Actually, I think that it is a Black Tailed Godwit, purely on the size of the bill.
Shape of bill is important as well
Agree with Musclecat on this for sure. Most definately Black-tailed Godwit. Curlew Sandpipers are considerably smaller and it is still quite early to have them in the country and especially in full breeding plumage like the one in your photo.
Ok then, Black Tailed Godwit it is. Thanks everyone!
Could we possibly put this in the "Important Threads" section of the UK Birds Page; it is a very usefull tool for the website, and would save alot of threads being put up.
Ok here is another one for you all. While cycling home from my spot of twitching, I heard a bird call which I think I have heard before, but I just couldn't work out what it is. It sounded like this:
Tweet-twert-twert tweet-twert-twert tweet-twert
It looks more like the godwit but I have measured the bill length and bill + head length (not very sceintifically!)
in your photo: the bill is 63% of head + bill length
the cspiper photo is 62% and the godwit is 67% - draw your own conclusions
Jamie, could be Chiffchaff, very distinctive and if you've only taken up birding recently you probably won't have heard it until recently.
Musclecat, while at Hanningfield Reservoir about 10 days ago, I heard and saw my first Chiffchaff then. Hoorah!! Also, I have been birding for about a year or so.
It was very distinctive, as it made a call like this chiff-chaff chiff-chaff. I also heard some today while at my local patch.
But I have another bird which I have an idea of what it is, but I just want you lot to certify with me. Image to follow once it has uploaded on PhotoBucket!
Ok, here are the images:
If you click on the image, it will open in a new window, and the actual bird will be larger so you can see it better
It looks more like the godwit but I have measured the bill length and bill + head length (not very sceintifically!)
in your photo: the bill is 63% of head + bill length
the cspiper photo is 62% and the godwit is 67% - draw your own conclusions
Hmmm..., thanks for that South Coast Ranger. I reckon it was a Black Tailed Godwit. I saw the bird in question again today, but I wasn't able to get any good pictures for you all as it was standing in a spot where the suns reflection reflects on the mud, and it would have seriously over-exposed the image.
Yes, that is what I thought it was. Thanks Musclecat!
That Chiff-chaff call description was great Jamie. I knew what it was straight away!
I heard a bird that had this call
Cuckoo - cuckoo - cuckoo
Any ideas?
Are you all making fun of me!
Anyway SCR, that call could be a Tawny Owl, they have a similar call to the one you just described. Other than that, I don't know what it could be.