Oie, Mecklenberg Vorpommern, Germany 1st week Oct 2020 (1 Viewer)

Please help with the I.D. of this flock of birds that were flying over the island of Oie in the Bodden just below the Darß-Zingst peninsular in Mecklenberg Vorpommern, NE Germany in the 1st week of October 2020.

I think the 2 mainly white birds are Northern Lapwings for size comparison. I'm getting quite forgetful, so please have patience. The were at the extreme range for my nikon 500 with nikkor 200 - 500 mm lense. The light conditions were poor, but I've tried enhancing to get some idea of plumage colour, but still too difficult for me:-C

Thanks very much

golden plovers?

Thanks Joern,
they are certainly in the area. The Lapwing are to the far side of this group, so do appear smaller. I had thought that the white in the wing might show up more, which put me off the golden plover id. Having said that, at extreme range in bad light, for my lense, it might not show up.

Hello Andy,
not a positive identification, but I agree with Joern that they look like a flock of Golden Plovers. They show the right shape, jizz and on some I can imagine seeing the right colour. They look a bit to big when compared to the Lapwings but thats difficult to judge here.
I can confirm, that on bad pictures (I am one of the experts in shooting them) the weak white wing-stripe isnt visible. As allways no offense!

Alexander Stöhr said:

Hello Andy,
not a positive identification, but I agree with Joern that they look like a flock of Golden Plovers. They show the right shape, jizz and on some I can imagine seeing the right colour. They look a bit to big when compared to the Lapwings but thats difficult to judge here.
I can confirm, that on bad pictures (I am one of the experts in shooting them) the weak white wing-stripe isnt visible. As allways no offense!

Click to expand...

Thanka Alexander. That actually makes me feel more convinced of the I.D. Joern and you have given. I think no matter what gear I have, I always try to get that bird that is just on the extreme range, or over. I use a scope, but I am not quick enough to follow some birds with it. So, I call to my wife, who is also my birding partner and she takes a photo, says it will not be good at that range.
I think the camera and lense I need isn't on the market and never will be, especially hand held:eek!: It the one just that can reach just a wee bit further than what I have. Just as far as my scope or binoculars? I think you know what I mean I would end up trying for a bird at the 5 km range or some thing stupid like that.