Not brilliant shots but thought they may help in the identifying Green-winged Teal from the more common Teal, if they ever reach our area. Polemere hide was full of birders eager for a tick but most seemed to find it difficult to locate. The head is quite dull and lacks some of the head markings.
It was nice to see you there Edward.
Marks shots show the markings really well close up, but at a distance more difficult. If you go to see this bird concentrate on the area to the left, under the fallen trees.
Nice one Brian - at distance you're really not going to pick up the absence of markings on the head and the stand-out of course is the vertical white bar on the side of the chest compared to the horizontal buff coloured stripe on the Common Teal. Obviously the bird was much closer on Friday with the pond largely frozen but I found once my eye became attuned to this vertical stripe I could easily pick it out in a large group of birds. At least the good thing for me on Friday because it was so cold is that only a couple of other birders turned up, I pointed the bird out and off they went!!
ReplyDeleteOf course they could be collecting Eddie Stobart lorry numbers, its a shame not to enjoy the birds. I travel a lot with the Burbage Birders, and whilst they are very keen birders with my friend Ken on 520 British found species, they always watch and absorb the birds special features etc for some time.
ReplyDeleteOff up Carlisle way for the weekend so hopefully some decent birding - target species is the Smew of which i have no decent pics
ReplyDeleteLate last autumn, on a visit to the Lake district, we went to Campfield marsh just west of Carlisle. Not sure if I was lucky, but it was the best day I had for raptors. The usual Buzzard, Kestrel, and Sparrowhawk, but the stars of the show were the Peregrine catching a Wigeon low to the ground and a pair of Hen Harrier landing not more than 40m from the hide.
ReplyDeleteyep know it well - born and bred in Carlisle you see! Last winter at Campfield (salt marsh rather than the reserve itself) had a Great White Egret tho seen no note of it this year. Smew have been about in various locations though again seems to have gone quiet this past week or two. Hen Harrier would be good tho!!
ReplyDeleteMaybe we can arrange a visit to the area, not too far for an early start. Thank you Mark and Edward for info.
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