On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 10:55:21 GMT, Jaques d'Alltrades
wrote:

The message
from martin contains these words:

I think they are goldfinches my wife thinks they are green finches.
I am sure we called them yellow hammers, when I was a kid.

To narrow it down a bit they have no green feathers, the coloured
feathers are yellow.

If I remove the Compuserve CDs from the tree, perhaps they will return
for closer scrutiny.



Candidates:

1) Siskin: Under 5". Small green finch, forked tail, male has black cap
and bib. Female duller, and lighter beneath.

2) Serin: same size as the siskin, unlikely, unless you've suddenly
found a forested mountain nearby....... Wild version of the canary.

3) Greenfinch: at just under 6", a bigger bird than the siskin, powerful
beak - sorry - bill

4) Crossbill: 6½"-ish. Unlikely. They like coniferous forests or groups
of mature conifers.

5) Goldfinch: just over 5". Red face,

the birds faces are not red.

white sides to head, black cap.
Mainly buff and black, but with bright yellow bar sandwiched between two
dark grey bars along the wings, and with a white trailing edge. Powerful
bill.

6) Yellowhammer: slightly larger than the greenfinch at 6½"-ish. Male:
face and underside yellow and a dark bar across the eyes and
concentric-ish curved bars round it. Chestnut rump and white streaks
along either side of the tail.

7) Yellow-breasted bunting: rare - unlikely.

HTH

not yet, but perhaps later.
--
Martin