ID please....UK (3 Viewers)

[Jon Turner]

I saw a dead goose yesterday. However I am uncertain as to whether it was the Pink Footed Goose. Unfortunately I had to get Andy to resize the shot and now I cannot find it. Such is life.

SO as well as being dead, it's an escape? AND - what sort of shot did you use to finish it off?

 

[Clive A]

Think I have lost the plot.Is it a Goose? Is it dead? Is it THE Pink footed Goose? Or is it a Meadow Pipit?

 

[draycotebirding]

Think I have lost the plot.Is it a Goose? Is it dead? Is it THE Pink footed Goose? Or is it a Meadow Pipit?

Could be a female Tufted Duck the males are tricky little buggers to sort out

John

 

[Larry Sweetland]

As with many of these tricky calls, it's always best to attempt to age the bird before being sure of the ID. This requires noting any abrasion and stage of moult.

1. Moult: Has the bird lost a very large proportion of it's feathers? (Some may be scattered around it on the ground for example.)

2. Abrasion: Are there any signs of extensive abrasion? (eg. visible bones or internal organs noted on the views available)

If the answer to 1 or 2 is yes, then the age of the bird can safely be determined to be at least very very old with respect to its own lifespan, and a tentative ID of Dead could probably be risked, with minimal chance of an embarrassing bungle.

Hope that helps

 

[dantheman]

As with many of these tricky calls, it's always best to attempt to age the bird before being sure of the ID. This requires noting any abrasion and stage of moult.

1. Moult: Has the bird lost a very large proportion of it's feathers? (Some may be scattered around it on the ground for example.)

2. Abrasion: Are there any signs of extensive abrasion? (eg. visible bones or internal organs noted on the views available)

If the answer to 1 or 2 is yes, then the age of the bird can safely be determined to be at least very very old with respect to its own lifespan, and a tentative ID of Dead* could probably be risked, with minimal chance of an embarrassing bungle.

Hope that helps

You also have to be certain the bird is Actually There, and not merely an apparent simulation of a bird (Discarded Carrier Bag, Figment of Imagination etc etc.)

(*) 'Sadly deceased', or Appearing to be in a post-moribund state' are of course nicer ways of putting this particular phrase.



(Btw John, if you're still reading, please note that no offence towards yourself should be taken - you may have inadvertently provided hours of entertainment for some of BF's worst - but we love it really :t: )

 

[draycotebirding]

Think I have found out why he was unsure. It could have been a bird like this decoy

John

 

[John In Ireland]

Ah ... Problem solved, it obviously has a broken neck!

 

[DaveN]

Ah ... Problem solved, it obviously has a broken neck!

Not neccessarily. It might have a nest nearby so it's just feigning injury.

 

[harr1y]

I saw a dead goose yesterday. Unfortunately now I cannot find it.

Probably wasnt dead then ..maybe just stunned by a low flying aircraft now it has recovered and flown away..I love a Christmas story with a happy ending

 

[AlexC]

I normally do a full electroencephalogram before deciding whether a bird makes it onto my life list, or death list.

3:-O:clap: