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

Camel Estuary, Cornwall (1 Viewer)

Amble Marshes this morning, birds included 28 Greenshank (including the Ythan Estuary colour ringed) 21 Snipe, 6 Green Sandpiper, 1 Lapwing, 12 Teal, 3 Gadwall, 2 Shoveler, 50+ Goldfinch and 8+ Sedge Warbler.
 
The Alpine Swift this morning from ALDI store car park (Newquay)
 

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Amble Marshes this morning, in very heavy rain and misty conditions a possible Marsh Sandpiper! flew to the estuary with 18 Greenshank, looking smaller and more delicate than the Greenshank?
Other birds included Ythan Estuary colour ringed Greenshank, 1 juv Ruff, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 5 Green Sandpiper, 39 Common Snipe, 1 Lapwing, 1 Curlew, 8 Black-tailed Godwit, 30 Little Egret, 3 Northern Shoveler, 21 Teal, 2 Gadwall, 1 Kingfisher and 7 Sedge Warbler.
 

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No sign of the possible Marsh Sandpiper this morning at Amble Marshes, yesterdays brief sighting in extremely poor weather was a disappointment , with that sort of limited news you are always ‘dammed if you do and dammed if don’t’ put out something. My feelings are that it was a Marsh! though in the few seconds that I had the bird in view plus the poor visibility there was no way that I could ever prove it, after all, it could only be a tiny rakish juvenile Greenshank or more likely a juvenile Marsh Sandpiper, I have never seen a Greenshank that small before!
Other birds this morning included 2 Ruff, 15 Greenshank, 8 Green Sandpiper, 1 Lapwing, 29 Snipe, 13 Little Egret, 3 Gadwall and 41 Teal.
 
Colin, if you check the leg length against the depth of the body of the (putative) Marsh and compare with the Greenshanks, the leg is clearly proportionately longer. Absolutely no doubt about it as far as I can see.
 
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No sign of the possible Marsh Sandpiper this morning at Amble Marshes, yesterdays brief sighting in extremely poor weather was a disappointment , with that sort of limited news you are always ‘dammed if you do and dammed if don’t’ put out something. My feelings are that it was a Marsh! though in the few seconds that I had the bird in view plus the poor visibility there was no way that I could ever prove it, after all, it could only be a tiny rakish juvenile Greenshank or more likely a juvenile Marsh Sandpiper, I have never seen a Greenshank that small before!
Other birds this morning included 2 Ruff, 15 Greenshank, 8 Green Sandpiper, 1 Lapwing, 29 Snipe, 13 Little Egret, 3 Gadwall and 41 Teal.

Colin,
Whatever the bird was, you did exactly the right thing, ie you published photos and put it out as a possible. People were then able to make up their own minds as to whether they wanted to travel to look for the bird or not. Hopefully it will return or be relocated.
Well done.
Dave

Dave
 
Andy, It’s a good point you make, Thanks, as it would be a first for the county we have been out all day checking all parts of the estuary with no sign of the Sandpiper, good numbers of other birds including 100+ Mediterranean Gull and Ringed Plover plus a Whinchat, 22 Sandwich Tern and 2 Common Tern (see Derek’s Camel Website for full count)
(Photo of Sandwich & Common Tern Padstow)
(Turnstone Padstow)
Colin
 

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Colin,
Whatever the bird was, you did exactly the right thing, ie you published photos and put it out as a possible. People were then able to make up their own minds as to whether they wanted to travel to look for the bird or not. Hopefully it will return or be relocated.
Well done.
Dave
Thanks Dave, it's a shame the bird could not be relocated, but we did try our best today.
Colin
 
I was desperately trying to pick up on the Marsh sand again this evening but to no avail. However I did do some shots of the greenshank in good light and the size differences are quite something.

If you look at my photo the smaller bird at the front ie. closer to the camera is a greenshank as well as the larger ones behind, (at least I think so!).

What I couldn't see was the leg length as it stayed in the water.

Also had 5 redshank, 5 ruff & at least 8 Green Sands , A juv. Kingfisher & a buzzard tonight in at Walmsley.

Adrian.


Andy, It’s a good point you make, Thanks, as it would be a first for the county we have been out all day checking all parts of the estuary with no sign of the Sandpiper, good numbers of other birds including 100+ Mediterranean Gull and Ringed Plover plus a Whinchat, 22 Sandwich Tern and 2 Common Tern (see Derek’s Camel Website for full count)
(Photo of Sandwich & Common Tern Padstow)
(Turnstone Padstow)
Colin
 

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Walmsley sanctuary this morning on the high tide, birds included;
5 ruff, 1 juv ringed plover, 1 juv little ringed plover (standing side by side for comparison which was nice), 19 greenshank, 2 black tailed godwit, 1 lapwing, 2 snipe, 2 green sandpiper, teal, little grebe, lettle egret, grey heron, buzzard, sedge warbler, cormorant.
Water level looking good Adrian.
 
I was desperately trying to pick up on the Marsh sand again this evening but to no avail. However I did do some shots of the greenshank in good light and the size differences are quite something.

