Pre Christmas at Studland

I'm afraid I appear to have fibbed about the last one before Christmas, as this was too... sorry! A stunning, bright but cold morning. It's a bit of an unknown feast, I got crossed eyed looking my books for the different waders that may (or may not) be involved here... black armpits, yellow feet, a slightly downturned bill, a slightly upturned bill, red bits, black bits, speckled bits... I was exhausted just reading through!! Suffice to say I've had a stab but fully expect to be frequently wrong!

1) Dunlin/ Grey Plover/ Ruff

Carrotbill

Black Headed Gull

By the way... Look at the colour of that water... Caribbean's got nothing on UK...apart from temperature lol

Redshank

Ringed Plover

Oystercatcher

2) Same query as  #1

Sanderling?

Dunlin (coz of white rump visible in flight?)

So if the smaller ones are three Dunlin, what is the larger one back right?

Some Brent Geese off in the distance

I recognised the silhouette

And using my now patented stealth mode managed to get round to the other side of it

And then stepped on a fallen branch that made a loud crack, which gave me my usual view!!

Off in the distance again, there were 3 or 4 Red Breasted Merganser

The previously referenced black "armpit" leads me to believe this is a Grey Plover

And if these are Grey Plover, it's only the 2nd time I've knowingly seen them, the other time was a pair on the Brownsea Lagoon

I'm guessing Gadwall, but don't remember a white base to the beak before (although I do have a head like a sieve)

Slight upturn to the bill... Godwit? (picture heavily lightened)

Dunlin (slight downturn to bill)?

Oystercatcher (phew, one I'm sure of!!)

3) Don't know, but seems a lot darker than the others I saw

Turnstone

My first Jay for a couple of years!

Yep... that's as good as it got! Goldcrest... and yep this is as good as it got too!!!

It took me a while to work out what this was.... guesses?

Hope you got it!

Lollipop next

And back to old faithful, Carrotbill

Biggest surprise of the day were some deer, as I walked along the road toward the ferry

One of the Brent came closer to shore

And the 2nd surprise was how close to the road the next bird was... I was standing IN the road to get to the minimum focus distance

Another Long Tailed Tit flew in

And promptly below it, Jenny scolded it

Now a couple of queries... Black legs and yellow feet... or rings?

And White Tailed Eagle (this is part of Poole Harbour so within the reach of the Isle of Wight birds) or Marsh Harrier, or Buzzard?

And there you have it, last year all wrapped up... sorry this last one was a bit long, but thanks for reading, and thanks for any ID help

Stay Safe All