[MSA]

This pic was sent to CHOG - taken on the stormy Sun 29.11 at Stanpit Marsh. Other photos in the same batch, all taken at Stanpit, included Great Skua, Leach's Petrel, Kittiwake and Grey Phalarope; there were quite a few displaced seabirds around, so anything goes I guess!

Any ideas please?

[Gavin Bieber]

I can't make out much detail on this on my monitor, but the wing and body shape seems consistent for a Red (Gray) Phalarope.

[james holdsworth]

Blown up, the photo has some really weird pixellation. Has it been 'shopped or modified?

The plumage doesn't match anything I can think of...........looks altered in some way.

[MSA]

Originally Posted by james holdsworth

Blown up, the photo has some really weird pixellation. Has it been 'shopped or modified?

I'm told it's not been modified. The dark on the underside is what's foxed me, but I assumed it's some odd photographic artifact; if someone can tell me what might cause this it would be very helpful. The photographer has also caused (me) a "problem" in that he's sure it's the same bird as in the previous pic he took, but I'm certain it isn't - I don't want to cloud anyone's judgment by saying what he thinks it is at this stage.

[james holdsworth]

I won't cast aspersions, as I don't know enough about digital film to know what to expect.

That said, the dark body pixels, on the flank, forms a perfectly shaped arrow, pointing down.

[timmyjones]

I'd go for Great Skua

[james holdsworth]

So, we have Red Phalarope and Great Skua as guesses........lots of middle ground to play with!

[JamesA]

Originally Posted by james holdsworth

Blown up, the photo has some really weird pixellation. Has it been 'shopped or modified?

The plumage doesn't match anything I can think of...........looks altered in some way.

Looks like the image was saved as a low quality gif - so far as I know this sometimes limits the palette and therefore similar pixels all turn the same.

Can the image be re-upped unedited in any way in higher-quality and different format somewhere?

[birdboybowley]

The only one of the 4 given birds it could be is the Phal..but still not convinced. Def not the other 3 and looks like a wader

[pauco]

From that photo, i would go for 1 of these 3.

1 Phalarope.
2 Kittiwake.
3 Little-Gull.
Just covering the options, LOL.

[melanothorax]

Tough one! But I'd think that the underwing rules out Kittiwake and Leach's Petrel, and Great Skua, judging from their accounts in Mullarney's Bird of Europe. I'd believe Phalarope though, although I don't know the Grey Phalarope species.

[Ficedula]

What about Grey Plover, I know uwc look too dark but could be in shadow.

[WACCOE]

Originally Posted by Ficedula

What about Grey Plover, I know uwc look too dark but could be in shadow.

Thats was my thought to.

[Phil Bishop]

Originally Posted by Ficedula

What about Grey Plover, I know uwc look too dark but could be in shadow.

I initially went for Grey Plover myself. The head looks good for one.However, if the underwing is in shadow and hence black, then why is there a white wing bar.
It looks like it ought to be short billed wader of some sorts, but so far the only species I've thought of that shows a dark underwing and white wing bar is a Storm Petrel. Assuming its an aberrant one with a dark rump.

[MSA]

Interestingly, the photographer thought it might be a Storm Petrel because of the wingbar, but imho the bar's in the wrong place, being near the rear edge of primaries and secondaries, whereas for Stormie it would be on wing coverts.

[Adam W]

I think Grey Plover aswell definately a wader though surely cant see where suggestions of gulls and skuas come from.

[james holdsworth]

It would be helpful to know how the bird was behaving and would go along way in establishing if it was a shorebird or Petrel or whatever.

[MSA]

Originally Posted by james holdsworth

It would be helpful to know how the bird was behaving and would go along way in establishing if it was a shorebird or Petrel or whatever.

Can't comment as I didn't see it.

The photographer is adamant it's the same bird as below (it's certainly the next in sequence numerically) and felt the white line suggested it was a Storm Petrel (I believe pic below shows a Leach's Petrel). My initial ID was Grey Phalarope, and I've not (yet) heard anything to shake that belief. I'd still be interested in other opinions, as it's certainly an odd-looking photo.

[james holdsworth]

I can see both photo's being the same bird.......I think the 1st photo is just an odd angle, with odd photographic effects.

[Adam W]

Originally Posted by MSA

Can't comment as I didn't see it.

The photographer is adamant it's the same bird as below (it's certainly the next in sequence numerically) and felt the white line suggested it was a Storm Petrel (I believe pic below shows a Leach's Petrel). My initial ID was Grey Phalarope, and I've not (yet) heard anything to shake that belief. I'd still be interested in other opinions, as it's certainly an odd-looking photo.

Thats got to be a leach's petrel so that means the only problem is wether its the same bird as the first photo which you seem to doubt.

[MSA]

Originally Posted by Adam W

Thats got to be a leach's petrel so that means the only problem is wether its the same bird as the first photo which you seem to doubt.

Exactly.

Now, to throw things even more, I've just been sent the pic below, which looks like another view of the first bird. This seems to have a few features of LT Skua to me!

[The Hairy Highlander]

Thats a Juv. Skua for sure, theres no Plover, Phal or Petrel in that photo....The head pattern looks the same as the first picture, so surely the question now is which Skua species is it?

For me it's either Juv. intermediate LT Skua or imm./2nd-s Pom?

[midlands birder]

the last pic is a deffo skua(but i have little experiance so cant comment on species),the 2nd pic is a petrel
and the 1st pic ??????
no way they are the same bird

[Adam W]

That does look good for a skua and it looks a bit like the first bird but definatly not the same as the second bird.

[Bird Hard 2]

The first and third photos are obviously the same thing and there's no way on earth that it's any sort of skua/jaeger!!!. If it's not a Sanderling, then it's a Grey Phalarope. The second photo is a Leach's Petrel.