On Monday 9th December, a rare fine if breezy day, I made another visit to the RSPB reserve at Burton Mere on the Wirral. The main target was the wintering flock of Pink-footed Geese. There were plenty in the air ... as here ... bit none too close.
In this view it is possible to eliminate Canada Goose (no white chin strap) and Greylag Goose (bill too small). Beyond that .... In real life the calls identified the species easily.
At the back a Shelduck, recently back from Heligoland Bight where this species congregates to moult. In the foreground two drake and one duck (Eurasian) Wigeon.
This Shelduck seems to be starting to acquire a red knob at the base of the bill indicating it is a drake coming in to breeding plumage. Drakes also have a wider chestnut breast-band but that is partially hidden here.
Not a stunning shot. However the distinctive pattern of Shelduck in flight is shown. On this bird the bill appears more orange than red. Probably a first-year bird.
A drake Wigeon ...
... with the rather strong breeze under its tail.
A pitfall for the unwary. In silhouette Wigeon could be confused with Pintail as at first sight they seem to have a ‘pin tail’. They do: but nowhere nearly so pronounced. Separation also possible by the more pointed wings and shorter and thicker neck of Wigeon....
... and from above the diagonal white flash (here on immature drake Wigeon) that would never be shown by a Pintail of any age or sex.
Two of this trio of Grey Herons were having a bit of a scrap (care: what at first sight seem to be legs on the flying bird are reeds!)
Rather ungainly as they do so.
Always a bird that is a challenge to photograph, staying well away from any of the hides and boardwalks, is Marsh Harrier. The long and narrow tail rules out Buzzard. The head looks smaller too. There is not much else to provide any identification clues here.
A Moorhen sloshing through the mud – no feet!
Not a species I see on every winter visit – (Eurasian) Curlew. Most of them sleeping.
Later they woke up and flew off to a distant field to feed. On the left of this trio is what is almost certainly a female – they have longer bills than males. The black shape amongst them is a Starling.
Black-tailed Godwit is almost always present around the reserve. Here is a juvenile with just a hint of orange suffusion on the breast and retained patterned wing-coverts – adults would show an all-grey neck and rather plain grey back and wing coverts. Note the long, straight two-toned bill. This bird appears rather atypical in showing a clear white eye-ring. Normally there would be a short white supercilium in front of the eye only.
The same bird has now been feeding, burying its bill in the mud with its head underwater. As a result the bill appears less clearly two-toned. Note from this angle the short supercilium is evident.
And now it has a muddy face as well.
Best I could do against the light with this party of (Common) Redshank. Length of the bill is the only real clue to their identity though I fancy I can see a red base to the bill of the closest bird.
It is not all about water birds. The reserve is bounded by wooded areas and this male Great Spotted Woodpecker put in an appearance. Rather oddly it appear the bill is slightly upturned. Must be an optical illusion (or its mother met an Avocet on a dark night?)
Here having a good look around.
A Siskin in a rather unconventional pose – this species is usually seen feeding head-down. Identification feature for this against the light view are the sharp pointed bill; the hint of yellow across the breast; the prominent streaking on the flanks and the neat ‘V’ of the folded tail.
(Ed Wilson)
