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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Cambridgeshire Birding (3 Viewers)

I should have a Sandwich Tern record shot but software issues at the moment, having to borrow a Mac on and off to process new Canon images...
 
Grafham water. 29 Aug. Great White Egret still in western bays and Black necked Grebe mid morning off Dudney point but not seen again...
2 Ospreys still at midday
 
Grafham Water 3 Sep. Early morning on the dam ; just a single Dunlin after 5 last night and the regular Common Sandpiper totally unapproachable. 20 odd Yellow wagtails and several Yellow legged Gulls and a single Black Tern
Three Common Terns at the fishing lodge late morning and an Osprey briefly.
Wrong kind of rain presumably as little extra late afternoon except saturated clothing.
 
Matthebirder said:
Grafham Water 24 Aug evening. Marsh Harrier over lagoons , 1 Ruff, 4 Green Sands and 2 Snipe. (missed the Curlew Sand again!), 1 Dunlin and Redshank on the dam and at least 35 Yellow Wagtails out numbering Pied. Well worth checking them all this time of year....

Note: Stanwick 'Azorean type' Gull is back, so expect it to visit Grafham (again?)
https://northantsbirds.com/latest-reports/
Click to expand...

Sounds like it was there Monday late afternoon for 20 mins. Presumably came back to the roost late on undetected ? I can't do much with this one until Friday.
 
Grafham Water. 10 Sep. Evening. Juv Little Gull still (?) here from yesterday off fishing lodge. A distant Tern probably Sandwich off fishing lodge

Complete review of this Tern on 11th at 16:00. I confirm I was only seeing the Imm dark billed Common Tern as I originally thought on 10th. A case of don't jump to conclusions when reading the pager that had just told me there was a Sandwich in front of me!!!
An interesting individual worth studying as the black bill will certainly cause some confusion. I'm assuming we are not looking at a Forsters....not seen one for 30 years so better get the bird book out later.
 

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Grafham water 11 Sep. Little Gull juv still present plus the dark billed Common Tern as above
Watched the big gulls arriving until 20:00 but could not see the Azorean type bird
 
Hi Matt - It was me who picked-out this bird on WeBS count yesterday morning (it wasn't as close as it must have been when you got your photo). I don't really see a problem with the bill (what is your concern?). I think there might be an issue with the vermiculation on the mantle though....

2 Bearded Tits in a restricted area of the lagoons too (yesterday).
 
I wondered if there was too much black on the tip but I'm no expert on these. They were drifting in quite close until a speed boat flushed them all and they all went up the western end.
I'll try and get some better shots if it stays.
 
Thanks Matt - that is useful. I don't see an issue with the bill, as there is variation in Aytha's, and this is perfectly reasonable for a Greater Scaup - but the dark and close-knit pattern of vermiculations on the mantle are worrying me, and I think this could actually be a hybrid - perhaps even a 2nd-generation back-cross. I don't know which species pair, but certainly Scaup and maybe Pochard(?). Anyway, hopefully it will be around still at the weekend for another look.
 
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