Redshank Help Please

[LoveT]

Hi

I took some photos on Monday this week down at Keyhaven of what I thought were Redshanks.

They were both taken in approximately the same area of Keyhaven harbour, and both birds were on their own.

No.1 - I thought this was a 'common' Redshank, and seemed fairly confident of my ID:



No.2 - Then I saw this one, and thought it a 'common' Redshank as well. However, it was smaller than the one in the photo above, and when I looked at it, the eye ring appears to be bigger and the colouration darker:



Are they both Redshanks, could one be a juvenile, could one be something else all together?

My photo ID books don't seem to be helping me much.

Any ideas please?

Thanks very much

Thea

[Dogghound]

Both Common Redshanks

[LoveT]

Thanks for putting my mind at rest!

Would the smaller and darker one be one of this year's youngsters then?

Thea

[Adam Cheeseman]

Looks like the lighting and the position of the birds make them look different. The first picture is quite bright so the bird looks paler and the second picture shows a bird that is hunched up by comparison to the first. If you saw the two side by side I suspect they would look the same.

Cheers,

Adam

[dunlin]

As others have said both common redshank. It's a good example of how difficult it is when trying to judge size in different lighting conditions.

[LoveT]

Originally Posted by dunlin

It's a good example of how difficult it is when trying to judge size in different lighting conditions.

You're not wrong there

Thank you all very much for your help - much appreciated.

Thea

[Davehutton]

I'm not so sure.
The paler (larger) bird could be a spotted redshank because only the lower half of the base of its bill is marked red. I saw one recently at Topsham and the difference in size and lighter plumage are marked.

[Adam Cheeseman]

Nope, definitely 2 Commons. A Spreddie would look cleaner marked and have a distinctive eye stripe and look overall more grey not brownish. They are more graceful and slightly larger birds too.

Cheers,

Adam

[Dogghound]

Plus the bill is to short and stout for a spotted.

[daffy66]

this just gos to show what a b****r it is identifying waders
john