Carrapateira, Algarve, Portugal June 2024 (1 Viewer)

[ndsutcliffe]

Bit of a long shot - tidying up old photo folders. I took these on June 18th 2024. Same bird, flying north off the cliffs at Carrapateira. I thought they were just too poor to id anything, but I can't really even guess what it was, so it's bugging me. Any suggestions welcome.

 

[THE_FERN]

perhaps a wader? Something like greenshank or stilt

 

[lou salomon]

Greenshank rather than stilt, but I doubt you can get a sure ID.

 

[ndsutcliffe]

Greenshank rather than stilt, but I doubt you can get a sure ID.

Thanks, and I share your doubt!

But I'm seeing a dark head, with contrasting white neck which doesn't seem Greenshank-ish, and the trailing legs (or it may be a tail!?) don't seem gangly enough for stilt. But I can't think of anything better. As I say - it was a long shot.

 

[lou salomon]

Breeding plumaged Greenshank can look quite dark on head (strong striation). And it is still moulting - head is finished and breast will still get more striation, at least that's how I interprete these pics. And yes, feet project beyond tail in flying Greenshank.

 

[ndsutcliffe]

Breeding plumaged Greenshank can look quite dark on head (strong striation). And it is still moulting - head is finished and breast will still get more striation, at least that's how I interprete these pics. And yes, feet project beyond tail in flying Greenshank.

OK thanks, sounds good.

 

[THE_FERN]

Breeding plumaged Greenshank can look quite dark on head (strong striation). And it is still moulting - head is finished and breast will still get more striation, at least that's how I interprete these pics. And yes, feet project beyond tail in flying Greenshank.

It's not just that: there's a strong shadow on the image I think

 

[TheBlackGrouse]

Can't believe it's a Greenshank with this contrast between head, body and underwing. The overall shape and the brown parts?

To make things worse for myself this brown head and white neck in the second picture remind me of a female Merganser.

And that's impossible.

 

[martyrynin]

It might be a little unusual for a greenshank to be flying out at sea off some cliffs.

Could it be a young gannet?

 

[TheBlackGrouse]

It might be a little unusual for a greenshank to be flying out at sea off some cliffs.

Could it be a young gannet?

Good call! I think you are right.

Was constantly thinking, I have seen such a bird at the Dutch coast (pier IJmuiden) a few years ago. But I misjudged the size on these pictures and came back to Mergansers that don't fit. Then it's a second year bird with a white collar and the 'feet' in the second picture are an artefact caused by the white uppertail coverts.

Still, it feels weird

 

[TheBlackGrouse]

Look at the second year bird and imagine a well-defined white collar. These young birds are highly variable.


Scottish Seabird Centre

 

[THE_FERN]

Colour
Look at the second year bird and imagine a well-defined white collar. These young birds are highly variable.

View attachment 1634308
Scottish Seabird Centre

Considered this to begin with. However what we can see of the shape is wrong, esp wings.

 

[TheBlackGrouse]

For me, the wings are not something to worry about. When you've taken pictures of Gannets, the ones with these wing positions are the first to delete because they don't look 'right'. With a tele you get a compressed view from the side that gives this strange shape.

 

[ndsutcliffe]

Firstly my apologies - yesterday this was only bugging me, now it seems it's bugging a few more of us!

I can't discount discount any of the suggestions completely - but nothing yet has felt right. I don't see a Gannet - shape looks wrong, and the flight didn't feel right.

My recollections of taking the photo are somewhat vague so I say this guardedly, but my feeling at the time was that this bird was moving quite quickly, and in a straight line - like a bird that was keen to get somewhere quickly. Sizewise, my immediate feeling was that it could be a duck - but sizing can be a bit off when seawatching. But this bird was low on the water, and some distance out. I think Greenshank is too small, Gannet too large.

Any ducks that might be candidates?

 

[martyrynin]

Maybe a shearwater if it was zipping across.

 

[ndsutcliffe]

Maybe a shearwater if it was zipping across.

Never seen a Shearwater fly this straight

 

[martyrynin]

Never seen a Shearwater fly this straight

Well then I'm out of ideas 😂

 

[ndsutcliffe]

Well then I'm out of ideas 😂

Yeah me too! Thanks for your suggestions

 

[Harrybongo]

Yeah me too! Thanks for your suggestions

I'll join the club! 😂

 

[TheBlackGrouse]

Come on guys (and girls), this is Birdforum, we never give up

A Great Shearwater from The Sound Approach: dark cap, light collar, white upper-tail coverts.

Some guides mention that there is risk of confusion with an immature Gannet.

Ok, the pictures show a dark head instead (with a different shape), but I'm not familiar with seabirds near Portugal, possibly there are other candidates.