New birder ID help (UK) (1 Viewer)

G

geosteve

Member

• Jan 17, 2009

• #1

Hello all,

Just started to take up birding in the past few weeks. After an intro to birdwatching course (at the London Wetland Centre) I was wandering around and saw this bird. Here's a pic, making judicious use of cropping. Hopefully someone call tell me what it is.

Thanks for any help,

Steve

 

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  Wetland Centre 11-010001.jpg

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rockfowl

Mark Andrews

• Jan 17, 2009

• #2

Welcome to Birdforum Steve,

That's a winter plumaged Little Grebe, sometimes known as a Dabchick (here in the Uk that is)

 

peterarras

Well-known member

• Jan 17, 2009

• #3

Hi Steve,
i agree with Mark.
Cheers
Peter.

 

Cristian Mihai

Cristian Mihai

• Jan 17, 2009

• #4

Yep, Little Grebe.

 

G

geosteve

Member

• Jan 17, 2009

• #5

rockfowl said:

Welcome to Birdforum Steve,

That's a winter plumaged Little Grebe, sometimes known as a Dabchick (here in the Uk that is)

Click to expand...

Wow, prompt reply thanks. Also, thanks for the welcome, hopefully I'll be able to contribute here.

Having a look at my Collins Field Guide to Birds, it now becomes fairly obvious. However, I think I was thrown by the slightly reddy colour on the beak. That doesn't feature in the illustration provided. Is this reddy colour typical?

While I'm at it, here are a couple of pics taken in the exotic section (so I assume they are exotic). I couldn't find any info at the Wetland centre, so I was wondering what they were. Files a bit big to be uploaded by the look of it. Again, any ideas appreciated (and apologies if it's not much of a challenge!):

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk186/geosteve/WetlandCentre11-010002.jpg

and

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk186/geosteve/WetlandCentre11-010003.jpg

Cheers

Steve

 

G

geosteve

Member

• Jan 17, 2009

• #6

geosteve said:

Having a look at my Collins Field Guide to Birds, it now becomes fairly obvious. However, I think I was thrown by the slightly reddy colour on the beak. That doesn't feature in the illustration provided. Is this reddy colour typical?

Click to expand...

Hmmm, partly answering my own question, I note this picture also shows a bit of red-ness on the bill:

http://stevenround-birdphotography.com/images/little-grebe-01.jpg

 

Vespa

Tom Hines

• Jan 17, 2009

• #7

The first is a male Wood Duck.
I think the second is a female Hooded Merganser.
The Wood Duck will be in your Collins.

 

G

geosteve

Member

• Jan 17, 2009

• #8

Vespa said:

The first is a male Wood Duck.
I think the second is a female Hooded Merganser.
The Wood Duck will be in your Collins.

Click to expand...

Thanks a lot. Yes, the Wood Duck comes under introduced birds and is apparently "easily confused" with female and immature Mandarin ducks.

 

Vespa

Tom Hines

• Jan 17, 2009

• #9

geosteve said:

Thanks a lot. Yes, the Wood Duck comes under introduced birds and is apparently "easily confused" with female and immature Mandarin ducks.

Click to expand...

The females of both species are similar, the males are quite distinct.
Hope that helps.