"David Hill" wrote in message
...
On 03/02/2014 22:37, Stewart Robert Hinsley wrote:
On 03/02/2014 15:53, David Hill wrote:
I went outside just now and spooked a couple of birds that were on the
track on the other side of the car.
They got up and flew off low and making a metallic squawking alarm cry.
They were dark grey and on one there was a deep red tail. My first
thought was African grey parrots but the grey was slate Gray.
Anyone got any ideas.
David @ a very windy side of Swansea bay

Conventional wisdom is that odd looking birds unidentified by the
reporter are often jays.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p007yg5m

But apart from the sound, your description doesn't seem very jay-like.

We have several Jays feeding and it wasn't one of them. and before anyone
says anything it wasn't a greater spotted woodpecker either.

You have me stumped, I can't find any reference to African grays being on
the loose, but at least they have the red tail, but nothing that is supposed
to be here fits, only one not already suggested that comes close is the
Hobby, or perhaps the Corncrake with its trailing red legs ?

--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk

"David Hill" wrote

I went outside just now and spooked a couple of birds that were on the
track on the other side of the car.
They got up and flew off low and making a metallic squawking alarm cry.
They were dark grey and on one there was a deep red tail. My first
thought was African grey parrots but the grey was slate Gray.
Anyone got any ideas.
David @ a very windy side of Swansea bay

Try this and see what you come up with.....
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/bird...fier/form.aspx

--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

In article ,
Bob Hobden wrote:
"David Hill" wrote

I went outside just now and spooked a couple of birds that were on the
track on the other side of the car.
They got up and flew off low and making a metallic squawking alarm cry.
They were dark grey and on one there was a deep red tail. My first
thought was African grey parrots but the grey was slate Gray.

Try this and see what you come up with.....
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/bird...fier/form.aspx

Exactly what you would expect from bird-brained twitchers!
Useless.

I am not an ornithologist, but this rang a bell, and the colour
you describe is a perfect match for the red-footed falcon.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 04/02/2014 16:55, Bob Hobden wrote:
"David Hill" wrote

I went outside just now and spooked a couple of birds that were on the
track on the other side of the car.
They got up and flew off low and making a metallic squawking alarm cry.
They were dark grey and on one there was a deep red tail. My first
thought was African grey parrots but the grey was slate Gray.
Anyone got any ideas.
David @ a very windy side of Swansea bay

Try this and see what you come up with.....
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/bird...fier/form.aspx


Thanks Bob and Charlie. I've gone through all my books as well as
googling every site I could think of as well as European and North
American birds (with the gales in mind).
I've also been in touch with the British Trust for Ornithology, and the
local wetlands centre, all to no avail.
Thinking about it at the end of last week I heard a bird making a bit of
a racket, and it was nothing I've heard before, so just possible they
have been around for a few days so who knows just a chance of another
sighting. I am now walking around quietly and keeping my eyes pealed.
David @ the side of Swansea Bay where the wind is getting up, ready for
a rough night.

"Nick Maclaren" wrote ...


Bob Hobden wrote:
"David Hill" wrote

I went outside just now and spooked a couple of birds that were on the
track on the other side of the car.
They got up and flew off low and making a metallic squawking alarm cry.
They were dark grey and on one there was a deep red tail. My first
thought was African grey parrots but the grey was slate Gray.

Try this and see what you come up with.....
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/bird...fier/form.aspx

Exactly what you would expect from bird-brained twitchers!
Useless.

I am not an ornithologist, but this rang a bell, and the colour
you describe is a perfect match for the red-footed falcon.



Yes but that is only a summer visitor, and does not have a red tail, only
under tail. On that note it could also be a Hobby.
David, what sort of wings did they have, thin and pointed as above or broad,
and were they thin and sleek as above or woody shaped.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

On 04/02/2014 17:33, Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
Bob Hobden wrote:
"David Hill" wrote

I went outside just now and spooked a couple of birds that were on the
track on the other side of the car.
They got up and flew off low and making a metallic squawking alarm cry.
They were dark grey and on one there was a deep red tail. My first
thought was African grey parrots but the grey was slate Gray.

