Help folks, I was at Martin Mere earlier this week and this flock of waders was flying around the main mere but never landed which would have helped identifying them, anyone help identifying them.
Many thanks
Gary http://walksnwildlife.blogspot.com/
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Hi Gary
I'm not an expert on waders but I like to have a go just to improve my ID skills and bolster confidence.
I think they might be Ruffs. This is based on their size which doesn't look small. The short bill with some red showing at the base and the pale bill surround. They also have red legs and the head markings look right.
I think you will have to wait for a definitive answer from a real expert like seymouraves. Just hope I haven't made a complete fool of myself.
Cheers
Tony
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I agree with Tony; there's a couple of pics of ruff I took on my visit end of January in this thread: http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/forums/p/9580/68211.aspx#68211 including some coming in to land.
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Hi TJ
I might have seen a flock of these at Dinton Pastures.
I'm hopeless on waders and water loving birds, but they looked very similar.
Best wishes Chris
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Hi,
they are ruff, note the pale underwings, pot bellied appearance and, if you zoom in, the white 'pince nez' at the base of the bill. Some of them are beginning to show the start of summer plumage around the head as well.
:)
S
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Hi Puffin,
Fantastic photo! I couldn't have helped with the ID but it is great to see them anyway. Thanks.
There is something new to learn everyday...
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Woodpecker said: Hi TJ I might have seen a flock of these at Dinton Pastures. I'm hopeless on waders and water loving birds, but they looked very similar. Best wishes Chris
Hi Chris
There have been sitings of Ruff at or near Dinton Pastures but only in ones or twos. They are considered a rarity in the our area. According to the BerksBirds website the most recent siting was May 2009 at Lea Farm GP quite close to Lavell's Lake but there were no reports for last weekend when you visited.
However, there have been quite large flocks of wideon and teal about from time to time. There was a count of 110 widgeon reported at Lea Farm last Saturday. These small ducks fly very fast in small flocks. Do you think you might have mistaken these for waders?
Hi Gary, sorry but I haven't the foggiest notion of what they are, I'm afraid, which is rather a pity as I can actually see the photo and it's a brilliant shot!
The necessity of bird-watching is a really good reason for avoiding all forms of housework.
The dust will still be there tomorrow - the birds may not be!
Many thanks, I had suspected they were Ruff as Martin Mere normally holds quite a few, but I have only ever seen them feeding and not on the wing, many thanks, Gary
Good shot Gary
It is hard to ID them as they are in a different level of their continual change of plumage.
They are all slightly differently coloured to one another
Regards
Kathy and Dave