Merlin and a conundrum?

Yesterday I took Bruno across to East Blean Woods for our daily stroll and duly added Nuthatch and Treecreeper to my year list. It was pleasant enough, although there were far too many other dog walkers for me to be able to relax. So this morning, I decided that Worth Marshes RSPB would be a better option and after a crazy drive, somehow a lorry had turned on it's side at the roundabout where Richborough Power Station once was, we eventually parked at the stables and began our ramble. It was a beautiful morning, with the sun shining brightly from a cloudless sky. Common Buzzards, Reed Buntings, Skylarks, plus another bunch of usual suspects were seen as we wandered out along the main track. A distant bird, perched atop a Hawthorn bush was worthy of a second glance and turned out to be a very nice adult male Merlin. Great stuff and another addition to the year list!

As we reached the start of the Pinnock Wall I scanned the geese which were in the adjacent field. The bulk were, as to be expected, Greylags but there were also eight Barnacle Geese and another individual which I took to be some type of hybrid? I rattled off a few shots in the hope that I'd got something to use for the blog. We continued with our walk and ended up surveying the area of marsh where the Barn Owls have been hunting and, sure enough, at 10.30 hrs there was an individual quartering the marsh, harassed by a Carrion Crow as it did so. On our return journey we bumped into Neil D and had a brief exchange. I told him about the Merlin & Barn Owl, yet completely omitted the Barnacle Geese - it must be an age thing?

Barnacle Geese with a "Heinz 57" hybrid?

There was something about that hybrid bird which was staring to cause me a few issues. It certainly wasn't of  mixed parentage which I could envisage. Only when I arrived back home and was able to look at the images I'd taken did the penny drop. There's certainly a chance that the bird is actually a "dark morph" Snow Goose and, as such, a bloody good Kent sighting?

What do you think?

I've emailed Neil to let him know about the bird but, as yet, am not 100% confident with the id so will wait for other, more knowledgeable folk, to decide if it is a "dark morph" Snow Goose. Me? I'm just grateful that the camera kit was able to provide some evidence to support my sighting. How I wish that this technology had been available in September 1999 when that Booted Eagle flew in/off at Hope Point.

Just received a reply from Neil with the news that it's a hybrid "wrong'un" ! Just as well I didn't get too excited about the sighting.