Devil Bird's devilishly difficult quiz

[The Devil Bird]

Hello,
I am a bit bored now since the points games have finished so I am going to try to do a little quiz. Not aiming for it too be long term but just a bit of fun.
This quiz is different because it is sooooo hard!

Now to start off this is one of the hardest I've got so lets get it over with:
98826

Any one (apart from Tim.birdboy who knows this one and I think Teamsaint does too) who guesses this first time is a super ID-er.
Anyway it will be fun so have a go.

[neil78]

Osprey?

[The Devil Bird]

No but good guess.

[teamsaint]

ha ha not another quiz, only joking lol. I'll try Marsh Harrier (haven't seen this one before)

[The Devil Bird]

Nope not Marsh Harrier.
You are viewing the one with the bush in the bottom right aren't you?

[rezMole]

Goldfinch

[The Devil Bird]

Sorry, not Goldfinch (PS don't be fooled by the colour that it appears to be, that is just the camera). Keep guessing.

[teamsaint]

You are viewing the one with the bush in the bottom right aren't you?

yep..

[The Devil Bird]

Good. I will let people have two more guesses then I will give you a major clue.

[Storm-Petrel]

its yellow colored, thats all i see. Serin?

[Tim Hall]

Smudge on the lens?

[nickderry]

bee eater?

[MSA]

Obviously a Kestrel.

[birderbf]

Wow this is too easy. Hobby.

[The Devil Bird]

OK, you are all far far off.
Here is the major clue, it is dull in colour, very common (in Britain/Europe) doesn't land much at all and screams.
Maybe thats a bit too much info???

[Progne Subis]

Common Swift?

[The Devil Bird]

Progne Subis, you guessed correctly :king: :clap: :clap: , well done this is in fact an unbelievably rubbish photo of Common Swift Apus Apus.
Here is a slightly better one (well, you can make it out) from the same sequence.
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And here is the next photo
I have modified it to make it harder but I reckon you'll get it pretty easy.
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EDIT: Just realised it looks like it says this image has beer, it doesn't mean that it means been.

[Progne Subis]

Progne Subis, you guessed correctly :king: :clap: :clap: , well done this is in fact an unbelievably rubbish photo of Common Swift Apus Apus.

Thanks :)

I'll say House Martin

[The Devil Bird]

Unfortunately not House Martin, sorry!

[Progne Subis]

Unfortunately not House Martin, sorry!

Oh, is it a Barn Swallow then?

[The Devil Bird]

Yes, well done again, you are good at this. :king: :king: , 2 points for you so far.
Here's the next one:
99045
(also very modified, don't be fooled by some plumage markings, they are fake, though its mantle and back, tail etc isn't.) This picture reminds me of the illustrations in Bill Oddies Little Black bird Book.

[neil78]

Reed Bunting

[The Devil Bird]

Yes well done Neil! :king:
Here's the next one, this should be interesting...
99055

[rezMole]

Little grebe

[teamsaint]

Common Scoter

[Progne Subis]

Hmmm... I was thinking along the lines of Long-tailed Duck.

[The Devil Bird]

Little Grebe, Common Scoter and Long-tailed duck are all incorrect. Its amazing what taking the centre from the bird and accidentally making its head the wrong shape in photoshop can do.
Keep guessing.

[Pete Mella]

Smew?

[The Devil Bird]

Not Smew.

[BobTag]

Goldeneye

[The Devil Bird]

Goldeneye is correct!:king: .
Now this one hasn't been modified, it should be fairly easy.
99221
And I want to do this one at the same time. There are 3 species to guess correctly, one in the first picture and two in this one:
99223

[tim.birdboy]

Osprey?

[teamsaint]

Osprey

[The Devil Bird]

Yes Osprey. Just added another picture to the same post , bird 1's bill shape has changed so go by size and posture for that one.

