Black Beauty

We were having our late evening dog walk around Branton Ponds when a group of four Redshank came flying in, it was obvious that one of them was very dark. Once they had landed and settled we got our bins onto them and the dark bird did turn out to be a stunning breeding plumaged Spotted Redshank, its feathers a subtle mix of black and brown, its legs and bill longer than the nearby Common Redshank and when chased across the pond by a Moorhen, its white rump contrasted with its otherwise dark plumage. The question is, at this time of year was it coming or going?.