Need ID on 'Duck' Whitley Bay Aug 2011 (1 Viewer)

Lapwing2011

Well-known member

• Aug 17, 2011

• #1

Hi

Am new to this forum so 'hello'!

Sorry to say am asking for help already

Was oop north at the weekend so popped over to Whitley Bay - the tide was in so no waders, but spots included a cormorant sunning itself on a rock out at sea, various gulls, pied wagtails, swallows, starlings, plus a juvenile guillemot, what i think was a juvenile shorelark, and this chap - have looked through a book and also the RSPB identifier but no luck

Am calling it a duck as it was that kind of size and obviously looks like one, but anyone know exactly what it is?

i've other pics if anyone needs it, but this is as good as any of them

 

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Last edited: Aug 17, 2011

S

Steve Lister

Senior Birder, ex County Recorder, Garden Moths.

• Aug 17, 2011

• #2

Hello and welcome to Birdforum.

It is an Eider.

Steve

 

nickderry

C'est pas ma faute, je suis anglais.

• Aug 17, 2011

• #3

welcome to birdforum - don't worry about starting with questions - lots of us here are all too pleased to help. Your bird is an eider duck, they come in a confusing variety of plumages but that sloped forehead gives them a characteristic profile.

 

Lapwing2011

Well-known member

• Aug 17, 2011

• #4

Wow, that was quick!

thanks, i had eider as a possibility but couldn't find a picture with that plumage anywhere

Thanks for the help guys

 

Jeremy Squire

Bronsons got toupee

• Aug 17, 2011

• #5

It's a drake. Nice shot.

 

Lapwing2011

Well-known member

• Aug 17, 2011

• #6

Thanks Jeremy - on both counts!

 

Mark Newsome

Born to seawatch...

• Aug 17, 2011

• #7

Lapwing2011 said:

Hi

Am new to this forum so 'hello'!

Sorry to say am asking for help already

Was oop north at the weekend so popped over to Whitley Bay - the tide was in so no waders, but spots included a cormorant sunning itself on a rock out at sea, various gulls, pied wagtails, swallows, starlings, plus a juvenile guillemot, what i think was a juvenile shorelark, and this chap - have looked through a book and also the RSPB identifier but no luck

Am calling it a duck as it was that kind of size and obviously looks like one, but anyone know exactly what it is?

i've other pics if anyone needs it, but this is as good as any of them

Click to expand...

Also just to clear up one of your other IDs, it won't have been a juvenile Shorelark you'll have seen. They are pretty scarce birds in the north-east and the first migrants don't usually appear until late autumn, never in early August. It's much more likely to have been a Skylark.

Mark

 

Lapwing2011

Well-known member

• Aug 17, 2011

• #8

Hi Mark

well, here's the one pic i have of it but as you can see it's not very good - any further thoughts much appreciated

L

 

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Hobbes2

Well-known member

• Aug 17, 2011

• #9

Lapwing2011 said:

Hi Mark

well, here's the one pic i have of it but as you can see it's not very good - any further thoughts much appreciated

L

Click to expand...

That looks like a young Pied Wagtail to me.
Hobbes

 

L

lee_hesp

Well-known member

• Aug 17, 2011

• #10

Yep - young Pied Wagtail

 

Lapwing2011

Well-known member

• Aug 17, 2011

• #11

That makes sense - there were a lot of those around where i took it

thanks

 

L

lilyfenn

Well-known member

• Aug 17, 2011

• #12

going back to your first picture. it's a male in eclipse plumage so thats may be the reason you couldn't find a picture.

 

Lapwing2011

Well-known member

• Aug 17, 2011

• #13

Understood, thanks lilyfenn