BIRD 1
Our first bird is feeding on an apple which has been speared on a branch to provide food for hungry birds in winter. At least we know it is a fruit eater. The most striking feature of this individual is the seeming lack of striking features! Just about the whole bird appears to be buff-brown or even grey-brown, the upperparts being a shade darker than the underparts. There are no streaks or stripes (ruling out sparrows or Dunnock) or any spots (as you would expect from any of our true thrushes). The legs are dull grey, the eye black. However, there is one giveaway feature which identifies this bird: the crown (down to the top of the eye) is orange brown. This is a female Blackcap, a fruit-eating warbler which is increasingly regular in winter gardens.
Key features
Dull, grey-brown plumage Orange-brown cap Dull grey legs No streaking or stripes in plumage