A question for all you birders on the board.
Can you help me identify this bird in my garden from these badly taken pics. I think it's a cirl bunting, but I live in Aberdeenshire and they aren't supposed to found this far north. Anybody got any ideas?
Thanks

Could be, but looks a big one if it is, and fairly dark.

Might be a yellowhammer.

Then again, it probably isn't, because i havent got the faintest idea
what I'm talking about.

It's a canary in camo

Thanks MACCA. It's about the size of a yellowhammer (we have some regularly visiting the garden). Any idea what it could if it's not a cirl?

brigante wrote:It's a canary in camo

Is it a Norwegian Blue? A bit early in the season i know...

Electroclaret - thanks it might be, but defiantly not a male yellow hammer! We have some regularly visiting the garden.

Cirl Bunting. Also asked my wife and she agrees...and she's never wrong. Well done you, good spot

Quite clearly a female yellowhammer.

I don't know much, I'm more a springwatch fan than an actual bird watcher.

I like to watch birds, particularly at this time of year, but have no idea what this is. Sorry.

I'll go with a female yellowhammer.

On second thoughts Yellow Hammer ...male

The Cirl Bunting stripes on the head are more defined and sharper.

It may be a youngster but I would lean towards female Yellowhammer.

Yellow Hammer

Female yellow hammer

Cirl bunting....or a sparrows been at one of your yellow hammers!

just googled them both, then opened images. It's too close to call. Nothing in the length of the tail. Whilst the images show the yellowhammer with a much more dominant yellow breast some of the buntings carry yellow breasts as do your photos, if lower down.
Great spot either way.

It is an adult Yellowhammer. The throat area under the bill is yellow and one on the adult Cirl Bunting its Black. The juvenile and female on both birds have streaky Brown throats.
Sadly the decline of the Cirl Bunting means their range is mainly down in the South. For anyone interested, who maybe visiting Devon, places like Broadsands will give you an opportunity to see the Cirl Bunting on the ground, in open spaces.

Without doubt a Yellowhammer.

Thanks everyone for all your replies. Much appreciated
This bird has more pronounced markings, darker thicker black lines on the head, than other female yellow hammers in my garden. Which is why, I might have got over excited that it wasn't one of them but cirl bunting instead! You're probably all right and it's just the Bonniest female hammer in the garden. I'll stop being excited and go back to appreciating it's lovely plumage. If I get a clear picture of it I might post it for clarification. Thanks again everyone

Looks like a Yellowhammer to me also. We have a couple who visit every year. I too deliberated over the Cirl Bunting as it's uncommon here in the inner city. We get the occasional Sparrowhawk landing in our yard. Namely due to the variety of birds nesting our bushes I guess. Blackbirds, sparrows, wrens. Wood Pigeons hang around too and our resident sparrowhawks caught one last year and proceeded to eat it on our garden bench. Which wasn't pleasant. Love seeing unusual birds in our yard, so the Yellowhammer stood out and still does when they visit. Not seen them yet this year mind.Have a particular fondness for the Greenfinches and Tits that frequent our yard and the occasional wagtail, which delights my fiancee.

Big wasp?

7..I don't know much about birds, but I don't think it's a Norwegian Blue.

An African or European swallow?
Unladen?

Is it just me or did anyone else think the thread title was the possible name of a centre half we're scouting

I once thought I'd spotted a Wryneck when I first started bird watching. Turns out it was a juvenile Robin.

Its a tough call this one....pretty certain it is a yellow hammer.