BIRD 3
This one is probably too easy for an ID Challenge photo; unless you are fooled by the fact that the bird is largely submerged and masked by splashing... It is a white bird with a yellow head and the wings are held in a very odd position, folded at right angles. You can also see the wings have black flight feathers (under the water) and the bill ( holding a fish, or a bit of a fish...) is quite long and dagger-shaped with black and silver striping, and the lores are black. Drake Eiders have white backs and forewings like this. But, of course, they don’t have yellow heads. This is an adult Gannet, a renowned diver (from the air) for fish. Give yourself an extra quarter mark if you noticed there was a second adult Gannet under the water, just above the main bird in the photograph.
Key features
■ White bird with yellow head
■ Dagger-like bill
■ Long white and black wings
■ Odd folding of wings