What Bird

[KRUSTYMAN]

I have a bird that is visiting my garden at the moment and am not sure what it is. It's about Thrush size and does have a speckled chest and it has red 'patches' under it's wings when it takes flight? TIA

[Barmaid]

I'd be interested in answers to this Krusty, because I have the same. Although I counted 12 of them in the tree this morning.

[daftgrandad]

This sounds like a Fieldfare.

[emeritus]

Could be a Redwing ? No 36 on the attached

http://www.rspbliverp...%20garden%20birds.htm

[LoftyLottie]

Redwing?

http://www.naturephot...rds/red-wing-2016.jpg

Fieldfares are very similar but don't have the red patches.

http://images.google....&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi

Fieldfares are usually in quite large flocks. There are lots about round us at the moment.

[LoftyLottie]

Emeritus wasn't there when I started my answer. We obviously are thinking alike though.

[Barmaid]

Fantastic list emeritus. I think daftgrandad is right though - I'm n ot sure about the colour of the wings, because I couldn't get that close. But the fieldfare pics look like the ones I saw. Of course, by the time I got the camera and opened the window, they had all gone!

[daftgrandad]

I think we may all be right.
Checked on habits of redwings and apparently,both they and fieldfares can often be seen feeding together.

[KRUSTYMAN]

Many thanks - Redwing certainly looks like the bird. There's about 6/7 of them now.

[ethandron]

have a look at a forum called 'wild about britain' and go to the bird section. you'll see that fieldfares and redwings are abundant at the moment. the snow and ice has forced them away from the fields they usually feed on, into gardens.
it's definately a redwing with the red patches, fieldfares are bigger and have more grey on them, but they do feed together.
also have a look at the rspb website, there's a bird identifying section which is very good.