Outer Moray Firth - Challenge 2 (1 Viewer)

I thought I'd continue with my impossible identifications with this picture of a flock of birds that has been bugging me for the last 10 weeks. - Almost certainly some boring common bird but never mind!

They fly past low to the water and very quickly (hence it is incredibly difficult to get a good picture with my shoddy camera).

A bit of background... I work as a marine mammal observer on seismic surveys around the world so get to see some interesting birds. I've decided to start taking an interest in them. (I also see there is a marine mammal section which I may wade into from time to time)

So here goes... a blurry cropped picture taken with a smartphone through a pair of binoculars. Any guesses?!

Oh and I've added a picture of a rare headless fulmar

Cheers!

Sam

Guillemots (though might be a few Razorbills in there too)
The other bird is a Kittiwake

Hi, I wonder if the headless bird is a Kittiwake rather than a Fulmar. Not sure Fulmars have black legs and feet. I can't work out how to zoom into your flock, but they look vaguely aukish to me - guillemots perhaps? I could be well wide of the mark on both of these, mind.

Agreed.

AHH Kittiwake! How on earth did I get that wrong, I saw tons of them on my last trip.
I need some practice...

Guillemots looks absolutely spot on. I guess I better find a harder challenge - There's some ominous brown and white birds as well as a small black and white one that bobs under water like a little auk. I'm going to try get a photo of those asap

I'd not rule out the majority of the birds in your flock being razorbills. Most of them look compact and blunt fronted enough for razors, but of course it's very difficult to be sure with these pics.

Fat Paul Scholes said:

I'd not rule out the majority of the birds in your flock being razorbills. Most of them look compact and blunt fronted enough for razors, but of course it's very difficult to be sure with these pics.

Click to expand...

Cheers, they do look similar. As you say they are a bit squatter, I'll keep an eye out next time they pass to try and find out!