ID?

[Liam:]

Could someone Id this bird for me, I have no idea what it is.
Thanks

[rx7turboii]

Could someone Id this bird for me, I have no idea what it is.
Thanks
Looks to be a European Starling

[Attic]

I'd go along with starling also

[Pete]

It really says something that the most commonest of birds (at least in my childhood) isn't as well known as it should be.

I'm also seeing more blue tits than I see sparrows, which never used to be the case in my youth.

[Liam:]

Thanks are they rare as I have only seen it once?

[eccles]

I have a theory about sparrows, particularly in my area. There are cats, it seems, on almost every street corner, and with modern open plan gardens there's less likelihood that they'll be kept out of your patch. Bluetits are tree feeders that will visit a garden bird table and are relatively safe from cats, but sparrows are predominantly ground feeders, and although they will sometimes visit a bird table, a nearby cat is more likely to keep them away. Certainly, there are plenty of sparrows in the public open space opposite where I live, but they are very timid and never visit either the neighbour's or my garden.

@Liam, starlings are one of the most common bird species around, and you will rarely see only one as they're great community birds. In winter just before dusk they adopt stunning aerial displays with tens, or even hundreds of thousands of birds before flying down to roost. Well worth getting in touch with your local birding community round about November onwards to find out more as they're really stunning to watch.

[pknight]

If you want, you can come over here and take ours back with you! ;)

European starlings are striking birds in their autumn plumage, but they are considered a nusiance species by many in the US and Canada, occupying ecologocal niches that were once the homes of native birds.

[Liam:]

Oh right, theres me thinking its rare, thanks for all of the info!

[Postiemon]

It never hurts to ask for an I.D. on a bird that you don't know. After all that's one of the purposes of a forum. To you I offer all the encouragement in the world. It's gratifying to see young people, like yourself, interested in our natural world and photography. Keep it up and keep asking questions.