What's this ?

[SmartWombat]

This bird looks really odd, I can't work out what it is, looks like some kind of injury ?

[Trailwalker32766]

That looks like his tongue hanging out. . . could be an injury . . . wonder what the condition of his lower bill is? Possibly an accidental hookup with somebody's fishing hook? lower bill ripped open/off by another animal? Here's a good shot with the tongue showing http://www.flickr.com/photos/7391462...38437/sizes/l/

[SmartWombat]

It was on a pier, so I suspect an old injury.
Watched for several minutes and the tongue hung out all that time.

[paulnj]

an injury for sure and definately it's tongue.

[SmartWombat]

Thanks, Paul.
As you can see I took a day off from motor racing
Some of the waders are hard to ID though, seasonal plumage that isn't in the guides