Limosa Blackwits

'Limosa' Blackwit, Axe Estuary, August 2017 (Copyright T D Wright)

'Limosa' Blackwit, Axe Estuary, August 2017 (Copyright T D Wright)

'Limosa' Blackwit, Axe Estuary, August 2017 (Copyright T D Wright)

All this talk locally about islandica Blackwits has led me to look at them again as I believe we get both races on the Axe Estuary. By that I mean that the far eastern race melanuroides is very unlikely! This bird from Seaton Marshes hide had a broad bill-base, shallow forehead, long bill, long legs and generally seems a good candidate for Limosa, the race which breeds in the UK (about 200 pairs) but which can be outnumbered at times by the vast influx of islandica birds at this time of year. The juvenile islandicas are quite striking but the adults differ from Limosa by having a narrower bill-base, steeper forehead, shorter bill and shorter legs. I'm now ready to start checking just how many of each race we get on BHM and the Axe I hope! Unless we start to get a few more interesting species to distract me that is...