UKH

Any pointers to what the exoskeleton found on a beach could be from? Photos of same one top and bottom views; diameter approx 5 cm. There were lots of them (100 or so) of different sizes washed up after recent stormy weather. My wild guess is could be an urchin possibly due to shape and that could be the mouth location underneath?

Also, saw remains of a bird carcass washed up and interested in what bird it could be from the feathers. Longest feather seen was approx 25 -30cm long. 

Thanks.

Heart urchin.

Amazing how like a fossilised echinoid it is. They've not exactly changed much in millions and millions of years.

No idea on the bird, interesting markings on the dark wing, somebody should know it.

Thanks, searching info will be easier now. I guess common in North Sea near the east coast of FIfe where found.

My immediate initial thought on those feathers is pheasant, with some kind of owl as a remote secondary possibility.

You should be able to find some appropriate photos on t'web which will confirm or otherwise.

I stumbled across a female sparrowhawk eating it’s catch last year - woodcock. With some ‘weathering’ caused by the sea, could be one. I thought the square edge to the feathers interesting. Also interestingly, lots fly over the North Sea to your neck of the woods, sometimes found lying exhausted on the coast once they hit land. 

Thanks, that looks closer than anything I saw online. Most likely that bird then. Habitat fits - it was at Out Head - though I’ve never seen a Woodcock.

I googled pheasant feathers and there was some similarity with melanistic pheasant’s feathers. Not knowing how sea water environment affects feathers, I discounted pheasant as couldn’t find any online with the similar pattern.

Been meaning to upload Purple Sandpiper photo as I found a few and the main nudge in trying to ID was your mention of the beak colour, so thanks. Hopefully I have made the right ID!

Woodcock: once you see one, you start seeing more. They fly quite fast, plump body with short rounded wings and you can see that beak. Often see them flying over country roads at dusk. There’s a petition doing the rounds due to the huge number that are shot in the U.K.  

Cheers, I’m getting to stage of recognising some species quite quickly, and, yup, often the case once I’ve seen one or a few, I see more so many more of then easily! I’m getting to learning curve stage of knowing something is or just seems different even though I can’t explain why. I can then try and take photos to study later to decide and hopefully ID.

The Purple Sandpiper above instantly came across as something different to me to photo even if I didn’t know what it was at the time. A Red-breasted Merganser was another that I came to the conclusion it was.

Edit to add photo.

Lovely birds. Saw a pair at Outhead, quite a way out though. 
And the method of bird IDing is basically the same for me - if I dont recognise it almost straight away then I know it’s something unusual.  Bird calls especially - I can nail down most of them almost instantly. 
Keep your eyes open for twite and snow bunting. And scan those wooden posts in the Eden for eagles.

Great purple sand photo - they are usually in amongst rocks and sea weed - yours is showing off !!

Lovely Purple Sandpiper photo - in lighter winter plumage - that's pretty much a definitive ID shot, I can't see how you'd get a clearer shot to show the features.

And the Red-breasted Merganser, the males are obvious once you've realised what they are, females can be confused with female Goosanders, but I've never seen them in the same place (although there's bound to be places where they do co-exist).

RBMs tend more towards salt-water, Goosanders happier(?) on freshwater - I've actually had a couple of occasions now where I've not seen any Goosanders on my little bit of the Irwell, but today was compensated with great views of 10 Goldeneye, 4M, 6F, all in breeding plumage - they even stopped diving for a bit so I could actually count them confidently.

Hadn't thought of Woodcock - certainly more likely than Pheasant to be flying over the sea.

Thanks for that. I discovered that P Sandpipers are sprinters!; that photo was luckily taken on a slowed down moment. Most of the time the three I saw were going at high speed presumably looking for food on the rising tide.

The only Gooseanders I’ve seen so far have been on fresh water so good to know that’s usual habitat.

I unexpectedly saw my 2nd male RB Merganser this afternoon and accompanying it was I’m assuming a female one. Light was fading so wasn’t too sure (I was actually taking some sunset photos!) and yet to process photos, but with some tinkering I may have a photo of the female to ID. That was on the Firth of Forth on a rising tide.

Another unexpected surprise before light faded was a flock of Greenfinches. Must have been roughly 30 flying and feeding together. Nice to see so many since numbers were hit so badly in recent years I was reading.