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Bird identification

wildlife, gardening, environment, Rural living, Pets and Vets
jtr63
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Bird identification

#144869

Postby jtr63 » June 10th, 2018, 8:39 pm

Could anyone help me identify a group of 4 or 5 birds that I saw this evening whilst out walking. They were primarily white and appeared to have grey or brown flashes of their wings. They were quite large, a little larger than a magpie that I saw flying nearby. The distinct trait observed was that they seemed to be sweeping a small riverbank, in the way a gun dog would sweep a hedgerow to put up game birds. Alongside the river was grass meadows. It is at least half a mile from the nearest buildings. I was not close enough to see head, beak or leg details. Location : South Cambridgeshire.

Can anyone help, or suggest a site that might. I have tried the RSPB site, but without success.

TIA John

oldapple
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Re: Bird identification

#144875

Postby oldapple » June 10th, 2018, 10:04 pm

John, I thought this site was quite good for images:

https://www.britishbirdlovers.co.uk/bird-identification

AleisterCrowley
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Re: Bird identification

#144881

Postby AleisterCrowley » June 10th, 2018, 10:51 pm

I can't think of any white UK birds other than gulls, swans, and geese

tjh290633
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Re: Bird identification

#144886

Postby tjh290633 » June 10th, 2018, 11:19 pm

Little Egrets?

TJH

supremetwo
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Re: Bird identification

#144893

Postby supremetwo » June 11th, 2018, 1:52 am


Dod101
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Re: Bird identification

#144895

Postby Dod101 » June 11th, 2018, 6:48 am

I would be inclined to go with Little Egrets. Did I not read somewhere that they are becoming more common in certain parts of the UK?

Dod

tjh290633
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Re: Bird identification

#144912

Postby tjh290633 » June 11th, 2018, 9:18 am

They are certainly established around the reservoirs in Kent and Sussex.

TJH

AleisterCrowley
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Re: Bird identification

#144917

Postby AleisterCrowley » June 11th, 2018, 9:49 am

never seen one- but quite distinctive, 'heron like', and no wing bars that I can see from photos

Slarti
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Re: Bird identification

#144943

Postby Slarti » June 11th, 2018, 12:33 pm

Sounds a bit like an Avocet to me https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildl ... -z/avocet/

Slarti

scotia
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Re: Bird identification

#144992

Postby scotia » June 11th, 2018, 5:26 pm

A male hen Harrier fits the description and behaviour but I have never seen them in a group.
Little egrets are now present in Scotland at Loch Leven.

orangepekoe
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Re: Bird identification

#145047

Postby orangepekoe » June 11th, 2018, 10:09 pm

common tern?

Dod101
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Re: Bird identification

#145049

Postby Dod101 » June 11th, 2018, 10:19 pm

scotia wrote:A male hen Harrier fits the description and behaviour but I have never seen them in a group.
Little egrets are now present in Scotland at Loch Leven.


At Loch Leven? Must keep a lookout. I walk there sometimes. I got to know egrets in Hong Kong where they sit on the backs of water buffalo eating the mites! They are elegant and quite distinctive and should not be too difficult to identify because they are unlike most other birds except herons, but then flying along a riverbank is a bit different.

Dod

scotia
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Re: Bird identification

#145105

Postby scotia » June 12th, 2018, 9:00 am

At Loch Leven? Must keep a lookout.

At the hides at Vane Farm


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