Unusual bird found (1 Viewer)

[Richard4th]

Is this a double crested cormorant?
Just found in a garden in Blackpool, Lancashire

 

[Mono]

It is European Shag, quite what it is doing in a Blackpool garden is another matter.

 

[Lisa W]

Wow! What a “yard” bird to have. Hi, welcome to the forum on behalf of the staff and moderators.

 

[KC Foggin]

I sure wouldn’t mind having a yard bird like this! And you sure got a great image of it!

 

[delia todd]

Hi Richard and a warm welcome from me too. Not the usual garden bird LOL!!

I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I hope to hear about all the birds you see when out and about.

 

[CARERY]

It's a marine bird and somehow astray! So maybe you can offer or organise a lift back to the shore?

 

[Mono]

I would have thought the nearest breeding birds would be the Isle of Man or North Wales.

 

[Jonno52]

My first reaction was that our collective leg was being pulled, courtesy of Photoshop, but that's just my nasty suspicious mind . Welcome to BF Richard!

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

A colleague had one in his garden in South Shore earlier in the year, but it's very unusual. Roughly where are you?

 

[Kits]

Welcome to Birdforum. I hope you enjoy your visits.

 

[harr1y]

Thats an absolutely mental garden tick ... Beautiful bird as well

 

[pianoman]

Looks handsome in full breeding gear
Also looks as surprised as we are to find itself there

 

[RichieTwitchy]

Nah.

Evidence:

1 A Shag in a back garden?
2 ..and not at all skittish because judging by the pixel quality of the image, the person must have gotten quite close - and even if they didn't then just the sight of a person approaching would see this bird quickly take flight.
3 A new poster who hasn't posted since nor returned since Tuesday.
4 A new poster who hasn't replied, thanked anyone nor been totally blown away by this find.
5 A new poster who has a Shag in his back garden.
6 And have a look at the sample of the photo I have attached - there's a definite black outline to the front of the bird's body and an odd outline around the fronds of the plant. Imaging is my job (not photography) and I deal with image quality as a graphic artist and these 'outlines' should not be there compared to the rest of the photo.
7 A Shag in a back garden?
8 Again, a shag in a back garden?

 

[Andy Adcock]

Nah.

Evidence:

1 A Shag in a back garden?
2 ..and not at all skittish because judging by the pixel quality of the image, the person must have gotten quite close - and even if they didn't then just the sight of a person approaching would see this bird quickly take flight.
3 A new poster who hasn't posted since nor returned since Tuesday.
4 A new poster who hasn't replied, thanked anyone nor been totally blown away by this find.
5 A new poster who has a Shag in his back garden.
6 And have a look at the sample of the photo I have attached - there's a definite black outline to the front of the bird's body and an odd outline around the fronds of the plant. Imaging is my job (not photography) and I deal with image quality as a graphic artist and these 'outlines' should not be there compared to the rest of the photo.
7 A Shag in a back garden?
8 Again, a shag in a back garden?

I've seen my wife work in Lightroom and if you use the eging tool too liberaly to tidy up the outlines, it can leave an image looking like this.

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

Richie you are absolutely miles off the mark...

 

[Andy Adcock]

Nah.

Evidence:

1 A Shag in a back garden?
2 ..and not at all skittish because judging by the pixel quality of the image, the person must have gotten quite close - and even if they didn't then just the sight of a person approaching would see this bird quickly take flight.
3 A new poster who hasn't posted since nor returned since Tuesday.
4 A new poster who hasn't replied, thanked anyone nor been totally blown away by this find.
5 A new poster who has a Shag in his back garden.
6 And have a look at the sample of the photo I have attached - there's a definite black outline to the front of the bird's body and an odd outline around the fronds of the plant. Imaging is my job (not photography) and I deal with image quality as a graphic artist and these 'outlines' should not be there compared to the rest of the photo.
7 A Shag in a back garden?
8 Again, a shag in a back garden?

Don't line me up like that Richie cos I've had a few in mine

 

[RichieTwitchy]

I've seen my wife work in Lightroom and if you use the eging tool too liberaly to tidy up the outlines, it can leave an image looking like this.

Exactly - Lightroom is a semi-professional imaging tool so why would a person using a poor quality camera/phone take their image into a semi-professional imaging tool?
If that is the case.

Richie you are absolutely miles off the mark...

Wow - I didn't expect that
Possibly where the idea came from?
As we know, they are coastal birds which never (usually) come inland so that is very very very rare.

Don't line me up like that Richie cos I've had a few in mine

Ha ha 🤣

I'd like the OP to upload the original photo with it's data properties or EXIF data still attached.

If I'm proved wrong then I'll apologise 👍

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

Wow - I didn't expect that
Possibly where the idea came from?
As we know, they are coastal birds which never (usually) come inland so that is very very very rare.



Ha ha 🤣

I'd like the OP to upload the original photo with it's data properties or EXIF data still attached.

If I'm proved wrong then I'll apologise 👍

The original post was on Tuesday purportedly showing a Shag in a Blackpool garden. The Brambles post was in the very early hours of Wednesday morning showing a Shag they had collected from a Blackpool garden on Tuesday. I am not sure what level of proof you are seeking but it's good enough for me...

 

[Butty]

It hadn't occurred to me before, but the reddish plant at bottom right does look particularly odd and out-of-place there and as if it's been dropped on top of the photo: it seems to have been photographed side-on, whereas the rest of the image is photographed with camera angled markedly downwards.
Shags do, unusually/occasionally, rock up in odd places. Well-known fact.

 

[dantheman]

Surely it's just a mobile phone pic, and the software has accentuated the edges/contrasts?

Have come across a young Shag, wedged into some rocks once (although on the coast). Perhaps a bit of stomach upset or bug.