Norwick: Kestrel, 2 Sanderling, Robin, Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, Fieldfare, 3 Redwing. c.20 Brambling, c.6 Chaffinch, 3 Mealy Redpoll, Common Rosefinch & Tree Sparrow.
1cy Common Rosefinch at Norwick
Based on our flight views and its call as it flew from the crop everything seemd fine for Common Rosefinch. But on landing in a sycamore and turning side-on, its heavily-streaked underparts brought thoughts of how to exclude the remote possibility of it being a House Finch! However, its bill structure and primary projection quickly dispel any such thoughts. Close examination of the above images reveal a deep scarlet tinge to the bases of some of its outer tail feathers, so presumably it's a male. Interestingly, this link draws attention to Birds of South Asia The Ripley Guide (2005) by Pamela C. Rasmussen and John Anderton portraying 1cy individuals of the eastern roseatus group of subspecies having more heavily and coarsely streaked underparts than the erythrinus group. Furthermore, it states that in The Birds of the Palearctic fauna (Vaurie 1959), females of the north-east Siberian C.e. grebnitskii are said to be 'darker, greyer and browner, and more heavily streaked'.
