Rotherbirder
Well-known member
I'm confused, what are 'outer tail rectrices' Ken?
RB
RB
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Little Swift? N.East London (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter KenM
- Start date
Winterdune
Well-known member
Can I just ask the observer, Ken, did you think it was a House Martin when you saw it? Because I can't see how anyone could think an all dark bird flying above you might be a House Martin. If you didn't think it was a House Martin, then I'm not sure why HMs are mentioned, and if you did think it was a HM then I would politely suggest gaining more observer experience with Swifts and hirundines to help you with the id if you do find one of the super rare ones. Of course I may have got entirely the wrong end of the stick here, as it's rather late, in which case I apologise!
Good birding everyone,
Sean
Good birding everyone,
Sean
Andy Adcock
Well-known member
Play nice RB
KenM
Well-known member
May I suggest you read the entire thread Sean, as everything you need to know is there. 👍
Winterdune
Well-known member
Just read it. This is what you said in an earlier post: "took some shots to include a smaller dark White rumped hirundine (assumed House Martin) which at this time of year...are scarce locally."
It suggests you saw the white rump, so I'm a bit confused about seeing that but not the white undersides. I can imagine that happening with a very brief view but then you wouldn't have been able to get a photo of it.
It suggests you saw the white rump, so I'm a bit confused about seeing that but not the white undersides. I can imagine that happening with a very brief view but then you wouldn't have been able to get a photo of it.
jogresh
Registered nutjob
Winterdune has indeed got to the nub of it, there's clearly been a mix up.
The bird being queried in the pic is not the bird originally assumed to be a HM. The bird in the pic is one of the birds originally ID'd as a Common Swift. Apart from the fact that HMs have white underparts (and the bird in the pic doesn't), and very different ways of flying around, there's the exif data - the "comparison" pic of the Common Swift, and the mystery pic, as well as being consecutive (as mentioned by Jeff), were taken at exactly the same time - 3:04 pm.
The bird being queried in the pic is not the bird originally assumed to be a HM. The bird in the pic is one of the birds originally ID'd as a Common Swift. Apart from the fact that HMs have white underparts (and the bird in the pic doesn't), and very different ways of flying around, there's the exif data - the "comparison" pic of the Common Swift, and the mystery pic, as well as being consecutive (as mentioned by Jeff), were taken at exactly the same time - 3:04 pm.
KenM
Well-known member
From events almost a week ago, I believe the sequence of events are correct. Perhaps the “Clousseaus” amongst you have forgotten that there are sixty seconds in a minute within which time one can take many random shutter bursts that will register the same “minute”.Winterdune has indeed got to the nub of it, there's clearly been a mix up.
The bird being queried in the pic is not the bird originally assumed to be a HM. The bird in the pic is one of the birds originally ID'd as a Common Swift. Apart from the fact that HMs have white underparts (and the bird in the pic doesn't), and very different ways of flying around, there's the exif data - the "comparison" pic of the Common Swift, and the mystery pic, as well as being consecutive (as mentioned by Jeff), were taken at exactly the same time - 3:04 pm.
My normal shooting position is at the back of the house, once the sun moves over there is too much glare. So I often move to front of house (less skyscape but no glare), that becomes a trade off versus restricted viewing with a lot of visual impediment garden sloping upwards at 45 degrees with accompanying trees either side then parked cars above my head level and houses opposite going up the hill....got it? 👍
Richard Prior
Halfway up an Alp
Parked cars over your head level? Bloomin' SUVs. I say bring back the original Mini (in an electric version of course).
while i totally agree with the "question everything" but why does everything have to be rare? and why are all the rares photographed so bad? except the naumanns thrush which given it was over 30 years ago is still a good record.
i could attach 1000,s of badly taken photos and make them out to be rarities,
given swifts are such great fliers and hard to photograph they do pull off some wierd moves
not sure, i was taking pics of a possible house martin but when looked at the blurry pics i realised it was a little swift , is going to get past the bbrc unless your going down the dimw road?
i could attach 1000,s of badly taken photos and make them out to be rarities,
given swifts are such great fliers and hard to photograph they do pull off some wierd moves
not sure, i was taking pics of a possible house martin but when looked at the blurry pics i realised it was a little swift , is going to get past the bbrc unless your going down the dimw road?
