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What bird did I just see?

Neil Blood said:
According to my Rare Bird Alert app, there are currently 2 wintering Hoopoes in England, one is in Cambridgeshire and the other is in Wawickshire.

If your hearing but not seeing it, it could be a Collard Dove?
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Definitely a hoopoe as my neighbour who's seen it is a bit of a twitcher.
 
We have a resident flock of cranes near to us here in Norfolk. Now that's a bird that's easily identified! I think green woodpecker is nearest "fit" to your mystery bird Steve?
 
Maybe it was this chap, but he's upgraded from a Weasel rucksack to Stoat trousers?
 

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Thanks all for th continuing suggestions - I've been enjoying looking them all up and trying to remember if I've seen any of them at the nearby Chew Valley Lake (10 minutes away from where I live, turned down the first few years of pike trials for a fiver a go for two rods, now can't afford it thanks to the likes of Martin Bowler and Neville Fickling almost turning it into a syndicate. Anyway, I digress...).

100% not a green woodpecker - the breast is far too pale green (the green on the bird I saw was like a basil leaf green, but it "popped" more, if that makes sense), and the entire head down to the base of the neck and including the underside behind the beak was an uninterrupted very dark colour. There was no red on its head at all. Plus the legs were longer and more stick-like.

Something that escaped from the lab maybe?
 
Steve Lewis said:
100% not a green woodpecker - the breast is far too pale green (the green on the bird I saw was like a basil leaf green, but it "popped" more, if that makes sense), and the entire head down to the base of the neck and including the underside behind the beak was an uninterrupted very dark colour. There was no red on its head at all. Plus the legs were longer and more stick-like.

Something that escaped from the lab maybe?
Click to expand...

There's always a chance that it's an unusual visitor blown in from somewhere.
Here are three bird types that might fit some of the general criteria that are actually expected in the UK.
Sandpipers & other wading birds.
Rails, crakes & coots.
Lapwings & plovers.

If nothing on there comes close, try wading through the full A to Z.

I'm wondering whether it might be a pheasant. Whilst many will instantly recognise a typical cock pheasant, there are loads of different ornamental variations running around our countryside these days. Melanistic birds ranging from green to almost black are increasingly common. Dark cock birds don't always have the obvious red wattling on their heads.
 
Steve Lewis said:
Thanks all for th continuing suggestions - I've been enjoying looking them all up and trying to remember if I've seen any of them at the nearby Chew Valley Lake (10 minutes away from where I live, turned down the first few years of pike trials for a fiver a go for two rods, now can't afford it thanks to the likes of Martin Bowler and Neville Fickling almost turning it into a syndicate. Anyway, I digress...).

100% not a green woodpecker - the breast is far too pale green (the green on the bird I saw was like a basil leaf green, but it "popped" more, if that makes sense), and the entire head down to the base of the neck and including the underside behind the beak was an uninterrupted very dark colour. There was no red on its head at all. Plus the legs were longer and more stick-like.

Something that escaped from the lab maybe?
Click to expand...
Chinese COVID warbler ?????
 
Jon Young said:
Was it’s body fat like a pigeon but about half the size with long legs?
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I wouldn't say the body was fat, but definitely had long legs.


Chris Jones said:
There's always a chance that it's an unusual visitor blown in from somewhere.
Here are three bird types that might fit some of the general criteria that are actually expected in the UK.
Sandpipers & other wading birds.
Rails, crakes & coots.
Lapwings & plovers.

If nothing on there comes close, try wading through the full A to Z.

I'm wondering whether it might be a pheasant. Whilst many will instantly recognise a typical cock pheasant, there are loads of different ornamental variations running around our countryside these days. Melanistic birds ranging from green to almost black are increasingly common. Dark cock birds don't always have the obvious red wattling on their heads.
Click to expand...
Now, the colourings on some of those melanistic "mutants" certainly tick some boxes, and it looks like several species can be affected. So maybe whatever I saw had it. Defo not a pheasant though. I'm no twitcher, BUT I'm a huge fan of game, so I'm familiar with my pheasant species.

Still not ruling out an escaped exotic or wayward visitor from the tropics.
 
Steve Lewis said:
Thanks all for th continuing suggestions - I've been enjoying looking them all up and trying to remember if I've seen any of them at the nearby Chew Valley Lake (10 minutes away from where I live, turned down the first few years of pike trials for a fiver a go for two rods, now can't afford it thanks to the likes of Martin Bowler and Neville Fickling almost turning it into a syndicate. Anyway, I digress...).

100% not a green woodpecker - the breast is far too pale green (the green on the bird I saw was like a basil leaf green, but it "popped" more, if that makes sense), and the entire head down to the base of the neck and including the underside behind the beak was an uninterrupted very dark colour. There was no red on its head at all. Plus the legs were longer and more stick-like.

Something that escaped from the lab maybe?
Click to expand...
Male green woodpecker is really vibrant the female of the species is duller and definitely not vibrant like the male... If it was finch sized I'd say green finch....
 
Only yesterday, I saw a white pheasant. Took me by surprise.
 
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