Colourful Conundrums (Just for Fun)

With the dark days of winter upon us, perhaps we’re feeling a bit blue at the moment?

Some of us may be seeing red due to changes and problems with the new look site.

Perhaps you’ve overindulged over the past few weeks, and you could be feeling anything from pale white through to decidedly green.!!

It’s always a big help when identifying birds if we can see them in their full colourful glory, but what if they looked totally different due to abnormal colouration?

I’ve changed the colours on the following mages (only very slightly though), so perhaps if you feel like it you could see if you’re able to identify the species, and if appropriate, gender of the colourful conundrums listed.

I put this together quite quickly so I don’t think this particular challenge should prove too much of a problem, but then again, I already know the answers.!!

Hint - Some of the tones may (or may not) be reversed; for example, dark tones show up light, and vice versa.

As always, it’s just for fun. Good luck.  :-)

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12.

  • Took me a while to even find a bird in photo No.9   !  quite a challenge  so will be a while before I come up with many guesses although No. 3 looks like a water rail and maybe Fieldfare for No.7  ....     hmmmm.     working on it, am I allowed to use my bird books for wing patterns ?    lol    

  • hmmmm.     working on it, am I allowed to use my bird books for wing patterns ?    lol    

    Of course you are, feel free to use all means at your disposal.....except one..... which a certain Moth enthusiast from the far south of the country (who will remain unnamed) perhaps remembers something about.......not that I have a long memory for these things.!! ;-)

  • Thanks Paul, will give it a go but looks very tricky!

  • Really struggling with these but here's what I got so far - if I work out any more or think I have a guess I will add them to this list .....

    1)  Teal (f)

    2)   Redshank

    3)  Water Rail

    4)  Some sort of duck -  Wigeon drake maybe because of the large white wing patch ?

    5)  can see a ring band round neck so only thing I can think of is drake Mallard  !

    6) with those distinct markngs on head, according to my book !! ....   could be Yellowhammer

    7)  Fieldfare

    8)  some sort of finch..... best guess is Twite or Linnet

    9)  Gadwall

    and I'm completely stuck with the rest  !         12) has a white spot behind eye and facial jizz like a L-t-duck but the tail is short   -  don't laugh !   

  • Not easy, I agreed with Hazy on Redshank, Water Rail & Fieldfare with quite a few unknowns (I don't see many ducks). I think 6 could be a Pipit or Lark judging by the beak & crest. I had lapwing for 4!!

  • Crikey, Paul, how did you do that. The wonders of Photoshop I suppose. I had to dig out the sunglasses before I could have a go.

    Here's my attempts although I shall be surprised if I get many right.

    1. Teal (m)
    2. Redshank
    3. Water Rail
    4. Wigeon (m)
    5. Mallard (m)
    6. Stonechat (f)
    7. Fieldfare
    8. Scruffy finch not sure which. I'll try wet Goldfinch
    9. Mallard (f)
    10. Medium sized wader, Knot, Ruff ?
    11. Little Grebe maybe
    12. Looks like a plover. Golden or Grey. I'll plump for Grey.

    Should be good for a laugh when all is revealed.

  • Not at all bad, 9/12 between all of you so far. :-)

    You all seem to be unanimous on some of them, but I’m not shore that at least one of them is the correct answer. I do know that it’s easy for me to say because I know all the answers, and looking at them again today I freely admit that one or two may be problematic and not as easy as I thought they may be when I changed the colours (bearing in mind that on a few you may see that the very dark parts could in fact be very bright in the original, or vice versa). I’ll leave it a wee bit longer before revealing all, just in case anyone wants to make amendments or give it a try.

    Many thanks to everyone for taking part, as always, it’s just for fun.!! :-)

  • but I’m not shore that at least one of them is the correct answer

    is that a cryptic clue to say Shore Lark ?    lol

  • is that a cryptic clue to say Shore Lark ?    lol

    No, LOL.!! :-)

    not sure two of the photos would be the same species?

    As if I would, that would just be sneaky.!! :-)

  • What a brilliant idea.

    I'll be playing around with Photoshop now.....