While watching goldfinches feeding in our garden this morning, my wife and I spotted a small bird in an acer tree on our patio. Grabbing my camera I was able to take a few shots of a bird that we took to be a goldcrest, a species we have not seen in our garden before. It wasn't until we looked at the photos again and compared it with others in books and online that we thought we might be wrong in our identification. Is it possible that we saw a firecrest?









Does anybody have any thoughts on what we may have seen? I think the above two photos could be the key to identifying this bird. I have uploaded a few more to my flickr photostream, including larger versions of these (click on a photo above). I'm sorry the photos a not great quality, they're the best I could manage.

Any information greatfully received!

Thanks,
Ian

Not seen one myself personally but I think thats a Firecrest according to my book.

Good stuff to see that mate.

Yogi.

Lucky you!
Looking at the bands of colour on the head ( in your photo ) and comparing them with the RSPB site it seems that you have a Firecrest, i.e White,Black,Gold.
A Goldcrest has just Black and Gold.

Keith.

This post was last modified: 03-01-2009 02:32 PM by keith.

Definately a Firescrest in my opinion, what a fantastic sighting!

I can't believe how lucky we were to see it, it was really by chance and it couldn't have been any closer to where we were standing. To see a goldcrest is amazing enough, but to see a firecrest is absolutley fabulous.

Thats a fantastic sighting. For me who just sees spuggies, blackies and the odd blue-tit and goldfinch that a good sighting.

I bet you'll be glued to the garden now - camera in hand we hope.

Yogi.

Yes, it's a Firecrest. They are not uncommon in southern Britain nowadays, a few pairs breeding in most southern counties.

............and here's a Goldcrest!! Sorry to butt in!! But I just took this (3.30pm) today .
It's our first Goldcrest on the feeders. Highly cropped so sorry about the IQ.

Keith.

That's a great photo of a Goldcrest. The Firecrest was spotted in our garden again this morning, so it looks like we may have a regular visitor. Keeping our fingers crossed we can get some more photos of it - I'll post them if we do.

firecrest deffo ,lucky you! Only seen one once ,(get goldcrests in my garden ,little beauties.)

Wow fabulous sighting,and thats useful info about splitting the two! Now i can't remember which one I saw years ago at a nature reserve near Stone

This is a very sprightly Goldcrest from Saturday, my first ever shot and it was about 5 foot from me, the next shot on the memory card was an empty branch lol You did well to see let alone catch one they just never stop moving !

what lovely photos everyone has posted
what beautiful birds

Fantastic photo, a 100% Firecrest and no doubt about it. Lucky you.
The late reply is because I only joined up today.
Bobbyseagoon