10 easy Bulgarian mystery birds

[CJW]

For those of you who haven't read my Bulgaria Trip Report from last month, here's 10 fairly easy birds for you to identify.

[CJW]

the second 5.

[Brian Stone]

OK, as its easy I'll have a go :)
1. Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus
2. Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus
3. Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos syriacus
4. Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus
5. Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca
6. Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus
7. Masked Shrike Lanius nubicus
8. Red-breasted Flycatcher Fidecula parva
9. Crested Lark Galerida cristata
10. Sombre Tit Poecile lugubris

[CJW]

Good effort, Brian.
70%

[Tim Allwood]

1 Bonelli's Warbler

[Tim Allwood]

I can't work out which one's are wrong......help someone,

[CJW]

Oi bo***cks! I said those who hadn't read the trip report! This means not you, Allwood ;)

You still got it wrong 0%

[Tim Allwood]

sorry Chris ;)

speed reading the posts - only get a few seconds here and there in the day.....

it's obviously not a Bonelli's but the rest looked ok at first glance - i'll retire at 0% before it gets worse...... :eek!:

[Joern Lehmhus]

My guesses are probably quite bad , but with most I agree with the list already posted by Brian. However these are those were i was thinking:


could 1 be a greenish warbler?
could 2 be a goshawk?
and 10 marsh or willow tit (can´t remember which might occur there)?

[CJW]

could 2 be a goshawk?
Nope.

[Dawsy]

If 4 is a honey buzzard I've got more to learn than I thought (quite possible) so I might venture long-legged buzzard.
Nice collection whatever they all are though.

[Adey Baker]

and 10 marsh or willow tit (can´t remember which might occur there)?

Looks more like Willow than Marsh

[Joern Lehmhus]

4 can only be Honey bussard with that tail barring (2 bands closer together near the tail base and the 3rd in a bigger distance at the tail end) and that wing barring, I think.

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Haven't looked at others' answers, so prepare for lots of corrections after I have done:

1. Willow Warbler
2. Hen Harrier
3. Syrian Woodpecker
4. Long-legged Buzzard
5. Lesser-spotted Eagle
6. Rock Bunting
7. Masked Shrike
8. Red-breasted Flycatcher
9. Crested Lark
10. Sombre Tit

Not exactly 'easy' though are they.

[James Lowther]

OK, as its easy I'll have a go :)
1. Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus
2. Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus
3. Syrian Woodpecker Dendrocopos syriacus
4. Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus
5. Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca
6. Cirl Bunting Emberiza cirlus
7. Masked Shrike Lanius nubicus
8. Red-breasted Flycatcher Fidecula parva
9. Crested Lark Galerida cristata
10. Sombre Tit Poecile lugubris

The ones i reckon brian got wrong are 2, 4 & 6.
Oh, you want to know what they actually are?!!!!
How about
2. Hen Harrier
4. Steppe Buzzard
6. er...... rock bunting

James

[tom mckinney]

1. Wood Warbler
2. Montagu's Harrier
3. White-backed Woodpecker
4. Honey Buzzard
5. Imperial Eagle
6. Yellowhammer
7. Masked Shrike
8. Red-b.Fly
9. Crested Lark
10. Sombrero Tit

Go easy on me Chris, Im having a **** day as it is!

[Adey Baker]

Well, Joern offered:

1 Greenish Warbler
2 Goshawk
10 Marsh/Willow Tit

and Chris only said 2 Goshawk was wrong - mind you, he didn't actually say that the others were right....

[Joern Lehmhus]

I edited my post, and realised afterwards Chris had already answered...so the 2 other ideas really neednt be right

[James Lowther]

The ones i reckon brian got wrong are 2, 4 & 6.
Oh, you want to know what they actually are?!!!!
How about
2. Hen Harrier
4. Steppe Buzzard
6. er...... rock bunting

James

Scratch that,
6 was correct (cirl bunting)
10 *is* a marsh tit........

not sure about 4 either, maybe nick rossiter can help

[Adey Baker]

I edited my post, and realised afterwards Chris had already answered...so the 2 other ideas really neednt be right

Ah - missed that!

I'll withdraw my 'Willow Tit,' then - mind you, the cap does look a bit black for Sombre Tit (according to the illustration in BWP Concise edition it should be dark brown - I've never seen one myself, so I don't know how accurate those illustrations are).

[Tim Allwood]

cap varies in different areas Adey

turkish birds are different but Bulgaria i don't know.....

[Adey Baker]

cap varies in different areas Adey

turkish birds are different but Bulgaria i don't know.....

BWP quotes lugubris (brown-capped) for the 'Balkans' with the black-capped anatoliae for Turkey.

[CJW]

All species have now been correctly identified. Except one (not saying which one yet).
The leaders are: Tom McKinney and Brianhstone, who are tied on 70%

[James Lowther]

cap varies in different areas Adey

turkish birds are different but Bulgaria i don't know.....

forget that cap, look at the bib - it's tiny!!!! Also i think the back is too brown, but then again i've only seen turkish birds. I have a strong feeling this bird and number two are definitely wrong from brian's original 7/10 list. Also, i think the bunting could well be a yellowhammer as tom says, as it seems to have a rusty rump!

