It turns out that I've been looking for the wrong characteristics to identify a Spotted Redshank. the eye-catching illustrations of a Spotted Red in its mottled black breeding finery led me to look for particularly dark Redshanks, whereas the characteristics that count and make it easy to spot from a distance even in winter non-breeding plumage, are a longer bill, pronounced supercilium and overall a slightly larger bird than its cousin.
Here is a Spotted Redshank
Spotted and Common Redshank, ironically in winter plumage the Spotted Red is the paler bird!
TWO Spotted Redshanks
One Spotted Red amidst a bunch of Common Reds.
Spotted Redshank feeding - they have a slightly different and distinctive manner of feeding to the Common variety.
Greenshank with its upturned bill.
Avocets are out in force
Avocet
There seemed to be less Curlew today.
It was high tide and so shoreline feeders such as these Dunlin and Grey Plovers were sheltering in the lagoons.
Much noisier than their small size would suggest these Black-Headed gulls kept up quite a racket.
The high tide at Goldcliff Point.
Wonderful set of photos John and good to see all the waders and a the lovely photo of Goldcliff Point. As for Spot-shanks, I wouldn't have had a clue if Aiki hadn't been with me at Deeside when they had one or two there and she was able to point out the ID features which you've mentioned so next time I visited with Mike I was able to pick it out straight away; once it loses the winter coat I'll be struggling again but I'll have to look for the spots then lol
_____________________________________
Regards, Hazel
Thanks Hazel - like you I was lucky enough to be in the hide with some experts and picked up the information from them. At the time the Spot-shanks were way in the distance but on the way back I popped in the hide again but at that point they were still too far away for a decent photo, I was just about to leave when they flew towards the hide - bingo! Naturally I've got some video too which I'll post eventually!
Love the greenshank and avocets John - both new ones for me so looking forward to finding lagoons