Dark-bellied Brent

Over the last couple of months I've being going through the Pale-bellied Brent flocks I've come across in search of either a Dark-bellied of even a rare Black Brant. As the weeks rolled by I searched in vain and with Spring now here I thought to myself I might not be so lucky. But just as I thought it wasn`t going to happen..... Bingo!, I found one distant but definite Dark-bellied Brent. Photo wise I wasn't great but a record shot all the same. So happy out I birded away over the last few days and once again another flock and another Dark-bellied Brent, but this time closer so to hell with a record shot.....Snap,snap,snap. Have a gander at these goosey shots.

 Dark-bellied Brent at Bull Island.

The Light-bellied Brent we see in Ireland nest in Arctic Canada and approximately 40,000+ of them spend the winter here. Dark-bellied Brent nest in Arctic Russia and spend the winter in Europe & the UK with the odd few finding their way here. Light-bellied on the Right and Dark-bellied on the Left.

 They can be difficult enough to pick out from the crowd as they are always on the move.

 The flock this bird was with was quite happy to have me snapping away, but they were joined by another flighty flock which didn't hang around and both flocks took off to a different location further down.

 

 

 This was the record shot of the Dark-bellied Brent I was happy with until I got the ones above.