Identification problems

Rick Hall · Status: Offline

RE: Identification problems

Mark Rigby · Status: Offline

Hi Rick,

Have a look at Knot in your fieldguide.

Cheers

Riggers

Rick Hall · Status: Offline

I was at Knott-End on thursday when I saw a bird I couldn't ID. It was a sandpiper of some description I think, but I really struggle with waders. I had excellent views of it from just feet away as it had taken a blow to head by the looks of things and was either recovering or on it's last legs. When approached within a couple of metres, it still had enough energy and awareness to to move away, so hopefully it was on the road to recovery. Anyway here's a description:

It was a small bird, but there was nothing around to compare it against. Roughly 20-26cm.
Black bill, roughly 1 and a half times as long as it's head. Black eye.
The most striking feature was it's bright yellow legs that were tinged with green. They were not long legs.
It's upper feathers were browny-grey each with a paler edging. Chest had brown speckles/streaks fading to white on it's belly with no definition.
There was a paler, almost white stripe above the eye that reached almost to the back of it's head.
It did not fly while I was there and I had to go as I was supposed to be working.

Any help would be much appreciated. A more experienced would have Id'd this bird instantly. I will have to study much harder!!

Holly Page · Status: Offline

Thanks for that Ian!

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Holly, I can confirm that the current Cresswell 'Blue-headed Wagtail' is in fact a male Channel Wagtail. That is, a hybrid between Yellow Wagtail and Blue-headed Wagtail.

I had been asked to give an opinion on the bird by a well known local photographer (and subsequently by another local birder!) who took some superb images on his website at:

http://www.tomtamsnaturephotography.com/Pages,%20Birds/Channel%20Wagtail.html

Please see my article on just this subject on the Manchester Birding website which should explain it all hopefully!

I was also asked an opinion on the current Black-headed Wagtail there too although that is much more long-winded and potentially complicated!

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Friday 23rd of April 2010 03:38:29 PM

Holly Page · Status: Offline

Are there any wagtail specialists who can help me? I was up at my parents in Northumberland yesterday so took the opportunity of going to Cresswell Pond as a couple of wagtail species had been there all week. The reports initially said there was both a black-headed and a blue-headed wagtail there but the report was then revised to a black-headed and a "channel" wagtail. I didn't get the black-headed but got the "channel". However, I cannot find it in any of the bird books I own. Is it just a variant on the yellow wagtail or is it actually a separate species? I got photos I could send if these would help.

Tim Wilcox · Status: Offline

Paul - I've not forgotten your request and I'll keep a look out but there's still only that large Collins at £83 out there. Thanks to Dean I got lucky and when I threw the packing away at the weekend I noticed it had come all the way from Cheadle Hulme!

Tim

Geoff Hargreaves · Status: Offline

on a lighter note,2 pints of foaming ale for the first one to post an i.d. of the bird the kwik fit guy 'charms' down.i,ve got it on tape but i,ve not studied it yet,first shot was reed bunting but this is coming from a bloke who sometimes cant,t tell a female mallard from a teal

cheers geoff

Geoff Hargreaves · Status: Offline

not a problem more of a moan,I was having a minute in the garden between tasks and saw 30 starlings mobbing a bird of prey i ran upstairs for the bins

,but it was history

so hobby can,t be added to garden list but I,m almost sure

cheers geoff

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

Well done Tim got a couple of other birders interested in this book, was there any more if so just send me a pm.

the second hand book world is a minefield of good and bad prices, big bookfair at Buxton this Monday.

keep birding

Tim Wilcox · Status: Offline

With many thanks to Dean for the tip-off I've got one for the more sensible price of £20.00

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

I'd sell my copy for £80, no worries

Tim Wilcox · Status: Offline

thanks Paul. Yikes! What a quaint price. I wonder how they arrive at £83 as opposed to say £80 or £85. The eccentricities of the second hand book trade I suppose

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

Good news and bad news Tim

Yes this format was a limited run and it is excellent, I know of one bookseller which has one copy, however he is asking £83.....sorry

beggers belief and now have moved my signed copy

off the side and placed it on a higher shelf.

But dont dispair rumour has it that copies are still on certain shelves in bookshops always worth checking out Borders they have old stock sometimes.

Will keep an eye out for you.

Keep Birding

Tim Wilcox · Status: Offline

There was a superb large format edition of the Collins Bird Guide which is out of print and I didn't buy it at the time

I have checked Collins' website and there seem to be no plans to relaunch this format with the second edition next March. I can't find a copy on Amazon or Abebooks (but it is hard to refine the search there are so many copies of the 'pocket' format out there).

Anyone know where I can get one? It's a book I really want in my collection

Gary Marland · Status: Offline

If anyone's interested (and I'm sure Paul will be) the second edition of the Collins Bird Guide is due for publication in March 2009.

Gary

Geoff Hargreaves · Status: Offline

roy, I saved a few quid and leg work by ordering the collins guide from smiths of jersey
and as ian says it,s the one everyone carries with them(well me anyway) and if it helps its got a barn owl on the cover,easy shopping.

cheers geoff

you can also spend quite a bit of time when its dark and raining looking through the mystrey bird comp on the main web site ,which i,m told will help you develop i.d. skills but don,t get despondant the samaritans have a dedicated line for us failures.

-- Edited by Geoff Hargreaves at 22:22, 2008-08-06

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Roy,

the Collins guide is undoubtably the best to go for. Not only is it very well priced but more importantly it is the most up-to-date, well researched and detailed field guide of it's kind ever produced to date, containing more plumages/ages and races than any other. The artwork is by two of the most outstanding bird artists in their field and the writers amongst the most experienced in the world, you really need look no further than this book. Photographic guides rarely, if ever, contain enough detail and individual plumages to be of real use, unless utilised together with a more detailed guide such as the Collins! The real beauty of the Collins guide however is that it can still appeal to birders of all experience, those newer to birding will enjoy the clear layout and specific, easy to read text and labels on the plates but those more experienced and so looking for more detail won't have to dig far to find it, some of those more difficult species are treated beautifully in the plates without being actually discussed as such in the text, it really is all there but on some you have to look a little harder.

Definately the one to go for.

Roy Ganley · Status: Offline

To Waterstones we go!

Paul Heaton · Status: Offline

Well when someone asks about books cannot help myself,

the bible has to be Collins bird guide killian mullarney lars svensson ztterstrom and grant.

however always liked Birds of Europe lars Jonsson.

photographic guides.

Birds of Europe Hakan Delin Lars svenson.

but Rob hume RSPB birds of Britain may be best also Mike Beazleys guide may be useful.

got loads more if you need them. you can never have enough books;

keep birding

Roy Ganley · Status: Offline

After 3 hours on Pennington and it started to go dark, left for home extremely happy and chuffed with an afternoons birding,problem is when I have got home with my notes was identifying what I have actually seen , Have the RSPB pocket Book on Birds , can anyone recommend a book which will help with identifying the birds? Have identifyed more with the sites photos than the book.
Roy