Monthly Archives: July 2011

Answer to What Next? This Duck.

Posted on July 19, 2011 by

The Question was: What species, age and sex is this duck? First summer female White-winged Scoter, Point Pelee, Ontario, Canada, May 2011. David Cooper Yep that’s what it is. If you look closely it appears to have pale fringes to wing coverts which point towards a retained juvenile feathers. Only now its nearly a … Continue reading →

Posted in Wildfowl | 1 Comment

More on Continental Stonechats

Posted on July 18, 2011 by

Time to add it to the British List? It’s not on. That is, the Continental Stonechat Saxicola torquata rubicola, is not on the official British List of bird species and subspecies. On the 2006 BOURC list of subspecies, ssp hibernans is listed as a ‘resident breeder’ … Continue reading →

Posted in Chats and Thrushes | 4 Comments

What Next? This Duck

Posted on July 18, 2011 by

Over to you… …on a Monday morning to identify this bird: Species, sex and age. It’s not too tricky but this species in this plumage has not yet been identified anywhere in Europe. Do you know what it is and importantly how to identity it if you thought you had … Continue reading →

Posted in Wildfowl | 5 Comments

More on Continental Black-tailed Godwits

Posted on July 15, 2011 by

Learning slowly! OK. Deep breath! This is the kind of subject I seem to learn best slowly. One layer at a time. Not all at once! It’s too much to take in all the complex data which enables some (who have through trial and … Continue reading →

Posted in Shorebirds | 2 Comments

Awesome photos of Glaucous-winged Gull

Posted on July 14, 2011 by

 Vardø Harbour today I was here, with Tormod only 2 months ago, talking about what gulls might get found! Look what he found there today. Here’s his story: “Hello Martin! Just back from Vardø Harbour, with nice bird news: Me and my wife … Continue reading →

Posted in Arctic Norway, Gulls | Leave a comment

Continental Black-tailed Godwit

Posted on July 14, 2011 by

Limosa limosa limosa The nominate form of the Black-tailed Godwit is very hard to see in Britain. It does breed in small numbers. But apart from a few each late summer in North Norfolk and Suffolk its a very hard bird to see. It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Shorebirds | 1 Comment

Marsh Sandpiper

Posted on July 14, 2011 by

Checking out the feeding action Had some time to pop up to Blacktoft Sands RSPB reserve. After a little run around the Marsh Sandpiper was back from the Ousefleet hide screen.  I saw my first one in Britain with Tim Andrews on a little flash in Hertfordshire sometime in the early 80′s. Still a … Continue reading →

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Your One Stop Reference Guide!

Posted on July 13, 2011 by

Are you looking for a particular reference for a particular group of species? Well here is your one stop shop for references of many things avian! Fully updated AUGUST  2011. The first of the selection is of course everyones favourite; … Continue reading →

Posted in Gulls, Identification Reference Lists, Seabirds | 2 Comments

Continental Stonechats

Posted on July 12, 2011 by

Breeding in Britain This piece is written by David and John Cooper. As a refresher it’s generally understood that the form of Stonechat which breeds in Britain is ssp. hibernans. Over a decade ago folk began to wonder why some Stonechats particularly on south and east coasts of Britain looked ‘different’ with an appearance as … Continue reading →

Posted in Chats and Thrushes | 5 Comments