[Jane Turner]

Blue Tit for two... and one should be a Greenfinch on tail and bill shape - legs look too long and slim though - more Robin like

Ah seen you changed the bill - I'll go for robin

[The Devil Bird]

Jane Turner, you are correct!!!! I will post the next on soon

[The Devil Bird]

This one should be easy, unmodified but distant.
99228

[teamsaint]

hobby

[The Devil Bird]

Not hobby.

[tim.birdboy]

Common Cuckoo?

[The Devil Bird]

Yes! Congratulations! Next one tomorrow.

[Jane Turner]

that would be my guess too

[The Devil Bird]

OK heres the next one:
99303
I reckon the first person will get this one, its pretty easy.

[The Devil Bird]

And I cannot resist I just have to do this one at the same time! Can you please identify every single species in this shot? This one is truly evil! There are 5 species.
99306

[Jane Turner]

Little Grebe Doctored.

Tufted Duck, Coot and GC Grebe for sure. Unidentifiable brown small bird in the middle looks potentially interesting - BN Grebe?

[The Devil Bird]

Correct on the juvenile Little Grebe, correct on the 3 birds you are sure of, the bird in the middle is interesting yes but not Black-necked Grebe, and there is another bird somewhere in the picture (hint:look at the bank).
Very well done.

[The Devil Bird]

Here is the original photo of the juvenile Little Grebe. Keep working on the tricky one.
99307

[Jane Turner]

Long tailed duck... and perhaps a Mallard under the bank.

[Pete Mella]

My eyesight/monitor's not doing too well on the last pic, but is one of them a ruddy?

[The Devil Bird]

Hi,
Jane, there was definitely not a Long-tailed Duck, there may be a Mallard but I can't spot it after zooming in on the high res version in photoshop.
There is not a Ruddy Duck either unfortunately.
Further hint: The bird in the middle is a very interesting bird and is worth looking at again.
Further hint: If you look quite far up the bank then you see something, towards the right
EDIT: actually I can see a couple of figures on the bank...
EDIT: ...But I think its just bushes

[screech-owl]

How about a coot, GC grebe, Red-necked Grebe, and lapwing-(there is what looks like one to the left, but probably not)

[teamsaint]

If it's not a Black-necked then how about a Slav (the one that you saw at Staines)

[The Devil Bird]

Good thinking Tom ;). So far players have got Tufted Duck, Coot, Great-crested Grebe, Slavonian Grebe. One more!!!

[The Devil Bird]

The final bird is behind the fence, and then go right and you will see something dark and c*rrion cr*w shaped maybe....???
mmm this is gong to be reeeaaallly hard I can see ;)

[Joe Ray]

Try Golden Plover?

[The Devil Bird]

no........
It is in the top right behind the fence, dark and may involve something like c*rrion cr*w...

[Joe Ray]

Rook or Carrion Crow then.

[The Devil Bird]

Yes, congratulations! Carrion Crow was the final bird!
So it was Tufted Duck, Coot, Great-crested and Slavonian Grebe and Carrion Crow.
I will post another photo later.

[The Devil Bird]

OK here's the next one, please identify, successfully the birds in the photograph. Not too hard.
99473

[tim.birdboy]

Okay, this'll be my only guess:

Barnacle Goose
Snow Goose
Greylag Goose

[screech-owl]

How about Greylag Goose, Barnacle Goose, and Ross' Goose

[teamsaint]

Barnacle, Pink-footed and Ross's

[The Devil Bird]

Teamsaint got it right! Congratulations. Another photo soon.

[The Devil Bird]

Ok this one is probably going to end up being the hardest one yet (YES I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE THINKING, IMPOSSBILE!!!) but have a go.
Shows only a small part of the bird, if you want to know which part, this piece of info may help, then I may tell you.
99486

[tim.birdboy]

Robin?

[The Devil Bird]

nope, not robin.

[screech-owl]

Fieldfare?

[Stephen Menzie]

Nuthatch

[The Devil Bird]

How? What!!!!! You got it right Menzie this deserves a round of aplause! It is in fact, the backside of a Nuthatch. I will post another photo tonight.
:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

[The Devil Bird]

Ok this one is the hardest ever:
99646

[teamsaint]

jackdaw??