So my latest effort (no comments on the fairness of having 3 goes please!!) is
1. Willow Warbler
2. Hen Harrier
3. Syrian Woodpecker
4. Honey Buzzard
5. Imperial Eagle
6. Yellowhammer
7. Masked Shrike
8. Red-breasted Flycatcher
9. Crested Lark
10. Marsh Tit

[Adey Baker]

forget that cap, look at the bib - it's tiny!!!!

Yes, and it does have the neat 'Blue Tit-like' jizz of Marsh Tit as well, doesn't it?

[CJW]

It always helps when setting a quiz that you know the answers yourself!
I cocked-up on the one that I thought hadn't been named!
So Brian is actually on 80%.
ALL birds have been correctly named.

[Adey Baker]

So all of Brian's except 2 and 10, then?

Monty's and Marsh Tit?

[CJW]

So all of Brian's except 2 and 10, then?

Monty's and Marsh Tit?
Close, but no cigar Adey ;)

[Adey Baker]

Close, but no cigar Adey ;)

Good job I don't smoke, then!

I'll let someone else state the obvious and get the prize, then as I've not really done any 'work' on them!

Oh, nice photos, BTW!

[Brian Stone]

forget that cap, look at the bib - it's tiny!!!! Also i think the back is too brown, but then again i've only seen turkish birds. I have a strong feeling this bird and number two are definitely wrong from brian's original 7/10 list. Also, i think the bunting could well be a yellowhammer as tom says, as it seems to have a rusty rump!

So my latest effort (no comments on the fairness of having 3 goes please!!) is
1. Willow Warbler
2. Hen Harrier
3. Syrian Woodpecker
4. Honey Buzzard
5. Imperial Eagle
6. Yellowhammer **
7. Masked Shrike
8. Red-breasted Flycatcher
9. Crested Lark
10. Marsh Tit **

** = alternatives I played with. The tit was the one I looked at hardest but I thought I could see the bib extending to the side. I'd be more than happy with Marsh. Can't remember why I went with Cirl for no.6 now. I briefly considered Hen Harrier for no.2 but it didn't feel right. That would be unusual in Bulgaria when Chris was there I think anyway.

[CJW]

The answers then:

1. Willow Warbler
2. Montagu's Harrier
3. Syrian Woodpecker
4. Honey Buzzard
5. Imperial Eagle
6. Cirl Bunting (juv)
7. Masked Shrike
8. Red-breasted Flycatcher
9. Crested Lark
10. Willow Tit (don't argue!)

[Brian Stone]

The answers then:
2. Montagu's Harrier

Impressive spread wingtips! cf. http://www.worldbirder.com/photonew/xpages/photo.asp?PhotoID=836


10. Willow Tit (don't argue!)

None whatsoever.

Thanks. That was fun (and work isn't at the moment). ;)

[Adey Baker]

Damn, allowed myself to be talked out of Willow Tit - I even put a similar 'neat' and smallish-bibbed bird in a quiz I did myself some time ago!

[CAU]

Nr. 2 is a sparrowhawk, isn't it? It has six fingers in the wingtips, while Montagu's has only four. It also has too short and broad wings and the barring in the remiges is rather different. A goshawk would have more rounded corners to the tail, a longer neck and a wider tail base.

[nickderry]

Nr. 2 is a sparrowhawk, isn't it? It has six fingers in the wingtips, while Montagu's has only four. It also has too short and broad wings and the barring in the remiges is rather different. A goshawk would have more rounded corners to the tail, a longer neck and a wider tail base.

agreed, can't make this one into a harrier.

[Dimitris]

Could no 2 be Levant Spawk??
No 4 looks like a female Honey Buzzard...

Cheers!

Dimitris

[lou salomon]

i'm counting 5 fingers (i.e. without the outermost p) in pic 2 ergo hen harrier. never levant sprawk. also, wings look too broad for montys. why monty's then, chris?
oops, i realize this thread is ancient...

[Bubbs]

Meanwhile.......three years later. The answers will be given in 2010 ;)

John.

[Harry Hussey]

10. Willow Tit (don't argue!)

Maybe we should draw this to the attention of Poecile...it does kind of look like a Marsh Tit...;)

[CAU]

i'm counting 5 fingers (i.e. without the outermost p) in pic 2 ergo hen harrier. never levant sprawk. also, wings look too broad for montys. why monty's then, chris?
oops, i realize this thread is ancient...

I was just surfing around and didn't notice that this thread was so old, sorry...

However, picture nr. 2 is not a Hen Harrier either, as p6 is much longer than p1 (the outermost primary). Hen Harriers have five fingers, if p1 is regarded to be a finger, otherwise four (p6 is not even pointed).

Here's a Hen Harrier:
http://www.tarsiger.com/images/kunsa/circya1_8294_ps_edt.jpg

Also notice the different barring of the flight feathers (both wings and tail).

Here's a sparrowhawk:
http://www.tarsiger.com/images/pirpa/anis.jpg

Notice the proportions of the fingers and also the distinct contrast between the white undertail and the barred belly, visible also in pic. nr. 2.

Regarding the Tit, it looks like a Marsh Tit to me too (smallish head, glossy crown, small black patch on the chin). However, identifying Marsh/Willow Tits from pictures can sometimes be rather hard...

[rob stoff]

It always helps when setting a quiz that you know the answers yourself!
I cocked-up on the one that I thought hadn't been named!
So Brian is actually on 80%.
ALL birds have been correctly named.

rather ironic statements as 2 is definitely an Accipiter (probably Sparrowhawk) and not a Harrier!

Rob