Red-breasted Goose news, The 108ft Blog and "Bird Facts!" 7

Hi birders! We have news that is good but also not good.. The Farlington Marshes Red-breasted Goose has moved off with the some of the Brents to Oare Marshes in Kent! That's not good news for the birders hoping to see it at Farlington but it gives the Kentish birders a chance to see this fantastic and beautiful rarity. Let's have a look at some photos of it at it's Farlington stay from The 108ft Blog:

a bathe...

a preen...

the final goose!

advertizing the final goose in a high-pitched un-goose-like way.

Well, as we are on the subject, let's talk about The 108ft Blog. This blog is a great blog. "Read about our latest news from our Solent Reserves".  Says it all! Read about Black Brants, Marsh Harriers, Shovelers, Garganey, Wigeon, Kestrels, giant Tegenaria sp. female huge spiders (oh crap), volunteer work under the A27 and even Spoonbills and female Ring Ouzels on this fantastic blog. There is tonnes more too. Remember the recent sightings board from last post at Farlington? That's how I found this blog. Thanks recent sightings board! So that's a bit of good news. A new blog with great content. And some even more good news! Even though the Red-breasted Goose is away in Kent, we still have rarities like Spoonbills among us: "It is a fine adult, snowy white and with a great fluff of head plumes and that trademark black bill with the spooned yellow end". I am now addicted to quoting from that blog! I think it's the catchy titles on the posts that do it. I have just subscribed to following it. You must too! You just type your email address into the box at the side then you find the confirmation email and click confirm. Done. Well, don't look just yet because you must read the latest "Bird Facts!":

"Bird Facts!" 7

There are 9 true species of teal! The Laysan Teal is really a
subspecies of Mallard. (sorry about the squashed up type. Sometimes it decides to squash it and I have no clue why or how to stop it doing it.) These are the teal species:

Cape Teal - Anas capensis
Chestnut-breasted Teal - Anas castanea
Chilean Teal - Anas flavirostris
Cinnamon Teal - Anas cyanoptera (which it strange because it means "blue-wing" so you would think the Blue-winged Teal would have that name)
Eurasian Teal - Anas crecca
Marble Teal - Marmaronetta angustirostris (weird. It's not an Anas) 
Ringed Teal - Callonetta leucophrys (weird again. Not an Anas)
Green-winged Teal - Anas carolinensis
Blue-winged Teal - Anas discors

I will give you photos of the Blue- and Green-winged Teals because I'd never fit them all on and we've had loads of Eurasian Teal photos before. I will also show the Laysan Teal Mallard.

Green-winged Teal with blue eye-patch variation by Jeannie Bespoyasny. Is considered by some as a Eurasian Teal subspecies, Anas crecca carolinensis but I like to consider it a full species like my best field-guide. 

Blue-winged Teal in flight by Rob Whitney. The name can be puzzling when not in flight as this teal has a green speculum like all the teals.

Laysan Teal. It didn't say the photographer's true name on the website but he called himself "weedmandan". You may be thinking how the hell is this a Mallard? but there is clues. The blue speculum, the orange legs. I know this is a bit a bit wonkaloid (to quote Adam Buxton and Joe Cornish) but I only don't like to call it a full species because it is not called one by the experts. 

BYEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! check out The 108ft Blog!