[Jane Turner]

Same as the last one...I'll try to refrain from comment before midday tommorow. 4 main ones and a near impossible tie breaker. All could have been taken in the WP

[Bluetail]

'Strewth! I haven't the foggiest idea about any of these except the first. Still:

1. Alpine Swift
2. Buzzard (albino)
3. Dunlin X ??? hybrid
4. Pom Skua
5. Rose-coloured Starling

Now over to the experts!

[Andrew]

I can only manage Alpine Swift and a possible Western Sandpiper plus a Skua.

[Michael Frankis]

1 Alpine Swift
2 95% albino Carrion Crow
3 Western Sandpiper + Salicornia
4 Common Nighthawk
5 Shore (Horned) Lark

Michael

[tom mckinney]

Alpine Swift, albino Carrion Crow, juv Red Necked Phalarope, Nightjar and Common Starling. Maybe or perhaps number two is .....

[satrow]

On first viewing, Mr Frankis gets the coconut!

I second all of those.

Andy.

[Andrew Whitehouse]

1) Alpine Swift
2) Albino Carrion Crow (or is it leucistic?)
3) Semipalmated Sandpiper
4) Nighthawk
5) Rock Pipit (maybe lost some of its tail?)

[Bluetail]

Originally Posted by satrow

On first viewing, Mr Frankis gets the coconut!

I second all of those.

Andy.

On reconsideration, so do I - though I still harbour a slight doubt about the wader (isn't that rear end just a bit stumpy for a peep???)

[Michael Frankis]

I'm for Western Sand largely on that bright rufous bar along the scaps, and the long bill. Worn adult in late summer. The Salicornia (glasswort) is a different species to UK native Salicornia europaea, so I'm guessing the pic was taken in N America

Michael

[Tim Allwood]

Alp Swift
Carrion Crow
Western Sand (bill length and rufous cap - no flank marks tho...or not on pic)
Com. Nighthawk
can't do it at mo.....will keep tryin....

[satrow]

Originally Posted by Bluetail

On reconsideration, so do I - though I still harbour a slight doubt about the wader (isn't that rear end just a bit stumpy for a peep???)

I harbour doubts on most waders

Andy.

[Joern Lehmhus]

I would go for
1. Alpine Swift
2. Leucistic Carrion Crow
3.??? cant compete there, but the plant is for sure a Salicornia
4. Common Nighthawk
5. Horned Lark juvenile

[Jane Turner]

1= Alpine Swift
2= leucistic/albinistic Crow spp. It was associating with both Hoodies and Carrions and intergrades...so take your pick.
3. I'll come back to...
4. Common Nighthawk.

and no one has got close on 5... will answer yes/no to questions to close in on it.

[Jane Turner]

Now for the wader.

It was taken in Cuba in very early August. I thought it ws a Western Sandpiper at first (first impressions rule)...however there were a few things that were a bit funny about it.

The case against Western Sand
It was a very small bird (it was with Least Sands and was barely bigger. It looked short legged and dumpy...ie. much more like a Semi-P..... the bill was straight and though the scaps were warm...they were solidly dark centered and were warm brown rather than rufous....the bill was straight as a die and pretty broad-based and there were no black arrow marks on the breast or flanks.

The case against Semi-P
The bill was hugely long, way out of the range of any I've seen before (though that contested stint at Felixstowe matched it in the pics I've seen) and not particularly blunt tipped, the upper breast was very heavily marked grey. I've never seen full summer plumage Semi P...or very fresh juv, just pale plainish grey jobs. ...

I concluded that I couldn't identify it for certain and got distracted by the Frigate birds and fall of Dendroica warblers that was going on.


I'm accepting both for this.... so dead heat betwen Mr Frankis and Fifebirder...5 is the tiebreaker

[Michael Frankis]

New try on 5: Snow Bunting

Michael

[Michael Frankis]

And if that's not right, I'll try Lapland Bunting

[Jane Turner]

Nope and nope...

It did bear a passing resemblance to a Rock Pipit in habits.... it was running about on the beach and kept its distance, flying ahead of me about 100ft away all the time.

[Grousemore]

How about Ring Ouzel?

[Jane Turner]

no... its smaller

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Buff-bellied Pipit

[Jane Turner]

Here is the scenario (mythical I should add)

You are walking along a Machair beach on North Uist. Its late May. You notice a bird out ahead of you. Your first assumption is that its a Rock Pipit. But something is wrong. Its hopping, then running like a clockwork mouse, rather than walking like a pipit. You put bins to it and see it bears a passing resemblence to a bunting.....

You already picked up the short tail..... you have enough now :)

[Michael Frankis]

princeps Savannah Sparrow?

Michael

[Andrew]

Short tailed bunting? (Wonder if there is such a bird?)

[Jane Turner]

You nailed it Michael....

[Harry Hussey]

Hi all,
Not fair:some of us spend all day birding on Saturday!
Would have gotten the Alpine Swift,the crow,and maybe the nighthawk given time,but not the other two.
Harry H