[The Devil Bird]

No, not Jackdaw.

[Storm-Petrel]

Peregrine???

[The Devil Bird]

no not peregrine either. teehee ;)

[tim.birdboy]

Eurasian Eagle Owl?

I've been staring at it too long, it begins to look like a monkey, then a hedgehog, then a...*shakes head*

[Storm-Petrel]

Goshawk????

[The Devil Bird]

Still not there.

[screech-owl]

A Buzzard or whatever you call them over there.

[The Devil Bird]

Not Common Buzzard.
OK, I will narrow it down for you, it is an oscine (passerine with complicated syrinx and therefore song).

[neil78]

Corn Bunting

[Progne Subis]

Dunnock?

[The Devil Bird]

Not any of the above either.

[The Devil Bird]

Further clue: It is very common.
I have another clue but I think it will give it away too much! I may tell you it later.
I am going away to Wales in about an hour so I will leave you to ponder over this one.

[Joe Ray]

Wren.

[The Devil Bird]

Arrrrggg... yes I suppose it is Jyothi. Well done :king: :clap: :clap: :clap:. I am just going to go and find one that will keep you all occupied for two weeks...
PS the other clue was it is very small and has many subspecies on British Islands...

[The Devil Bird]

OK, this will keep you occupied.
99884

[Joe Ray]

Especially as you cant even open it!! I'm saying Woodpigeon.

[Storm-Petrel]

some sort of pigeon was my thought too - Rock Dove?

[The Devil Bird]

The Devil Bird is back in the house! Got back from Wales about 3/4 hours ago was absolutely fantastic! 7 lifers: Shag, Chough, Raven, Dipper, Manx Shear, Guillemot and Fulmar. 7 more easy ones bagged life list 193.. only 7 away from 200. Anyway...
I have been away for two weeks and two replies? Oh well. Anyway your both wrong.
By the way I noticed people have been asking for points on the points games iI can't do it now, too tired, I will do it soon.

Anyway, keep guessing.

[The Devil Bird]

Okay... clue, its an elusive wetland bird.

[teamsaint]

Water Rail?? welcome back David!

[nickderry]

let's try a water rail, sounds like you had some good birding.

[The Devil Bird]

correct!!! Let me find another... maybe one from the holiday...

[The Devil Bird]

okay, this is from the holiday, but it isn't a special bird really.
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[nick patel]

Herring gull?

[The Devil Bird]

that was tooo quick !!!! well done, yes it is a herring gull... let me find another.

[The Devil Bird]

ok here's a hard one:
102663

[nickderry]

cormorant?

[nick patel]

Juvenile Shag?

[The Devil Bird]

nick got it right! well done. Ok here's the next one:
103102
Id each and every bird in this photo please ;)

[tim.birdboy]

nick got it right! well done.

Which Nick? :-O

Ooh, this one is tough. Greylag Goose, Canada Goose?

[The Devil Bird]

oh yeah twas nickderry with cormorant. two correct but theres still plenty more.

[nick patel]

Black guillemot.

[The Devil Bird]

not black guillemot

[The Devil Bird]

Anyone? Too hard?

[Zac Hinchcliffe]

Thats a hard one! I think that the small birds could be turnstone (well the bird on the rock... Also Red breasted merganser?

[The Devil Bird]

Good effort, but not correct.

[Zac Hinchcliffe]

Great Crested Grebe, coot, Greenshank and the two geese?

[The Devil Bird]

Okay so we got Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, great-crested grebe and coot, there's a few more. ;)

[Zac Hinchcliffe]

So based on the birds so far, I'm guessing this is inland. Tuftie? Redshank?

[The Devil Bird]

Sorry, didn't get anj update email. Redshank no Tufty no. keep guessing

[nick patel]

Mallard?

[jacana]

little grebe

[The Devil Bird]

Mallard yes, little grebe no.