# Help Identify This Bird



## Blizzard

This little bird has decided to nest in a small potted conifer only a few feet away from my back garden door.

It's fairly non-descript and is quite a bit smaller than the Tits and Finches that get in the garden, although probably not as small as a Wren.

Could it be one of the Warbler family ?

Apologies for the distant photo, but it's the closest I've managed to get due to the speed it flits around the garden. It was in the shrubbery around my ponds and seemed to be grabbing insects out of the air. 


Ken.


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## rayrecrok

Hi.
Still looks like a Wren to me, now where's a farthing when you want one!..


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## sallytrafic

Wren

actually a very very common bird you just don't see them that often.

From the BBC website they are the most common bird in UK with 10 million pairs.


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## Jennifer

Me thinks it s tree creeper!!!!


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## Zebedee

Never seen a wren with a tail stuck out straight like that.

I await my re-education with interest ( :roll: ) but if that's a wren I'm off to Specsavers tomorrow morning! 8O :lol: 

Difficult to tell from the photo, but it might be a spotted flycatcher?

Dave


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## aikidomo

Looks like a garden warbler, :? (sylvia borin)though not difinative, tried blowing up the picture .
Likes scrub, is rather feature less,and has a melodic warbling song so listen out fo it. 
A Summer visitor only I believe


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## chapter

it looks like a wren to me see here
but maybe not 
see here
chapter


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## autostratus

I don't think its a wren and perched on a rock like that I would expect the tail to be vertical
Too light in colour in my opinion and more likely to be a chiff-chaff, one of the warbler family but not as brightly coloured as some warblers.
http://www.sinaibirds.com/userimages/Chiff Chaff 6(1).jpg

It's a difficult call with the picture not the best but I appreciate the problem you had.


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## Hezbez

So many opinions!
This goes to prove that it can be very difficult to identify bird types.

I enjoy watching the birdies in my garden, even if I don't know what they are.

I did get an RSPB book to try to help, but they always fly away before I find the right page in the book.


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## dovtrams

According to my resident bird expert, it is a warbler, but what type?? 

Dave


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## Stanner

Use this to narrow the possibilities down

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdidentifier/form.asp


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## The-Clangers

I'l go for Chiffchaff or Willow Warbler, not a Wren as tail is too long and pointed for that.

Now all we need is Bill Oddie to adjudicate (Now he reminds me of a large Cuckoo chick).

David


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## sallytrafic

Now that I've adjusted me specs I can give you the definitive answer


Care of Bill Oddie its an LBJ















Little Brown Job


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## JeanLuc

Most likely candidates are Willow Warbler or Chiffchaff. The dark legs would suggest a Chiffchaff, but this is not definitive. The only sure way to tell them apart is to hear the song: Chiffchaff's sounds like the name, Willow Warbler's song is a melodious descending cadence with an uplift in pitch at the end.

Philip


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## suffolkian

Looks like a Garden Warbler to me. The dark stripe behind the eye is quite visible, to me anyway

Just a layman's guess, I'm no expert.


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## andyandsue

if its got a light green tinge to its chest its a wood warbler. if it hasnt its either a willow warbler or chiff chaff( unfortunatly the only way to tell these two apart is by their song willow w has sweet desending notes whilst chiff chaff has distintive " ciff chaff or zip zip call" hope this helps check out internet for bird call sites


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## rayrecrok

Wow so many knowledgeable twitchers. 8O .

So what's the name of this bird?.


It has a long neck and moves along gracefully.



Your wrong!..... Naomi Campbell..... not so cocky now eh.


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## Blizzard

Thanks for all your replies so far, yet I'm fairly confident that this one is not a Wren.

We occasionally get a visit by a couple of Wrens and they are quite distinctive by way of what I would describe as a 'triangular' shape. They are also smaller than this little fella.

I'm determined to get a closer picture to post, but armed only with a digital compact and with family duties, getting the MH ready for next week, work and DIY getting in the way, I'm struggling a bit :? 

Watch this space :wink: 


Ken.


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## lifestyle

dovtrams said:


> According to my resident bird expert, it is a warbler, but what type??
> 
> Dave


Had one in our garden today,it`s a Lesser spotted fart warbler :roll:

Les


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## Blizzard

Getting closer


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## gibbo

Golden Eagle...... I'll just get me coat.


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## goldi

Evening all,


Mrs. goldi reckons its a reed warbler, She, s had her bird book out.

My bird book is somewhat different. lol


norm


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## 4maddogs

Looks more like a chiffchaff/willow warbler to me. The eye stripe is a bit too noticable for a garden warbler. As you don't mention the song I would rule out Chiffchaff. 
Wood warbler is a possibility as it is quite white underneath, but maybe not big enough or bright enough.

Hard to say!


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## trevd01

Absolutely not a wren.

Chiffchaff or willow warbler.

Chiffchaff sounds like its name.

Chaffinch call

Willow warbler and plenty of other bird songs/calls here

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/birdsong.shtml


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## midlifecrisismil

chapter said:


> it looks like a wren to me see here
> but maybe not
> see here
> chapter


Thats one fat little wren.

Doesnt look like a wren to me agree with the comments about the tail.

But apart from that no idea


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## txe4man

we think it is a Cetti's warbler, formally quite rare in the uk but starting to live here all year at least in our neck of the woods. it has avery distintive and loud song, the same every time repeated just once or twice. also has a distinctive eye stripe.


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## locovan

trevd01 said:


> Absolutely not a wren.
> 
> Chiffchaff or willow warbler.
> 
> Chiffchaff sounds like its name.
> 
> Chaffinch call
> 
> Willow warbler and plenty of other bird songs/calls here
> 
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/birdsong.shtml


What a great site I have been listening to the recordings.


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## Blizzard

Thank you for all your replies, both funny and serious  

Whatever the little blighter was, the family flew the coop while we were away last week, so no more pics until their hopeful return next year.


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## framptoncottrell

The author of the RSPB Handbook of British Birds, Peter Holden, lives in our village, and he says that it is a Willow Warbler, the most common European migrant from Africa. About the size of a Blue Tit, it can migrate over 10,000 kms from its winter home to its summer breeding location.

Dr (musical, not medical) Roy


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