Steve said:However How about this for a suggestion, As this is such an important bird, would it not make sense (and be of National importance ) to catch it. I think I saw a film once where Nets were "fired" onto geese by some sort of charge ?
Tim Allwood said:And not enough is known about sushkini yet....
You yourself say presumably. Unfortunately that's not quite enough, especially for a bird of SBC's conservation status and for a bird so infrequently recorded as an adult for the last 20 years people genuinely thought it may just have been extinct.
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Your quite right - im not 100% sure, who would be? Ive come to my conclusion from my experience of this bird, my notes, my experience with EC (and whimbrel), the known photos and skins, and from the best avaliable literature.
I have just had another birder (who in my opinion, is one of the best in Britain) ring me, having just left the bird. He too feels it looks very good for a SBC (and wonders why people think its a EC), his only doubt, rightly so, is how to rule out a hybird.
RE: your first point Tim, sushkini ARE know to ALWAY be bigger than EC, and have never been quoted as showing SBC plumage features (like this bird does).
From the BB article:marklhawkes said:his only doubt, rightly so, is how to rule out a hybird.
Tim Allwood said:and yes, catch it and tag it and take some blood too.
Jasonbirder said:I`ve never been very comfortable with the idea of catching birds purely so as we can identify them...besides - we wouldn`t be allowed to ring it would we as its not been positively ID`d!!!
Besides once we know what it actually is - what will we all have to talk about
Jasonbirder said:I`ve never been very comfortable with the idea of catching birds purely so as we can identify them...besides - we wouldn`t be allowed to ring it would we as its not been positively ID`d!!!
Besides once we know what it actually is - what will we all have to talk about
tom mckinney said:Go and see it because it almost certainly WILL be accepted by the BBRC.
Thanks for these. Now I'm back to thinking the bill shape looks more like an Eurasian Curlew's! I dunno...marek_walford said:Got some poor photos but they do show some of the features - alert posture, rump, stretched wing etc. Take a look at http://www.berksbirds.co.uk/birdphotography/curlew/curlew.html