Letter: Name That Bird

Published on: 18 Feb, 2019
Updated on: 17 Feb, 2019

Malcolm Fincham

From Jan Morris

I have been a friend of Ben’s Guildford Past & Present Facebook page and he recommended I contacted Malcolm Fincham, The Dragon’s bird watching columnist an expert on birds (the feathered type!).

Whilst at the Royal Surrey County Hospital one recent afternoon, awaiting a bus, I spotted on the grass verge beyond the most unusual and beautiful bird. I observed it for 20 minutes but I had no camera. On returning home, I have tried to identify it in a number of bird books, I have also Googled it – but nothing.

It was larger than a sparrow or tit and completely beige, like a collared dove, or even slightly lighter with a small brown stripe dotted from under its chest to its neck, a brown beak and beige legs.

It spent all that time foraging on the ground on its own and came right up to me, so wasn’t frightened. Please help. So wish I could have taken a photo. Tempted to go back to the bus stop to see if it’s still there.

Malcolm Fincham responds:

I am grateful to Jan for taking the time time to write in.

It’s not an easy one to guess, having not been there to see it for myself.

Unfortunately, all descriptions are subjective and can differ from person to person. Please understand this is not a criticism just an observation.

The best I can conclude is that was a member of the thrush family, possibly, song thrush? Or maybe, if smaller than a blackbird, a meadow pipit?

Only wish I was there to see it myself.