Help with bird id

[Juliet1200]

There's a bird I've seen a few times fairly locally (I'm in Derby), usually near corn / wheat fields. It has very slender wings and an erratic flight with fast wing beats. Does anybody have any idea what it might be? I'm usually not too bad with bird id's but I don't even know where to start with this one.

Probably about the size of a collared dove, but thinner!

Thanks,

Juliet

[~T~]

Mistle thrush maybe?

[Gill Catton]

Are there any wet ditches at the edge of the fields?

[Shrike]

Originally Posted by Gill Catton

Are there any wet ditches at the edge of the fields?

Are you thinking snipe?

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by Shrike

Are you thinking snipe?

Yes or even green sandpiper this time of year.

[werdnal]

Colour?

[Juliet1200]

I'm sure they're not mistle thrush. The wings seem to narrow and if I remember correctly the flight is undulating, this is more side to side like it can't decide which way to go!

The green sandpiper's wings look the wrong shape, but snipe is a definite possibility. Funnily enough, I had that in the back of my head but was convinced it was the wrong habitat. In fact, there are marshy areas and wet ditches fairly nearby which I'd forgotten about, although I'm not sure exactly how close.

Thank you.

[Juliet1200]

Originally Posted by werdnal

Colour?

I don't know as they've been at a distance and I haven't had binoculars with me. No obvious patterns and fairly dark is all I can specify I'm afraid.

[tigertom]

Flight pattern sounds very snipe like to me did you notice any light stripes down the back of this bird and did it have white wing edges? if so i would go for a snipe.
MIKE

[Shrike]

Yes the zig-zag flight pattern is typical snipe.