UKC

Some recent photos.

1. Bar-tailed Godwit

2. Stonechats

3. Male Linnet

4. Gadwell

5. Anyone want to guess? I think it is a non breeding adult if I’m right as to the species!

6. I’ll leave it for anyone that wants to guess. However, I don’t actually know what the furthest left one is though, but I could guess!

7. Think they are male and female Greater Scaup if anyone wants to confirm or suggest otherwise.

Thanks.

The godwit is a stunning photo.

The gull?  When did you take the photo?  
 

7  = scaup. 

The Scaup photo is great, I think it's because their wingbeats are fairly synchronised, males down, females just below level.

No idea what the duck on the left of 6 is.

Thought for a minute that gull number 5 was a little gull but they haven't got black wing tips, and Bonaparte's should be lighter under the wing (according to my old Hamlyn guide), doesn't look right for Slender-billed so I'll "guess" Audouin's because that's about the only possible rarity left although it doesn't fully fit that either. Hmm.

Thanks. The gull photo was taken on Monday. Still lots of wind blowing on land had hundreds of gulls on the sand. This one flew towards me and I knew it was different by a quick glance, but not at the time what I think it is.

My first attempt (out of focus) so had to try again before it disappeared.

My gull ID is poor (so could be wrong), but it displays same “features” as I saw earlier in the year. Just different head colouring which I believe can be seen in non breeding adults.

I’m going ‘common’ for the gull. And for the duck - very hard - wigeon or shoveler coming out of its moult. Edging wigeon due to head colour, but the white showing more like shoveler. If it was nearby, I’d be double checking for an American wigeon (right head colour and the white behind).  

Scaup were a last minute what are those flying past!

No 6 the nearest I got, by “logic” guess work could be a male shoveller.

Although out of focus, that shot's actually better for ID (wingtip black/white  pattern) I presume you're thinking Ring-billed - certainly seems to "fit" other photos on t'net.

Maybe it's the same bird you saw earlier in the year 😁

There’s a birder visits same places as me: he must have looked at a thousand wigeon to pick out an American male wigeon in eclipse. He did similar with American golden plover - he’s seen 2 - one of them in full winter plumage in a flock if 950 !!

Duck - could easily be shoveler. Keep an eye on it though, just in case …..

Also: that the best barwit photo I’ve ever seen - 10/10 minimum. 

Ducks, I'd be thinking, just turn round you little bu**er.

But more generally, just don't look at ducks until they're back in breeding plumage 😁. Firstly it's a bottomless pit of misidentification, and secondly after you've seen some rarity in drab mode, you'll then NEED to see it in its properly dolled up mode.

Yes, that’s my thought.

Maybe it was but now in a different area so on it’s seaside holiday (last one was land locked). Mmm raises a thought of does the yellow bill colour the the distinct black ring disappear after breeding for the winter 🙃.

It was a rush visit that day so didn’t hang about for another sight of the duck! During the bad weather with road closures ongoing.

Embarrassingly, the other day I mistook a buzzard for a M Harrier not using bins 😳🙄. It was gliding in the same way as a MH so just took a shot for interest in very poor light. On pc it was clearly a buzzard though, agh! That’s the extent of my IDing these days 🥴.

I was pleased with the barwit photos,thanks. It was the first time I’ve ever been was on the ground to photo birds and waited till they (two of) wandered close. The wind was whipping up the sand that day and I was getting covered. Fortunately, with the sun low behind I waited and waited!

Another one. Going to use this one I think if I ever get around to making a calendar for f&f (or myself!!!).

ID challenge. This morning, St Andrews harbour, phone scoped. A right miserable gloomy morning. Rough seas must have pushed a couple of these birds into the harbour - never seen them there before in hundreds of visits. Turnstone, purple sandpiper etc. 

I’m going to say it’s that species I rarely see - Gulosos aristotelis 🫣 aka Shag.

Smaller size it looks, head shape, thin bill makes me think not a Cormorant.

Just had a lunchtime stroll and plenty of Redwing seen. Besides that with the weather inland not great other birds are in hiding.

Correct. The photo is actually a reflection flipped upside down.  

5 = I'd also say Common Gull.

The definitive bits that tell me Shag rather than Cormorant are firstly the steeply sloped forehead and then confirmed by the relatively narrow bill.

That second Bar-tailed shot could be used as a species ID reference photo for winter plumage, gives a great idea of typical bill length+up-curve and even with the feet hidden you can see how it's a wee bit more dumpy than Black-tailed.

Great shot.

Thanks. At least for a while it was good to think it could have been a RB!

Thanks; I should check to see if I got any other photos Side on and with legs fully showing - only one I remember was out of focus.