Try this and see what you come up with.....
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/bird...fier/form.aspx

Exactly what you would expect from bird-brained twitchers!
Useless.

I am not an ornithologist, but this rang a bell, and the colour
you describe is a perfect match for the red-footed falcon.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Thanks Nick, You may just have cracked it though a winter sighting is
rare in the UK
This picture is very close in colour, and the size is right.
David
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=...lectedIndex=49

"David Hill" wrote

I went outside just now and spooked a couple of birds that were on the
track on the other side of the car.
They got up and flew off low and making a metallic squawking alarm cry.
They were dark grey and on one there was a deep red tail. My first
thought was African grey parrots but the grey was slate Gray.
Anyone got any ideas.


Take a look and listen to this...

http://birds.audubon.org/birds/gray-partridge
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

In article ,
David Hill wrote:

I went outside just now and spooked a couple of birds that were on the
track on the other side of the car.
They got up and flew off low and making a metallic squawking alarm cry.
They were dark grey and on one there was a deep red tail. My first
thought was African grey parrots but the grey was slate Gray.

Try this and see what you come up with.....
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/bird...fier/form.aspx

Exactly what you would expect from bird-brained twitchers!
Useless.

I am not an ornithologist, but this rang a bell, and the colour
you describe is a perfect match for the red-footed falcon.

Thanks Nick, You may just have cracked it though a winter sighting is
rare in the UK
This picture is very close in colour, and the size is right.
David
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=...lectedIndex=49

Weird things do happen. Another possibility is that they are escapes
or releases. They are occasionally used in falconry, for example,
and escapes from that are not rare.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 04/02/2014 18:42, Bob Hobden wrote:
"David Hill" wrote

I went outside just now and spooked a couple of birds that were on the
track on the other side of the car.
They got up and flew off low and making a metallic squawking alarm cry.
They were dark grey and on one there was a deep red tail. My first
thought was African grey parrots but the grey was slate Gray.
Anyone got any ideas.


Take a look and listen to this...

http://birds.audubon.org/birds/gray-partridge


The idea of a grey partridge is OK if you look at this view
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=...cted Index=86

but the body is no where near slate grey.
David

On Mon, 03 Feb 2014 22:37:24 +0000, Stewart Robert Hinsley
wrote:

On 03/02/2014 15:53, David Hill wrote:
I went outside just now and spooked a couple of birds that were on the
track on the other side of the car.
They got up and flew off low and making a metallic squawking alarm cry.
They were dark grey and on one there was a deep red tail. My first
thought was African grey parrots but the grey was slate Gray.
Anyone got any ideas.
David @ a very windy side of Swansea bay

Conventional wisdom is that odd looking birds unidentified by the
reporter are often jays.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p007yg5m

But apart from the sound, your description doesn't seem very jay-like.

We have lots of jays visit our garden. There are three right now
collecting nuts to plant. I've never heard them make a sound though I
know that they do.

Steve

--
EasyNN-plus More than just a neural network http://www.easynn.com
SwingNN Prediction software http://www.swingnn.com
JustNN Just a neural network http://www.justnn.com

"Stephen Wolstenholme" wrote
We have lots of jays visit our garden. There are three right now
collecting nuts to plant. I've never heard them make a sound though I
know that they do.

Their "song" is here....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1DjzdfpncA

--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

On Thu, 06 Feb 2014 07:43:48 +0000, Malcolm wrote:

No, they are a very well-established breeding bird over most of lowland
Britain. There are still very large numbers released each year - over 6
million of both Grey and Redlegs, of which perhaps half are shot, with
any survivors boosting the naturalised popoulation - but they became
properly established as a breeding species a long time ago and are
thriving in many areas.

Interesting. I know that the greys are native and breeding (and threatened
by habitat destruction). At the shoots I was with in Leicestershire if the
beaters put up a covey of them they would shout "English" and the guns
would leave them alone. I think that practice is widespread. I don't think
that any greys are farmed and released, but I may be wrong or behind the
times. The red-legs or "Frenchmen" were, as far as I knew, all from the
stock we bought in as poults in June/July. I didn't realise that they bred
in the UK. I certainly never saw or ate a two-year old plus Frenchman,
unlike pheasants.