whimbrel or curlew (1 Viewer)

marnixR

WYSIWYG

• Jan 13, 2019

• #1

the attached pictures were taken in the Shetland islands in june of last year
i must admit that i'm totally hopeless in trying to disentangle curlew from whimbrel unless they were standing next to one another, especially since they should be equally numerous in that part of the world

location for the pix :

(1) near Brae in the north-west corner of the mainland
(2) North Roe, again the north-western tip of the mainland
(3) near Muness Castle on Yell
(4) near Skaw on Unst

 

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marnixR

WYSIWYG

• Jan 13, 2019

• #2

whimbrel or curlew ? Shetlands

sorry, had forgotten to place the location in the title

 

P

P.Sunesen

Well-known member

• Jan 13, 2019

• #3

The first three are Curlews. I get more of a Whimbrel feel on the last one, but the head-markings aren't very clear cut.

Peter

 

marnixR

WYSIWYG

• Jan 13, 2019

• #4

is this picture any better for ID purposes of no.4 ?

 

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P

P.Sunesen

Well-known member

• Jan 13, 2019

• #5

Yes, I would go for Whimbrel now. A very worn adult, probably a female.

 

Nutcracker

Stop Brexit!

• Jan 13, 2019

• #6

Ditto to Curlew, Curlew, Curlew, Whimbrel

 

marnixR

WYSIWYG

• Jan 13, 2019

• #7

thank you
not sure if it will help me next time i see a curlew/whimbrel but i'll try and persevere

 

marnixR

WYSIWYG

• Jan 13, 2019

• #8

?mediterranean gull, Mumbles

i'm pretty sure the attached are mediterranean gulls, but would like some confirmation
pictures taken earlier today at Bracelet Bay near the Mumbles, Swansea

 

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lou salomon

the birdonist

• Jan 13, 2019

• #9

yepp, adult med gulls.

 

marnixR

WYSIWYG

• Jan 13, 2019

• #10

thanks - glad i'm starting to get my eye in on this part of the bird world

 

P

P.Sunesen

Well-known member

• Jan 13, 2019

• #11

marnixR said:

thank you
not sure if it will help me next time i see a curlew/whimbrel but i'll try and persevere

Click to expand...

Well, with vocal birds it's a lot easier, their calls are VERY different, Curlews have their mournful whistle, while Whimbrels sound more like a hysterically giggling teenage girl.

Peter

 

dantheman

Bah humbug

• Jan 13, 2019

• #12

marnixR said:

thank you
not sure if it will help me next time i see a curlew/whimbrel but i'll try and persevere

Click to expand...

Maybe not easy 100% of the time but ...

Curlew much larger, Whimbrel smaller (size of Oystercatcher)
Curlew chunkier, Whimbrel slimmer
Curlew shaggier, Whimbrel more compact and neat
Curlew beefier head and neck, smaller eye relative to Whimbrel.
Curlew more variegated plumage (white flecking, paler underneath), Whimbrel darker, richer brown overall
Curlew bill can be short, but more uniform curve, Whimbrel bill shorter, but shows a more decurved tip after the straighter first section.

 

marnixR

WYSIWYG

• Jan 13, 2019

• #13

P.Sunesen said:

Well, with vocal birds it's a lot easier, their calls are VERY different, Curlews have their mournful whistle, while Whimbrels sound more like a hysterically giggling teenage girl.

Peter

Click to expand...

true, i've heard curlews make that sound, but usually when they're feeding they're keeping stum

 

marnixR

WYSIWYG

• Jan 13, 2019

• #14

dantheman said:

Maybe not easy 100% of the time but ...

Curlew much larger, Whimbrel smaller (size of Oystercatcher)
Curlew chunkier, Whimbrel slimmer
Curlew shaggier, Whimbrel more compact and neat
Curlew beefier head and neck, smaller eye relative to Whimbrel.
Curlew more variegated plumage (white flecking, paler underneath), Whimbrel darker, richer brown overall
Curlew bill can be short, but more uniform curve, Whimbrel bill shorter, but shows a more decurved tip after the straighter first section.

Click to expand...

as i may have said at an earlier occasion, it's a lot to take in, and it probably will take time for the full jizz to sink in - but i'll keep plugging away at it !