Addendum to the Christmas Social

While it makes no difference to the outcome of the result at the ROC Social, the debate about a bird in the identification section raged on after the night and expert views were sought. Gordon Langsbury had taken a lovely image of an immature bird which he recollected was in a flock of Twite. When the picture was shown the assembled throng?s views were split between a Twite and a Linnet. The answers were marked on the basis it was a Twite but after a little banter between the participants expert views were sought. See the bird for yourself here!

The bird was found in October 2003 on Islay and Gordon consulted Malcolm Ogilvie the local Recorder, who after a short while came back with his view it was a Linnet. Our own new County Recorder Chris Heard, was also consulted. He also concluded it was a Linnet. Chris commented ?The extensive grey tones to the head do not occur on Twite, which shows a warm brownish-buff head and breast, with long dark streaks on the flanks. Plus the bill is the wrong colour (in Twite it is conspicuously yellowish-buff with a darker tip in winter; and more-or-less all dark in summer).?

So, we now know the answer and those who chose Twite can remove a point and those who chose Linnet can add one! The outcome will only be that the winning team won by an even bigger margin! I suggest you read the ?Story of the Christmas Social? to find out who they were!

Colin Wilson –