Help with a Few Bird IDs

geeneyj2

Hello,

Getting into birdwatching more recently but finding it hard to know where to go for assistance with IDing new birds. I only moved back to Ireland last week and have had some time on hands so done quite a lot of walks and taken a lot of pics.

I *think* I've spotted 47 species already but some are tricky.

I've a few pics attached that I'm struggling with. I have attempted an ID myself but any assistance would be appreciated. I probably have more pics of each if any 9 Thanks!

1. Juvenile Blue Tit
2. Great Tit
3. Female Reed Bunting
4. Cormorant
5. Twite

Del.Monte

Twite would seem to be unlikely but I can't really make out from the photograph.


https://birdwatchireland.ie/birds/twite/

geeneyj2

I know it seems unlikely and they may be linnets. I know exactly where they are but it's been overcast everytime I've ventured down that way.

There are linnets nearby so I may have gotten it wrong

OpenYourEyes

1. Is a Willow Warbler (outside chance it's a Sedge Warbler)

3. Is a Sedge Warbler

5. - Agree with Del Monte that I can't make it out but I'd be betting against it being Twite

geeneyj2

Thanks very much! Sedge warbler wasnt on my mind at all as it's not a bird I've come across but now I looked it up a bit that makes sense.

I think I've more pics of the "twice" - will have a look

JustAThought

I have a bird ID book in my kitchen as saw a really unusual bird sitting on the wysteria branch at the window looking in at me - it was round and fluffy size like a baby robin and when I looked it up the match I found was one I’d never heard of before - a Twite. Seeing that this was really unusual and unlikely and the yoke was sitting there at my window looking in at me like I was reality bird tv - I looked at ALL the wild birds in the book and other than the markings for a myrtle thrush but it was the wring shape it really looked exactly like the Twite.

How rare are they? Could it be possible? I’ve never in my life seen a bird like this before. Could there be an influx from somewhere or could the lack of traffic/pollution / great weather have brought them out?

OpenYourEyes

JustAThought wrote: »

I have a bird ID book in my kitchen as saw a really unusual bird sitting on the wysteria branch at the window looking in at me - it was round and fluffy size like a baby robin and when I looked it up the match I found was one I’d never heard of before - a Twite. Seeing that this was really unusual and unlikely and the yoke was sitting there at my window looking in at me like I was reality bird tv - I looked at ALL the wild birds in the book and other than the markings for a myrtle thrush but it was the wring shape it really looked exactly like the Twite.

How rare are they? Could it be possible? I’ve never in my life seen a bird like this before. Could there be an influx from somewhere or could the lack of traffic/pollution / great weather have brought them out?

It's unlikely to the point that it can be ruled out tbh. It's not the right habitat and the sizer is wrong too. Often people will confuse Redpoll for Twite, so maybe that's it? See below for some inspiration, but it doesn't cover all species: https://birdwatchireland.ie/irelands-birds-birdwatch-ireland/garden-birds/fledglings-and-their-parents/

JustAThought

Thats a great site - I’ve just gone through its 25 or so pages looking for my bird mystery of today... maybe you can help! It wasn’t in that, not the other 2 Irish bird books I have.

I was driving along the countryside today about 20 minutes from the coast and saw a bird that looked like something out of jurassic park. It looked like some kind of bird of prey. It had big claws, no neck and was shaped like a bullet. It was a fluffy mottled greyish colour.l like it was still growing. It was about a foot and a half tall and was otherwise like a Kookaborough (Australian bird) with that kind of beak only with a bullet shaped head. I had not been drinking! It was sitting on one of those concrete balls looking around it. What could it have been????

It was not an owl! It had black eyes on either side of its head.

Alun

JustAThought wrote: »

I have a bird ID book in my kitchen as saw a really unusual bird sitting on the wysteria branch at the window looking in at me - it was round and fluffy size like a baby robin and when I looked it up the match I found was one I’d never heard of before - a Twite. Seeing that this was really unusual and unlikely and the yoke was sitting there at my window looking in at me like I was reality bird tv - I looked at ALL the wild birds in the book and other than the markings for a myrtle thrush but it was the wring shape it really looked exactly like the Twite.

How rare are they? Could it be possible? I’ve never in my life seen a bird like this before. Could there be an influx from somewhere or could the lack of traffic/pollution / great weather have brought them out?

Don't worry, LBB's (Little Brown Birds) are always the most difficult to tell apart

Speedsie

JustAThought wrote: »

Thats a great site - I’ve just gone through its 25 or so pages looking for my bird mystery of today... maybe you can help! It wasn’t in that, not the other 2 Irish bird books I have.

I was driving along the countryside today about 20 minutes from the coast and saw a bird that looked like something out of jurassic park. It looked like some kind of bird of prey. It had big claws, no neck and was shaped like a bullet. It was a fluffy mottled greyish colour.l like it was still growing. It was about a foot and a half tall and was otherwise like a Kookaborough (Australian bird) with that kind of beak only with a bullet shaped head. I had not been drinking! It was sitting on one of those concrete balls looking around it. What could it have been????

It was not an owl! It had black eyes on either side of its head.

Possibly a heron with it's neck wound in?

JustAThought

Speedsie wrote: »

Possibly a heron with it's neck wound in?

Thanks - no, definately not. It was sleek but fluffy as though it was just growing its feathers and its beak was like an elongated puffin or kookaboora shape - not long and thin. Also it had talons not lanky legs! Mystified. The beak was maybe an inch or two long but looked short and stout as it was in proportion to the rest of the bird which was shaped like a rounded bullet.

geeneyj2

Where are you located!? You hardly saw the Brown Booby did you!?

https://twitter.com/BMcCloskey_98/status/1282728980718792706

OpenYourEyes

JustAThought wrote: »

Thats a great site - I’ve just gone through its 25 or so pages looking for my bird mystery of today... maybe you can help! It wasn’t in that, not the other 2 Irish bird books I have.

I was driving along the countryside today about 20 minutes from the coast and saw a bird that looked like something out of jurassic park. It looked like some kind of bird of prey. It had big claws, no neck and was shaped like a bullet. It was a fluffy mottled greyish colour.l like it was still growing. It was about a foot and a half tall and was otherwise like a Kookaborough (Australian bird) with that kind of beak only with a bullet shaped head. I had not been drinking! It was sitting on one of those concrete balls looking around it. What could it have been????

It was not an owl! It had black eyes on either side of its head.

What part of the country are you in? I can't think of anything that would fit the bill except Buzzard tbh! We have very few birds in that size category.

JustAThought

geeneyj2 wrote: »

Where are you located!? You hardly saw the Brown Booby did you!?

https://twitter.com/BMcCloskey_98/status/1282728980718792706

En route to Louth in farm country but within 20 mins of the sea - maybe 15. Sorry no ! It was definately fluffy pale grey. Bobby Booby looks fantastic thou!This ones beak was not as long or sharp.

JustAThought

OpenYourEyes wrote: »

What part of the country are you in? I can't think of anything that would fit the bill except Buzzard tbh! We have very few birds in that size category.

Defo not a buzzard nor a sparrowhawlk but that kind of size rather than a kestrel size.