Brown bird, flying low over Thames, Chiswick

[belbird]

Hi
I saw two birds flying low over the Thames that I've seen once or twice before, around this time of the year I think. They're brown with possibly a bit of white underneath, probably around the size of a blackbird. They were together and flying very close to the water. I think they were making a calling noise but can't describe it. Sorry, I know this is not much information to go on but if someone could give me some ideas I can look them up and see if it fits what I saw. I tried RSPB bird identifier but that didn't help.
I know they're not wagtails or starlings or pigeons or anything fairly common!
Thanks.

[rolf]

Hi belbird, welcome to the forum.

Not much to go on as you say, am I to assume that they call as they fly?

The brown with a bit of white description would apply to a Ring Ouzel, but I don't believe that they call whilst flying, whereas the Fieldfare does call whilst flying, as does the Redwing and both can appear to have some white on their body whilst in flight. Both of them would be heading North for breeding, normally much earlier in the year.

There are of course lots of shore birds which could possibly fit your description, some of them like the turnstone have quite striking wing patterns.

[Catherine]

'Hi!' from me too, Belbird!

What about a Dipper - as in this thread - http://www.thamesvalleybirds.co.uk/b...ncashire.html??

[belbird]

Oh dear, I really don't know, I'm not sure they looked like any of these...!
I'll have to wait and hope to see them again and get some more detail. Or perhaps find someone who knows what they might be in this area of the Thames.
Thanks very much to both of you - I'll let you know if I see them again or have any bright ideas about them!