I hope the Moderators won't think this is too political for the Forum, but I feel strongly that Malta deserves all the protests it can get if the twice-yearly slaughter of migrating birds is to cease. The link below may be a bit of a rant (and who could blame the author) but it does include pieces from other bona fide sources such as BirdLife International/Malta and The Times of London. (Both have separate links.)

Importantly, it also includes an address, email and website where readers might voice their objections. I hope many of you will take the opportunity. It is this kind of international protest that has the best chance of succeeding.

http://10000birds.com/malta-and-its-hunters-a-stain-on-european-civilisation.htm

Female Common Rosefinch!   :

Aha, MAK! I bet you have it there. I thought Finch sp., but that's as far as I got. I await word from Donna. (The judges' decision is final...)

I just realised one can also listen to birds on that RSPB site... here's the corncrake!

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/c/corncrake/index.aspx

Good site for checking the kinds of things we see over here... tho Ireland does not have the species variety that the UK does.

If you can imitate that sound....God bless you Bobbie.

But I can! I can!!

female house finch

Close 

Good job narrowing this down, NYCBird... a finch sp. sounds good... but more than that? I'm foxed!

Nope, it's not a Stinker!    Try again!
[/quote]

EGG-cellent!

I just realised one can also listen to birds on that RSPB site... here's the corncrake!

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/c/corncrake/index.aspx

Good site for checking the kinds of things we see over here... tho Ireland does not have the species variety that the UK does.

Ahhh, it's OK Bobbie, the first to guess, is the first to know!

So what's this?

Ah, well, now! THIS one is a stinker!

Couldn't find a stonechat like Donna's bird but thought the Reunion stonechat looked a little like a dark-eyed Junco except for beak color.

Here's an RSPB link, MAK. When they say "the size of a robin", they are talking about the European Robin... you can click to find this one on the link too...

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/s/stonechat/index.aspx

Ok, this was too easy...(at least for Bobbie and Annette)..  

OOOPS! Should have thought before I posted... it was over to Donna to tell, not me!! Sorrreeee! I just got so excited that I actually knew something...

Guess this bird, never heard of this either! 

Stonechat?

Go, Annette!

OK, OK.....it's CITRINE Wagtail....you all were very very close! Sorry but I needed specifics! 

Well! All I know about the Citrine is its name... fun game, tho. (MAK, are you and I the only ones daft enough to keep playing with this woman??)

(Sidebar: If anyone cares, I do a passable imitation of the male's crex-crex call...)

Record it and post it!!  bguitar I'm curious now!

Me? Record and post? You gotta be kidding! (I am quite good at it, tho... In fact, I am having a little practice right now!)

Your goldfinch looks much different color wise.  The blue tit looks like a chicadee.  Interesting!   

MAK, check out/google Coal Tit - this is almost exactly the same as a Chickadee... (Don't know the scientific name for either, tho I can look)... so you were right there in the very ball park. Sounds almost identical...

Guess this bird, never heard of this either! 

Miss! MISS! Me! Pick me! I KNOW! I know!

Won't tell, tho...

Thought for Today

"I am in my own little world.  But it's ok, they know me here."

It's a good world - I spend a LOT of time in mine, too!   

Getting a bit crowded in there??