Tuesday 27 December 2011

27th December 2011 Scotney & Dungeness

Barnacle Goose 70
Emperor Goose x Barnacle Goose hybrids 9
Greylag Goose c.200 (1 with pink bill suggestive of rubrirostris influence)
Marsh Harrier 2+
Hen Harrier 1 ringtail
Green Sandpiper 1
Corn Bunting 15








Greylag Geese at Scotney including a pink-billed individual
The Siberian form of Greylag Goose A.a. rubrirostris is described as being larger, pink-billed, paler grey and typically with broader pale fringes to the upperparts. However, it has yet to be added to the British List due to birds perhaps occuring from the reportedly wide intergrade zone between nominate anser and rubrirostris and further muddied by introductions of rubrirostris and interbreeding with anser on the near continent albeit described as genetically swamped (RIACT BB 99 December 2006). As the Scotney bird effectively appeared a Greylay with a pink bill it clearly wasn't a pure rubrirostris but its bill colour does perhaps indicate a rubrirostris influence in its ancestry. Pure A.a. rubrirostris has a very different appearance. See:
http://www.birdsofkuwait.com/blog/?p=4025
 
 Hybrid Emperor Goose x Barnacle Goose at Scotney
Dungeness
Bittern 2
Great White Egret 2 ex.
Long-tailed Duck 1
Glaucous Gull 1 2w ex.
Caspian Gull 1 1w ex.
Cetti's Warbler 1

First-winter Caspian Gull at Dungeness
 Hang-on, who's that getting in the way!
Second-winter Glaucous Gull at Dungeness





Great White Egrets at Dungeness



Bittern at Dungeness