I don't agree on the interpretation of the bill and I think the darker colouring mentioned is actually in the background. There looks to be a stronger, more consistent black colour going all the way to the bill tip (though more photos would be helpful with this).
On the legs, there are a couple of clear things. First, the bottom of the leg cannot be seen, as it's obscured. It's hard to be sure of the length but the tarsus could easily be quite a bit longer. There's quite a big lump of weed right in front, so it could be a few centimetres longer at least. Second, the belly feathers are quite fluffed, which is obscuring the top of the tibia and making it look shorter than if the feathers were tighter to the body.