Seen on the Scrape at Milford

[Catherine]

Think the stripy birds in the group far right of centre are Snipe of a sort, but not sure re. the Duck ID? Any help, please?

[rolf]

The Ducks could I guess be Pintails? The others certainly look like Snipes.

[Catherine]

I'm not sure about the ducks. Had thought maybe Tufted Ducks, Goldeneye or Scaup. Hadn't thought of Pintails...

There were more than 12 Snipe there together. I've only see none o its own before.

It was a lovely sunny morning on Sunday. Unbeknown to me an RSPB group was on a trek round the marshes and listed all these as being seen;
Slavonian grebe; great crested grebe; cormorant; little egret; mute swan; white-fronted goose; Canada goose; barnacle goose; Brent goose; shelduck; mallard; gadwall; pintail; shoveler; wigeon; teal; tufted duck; goldeneye; red-breasted merganser; buzzard; peregrine falcon; kestrel; water rail; moorhen; coot; oystercatcher; grey plover; golden plover; lapwing; turnstone; dunlin; redshank; black-tailed godwit; curlew; snipe; black-headed gull; common gull; herring gull; Mediterranean gull; wood pigeon; water pipit; rock pipit; wren; dunnock; robin; blackbird; great tit; magpie; carrion crow; raven; starling; chaffinch; linnet; goldfinch; greenfinch and reed bunting.

I never counted the species I saw, but realised what a great diversity there was there when I noted at least 6 species grouped together in a very small area at the top of this shot - Moorhen, BHG, 'Other Gull' (Immature, so could not ID!), Greenshank, Lapwing and Mallard!

[rolf]

Yes, a wonderful place for birding.

[joe]

Catherine I posted a pic of a pintail 2 days ago, might help you to id. especially if you could see the head and neck markings.