help me identify this bird!

[sparkle14]

Hello to you all. I live in Bexhill on sea, and this morning discovered a dead bird on the beach. It was quite large, about 35-40 cm long, grey and white plumage, sharp looking straight bill about 8-10cm long. the strangest thing was that as I looked for any sign of a ring on its legs, I saw that the bird had distinctive green and black vertical striped (long) legs.I cannot find anything with legs like this in my books. Also, should I report this to the rspb, due to the avian flu problem? thankyou to anyone who replies. Tracey

[nightshade]

It has me beat,no image possible?

[GuyF]

Sounds a bit like a Greenshank but those legs sound very strange, so not sure.
Guy

[sparkle14]

The only bird with green legs, as you say, is a greenshank!! However, the stripes have me foxed!! My dad thinks it may have been a foreign bird off course. We had a lot of stormy weather a day or so ago, and a lot of other debris on the beach. Poor bird. Its a shame.

[John]

The first thing we need to know is if it is actually a wader. It certainly sounds like one and the only Western Palearctic to even come close to that I also think is a Greenshank, although the size you give would be a bit too large for one. Their maximum size would be about 34cm. I'm not sure about bill length but a Greenshank bill would have a slight upcurve to it. Did you notice what colour the bill was.

There is an excellent image of one in the Gallery by fisher. Here it is. See what you think of it.
http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/ga...age-20673.html

The only waders I can think of that are that size are the winter plumaged Godwits, both Black & Bar-tailed but they don't have green legs. The only other largeish long billed waders I can think of are the Dowitchers but they are even smaller than a Greenshank, but they do have greenish legs.

John

[nightshade]

Could it have had varicose veins
I tried a google search using the description given
(in various combinations)but got cranes and greenshanks

[Wild-Woman]

Perhaps the colouration is caused by rigor mortis after it's passing. The blood may have collected in the legs length and made it appear like it's got a stripe. Just an idea.

[sparkle14]

i went back for another look, but something had begun to eat the bird. This tells me that it must have only been on the beach a little while, and not dead for long, because I am always finding half eaten gulls. Lots of dogs in the area. The only bits left were wings and feet, still stripy! The feet were webbed, and the stripes extended to the claws, which were short. so not sure about the greenshank. Also the couloring was more similar to a gull!! But far too big.The bill was a whitish grey clour, and no upturn to it, very straight. Varicose veins is a definite possibility

[John]

Is there no way you could take a photo of what is left as I am a tad bit confused now.

John

[GuyF]

Does seem a bit confusing because as far as I know greenshanks don't have webbed feet. I'll keep thinking about it and see if I can find anything.
Guy