Wet Jay or something more exotic? Bath, UK (1 Viewer)

[Bolorumbolo]

Pretty lousy shot on my mobile phone this morning at about 845 in scrub area with surrounding trees. Wet. Think there may have been another in same tree. Long tail, thought it was sparrowhawk at first but then beak not raptor-like (I think). No typical Jay flash or moustache seen, but same size approx I think. Occasionally preening. Got mobbed a bit by crows and flew off.

 

[THE_FERN]

No idea what this is. Don't think it's a jay as the tail appears to be too long ruling that species out.

Edit: don't think we've the location. I foolishly assumed Europe: if it's us suggests a tyrant flycatcher, perhaps.

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello,
welcome to birdforum! Do you have more pictures?

I agree with you, heavy artefacts alters general jizz and details of this bird, making it hard or impossible to identify. Artefacts must be prevalent in your picture, because I am not aware of an european bird that looks like this (or is it indeed an exotic species. Than I am out).
I must admit, my first feeling was Spotted Flycatcher, but thats a much smaller bird and tail is to long for this, rusty-brown head is also wrong.
And I cant convince myself seeing a Cukoo in this bird, although trying hard. Same with a Dove/Pigeon, as a juvenile Stock Dove came into my mind., but tail is to narrow (passerine-like) ... I am puzzled.

Was the size compared to the mobbing Crows.? Not meant as an offense, this might not be clear to you as a new member, but I want to get an answer to your bird, and I am puzzled.

Did you take this picture through binoculars or a scope? If yes, than disortion caused by non-parallel binoculars and cameras might well result can change proportions of your bird,so I ask for more pictures.

Edit: had written this some minutes before, then read the answer of the Fern, and realised, that I assumed too, that it was taken in Bath, therefore UK

 

[Dawsy]

I really can't make that in to a jay. All bets would be off if what looks like the bill (and a bit odd) turns out to be a branch behind the bird (maybe from the branch below and to the left). In that case it could almost be a sparrowhawk, maybe, as that would make sense of the mobbing. I think this is going to be difficult to ID though it does look entertainingly like a chestnut bulbul!
Michael

 

[UKBirder23]

It certainly does have a flycatcher-esque shape to it, and that was my initial thought for ID; but you say that the size was right for a Jay, which would be too large for a flycatcher. Also, I've never heard of flycatchers being mobbed by crows. At the moment, I would not rule out a wet Jay, although I agree that the tail seems wrong.

 

[gerald762]

The location is in the title!! Bath, UK

 

[nartreb]

Long tail, long beak. How about a cuckoo? (Juvenile, to explain the brownish cap)

 

[PYRTLE]

Wrong shaped tail for a Cuckoo.....first glance looks like a flycatcher.

 

[THE_FERN]

The location is in the title!! Bath, UK

Oops yes sorry. [Was doing something else when I answered. And it doesn't look like any obvious UK species to me]

 

[Andy Adcock]

Oops yes sorry. [Was doing something else when I answered. And it doesn't look like any obvious UK species to me]

Olive-sided Flycather x Little green Bee-eater.

A bit of a Pewee look about it too but it's a terrible shot, riven with distorted colours.

 

[Earnest lad]

Head markings. Could it be a male house sparrow

 

[Bolorumbolo]

Oops yes sorry. [Was doing something else when I answered. And it doesn't look like any obvious UK species to me]

Thanks for help everyone. Shame I only had my phone to take a shot, so hard to tell from the image I got. I will return with a proper camera to the site and hope for another chance!