If you look at my photo the smaller bird at the front ie. closer to the camera is a greenshank as well as the larger ones behind, (at least I think so!).

What I couldn't see was the leg length as it stayed in the water.

Also had 5 redshank, 5 ruff & at least 8 Green Sands , A juv. Kingfisher & a buzzard tonight in at Walmsley.

Adrian.
Yes Adrian your bird shown in the water is a Greenshank! As you say there are differing sizes, plus differing bill shapes, some juveniles especially show very straight bills, though I think the main point to bear in mind in this case is, that with the growing popularity of bird photography and the trend of multiple image accumulation then selection, it would not take long to select misleading images that would suggest a completely different species, deliberately or unintentionally. Multiple images taken of birds in differing modes and activities such as a ‘Falcon hawking in a strong updraft’ compared with images in pursuit mode, Shearwaters in ‘calm weather and in feeding mode’, compared to 'travelling mode in heavy weather’ all potential pitfalls. My two images of the possible Marsh were the only shots I managed that morning given time and weather conditions but you can see the problems faced by a rarities committee if they ever had to assess that sort of evidence. I am definitely not a county lister; I’m just as interested in seeking out the variations shown in common birds that are not yet in the handbooks, the most pleasure derived from finding unusual birds for me is sharing (or attempting to)the experience with others.
Colin
 
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The inevitable local extinctions of Cornish Greys by introduced Red-legged has been somewhat masked by the continued release of unknown numbers of artificially reared Greys, as far as I’m aware all the concerted attempts at reintroduction have meet with little success, in part because Red-legged have proved to be more adaptable to modern farming practice, plus the inability to distinguish the two when shooting. I do know that there is a problem at the moment with shooters observing a reluctance in Red-legged to fly high enough for them to be shot, it stands to reason that if a bird refuses to fly it is much more likely to survive the winter and breed, therefore passing on its genes to the next generation, you only have to look at the town of Wadebridge many pairs of these semi tame Partridges now breed in gardens and can even be found roosting in the high street. I have a suspicion that in an effort to tackle this trend small numbers of Greys are being introduced with the Red-legged releasing programmes, in an attempt at inducing a phenomenon known as hybrid vigour?
Colin

A common sight in Wadebridge, Red-legged Partridges on roof tops yesterday!
 

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Thanks Will, more by luck than judgement although we did make the call and opened the sluice by about 4-5 inches on Wed evening as the forecast was for torrential rain.
It was then closed again on Friday.

Last night it was still running over the top of the sluice as the surrounding hillsides continued to drain.
I think we'll struggle to get the juncus cut this year and I've tried to strim out the islands but can't get across to them even in my thigh waders.
Will try again tomorrow evening.
Adrian.

Walmsley sanctuary this morning on the high tide, birds included;
5 ruff, 1 juv ringed plover, 1 juv little ringed plover (standing side by side for comparison which was nice), 19 greenshank, 2 black tailed godwit, 1 lapwing, 2 snipe, 2 green sandpiper, teal, little grebe, lettle egret, grey heron, buzzard, sedge warbler, cormorant.
Water level looking good Adrian.
 
Amble Marshes this afternoon, Little-ringed with Ringed Plover still. 4 Green Sandpiper, Lapwing, 1 Golden Plover over, 22 Teal, 1 Shoveler, 4 Gadwall, and a Sparrow Hawk.
 

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Burniere hide this evening, birds included 3 ruff, redshank, greenshank, oystercatcher, curlew, juvenile peregrine, 2 common sandpiper, buzzard, red legged partridge, grey heron, little egret, 2 black swans, 12 black tailed godwits.
 
A good selection of Waders on the tide this morning at Amble Marshes; 22 Greenshank (including the Ythan Estuary colour ringed) 6 Ruff, 1 Wood Sandpiper, 3 Green Sandpiper, 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Knot, 1 Lapwing, 1 juv Little Ringed Plover, 1 juv Ringed Plover, 1 juv Little Stint, 2 Dunlin, 10 Black-tailed Godwit and a Curlew.
 
I was surprised to witness some limited, though unmistakable Drumming-flight from a Common Snipe over the Amble marshes last evening, could this mean that the money spent on raising the water table has encouraged Snipe to consider breeding in future years? A possibility in my view if the necessary protection was to be put in place.
Dinham Flats this morning, 1 Green and 2 Common Sandpiper, 16 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Whimbrel, 16 Greenshank, 100+ Curlew, 4 juv Shelduck, 1 Sandwich Tern and 49 Little Egret.
Amble Marshes this morning, Little-ringed Plover still, 4 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 8 Common Snipe, 8 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Ruff and 13 Greenshank (including Ythan Estuary colour ringed)
 
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Leucistic Shag.

A leucistic Shag on the Moul's this morning, viewed from Rumps Point (photo)

Very few Bats flying last evening around Treraven Meadow (Camel Trail) several Pipistrelle and at least one Noctule.
 

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Peregrine over the house at Guineaport this afternoon. 6 ruff on Treraven meadows at 2015hrs, also buzzard, tawny owl calling, and common sandpiper calling on the main river. There was also a brood of newly hatched mallards- thats a long breeding season!
 
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