10 October 1981 - Stithians Reservoir, Hayle Estuary, St. Marys, Scilly

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Long-billed Dowitcher, 7 American Wigeon, Rose-coloured Starling, Red-breasted Flycatcher

Stithians Reservoir: Long-billed Dowitcher

Larger than Snipe, with relatively longer bill, downcurved at tip. Generally brownish-grey above, whitish below. Pale fringes to scapulars not as distinctive as the Marshside bird. Runs with bill held almost horizontal, not held down as snipe. Similar probing feeding action to Snipe.

Also: c.500 Golden Plover, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, Dunlin, Snipe.

Hayle Estuary: 7 American Wigeon

7 birds seen in all. Much paler and generally greyer about the head and upper neck than f. or imm. Wigeon. On two or three of the birds, a darker patch with a greenish tinge could be seen extending backwards from the eye. Generally appeared longer in the neck and more upright than Wigeon. Some had black, white-edged tertials rather than the less-distinct buff-edge dark brown tertials of f. Wigeon.

St. Mary's Airport (Scilly): Rose-coloured Starling imm.

Very pale sandy buff colour, slightly darker around head. Tail and all flight feathers dark brown, looking almost black at distance. Tail slightly longer than Starling's. Slightly downcurved yellow bill, black at tip. Pale legs.

Garrison, St. Mary's

3, Blackcaps, 1 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Winchat, Red-breasted Flycatcher: Giving good views, perching on barbed-wire fence. Plain back and wings. Unstreaked yellowish breast, becoming whiter on belly. No obvious eye-ring. Tail blackish, with thin white edges to base of tail. Typical 'tail-up, wings down' appearance with constant flicking of wings and tail.

Long-billed Dowitcher Stithians Res

Wigeon & American Wigeon Hayle Estuary