ID Please....I think I have a mega in my garden!!!!

[Little Sparrow]

This colourful bird landed in my garden an hour ago and is still there pecking away at my Geraniums! I managed to get a couple of shots...not brill one's... I had to be quick as I think it spotted me and I didn't want to scare it off!

Help with an ID would be very much appreciated!

[ijwilki]

Looks a a hybrid toucan/zebedee to me!

[Winterkoning]

Multicoloured Googlebird

[Little Sparrow]

Originally Posted by ijwilki

Looks a a hybrid toucan/zebedee to me!

Originally Posted by Winterkoning

Multicoloured Googlebird

Mmm...interesting ID's Guys!

Thanks for joining in with some lighthearted fun!

[PeterB]

Spring necked wobble warbler.

[marcel steenkist]

toucanorus majoris, checked it in wikepedia

[Dave Appleton]

This is a non-migratory species in its natural range and is therefore extremely unlikely to arrive in this country naturally. Although they aren't particularly popular in captivity they're quite cheap to buy and consequently they're not always looked after very well and are quite likely to escape. So unfortunately, as exciting as this observation must have been, it is almost certainly an escape from captivity and you can't tick it. Of course if more escape and they start breeding in the wild then once they've established a self-sustaining population you might be allowed to count it, but I would suggest you don't hold your breath waiting for that to happen.

PS: if you look closely it seems to have some kind of growth on the bottom of its right foot. Such diseases may occur in wild birds but are much more frequent on captive birds which have spent too long in a dirty cage. This is further evidence that this bird has escaped and is not a truly wild vagrant. Sorry to be the harbinger of bad news.

[PeterB]

Originally Posted by marcel steenkist

toucanorus majoris, checked it in wikepedia

Nearest I get is,

Tau Canis Majoris (τ CMa, τ Canis Majoris) is an eclipsing spectroscopic binary in the constellation Canis Major and the brightest star of an open cluster designated NGC 2362. It is approximately 3200 light years from Earth.

Looks like it might be from there but it's a long migration.

[Little Sparrow]

Originally Posted by PeterB

Spring necked wobble warbler.

I don't think it is a Warbler as it hasn't warbled Peter! Mind you with the rain today it is hardly surprising as I wouldn't warble with all this rain!

Originally Posted by marcel steenkist

toucanorus majoris, checked it in wikepedia

I like the name Marcel.....I couldn't find it in Wikipedia though...strange that!

Originally Posted by Dave Appleton

This is a non-migratory species in its natural range and is therefore extremely unlikely to arrive in this country naturally. Although they aren't particularly popular in captivity they're quite cheap to buy and consequently they're not always looked after very well and are quite likely to escape. So unfortunately, as exciting as this observation must have been, it is almost certainly an escape from captivity and you can't tick it. Of course if more escape and they start breeding in the wild then once they've established a self-sustaining population you might be allowed to count it, but I would suggest you don't hold your breath waiting for that to happen.

PS: if you look closely it seems to have some kind of growth on the bottom of its right foot. Such diseases may occur in wild birds but are much more frequent on captive birds which have spent too long in a dirty cage. This is further evidence that this bird has escaped and is not a truly wild vagrant. Sorry to be the harbinger of bad news.

Cheap and uncared for? Oh dear, I am disappointed with your ID Dave!
I reckon it is from China...don't ask me why I think that, I just have a gut feeling! The right foot does look a little weird, I will put a dab of savlon and a plaster on the foot if I can catch the bird!
I was rather hoping to have several hundred twitchers come to see the bird! I have the tea/coffee and cheap scones ready to sell and then with the profits take the bird back to China and have a holiday to boot at the same time!

Originally Posted by PeterB

Nearest I get is,

Tau Canis Majoris (τ CMa, τ Canis Majoris) is an eclipsing spectroscopic binary in the constellation Canis Major and the brightest star of an open cluster designated NGC 2362. It is approximately 3200 light years from Earth.

Looks like it might be from there but it's a long migration.

That certainly is one long migration Peter! I am sticking to it being a Chinese bird!

I thought the bird had flown this morning but I spotted it grubbing about in a pot of Nasturtiums! I am sure I have seen a similiar looking bird at a Garden Centre! They were £2.99p and you placed them in a flower pot for decoration, very similiar to my bird....funny that!

[Greenmillie64]

you're all wrong, it's a nether spotted hoaxer bird note the falsetto boing boing call.