Black-tailed Godwit.

To compliment the post on my main blog I'm sharing a few more images of the Black-tailed Godwits (Limosa limosa) that I watched feeding and preening inside the North Wall at Pagham Harbour on the weekend.

These birds are slowly changing from their colourful full summer plumage into their plain grey winter garb.

Linking to WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY.

Flying Godwit.

Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) captured from below as it noisily displayed over a coastal pool last week. In the winter they are just a drab plain grey but as the breeding season progresses the adults aquire a rich rusty orange-red to the head, neck and upper breast with the barred flanks. The black tail band is far more distinctive in flight than when they are feeding or sleeping on the ground plus the much long legs than the Bar-tailed version projecting beyond the tail .... all good visual aids when you are trying to compare the two species we regularly see in the UK.   FAB.

[ f/6.3; 1/2000; ISO 320 @ 300mm and cropped]