ML217075131

Age and sex

Adult, Unknown sex - 1

Observation details

First parish record, found previously. Visible when I arrived and for most of the time I was there. Bird was mostly close to the road, but it spent time wandering most of the lake shore. A large long-legged, long-necked, and long-billed water bird. Mostly dark brown, but covered entirely in small white spots. Spots larger and sparser on back and wing coverts, smaller and denser on head and neck. Bill long and slightly down curved, mostly dark but with some pale yellowish color to base. Legs dark. It spent most of its time walking the lake shore, but I also saw it roosting in a cypress, and in flight on two occasions. Wings were long, broad, and entirely dark. On one occasion it swam between a cypress and the shore line, looking very awkward. It called once, giving three loud rising trumpeting notes, but I was unable to get a recording. Many photos and a short video obtained. It appeared to be feeding on mussels and apple snails, both of which were littering the shore line.

Technical information

Model

Canon EOS REBEL T5i

Lens

EF300mm f/4L IS USM

ISO

320

Focal length

300 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire, auto

f-stop

f/4.5

Shutter speed

1/400 sec

Dimensions

2210 pixels x 1473 pixels

Original file size

934.13 KB