Fishing The Fly Scotland

Index => Main Discussion Area => Topic started by: Jim Eddie on 18/12/2011 at 14:15

Title: Bird I.D.
Post by: Jim Eddie on 18/12/2011 at 14:15

When I was away, the Mrs told me about this strange bird in the garden. I could not make head nor tail of it from the description she gave. Well I was looking out the kitchen window this morning and there it is, I've no idea what it is. Woodcok size and beak like a woodcock,but with the colouring of a moorhen, funny thing is it seems to walk up trees quite the thing, gone by the time a looked out the camera though.
Looking it up the only thing i could see ws a Water rail , but I don't live near water (apart from the sea) and thats not exactly a tree dweller. Any ideas ?

 :z18

Jim 

Title: Re: Bird I.D.
Post by: Iain Goolager on 18/12/2011 at 14:24

Welcome home Jim,

The bird is more than likely next doors cat  :X1 the result of drinking Glycol for a month, tavareesh!  :X2

Iain

Title: Re: Bird I.D.
Post by: Loxiafan on 18/12/2011 at 16:51

Sounds like Water Rail.....except for the bit about it walking up trees !  :roll

Water Rails will be irrupting in to the UK as continental Europe freezes so most likely a winter visitor and they could turn up anywhere but will settle near pools, marshes etc.

Lindsay

Title: Re: Bird I.D.
Post by: Jim Eddie on 18/12/2011 at 19:02

Lindsay yes thats the nearest I could find but I saw something about a Hoopoe which does have the tree dwelling charecteristics.

 :z18

Jim

Title: Re: Bird I.D.
Post by: flyfisher666 on 19/12/2011 at 22:15

 Colours like a woodcock and tree dwelling... A wryneck? 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasian_Wryneck (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasian_Wryneck)

Title: Re: Bird I.D.
Post by: Irvine Ross on 20/12/2011 at 08:17

Treecreeper??

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/t/treecreeper/index.aspx

Quite common out our way.

Irvine

Title: Re: Bird I.D.
Post by: Sandy Nelson on 20/12/2011 at 08:48

Quote from: Hares Lug on 20/12/2011 at 08:17

Treecreeper??

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/t/treecreeper/index.aspx

That was the only thing i could think of as well, but thought it might be a bit small. If it is, its well spotted :z16

Sandy

Title: Re: Bird I.D.
Post by: Jim Eddie on 20/12/2011 at 09:03

Quote from: Hares Lug on 20/12/2011 at 08:17

Treecreeper??

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/t/treecreeper/index.aspx

Quite common out our way.

Irvine

Irvine  / Sandy no much bigger than a tree creeper, wood cock size but not colouration.
 :z18

This is the closest to what it looks like http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/w/waterrail/index.aspx

Jim

Title: Re: Bird I.D.
Post by: Loxiafan on 20/12/2011 at 17:33

Very unlikely to be Hoopoe - buffy orange colour, lots of white flashes and is only an autumn migrant, usually in to October possibly early November. Similarly, Wryneck is mainly an Autumn migrant though a few do breed sporadically in Speyside - no long bill either. A bill as long as a Woodcock suggests a wader of some type. Some birds can get deformed bills that are too long which is another possibility.

Was it walking up the tree trunk or only perching in the tree ?

Lindsay

Title: Re: Bird I.D.
Post by: Jim Eddie on 20/12/2011 at 17:42

Lindsay
No it walks up the tree to a height of around 6 feet, got a better look today the beak is perhaps not as long as awood cock, its colouring is more like a moorhen.

 :z18

Jim

Title: Re: Bird I.D.
Post by: Mike Barrio on 20/12/2011 at 18:03

You'll have to keep the camera somewhere handy for a few days Jim :wink

Don't rule out a young Moorhen, I've seen them in the trees at Haddo, but very rarely :z3

Cheers
Mike

Title: Re: Bird I.D.
Post by: Jim Eddie on 20/12/2011 at 20:46

Quote from: Mike Barrio on 20/12/2011 at 18:03

You'll have to keep the camera somewhere handy for a few days Jim :wink

Don't rule out a young Moorhen, I've seen them in the trees at Haddo, but very rarely :z3

Cheers
Mike

Mike
You could be right, does look a bit like a young moorhen, just a long way from any water apart from the North sea

Jim

Title: Re: Bird I.D.
Post by: Mike Barrio on 20/12/2011 at 21:05

Something like this Jim?

(http://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2_20_07_08_8_09_09.jpg)

Title: Re: Bird I.D.
Post by: Euan Innes on 21/12/2011 at 05:44

Jim,

How about one of these?
http://woodpeckersofeurope.info/?q=black_woodpecker

Quite rare around these parts, but not unknown, and it doesn't look much like the one we know and love.

 :z1

Title: Re: Bird I.D.
Post by: Jim Eddie on 21/12/2011 at 17:32

Aye looks like a young tree climbing Waterhen a long way from home  :wink

 :z18

Jim

Title: Re: Bird I.D.
Post by: Mike Barrio on 21/12/2011 at 17:44

The legs would be quite green Jim, or a sort of mustard yellow?

Cheers
Mike

Title: Re: Bird I.D.
Post by: Jim Eddie on 21/12/2011 at 18:09

Mike
Its very wary, unless I build a hide i'm not getting close.

 :z18

Jim

Title: Re: Bird I.D.
Post by: Jim Eddie on 29/02/2012 at 20:49

OK its a Water Rail 100% sure, WTF its doing in my back garden I've no idea.

(http://i43.tinypic.com/v6n6o5.jpg)

 :z18
Jim

Title: Re: Bird I.D.
Post by: Ben Dixon on 29/02/2012 at 22:49

Got an airgun?  Water Rail Bloas?

Title: Re: Bird I.D.
Post by: Loxiafan on 29/02/2012 at 23:31

Quote from: Ben_D on 29/02/2012 at 22:49

Got an airgun?  Water Rail Bloas?

Naughty, protected species ! :z10

Well done Jim getting the photo and clinching the ID, nice pic ! A continental migrant making his way back ?

Lindsay

Title: Re: Bird I.D.
Post by: Ben Dixon on 01/03/2012 at 10:18

Not a serious comment Lindsay!!

Title: Re: Bird I.D.
Post by: Euan Innes on 01/03/2012 at 11:48

Quote

Not a serious comment Lindsay!!

You sure Ben??   :z7

 :z1