This picture gives an idea of the air quality around here today! I had planned on trying out my new digiscoping set up from the hide today, but had not reckoned on the high level of heat haze shimmering above the sand, which ruined all but a handful of shots!
Digiscoped
I've seen a fair few leg deformities on waders over the years, but this must be one of the strangest. The leg looks as though it broke below the tibio-tarsal joint and then reset itself.
Most of these Common Redshanks were very long-billed and legged, which I think makes them most likely to belong to the race 'craggi'. Some have prominent whitish supercilia in front of the eye, giving them more than a passing resemblance to Spotted Redshanks.
Digiscoped
The one facing the camera just left of centre for example.
Digiscoped
There was just one White-faced Plover present, a male I'd not seen before with a complete dark loral line. I saw one or two like this last year in Singapore.
Digiscoped
You can just about make out the pale tips to the crown feathers, which shows that they are very new.
Digiscoped
Despite the dark loral line, the head and bill structure, white lower ear coverts and short dark breast patches combine to make it quite distinct from Kentish Plover.
Even the DSLR couldn't beat the haze!
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