WP birds

[Motmot]

Hi, I have some pics of WP birds that may be tricky. Try this one for a start, hope it works!

[David FG]

OK, just to start things off, Garden Warbler?

[Tim Allwood]

Olly?

[Motmot]

Sorry David and Tim, no Garden no Olivaceous W

[David FG]

Assuming we are not too far wrong (which could be a rash assumption) what about Booted Warbler?

[BarbaraM]

Hi, I have some pics of WP birds that may be tricky. Try this one for a start, hope it works!

OK - my dumb question of the day - what's a WP bird? Barbara

[Motmot]

Sorry Barbara, Western Palaearctic birds

[David FG]

Western Palaearctic, Barbara

[BarbaraM]

Thanks! I knew it was a dumb question... B

[David FG]

Not dumb at all - there's no law as far as I am aware that says anyone has to know that!

[BarbaraM]

Not dumb at all - there's no law as far as I am aware that says anyone has to know that!

No law, only recently and finally got what Nearctic and Palearctic (sp?) mean - was pretty sure the P stood for Palearctic but couldn't get the W (that's the dumb part). But I'm still waiting to hear from you folks what that LBJ is!? Barbara

[Hotspur]

Little Brown Job................................Anyway i venture juv Barred Warbler

[Motmot]

Sorry, no Booted no Barred W. Here´s another detail of the bird that will narrow down your responses. ;)

[Hotspur]

female orphean warbler?

[Tim Allwood]

Blyth's Reed?

[Motmot]

Sorry no Orphean no Blyth´s Reed W.

[tom mckinney]

Subalpine Warbler?

[M Cowming]

Whitethroat

[Hotspur]

Marsh Warbler

[Motmot]

Well done Tom :clap: , it´s a female Subalpine Warbler. Here´s a better view of the same bird and another mistery one.

[Andrew]

Barred?

[Tim Allwood]

wow!!!

those tertial centres don't look very dark at all on my screen here in the first pic.....

[tom mckinney]

Cheers Motmot. I love these things.

[M Cowming]

ditto on barred

[BarbaraM]

Shot in the dark:Cetti's Warbler (there isn't supposed to be a Smilie if one show's up)
Barbara :C :C

[tom mckinney]

Orphean?

[Motmot]

Sorry no Barred no Cetti´s W.

[Hotspur]

Rock thrush

[Motmot]

Sorry no Orphean W. no Rock Thrush

[tom mckinney]

This is hard...

Cyprus Warbler?

[Hotspur]

lanceolated warbler

[Motmot]

Sorry no Cyprus no Lanceolated W.

[Motmot]

I´m off to bed, tomorrow more. Thanks for your interest.

[BarbaraM]

I´m off to bed, tomorrow more. Thanks for your interest.

how about another clue? Barbara

[M Cowming]

Rock Sparrow

[Jane Turner]

I can't get past juv Rock Sparrow Either

[Spede]

must be European Nuthatch

[Motmot]

Well done :clap: M Cowming and Jane! It´s a Rock Sparrow (Petronia petronia).
Here´s a better view of the same bird and another mistery one

[M Cowming]

That's got to be a House Martin...had the priviledge of finding 2 fledglings stranded on the road in Germany this year...one made it after a launch..the other (cat food I'd say!!) Yes, I'll stick with House Martin!

[Motmot]

That´s right!, these are the feet of a House Martin, weird looking isn´t it? Here´s another beauty for you ;)

[M Cowming]

Ha ha...what's this Motmot?? Couldn't find anything more bland??? ;)

I'll have a wild guess at corn Bunting

[jurek]

Crested Lark?

[M Cowming]

Crested Lark sounds good looking at those tail feathers more closely!!!.... maybe a Thekla????...just to be different

[Motmot]

Sorry no Corn Bunting, no Crested Lark

[Motmot]

And here´s the other side of this Thekla Lark. Well done! you´re working as a team now! First Crested and then...Try the other pic

[jurek]

Redstart?

[Jurij Hanžel]

I agree with Jurek, Redstart was the first bird that I thought of.

[Motmot]

Redstart it is! Let´s see what you think about this four birdies

[Jurij Hanžel]

1. not really sure
2. Marmora's warbler
3. maybe a Reed warbler
4. Icterine warbler

[M Cowming]

1. Blackbird...dodgy looking though
2. Dartford Warbler
3. Reed warbler
4. Willow warbler

[BarbaraM]

1. Don't know but beak sure looks shrikey to me...
2. Female Dartford Warbler
3. Don't think it's any that have been listed - maybe the same LBJ that we started with? Maybe Reed Warbler.
4. Willow Warbler

Barbara

[Motmot]

Counting all responses, two birds have been correctly identified so far.

[BarbaraM]

1. Juvenile Common Kestrel
Barbara

[M Cowming]

Which two Motmot?????? ;)

Give us that much!!! They all look dodgy to me!

[M Cowming]

Don't know why but I think the two that are right are the Dartford and Willow.

I'm going out on a limb here but maybe no.1 is a juv Fieldfare and no.3 is a Grasshopper Warbler.

That's all i'm going to attempt before guesses start getting wild!!!!
I'm off to bed....

[Bluetail]

1. Black-throated Thrush
2. Marmora's Warbler
3. Reed Warbler
4. Willow Warbler

[BarbaraM]

1. haven't been able to check Black-throated Thrush but Juvenile Fieldfare looks pretty good
2. Female Dartford Warbler
3. Grasshopper Warbler
4. Willow Warbler

Barbara

[Motmot]

Here´s some help for you folks
1 has been identified
2 hasn´t been identified (check recent splits)
3 has been identified
4 has been identified

[Jane Turner]

2 would be Balearic Warbler then or whatever the marmora's-like bird is called.

