DECEMBER'S MYSTERY BIRD ANSWERS

December saw 19 of you entering the competition, an excellent response for which I thank you all. Was Christmas TV really that poor this year? ☺

Mystery bird 5

All entrants correctly identified this mystery bird as an owl species, although two species were offered, one of which, Little Owl, was incorrect. Little Owl would show a distinctly different jizz to this bird, shorter, more squat, with a shorter tail and importantly, primaries which fall clearly short of the tip of the tail (whereas this bird looks long in the body, with a longish tail and primaries which clearly extend beyond the tip of the tail). It was refreshing that 18 entrants correctly identified the mystery bird as a Short-eared Owl and that no one was fooled into thinking it was a Long-eared Owl which would of course have less boldly patterned plumage and wings, much paler primaries (not so solidly dark) and a very finely barred tail (unlike this birds boldly barred item) amongst other features.

Short-eared Owl, Rindle Road, Astley, Greater Manchester- Ian McKerchar

Mystery bird 6

Yet again, everyone managed to identify the mystery bird as a godwit, so well done you all. Two species, Black-tailed and Bar-tailed were offered although one entrant atleast mentioned Hudsonian Godwit which, bearing in mind the rule that all mystery birds in this competition are on the British list and so could feasibly occur in our county, is the sort of 'thinking out of the box' I like to see! Firstly, I like to attempt to age the birds in mystery bird competitions, which I find can help and this bird appears on this view atleast, to be a juvenile. The wing coverts especially show quite clear pale fringes to the feathers with obvious black subterminal spots and this coupled with the similarly patterned inner greater coverts are a confirmatory difference between the juvenile plumages of Black and Bar-wits. Bar-wit would display streaked coverts, lacking the dark subterminal spot and greater coverts more clearly and regularly 'notched'. Other features for their separation are of a little less value in this image although Bar-wit would perhaps show some slight streaking on the flanks and the legs might not appear quite so long in the tibia compared with Black-wit. So, the bird is indeed a Black-tailed Godwit and the much more illustrative photo below not only confirms the identification (check out the solidly black tail-band, very plain and unstreaked upperparts, face and crown although the bill appears rather short owing to the birds age and race) but also helps us correctly age the bird as a first-winter due to the presence of juvenile feathers in the wings and much plainer adult feathers on the upperparts. 16 entrants correctly identified the bird with one also managing to get the Mallard asleep in the background, for no extra points though!

Black-tailed Godwit, Marshside, Lancs (31st October)- Ian McKerchar

16 successfully identified both mystery birds this month and they are: Rob and Sonia Adderley, Steve Atkins, Dave Broome, Ian Bowker, Tony Coatsworth, Adam Davidson, Joan and Jim Disley, Richard Else, Dave Evans, John Frankland, Nick Hilton, Andy Isherwood, Andrew Newall, Tom McKinney, Les Steele and Sean Sweeney. After 3 rounds there is no change in the current leader board with Andy Isherwood, Tony Coatsworth, Dave Broome and Tom McKinney all with 6 correct answers.