marek_walford
Well-known member
ground-roller said:"I could name many features pro-SBC - namingly; Size, bill length and shape, tail pattern, underpart colouration and pattern (or shape) of spots/ovals on left flank, dark crown appearance, dark loral area, slightly more obvious supercilium, overall pale ness, very white underwing!! "
If you could see all this you've got immense optics and had far better views than anyone I have spoken to . If it had all these features i'm sure it would be slender-billed. When we were there (thursday in fairly poor light) no one could see any plumage or posture features that were sufficient to really conclude we were watching an extinct bird.
I've just got back and can say I could see most of these features. It was significantly smaller and the bill much shorter than the the Eurasian Curlews it was with, couldn't see the tail pattern and not convinced about the spots on the flanks but noted (yes, I took some notes too ;O) a dark crown, faint supercilium, overall paleness (remarkably like Barwit) and pale underwing. I need to do some serious reading before I make my mind up but I would highly recommend going to see it. If nothing else it's been educational!