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Red Faced Bird?

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MooCowKat | 21:56 Wed 06th May 2015 | Animals & Nature
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This morning I saw a red faced bird on my windowsill, it had a very bright red face and beautiful black nearly blue wings and back. I wasn't quick enough to snap a photo but it's been bothering me all day what kind of bird it was. I'm thinking it was possibly someone's pet as I don't think it was a native bird?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Been trawling through google images of 'red face bird' for a while!!
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Sounds like a swallow to me.
08:49 Thu 07th May 2015
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Aw thanks Methyl, but I didn't manage to get one! I was so intrigued by it and then it flew away :(
Goldfinch?
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Do they have blue/black wings? Thanks!! I thought it was a tropical bird LOL.
Goldfinches do have red faces but they have (funnily enough) very bright yellow on their wings, buff breasts and some black and white flashing on wing tips - that doesn't sound at all like your description.
What size was it? If really blue/black all over except for a red face it doesn't sound like any native wild bird I know.
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Slightly bigger than a robin. The wings were a really beautiful black and with the sun light hitting them almost looked a metallic blue, but the only other thing I focused on was the red face. You can now see why it's been bugging me and I am truely kicking myself for not getting a picture!
Black redstart?
Sounds like a swallow to me.
Oops, no, sorry. Red is at wrong end!
Question Author
Oh my goodness!! Melv16 I think you're right! I half recognised it but I've never saw one so close. Thanks so much everybody I'm going to keep my eyes peeled for it again!
Melv, that actually seems an excellent suggestion, can't think why we all didn't think of that. Moocowcat have you looked at swallow?
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Yeah just been looking at pictures and I really think it was a swallow! What a beautiful bird. Im new to bird watching, just been trying to keep an eye on ones in the garden. Thanks everybody!
You don't usually see them that close, prudie. Most of the time they're wizzing about at great speed.
Going by your description, it sounds like a 'scarlet tanager' but that is native to North America, but they have apparently been spotted in the Isles of Scilly.
Mookat. Go and buy a decent pair of binoculars & join the club:-)
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Thanks Melv! I really think I will, thanks so much. It was sat pecking for about 10 seconds and whizzed off again! And thanks everybody else!!
Yes melv, because I've never seen one on a window ledge it just didn't register but obvious now.

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