Red headed starling

[Twitcheruth]

Well done in re-sizing images Maggie......I wonder if it could be a mite of some sort?

[PeterB]

I took the first picture and corrected the colour so it looks more natural. I then cut the area around the UFO and sharpened it. I left the Sparrow in the background for reference.





Sometime the water in my bird bath goes red when certain leaves are falling. I know starlings are prone to a good splash in a bird bath, could it just be some temporary colour from something like that?

[astafjevs]

Pollen? Ochre? Red soil?

Intriguing, whatever it is.

[PeterB]

and the rear shot, colour corrected.

[Little Sparrow]

It looks as though it found builders sand to play in instead of silver sand!

[Kingfisher]

I still think it's been eating berries. I've seen quite a few birds recently with red 'markings' after feeding on blackberries.

[Jackdaw]

Thanks for all of this everyone, really interesting thoughts. It was definitely nothing to do with my camera though Peter, several of us saw those red markings with our own eyes! I will contact the owners of the bird feeder in Somerset and get back to you if they have seen the bird again. Otherwise it could be berries, as suggested!

[Jackdaw]

Thanks Kingfisher, as I have said in my other reply, berries may be the answer - it was an intriguing sight, though!

[Little Sparrow]

Originally Posted by Jackdaw

Thanks for all of this everyone, really interesting thoughts. It was definitely nothing to do with my camera though Peter, several of us saw those red markings with our own eyes! I will contact the owners of the bird feeder in Somerset and get back to you if they have seen the bird again. Otherwise it could be berries, as suggested!

It would be good to have a result with your bird, Jackdaw! I am inclined to go with the berries theory though.

[PeterB]

Originally Posted by Jackdaw

It was definitely nothing to do with my camera though Peter.

No, no, I was just correcting that pink tinge the pictures had, I think the white balance got confused or something. I wanted to get the starlings colour more natural to show the red off.

If you are going to do any more detective work on this ask if there is a red paint factory near by.