nesting bird ID

[muddled]

We have nesting birds in the garden

Its not a very big garden (but it is overgrown..you know, in a charming way ) and we have sparrows and blackbirds and robins, all feverishly gathering bits and pieces to take back to the Ivy on the shed.

So there I am, sitting in me egg (as you do) watching mummy blackbird and then I thought "you're looking slim mama"
I don't think she is mama blackbird (who is quite dumpy and a dull brown all over)

This bird is slimmer, more elegant and has creamy throat feathers.
My first though was a thrush but she's not at all speckly. She doesn't look like the pictures of thrushes on g00gle.

I am rubbish at photos and I don't have a mobile phone so I know its a tall order but anyone have any ideas?

[Guest]

This will sound stupid but I will say it anyway. Are the creamy throat feathers proper healthy looking feathers or are they scruffy? The only reason I ask is I have come across a couple of blackbirds with odd white scruffy feathers. One bird we called Mutley for some reason used to have what looked like white eyebrows he had them for over a year. Anyhow I will stop waffling as I have no other useful info.

[muddled]

not scruffy she looks very classy, but they aren't even like an actual cream throat...so you could be right. I did think she might just be young but she's definitely nesting....yesterday she was back and fourth with moss so she's making little cushions!

[Guest]

I wish my braincells worked like they did 4 years ago, anyhoo - just remembered you can actually get pied blackbirds - never seen one alive though Feel free to show us pics

[Small pumpkin]

It could be a female blackbird. I've got a one in my veggie garden ( just raised 2 chicks) she has creamy patches on her and they can look quite slender when they stand up straight ( if you know what I mean). Usually when there very alert or nervous. She might not be used to your new egg yet, but has to be braver and find food for youngsters.
Just a thought

How is the egg ?

[craftymarie]

If it's not speckled like a thrush could it possibly be a dunnock which is very common in gardens all over the UK. We get loads of them.

The RSPB: Dunnock

[CaraFlower]

Maybe this? https://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverande...e/r/ringouzel/

[Snoop Puss]

Or, if you're really lucky, a nightingale.

[Jay-ell]

Could it be a female Ouzel? Bit outside their normal range though

[muddled]

Oh my goodness!

Snoop puss! I think you might be right!
Just looked it up and I think she could be a nightingale

I haven't seen her today and I've been in and out of the garden but I have been faffing with hoses and pots rather than sitting quietly in the egg (which is supremely comfortable SP ) Perhaps I've been to noisy for timid visitors.

I'm all excited now!
Never seen a nightingale before and I would take that as the ultimate seal of approval if she made her home with us

[Jay-ell]

You don't happen to live in Berkeley Square do you?

[muddled]

You don't happen to live in Berkeley Square do you?

I wish!
D'you know how much they go for!!!

[Snoop Puss]

Oh my goodness!
I'm all excited now!
Never seen a nightingale before and I would take that as the ultimate seal of approval if she made her home with us

We have two pairs in our valley but I'd never seen them till the other day when I was sitting very quietly outside and one pair started flitting about and singing in an oak tree just in front of me. It made me feel really special. Especially as I had half thought the birds I'd heard were blackbirds, as they too have a lovely song.

Good excuse for sitting around in your new chair rather than doing lots of noisy work and disturbing them!

[Zelenina]

Does she look like the female blackbird in the photo here?

Blackbird (f) photo - Gary Martin photos at pbase.com

It says underneath the pic, "females are brown often with spots and streaks on their breasts."

[Zelenina]

There was an unusual bird flitting about and singing in the trees in front of my house a couple of days ago. But I couldn't say it sounded lovely. More like the very loud squeaking of rusty machinery. In fact that's what I thought it was until I went outside and saw the bird. It turned out to be a stray Australian king parrot.