What bird is this?

A very unusual bird flew up and landed on my back fence yesterday. Bigger than a sparrow, smaller than a blackbird, quite round, Finch type, it was BRIGHT ORANGE I mean dayglow orange with black markings, including a front to back black tuft (for want of a better word, I've been at the Bulmer's tonight ) on it's head.
Any ideas, anybody???????

ooh havent a clue but it sounds like a prety bird

Could it be an escaped Canary?

goldfinch

I concur.................

Goldfinch eh? I'm just off to have a quick Google and I'll get back........

Hmmmm just looked on a bird website and the pic there was a pale thing with a red face, nothing like what I saw.... unless those were hens and I saw the cock - it was certainly very strongly marked.
I guess it's not rare, then. Just a nice surprise to see one so close, very attractive bird.

http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl...ch&sa=N&tab=wi

Didn't realize the Goldfinch came in so many diff colours.

Could it have been a bird that had escaped from somewhere?

we get boring birds round here
i get excited if i see a robin