?

that was my reaction too

 

[elhix]

Maybe, the colouring was about right although I got the impression on distinct barring on the head and the birds were very much in the trees, never on the ground. Will try and catch a better look if they come by again, or a photo.

 

[Nutcracker]

Mistle thrush?

Me too :t:

 

[stevethehydra]

Another instant thought of Mistle Thrush! I've seen them staying high up in trees several times in wooded areas.

 

[elhix]

Haven't seen them again today but I'm starting to think the Mistle squad might be right - nothing else I've heard of fits the description. I guess I was confused by the fact the birds were in the trees and moving around like tree-based birds too; I associate thrushes with the ground but then I imagine most I've seen have been Song Thrushes.

I'll still try and get a better view and a photo. Be good to confirm.

 

[Nutcracker]

Mistles feed mainly on the ground when eating insects, but for eating berries, they go up in a tree, and for singing, high up at the top of a tree is very much the preferred location. They also use trees a lot for a refuge when flushed off the ground by dogs, people, etc. :t:

 

[johnallcock]

My first thought from reading the description was Little Owl.

Mistle Thrush is perhaps more likely but I thought I'd throw it into the mix just in case.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

My first thought from reading the description was Little Owl.
.

I thought that too, but don't know if they even occur in West Wales?

 

[Nutcracker]

I thought that too, but don't know if they even occur in West Wales?

They do, though largely restricted to offshore islands (where they are predators on Storm Petrels and Manx Shearwaters).