BIRD 4
With its orange tones, and very long, straight bill, this bird can only be a dowitcher (rare North American wader) or a godwit. But dowitchers have almost Snipe-length bills, with a slight downward droop at the tip and pale greenish, not blackish-grey, legs. So, this is surely a godwit, but which one? Our two godwits, Black-tailed and Bar-tailed, are quite similar birds in many ways, especially if you can’t see the wing (or tail) pattern. An orange front end with no black barring on the flanks may make you think Bar-tailed, not a Black-tailed. But, look at those neatly fringed back and wing feathers; this is a juvenile. And only Black-tailed juveniles have such a pattern. This is backed up by those long upper legs; this is a juvenile Black-tailed Godwit.
KEY FEATURES Very long straight bill Orange 'front end' Neatly fringed back and wing feathers Long tibia