General Chat

Hi Harry, I don't suppose I shall ever discover what type of birds they were, they were unusual, they sat in the tree for a little while and appeared to be pecking at the new shoots. I don't think they're likely to return..........if they were someones pets, I hope they don't come to much harm in the wild. Thanks for your replies anyway Harry. Nite. Lin

Lin; And here,s me thinking you were still in Manchester. Best of luck. Happy days

Hi and good evening everyone, Sorry to have left this thread so long, been out until a half hour ago. I was surprised to see so much interest and have been wondering about these birds all day. I live in the SE of London, Just below Crystal Palace, and it seemed very odd to me to see this type of bird. My son spotted them around 8.30 this morning in the tree at the far end of the garden. As my eyes are not too good, DIL went to fetch binoculars from upstairs but they had flown before we could use them. They flew off over the roof towards Crystal Palace. It seemed strange that there was two of them, and they seemed to want to stick together. My thoughts were that they had probably escaped from somewhere? About as long as a Pigeon but not as plumped out lol. Pale greyish bodies verging on white......with yellow, blue and red markings around their heads?? I thought if anyone might know, it would be Harry or any other member interested in birds. Lin

Thanks for the interest. My first thought was parakeets, but from previous threads it has been suggested that they are still in the south.(and very noisy) Happy days

Am i way off to suggest they could be doves?? Greyish in colour and there being two of them, slightly smaller than a pigeon?? They have subtle colours around their heads dont they?? I hope i dont sound too daft as birds are not my speciality! lol, LOU xxx

Whereabouts are you Lin? We have parakeets in S.E. London/N.W. Kent, but as Bev says, they are bright green (and very noisy, I agree!) & so far I haven't seen them in any garden, just flying overhead or perched in trees, so I doubt it was them. My 'best guess' would be a jay, although they are mainly a brownish colour rather than grey. Apparently they are fond of acorns - are there oak trees in your garden? Carole

Hiya lyn Sounds loke they could be jays?

Goldfinches that have been on steriods???? Merry

Those wild parakeets are very very green! lol! (Noisy too!) Bev x

Hi Lin I consider myself fairly genned up on birds, but I haven't a clue on this one! I can't think of a finch with anything like that colouring, although a chaffinch has a pink breast and a blue-ish head, but that is miles smaller than a pigeon. They could have been parrots or parakeets that have escaped from somewhere - does anyone have an aviary near you? Parrots, even small ones, have distinctive large hooked beaks though, quite unlike the tiny beaks that pigeons have! A mystery, lol! Bev x

They actually sound like paraqueets, i think i read somewhere that theyw ere surviving in the wild in some parts. ann Glos

Lyn, the size (smaller that a pigeon has me puzzled). Throw it open to the readership. I would think it was one of the finches, but are they big enough.? any ideas anyone. Happy days

Morning Harry, Saw two very different looking birds in garden this morning, never seen their kind before, wondered if you would know what they were? They were slightly smaller and more streamlined than a pigeon, and their colour was was striking. They were mostly greyish with yellow and red and blue colouring around their heads? Looked like small parrots.........tried to get binoculars out but they flew off before we could get them. I'm off out soon, so if I don't answer this thread Harry, please don't be offended, I wil try to reply this evening. Thankyou everyone for your interest. Lin