Saturday, February 04, 2012

Mystery Bird



Jeff sent me this having spotted it in a photo he took recently on the east coast. I've cropped it and played with the exposure a loittle to try and highlight the defining features. It's obviously a Plover but am I right in saying Grey or do we think it could be something more exciting. It's been a while since I saw a winter plummaged Grey but something doesn't seem quite right to me.

9 comments:

Andrew Huyton said...

Forget that this is not a Grey Plover so what is it, surely the super is too bold for a Golden?

Jeff Cox said...

A bit of further info. This bird was with a group of Redshank and Dunlin just up from the shore line at Hornsea yesterday morning. I'd scanned the shore from the cliff top with the bins and took a few photos of the Redshank and Dunlin with a new camera to see what results I'd get when cropping. It was only when I was going over the photos at home that I spotted this bird and couldn't id it. I reckoned a plover of some sort but couldn't get any further.

AndyC said...

juv Golden

Brian Sumner . said...

Id go for Grey with the lack of back markings, light belly and the white eye marking ?

Andrew Huyton said...

I think the bill is just to fine for it to be a Grey Brian, I've posted this on Birdguides as well and sent it in as Unidentified, they have posted it on the site as American/Pacific Golden Plover and one comment had supported that saying it looks good for American Golden, I've suggested to Jeff that he inform the local Hornsea group know and see if someone can relocate the bird.
I also had a chat with jeff last night during which I was leaning towards American as well

Brian Sumner . said...

That would explain the eye pattern and light back markings, just looked at American and it looks good. Well spotted, you should have brought it back to Calderdale.
PS. good article in last nights Courier on Huytons Whooper!

martynbirder said...

poor photo but as soon as I saw it I thought it looks like American Golden Plover, I've seen a lot in this plumage, I'd say on what I can see it's an adult winter

Mick Cunningham said...

hi - the fact that 3 different species have been suggested say to me it can't be identified reliably from the photo, and I'd say ageing it is ambitious too -there must be lots of photographic artefacts at play. I could just as well say the rear end doesn't look attenuated, that the bill size is mis-leading owing to 'silhouette trim' and there's nothing that rules out grey in the photo: if it's poss to see detail, we could check if it had a hind toe or not which might clinch it. but we can't: hey ho, let it go ;-)??cheers mick

Nick Carter said...

Glad the post invite finally worked Mick!