Monday 1 July 2013

1st July 2013 Near Southease

Mediterranean Gull 1W adult
Oystercatcher 2
Black-tailed Godwit 2 adults
Green Sandpiper 2
Dunlin 1






Adult Black-tailed Godwits near Southease
I thought the shortness of the bill and rusty flanks safely assigned these as Icelandic Black-tailed Godwits but on seeing images of Continental Black-tailed Godwits from the Ouse Washes in Cambridgeshire the features they show seem to challenge the usefulness of such criteria. Certainly two seen at Pulborough last Summer appeared better contenders as Continental Black-tailed Godwits based on published criteria http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/10th-august-2012-pulborough-rspb.html

Dunlin near Southease