Fruit Salad

[grahamB]

Inspired by John Robinson’s picture here http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/124313/ppuser/5779
and those RSPB picture competitions of the 70s (see fourth picture if you are too young to remember), this is a both a challenge to those BF members who like to identify blurred dots on photos and a challenge to photographers to see who can come up with the most species on a single frame!

I have posted three pictures below (Resized to 800 pixels width, so I hope the resolution is good enough). I think I know what is visible, but I’m prepared to be surprised! I will post answers later.
First picture: south coast of England 13/11/05. Name 10 species and the location.
Second picture: Norfolk 26/7/06 Name 13 species and location
Third picture: Norfolk 28/7/06 Name 10 species and location

[birderbf]

OK for the first I see:

Mute Swan
Eurasian Wigeon
Greater Scaup?
Great Cormorant
Eurasian Coot
Northern Lapwing
Black-headed Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Herring Gull

The other two are beyond me.

I have a picture of many many species in one frame, as a matter of fact, it's the current photo being scrutinized (or was being scrutinized) in my photo quiz (link in signature.)

[MSA]

Pic 1 - Stanpit marsh! looking east.

Mute Swan
Coot
Wigeon
Oystercatcher
Lapwing
LBBGull
GBBGull
Herring Gull
Black-headed Gull
Common Gull

[birderbf]

OK for the first I see:

Mute Swan
Eurasian Wigeon
Greater Scaup?
Great Cormorant
Eurasian Coot
Northern Lapwing
Black-headed Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Herring Gull

The other two are beyond me.

I have a picture of many many species in one frame, as a matter of fact, it's the current photo being scrutinized (or was being scrutinized) in my photo quiz (link in signature.)

MSA's on to something - now I see the oystercatcher, and the Common Gull. Add them to my list, and forget the scaup (those ducks way out back). Hey, now I've got 11!

[teamsaint]

here are my guesses:

number 1:
location: ?
species:
coot
black-headed gull
wigeon
great black-backed gull
lesser black-backed gull
lapwing
cormorant
common gull
mute swan

number 2:
location: cley
species:
starling
avocet
spoonbill
spotted redshank
ruff
mallard
black-tailed godwit
cormorant
lesser black-backed gull
coot
common sandpiper
dunlin

number 3:
location: cley (pat's pool)
species:
spoonbill
little egret
avocet
black-tailed godwot
black-headed gull
shelduck
oystercatcher
lapwing
ringed plover
starling

[mooskibaby]

I am very interested in where these photos have been taken. Could you please tell me Graham. I would have said Cley, i go there quite often it looks almost like Cley nature reserve.

[mooskibaby]

While i'm looking i am going to have a go at identifying the birds in picture 3. I am no where near as good as you lot, but i'm going to have a go anyway. Could you please tell me which ones i've got right.
I've not looked at other peoples answers because thats cheating.

Picture 3:
1. Spoonbill
2. Shelduck
3. Oystercatcher
4. Lapwing
5. Avocet
6. Black tailed godwit
7. Herring gull
8. Ruff
9. Black headed gull
10. Little ringed plover

[grahamB]

BirderBF currently holds the record for the best fruit salad- with 14 flavours (er.. species) here:

http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=90851&d=1182627959

(Actually I am guessing at 14 as I can't do American shorebirds).

BirderBF also got all 11 species on picture 1 (I had not noticed the Common Gull- well done to MSA and Teamsaint for that one too).
MSA got the correct location for picture 1- Stanpit Marsh (Christchurch Harbour)- but I should have hoped so given your location Mark!

Picture 1 answers attached- I will give a bit longer for pictures 2 and 3.

[mooskibaby]

Can we have the answers now for the other 2?

[mooskibaby]

Any answers?

[nick patel]

Picture 2: Eurasian spoonbill,
Avocet,
Black-tailed godwit,
Black-headed gull,
Mallard,
Cormorant,
Starling,
Ruff,
Dunlin,
Lesser black backed gull,
Teal,
Coot.

Picture 3: Eurasian spoonbill,
Oystercatcher,
Avocet,
Shelduck,
Black-headed gull,
Black-tailed godwit,
Lapwing,
Ruff,
Starling,
Moorhen.

These are my guesses.

[mooskibaby]

Shame i only got 2 wrong. I'm very pleased with that.

Have you got any other quizs like that?

[grahamB]

Sorry for the delay... I must have dozed off there.
Well done teamsaint, mooskibaby and nick patel and thanks to all who played. The answers I think are correct are attached. I have to say the Pied Wagtail on number 2 is hard to get and the Shoveler might be a Teal! Can't see a Coot on number 2, but there's probably one there somewhere!
Little Egret (3 birds on the right hand side) on picture 3 foxed a couple of people (and I overlooked them when I first sat in the hide), but there are only 5 Spoonbills!

Fruit Salad 2 will be posted shortly, Anna.

[grahamB]

and pic 3

[teamsaint]

i think the first one is a spotted redshank and the second one possibly a very large ringed plover

[mooskibaby]

I enjoyed that thanks Graham

[grahamB]

I think the resolution of the pics allowed on this forum may have caused a few problems. Attached are higher res. extracts of pictures 2 and 3. I will try to find some better pics for Fruit Salad 2.
Graham

[mooskibaby]

Are they redshank and avocet?

[MSA]

Look like Ruff and Avocet to me.

[mooskibaby]

i dont no

[grahamB]

MSA was correct- Ruff and Avocet respectively. Sorry I didn't caption them (the file names were a clue, however)

[MSA]

MSA was correct- Ruff and Avocet respectively. Sorry I didn't caption them (the file names were a clue, however)

Note to self - always check file names on ID quiz threads! (I didn't, honest - no, really - .... oh make your own minds up).