Fantastic morning : )

[Mungo]

I love reading yours and Connors write-ups of your birding days.
Like you both I never got into birding until I got a camera, it really opens up your eyes to what is around you.

Keep it up guys, you are both doing great with all your spottings and pictures.

Well done both!

[Pete Collins]

Originally Posted by 1957split

Cheers all. It was a wonderful day

The smaller birds that we're unsure of are half the size of the shank's and have a very pale greyish underside/belly.
We checked out Dunlin in our books [only have two] and the pictures showed Dunlin to have darkish even blackish undersides, we know nothing about plumage and changes that take place at different times of the year. We have lot's of pictures of them and they're all light underneath, could they still be Dunlin's?

Would be great to be able to cross another bird type off our lsts

I still think they are Dunlin - they only have the black patches on their bellies in the summer months (just checked in one of my bird books!).

I don't think they are Knot, as they are much closer in size to the Redshank.

I'm surprised so few people have commented on your ID question so far!

[Astra]

I vote for Dunlin in winter plumage too.

They are too small for Knot and don't have the white eyestripe.
The bill is also quite long with a slight curve downwards, dark legs.......

Yup, Dunlin.

[1957split]

Cheers guys.

Dunlin it is [not got those yet]

[Astra]

Forgot to say, so pleased that you and Connor had a fantastic morning out.

There's nothing better than a good day birding followed by an equally good time studying the photos and spotting all those birds that you missed with the binos! Great fun.