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wendyf
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 Posted -
03/04/2009
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18:59
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Yesterday evening when we were sat out enjoying the last of the sun and the view over Barlick, a flock of probably 50 or more birds flew up the clough towards us . At first I thought they were starlings...right size, right shape, but then I wondered what the starlings were playing at? They were flying in an undulating way, each in its own space, and making the wrong noise. As they flew over I could see they were white underneath with blackish wings, head and tail (which was quite short). They passed over and were gone.
The only answer I can come up with is that they were snow buntings. Can anyone help me identify them?
Wendy
Edited by - wendyf on 03/04/2009 7:11:33 PM
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frankwilk
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Posted - 03/04/2009 : 19:38
WOODLARK ??
Description Conspicuous buffish stripe from eye to nape. General brown appearance,patterned darker with buffish streaked underparts. Tail short and white tipped with greyish outer feathers approx 6"
Mellow, musical song delivered in flight, circling over wide area. Undulating Jerky Flight. often found in Family Parties.
Prefers open country with scattered trees and bushes.
Possible Wendy ???
Frank Wilkinson Once Navy Always Navy  |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 04/04/2009 : 07:07
Migrated and returning? Right time of the year.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
wendyf
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Posted - 04/04/2009 : 08:18
Another look at the bird books last night convinced me that I didnt see snow buntings, they have much more white on them. I'm not sure about woodlarks Frank, they don't seem to quite fit the bill. I've decided that it was a flock of fieldfares. We see them regularly on the ground, but have never happened to look up and see their undercarriages before! (They might just have been waxwings, but that is probably unlikely.)
wendy
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frankwilk
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Posted - 04/04/2009 : 08:25
 From the RSPB website.
Wendy It was the undulating flight that made me think of Woodlark
Sound clips and movies require Adobe Flash player. Latin nameLullula arborea FamilyLarks (Alaudidae) OverviewIt is a streaky brown bird, with a buffy-white eye-stripe which meets across the nape. It has a well developed crest on its crown which is not always conspicuous. In flight the peculiarly short tail and broad, rounded wings are noticeable and the deeply undulating flight with closed wing glides is characteristic. Some UK breeding birds spend the winter on the Continent. Recent population declines make it a Red List species. Where to see themFound breeding mainly in eastern and southern England - the New Forest, Surrey/Berkshire heaths, Breckland and some Suffolk heaths are the best areas to find them. The ones which remain in winter are usually found in Hampshire, west Surrey and Devon, and in recent years some wintering flocks have been found in East Anglia. Woodlarks can be looked for at Minsmere and North Warren RSPB reserves, Suffolk and occur in good numbers in Breckland (Norfolk/Suffolk), the New Forest (Hants) and Surrey/Berkshire heathlands When to see themAll year round. What they eatSeeds and insects Estimated numbers |
Edited by - frankwilk on 04/04/2009 08:29:20 AM
Frank Wilkinson Once Navy Always Navy |
pluggy
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Posted - 04/04/2009 : 08:31
I was brought up calling starlings 'chevies' but I've never heard anyone else refer to them as this. Any clues ?
Google can't get away from Starling Crevrolet, a car dealer in the states. Which may or may not be related.
Need computer work ?
"http://www.stsr.co.uk" 
Pluggy's Household Monitor |
thomo
Barlick Born Old Salt
2021 Posts
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Posted - 04/04/2009 : 09:14
"Shebbies" was what they were called locally when I was a kid, not sure about the origins though.
thomo |
wendyf
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Posted - 04/04/2009 : 10:07
There is a list on this webpage of Yorkshire dialect words for starlings, showing the slight changes from east to west. (Scroll down to near the end of the page.) It doesn't give the origin of the word though.
http://www.yorkshiredialect.com/lexis.htm
Wendy
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moh
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Posted - 04/04/2009 : 10:33
We call them 'shebbies'
Say only a little but say it well |
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What bird was that?
