Unidentified bird at reservoir

ged_hughes · #1 (**permalink**) 30-07-2008, 07:29 AM

Hi bird experts out there. Yesterday evening at a local reservoir I spotted a bird skimming the surface of the water at speed. It's flight reminded me of a kingfisher, fast and direct but it had a pale underside and was brownish. I'm sure I saw the same bird along the canal a couple of months ago. The only bird I can find it may be is a water pipit, nothing else in my book seems close. Any ideas?

tony a · #2 (**permalink**) 30-07-2008, 07:48 AM

I've watched swallows & swifts skim the surface of reserviors for insects, but as they are mostly black and yours was brown maybe it was a Sand Martin.

Welcome to WAB by the way.

ged_hughes · #3 (**permalink**) 30-07-2008, 07:55 AM

Thanks Tony, it was definately not a swift or swallow, I'm fairly doubtful about the sand martin too. I'm in Birmingham if that has any bearings. Its most distinctive attribrute was its fast direct flight, no flitting at all, and being solitary.

Blackdogjnr · #4 (**permalink**) 30-07-2008, 07:59 AM

I reckon Sand Martin too

Lance Morgan · #5 (**permalink**) 30-07-2008, 08:05 AM

Water Pipit doubtful as migatory seen only October to April east and south england.
Could it have been a Sooty tern?. We get these occasionally on a reservoir near me.

Tursiops2 · #6 (**permalink**) 30-07-2008, 08:32 AM

Common Sandpiper springs to mind. Often visits reservoirs during the migration season.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lance Morgan

Water Pipit doubtful as migatory seen only October to April east and south england.
Could it have been a Sooty tern?. We get these occasionally on a reservoir near me.

I think you must mean Black Tern

Sooty tern is an extremely rare vagrant to the UK.
T2

Adam Cheeseman · #7 (**permalink**) 31-07-2008, 04:27 PM

Sounds very like a Common Sandpiper.

Cheers,

Adam

Gill Catton · #8 (**permalink**) 31-07-2008, 05:40 PM

or a dipper? Though they are more starkly chesnut brown and white

Adam Cheeseman · #9 (**permalink**) 31-07-2008, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gill Catton

or a dipper? Though they are more starkly chesnut brown and white

and are very rarely away from fast-flowing water.

Cheers,
Adam

ged_hughes · #10 (**permalink**) 01-08-2008, 12:38 PM

Thanks for all your feedback, looking at the evidence I think it could well be a sand martin. I will look out for it again though and hope that I conclude this matter once and for all.