Still new to this game, but got great views of this bird by a golf course in Clacton. Can anyone confirm what it is?
Hi Kestrel75
Your mystery bird is a juvenile starling. The bird can be identified by the sooty grey/black plumage, pale throat, strong dark bill and beady black eye and is yet to start its first moult. Once the bird starts to mount into its 1st winter plumage it will gradually get white spots on the underparts and moult its head last.
If you check through your local starling flocks you will find that many of the birds will be a different stages of moult and look rather 'scruffy'.
Paul
Thanks Paul for the ID.
Edited this part of the post as wrong Id of species
A super picture of the Juv Starling, and they look their best when their spotted coats appear.
Regards
Kathy and Dave
kestrel75 Still new to this game, but got great views of this bird by a golf course in Clacton. Can anyone confirm what it is?
Personally I'd call it a juvenile starling. Too chunky and too dark at the front for spotted flycatcher. See what you think of the illustration from the RSPB website http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/s/starling/index.asp#
Every day a little more irate about bird of prey persecution, and I have a cat - Got a problem with that?
Hi John
Thanks for correcting me. I was thinking of the time of year rather than the species of bird itself.
Yes, you have a point there.
Well spotted
John B (not the sloop) Personally I'd call it a juvenile starling. Too chunky and too dark at the front for spotted flycatcher. See what you think of the illustration from the RSPB website http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/s/starling/index.asp#
Hmmmm! I thought I'd show you what our (Australian) juvenile starlings look like. I took this in April this year in our backyard.
To my mind the legs and feet of the bird in Kestrel's photo are far too dark to be a starling.
Smiles, Jan.
Is it possible to remove some of the shadowing on this picture on your computer first? A look at its underside would help. and. Is the barb wire there really blue? From this, can't tell for sure.
For viewing or photography right place right time is everything. I'd rather be in the right place with poor kit than have the best kit and be in the wrong place.
Kestrel, in your photo the top mandible of the beak seems to extend a bit past the tip of the lower manible, forming a very slight 'hook'. I don't think this is present in starlings, but could aid identification.