had them sussed.
comprising of a Canon 7d Mk 2 with a Sigma Sport 150 - 600 mm
zoom lens making it 2ft long and weighing half a ton
but an amazing piece of tackle.
very grey collar and mantle with stubby short bill.
1500 hrs at Fly Flatts on a stonking afternoon with 40 % cloud cover and sunshine with a W>4.
Could have done with more cloud cover but the sun was getting low in the west so was,nt a problem to me.
The area was alive with the sounds of spring with calling Curlew, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Red Grouse and Snipe with most of these being to my south on the flat moor. At one point everything went up briefly revealing around 40 Golden Plover which became invisible when back on the deck.
A single redshank was on the far shore showing lots of grey around the collar and mantle with a very short bill. Probably a first year bird but will have to look into that one. Lesser Black backed gulls are already quartering the moor and harassing the Lapwings before they even start breeding whilst 2 Raven went noisily over the moor, these birds will have probably bred by now being one of the earliest breeders.
A great hours birding.
2 Red Legged Partridge
6 Curlew
c40 Golden Plover
36 Lapwing
1 Redshank
1 Oystercatcher
58 Canadas
11 Mallard
sev Red Grouse
2 Raven
2 LBB gull
8 Meadow Pipits
Update...
The Redshank is another case of the Mixenden Dunlin where we are not used to seeing them in winter plumage. The short bill is an illusion with the dark tip being lost against the background.
Another mystery solved.
BS