Seabird help - I'm out of my depth...

[Deb London]

Not Scoter. Not that shape. Juvenile Gannet is interesting, I can't say that it wasn't. But the pictures I can find suggest that this would be fairly monotone in colour from a distance. It wasn't monotone. But it could be a bit further along I guess. A bit of an adolescent, I'm not hanging around with you lot, it's-so-unfair () sort of bird. There were hundreds of meters between this bird and the Gannets.

[Deb London]

Originally Posted by Jonathan

It's not a gannet, they are plunge divers and don't dive from the surface.

I'd look at a winter-plumaged guillemot - as you say, size can be very deceptive on the sea. Winter plumage looks more diffused than summer at a distance - not so many 'straight lines'!

Have a look at female long-tailed duck too, they can look surprisingly short-necked. But they'd be much more unlikely (especially at this time of year) than a guillemot.

Cheers
Jonathan

Thanks for the suggestions Jonathan. Just as I was warming to the Gannet outcast, I can rule him out.

Will look at those. I doubt I saw anything unusual. I'm amazed that so many bird families have representatives that have this pied/diffuse plumage. I would tend to think that it wasn't this duck though as it wasn't that sort of "rounded" appearance.

Whatever this bird was, it was made for waves.

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by Jonathan

they are plunge divers and don't dive from the surface.

Its uncommon but they will occasionally adopt other hunting strategies such as picking small fish from the surface and diving from the surface. Although the latter is not typical of this situation and often not as successful as other methods, it is usually adopted when bait balls are close to the surface. I agree that in this context it is unlikely to have been a gannet.

[Adam Cheeseman]

I haven't heard of any Diver sp being reported from that area yet this season, and as you're between Dungness and Rye it's safe to say that that bit of the sea is well watched.

Juvenile and sub-adult Gannets can vary greatly in their plumage so wouldn't rule it out.

Guillemots can be decptive in size on the sea especially when it's rough and there's nothing else to compare them too.

Great Crested Grebe in winter plumage can often trip up the unwary when seen on the sea too.

Cheers,

Adam

[Deb London]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Its uncommon but they will occasionally adopt other hunting strategies such as picking small fish from the surface and diving from the surface. Although the latter is not typical of this situation and often not as successful as other methods, it is usually adopted when bait balls are close to the surface. I agree that in this context it is unlikely to have been a gannet.

Originally Posted by Adam Cheeseman

I haven't heard of any Diver sp being reported from that area yet this season, and as you're between Dungness and Rye it's safe to say that that bit of the sea is well watched.

Juvenile and sub-adult Gannets can vary greatly in their plumage so wouldn't rule it out.

Guillemots can be decptive in size on the sea especially when it's rough and there's nothing else to compare them too.

Great Crested Grebe in winter plumage can often trip up the unwary when seen on the sea too.

Cheers,

Adam

Thanks both.

I had just been watching Grebes in one of the reserves nearby so had a good idea what they looked like at the time. But I'm prepared to be wrong.

I know I'll never know. I knew that when I started the thread. But I get a lot further when I bounce ideas like this so am very grateful for the input.

[MagpieMick]

I was there last saturday and sunday and sea-watched for a few hours on both days with No diver sp. sightings and as Adam has said No reports on the Websites yet, a bit early for diver's ...

At distance it could have been .....

Juvenile Cormorant

Juvenile G.C. Grebe

Gannet or Guillimot

I would say Grebe as there is a lot of them at sea there now or Gannet !!! going with the pied description .... maybe

Mick ...

[Deb London]

Thanks very much for taking the time to reply Mick. Maybe grebes have a different posture when swimming and diving in quite strong waves.

Hopefully we will go back there one day, and all these suggestions will make sea-watching more enjoyable when we do.

[Jonathan]

Originally Posted by MagpieMick

I would say Grebe as there is a lot of them at sea there now or Gannet !!!

You really can discount gannet! Dogghound's comments about gannets diving from the surface simply don't apply in this situation - not if the bird was staying underwater for a minute. When bait fish ball up, many birds - including gannets, gulls and shearwaters - will 'dive' to take fish just below the surface. These dives last seconds rather than a minute. I doubt a gannet is any more capable of the surface dives achieved by a guillemot or cormorant for example, any more than your average herring gull is!

Cheers
Jonathan

[Deb London]

Thanks Jonathan. Yes, I was indeed amazed at its ability to disappear, hold its breath and come up in a different spot, maybe a minute later.