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Message: <blockquote data-quote="John Cantelo" data-source="post: 3305167" data-attributes="member: 2844">Photos arrived & examined - I can now make out more clearly the length of the tail and to me at least it doesn't seem excessively long and falls within the range (as far as one can judge) shown in photos of known Spotted.  Could this reflect that females of both species average longer tails - female Spotted - av 48.7, range 46-52 [Common 53.5 range 50-58]; male Spotted av 46.1 range 43-49 [Common - 52.5 range 49-56]?  (Although it should be borne in mind that Spotted averages a little smaller in overall length 18-20 vs 19-21)  The BWP says legs can be grey-olive in winter so leg colour may not be as big a problem as some suggest ... although the lack of a two-tone bill may be (I see traces of mud on the legs, but not the bill).  So I remain convinced that neither tail length nor apparent leg colour can be used to rule out Spotted whilst unmarked tertials continue to be a problem if it's a Common.  Could they be worn?  I don't think they are so why aren't they marked?</blockquote>