Sunday, August 07, 2011

RE Report of Black Stork..Sketches

Many thanks.for these fantastic sketches...Andy (double click to enlarge)
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8 comments:

Andrew Huyton said...

my first impression having just seen the drawings on my phone was that it wasn't a black stork. I couldn't put my finger on why but the more i think about it every black stork I've seen abroad always flies with its neck hanging down not straight out as in the drawings. To be entirely honest my first impression of the drawings was cormorant. I shall try and find a photo to post of a black stork for comparison.

11:34 am
martynbirder said...

I don't like being the one to say so but there are a few things wrong with this drawing - however I am not disputing that they did actually see a Stork

1. Storks glide on almost flat wings not so deeply bowed (they usually look flat)

2. The undertail should be white in the centre not black, also the shape is wrong

3. the black on the neck and head should extend further down the chest

4. there should be a large patch of white extending on to the underwing

5. the neck on a flying stork is very long, this is not obvious on the drawing

6. the wings in the drawing look more like a migrating crane

I know these points seem picky but there is a lot of detail in the notes and drawing ie the legs extending beyond the tail (these would extend further but that is not always easy to see)

I'm sorry if this offends anyone but I would get more comments from experienced birders who have seen a lot of Storks as this record will not get past a records committee

11:37 am
Clare said...

Thank You so much for your comments regarding my sketches, I'll try to answer each one: Andrew, this is really interesting because the bird we saw, definitely flew with its neck straight out horizontally it wasn't hanging down,its whole body was horizontal that was one of the striking things about it (besides its wingspan and the tail shape)I've seen a cormorant & it definitely wasn't a cormorant.Please do help me to know what this was though, if not a Black Stork ?

1:50 pm
Clare said...

Thank You Martyn also for these comments, I appreciate you all know your birds, so I'll try to help answer each point;
1.Its wings were only flat while rising on the thermals & were bent when flying.
2.I didn't see any white on the tail at all,if anything the pointed bit in the middle was longer.
3.I sketched what I remebered at the time.
4. This puzzled me too, I have mentioned this to Nick.
5.It was a long straight neck but other than the sketch I cannot clarify I'm sorry.
6.I've just looked again at photos of cranes in flight, very similar shape but this bird was definitely black apart from its white body, but maybe there a back cranes? could you find photos?

Your points aren't picky its the detail that matters and I'm not at all offended by any comments, I'd really love to know what this bird was as I was convinced it was a black stork.

2:10 pm
Jim Welford said...

Have you looked at pics of Common Crane?

3:55 pm
Clare said...

Hi Jim, I did afterwards, to try to find out what it was. They didn't look the same. I have looked again on google images, as this has been suggested twice now - similar shape but colour not right, this bird was black with a white body, are there any other black birds that could fit my description ?

4:48 pm
Nick Carter said...

Comment from John B....

Excellent field notes and drawings.
Drawing shows white on lower breast extending beyond point of at which leading edge of wing joins. On Black Stork even juvs the dark breast extends further down and extends along the leading edge of the wing. Also the depiction of the wing shape is wrong, on B S the wings are quite 'stiff' broad based but narrower on the primaries which are swept back when in flapping flight.
My guess is its a first summer or juv Crane

9:59 pm
Clare said...

Thanks Nick, I really appreciate everyones knowledge & comments, whether a Stork or a Crane it was wonderfu. I do still personally believe that what we saw was a Black Stork due to searching for a match on google images right after and nothing else at all matched what we saw, but I also accept that, without a photo, my notes are what you all have to go on & there are so many details to take in when watching a bird its quite a challenge to note not only the shape, colour, size and behavior but also importantly on this occasion, the way it moves.
Thanks so much all of you, it's great that you all know such a lot about birds, I was a lovely bird to have seen & to share with you, Clare.

7:29 pm

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