1 is Blackbird
4 Willow
3 Reed Warbler

[Jurij Hanžel]

I agree with Jane. The "blackbird" seems a bit suspicious but I'll stick with it.

[Motmot]

Jane has three OK and one wrong.

[Jane Turner]

Then 3 must be a Grasshopper Warbler

[Tim100]

How about Mentries or Subalpine warbler for number 2

[Motmot]

:clap: Jane got it!
1 Blackbird
2 Balearic Warbler
3 Grasshopper Warbler
4 Willow Warbler

[Motmot]

Let´s see what you find on these new pictures.

[Jane Turner]

Ist winter female BB.... some are very well marked...

[Jane Turner]

1.Serin
2. House Martin
3. Stonechat...
4.Red-backed Shrike
5 Starling

[Jane Turner]

Have slight leanings towards Whinchat for 3 now...

[Motmot]

Yes, that female Blackbird looked weird, too colourful with that white scalling on the belly. 4 answers OK one wrong

[Jane Turner]

then I will def swap the Stonechat for a Whinchat

[Motmot]

Now there´s two wrong!

[Jane Turner]

Ah ha.. well that means at least means 3 is Stonechat.... I am certain 2 is House Martin and 5 is Starling....

So its the finch or the Shrike that are wrong. Off to ponder

[Tim100]

Number 1 is a Siskin?

[Jane Turner]

The bill looks too big for Serin.. but it was all the yellow on the head that caught my attention.. alternatives would be juv Greenfinch or perhaps an escaped Canary

The Shrike.. well actually I was certain it was RBS.. alternatives would be Lesser Grey or Southern Grey Shrike... face pattern is wrong for LGS.. so lets keep the serin, despite its bill and change my Shrike to Southern Grey Shrike

[Motmot]

Well done Jane! Correct anwers:

1 Serin
2 House Martin
3 Stonechat
4 Southern Grey Shrike
5 Starling

[Motmot]

Here´s a new set of pics for you

[Tim100]

Not very good at these so don't laugh.

Whinchat
Wryneck
Wheatear
Blackbird
Dipper

[Hotspur]

Whinchat
Wryneck
Northern Wheatear
Nightingale
Red-Backed Shrike

[Ghostly Vision]

These are flipping hard, Motmot!!

Reed bunting (winter male)
Short-toed treecreeper??
Northern Wheatear (Greenland type, juv)
Black-eared wheatear
Woodchat Shrike of Badius race (if not it's a Red-backed with a pale forehead)

Sean

[Ghostly Vision]

....sorry, can I change my guess on number 2 - realise it does have zygodactyl toes, so will agree with Wryneck.

Sean

[Motmot]

Not that flipping! ja ja. We have four birds correctly named. Good luck ;)

[Ghostly Vision]

I'll change my Black-eared Wheatear to Pied then

Sean

[Saphire]

Now don't laugh this my first go at this.

Whinchat
Wryneck
Wheatear
willow warbler
Spotted Flycatcher

[Harry Hussey]

Hi there,
Would agree with Reed Bunting, Wryneck, Northern Wheatear and then Woodchat Shrike for the last one, but can't see past Black-eared Wheatear for the fourth pic, and yet I know one of these must be wrong....
Harry

[M Cowming]

No.1 Reed Bunting
No.2 Wryneck
No.3 Northern Wheatear
No.4 Redstart
No.5 Woodchat Shrike

[Jane Turner]

Any chance that the bunting is a rustic?

[Ghostly Vision]

No, pretty sure it's not Rustic. Look at the flank streaks. And it might be cheating, but Motmot DOES live near Madrid..........

Therefore, my guesses again:
1 Reed Bunting
2 Wryneck
3 N Wheatear
4 Black-eared Whaetear
5 Red-backed shrike


Let's have a clue as to the score now so we know which is wrong!!!

Sean

[Motmot]

Still 4 OK 1 wrong
I mean four birds have been correctly named, one hasn´t been ided yet.
And none of the pics was taken close to Madrid ;)

[Ghostly Vision]

.The "wryneck" is a Green woodpecker?

Or is the Black-eared wheatear a Thrush nightingale?

Sean

[Motmot]

Here´s another clue
.The "wryneck" is a Green woodpecker?

Or is the Black-eared wheatear a Thrush nightingale?

Sean

No and no

[M Cowming]

Put us out of our mysery,..it's purely guess work from here in anyway!!!!

[Motmot]

More help then!
These are flipping hard, Motmot!!

Reed bunting (winter male)
Short-toed treecreeper?? changed for Wryneck in next post
Northern Wheatear (Greenland type, juv)
Black-eared wheatear
Woodchat Shrike of Badius race (if not it's a Red-backed with a pale forehead)

Sean

In this post four birds were correctly ided, two of them including race or type (that was great Sean)

[Hotspur]

So its number 4 thats wrong, still doesnt help much :D

[Motmot]

Hotspur is right, so what´s this?
http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=15498

Most responses say it´s a Turdidae. It isn´t.

[Hotspur]

Olivaceous Warbler

[Tim100]

Someone said it for number 5. I say number 4 is a spotted flycatcher.

[Motmot]

Sorry, no Olivaceous W no Spotted Fly

[Tim100]

If it's a warbler we could be here all night. Meadow Pipit. If not then Grasshopper Warbler.

[Motmot]

New image of same bird, now you´ve got it!

[Tim100]

I'm assuming it is Meadow Pipit.

[M Cowming]

Brown Flycatcher?

[David FG]

Or even female Pied?

[M Cowming]

1st Winter or female Pied is certainly more likely than Brown but i was basing my "outside" guess on the proportions of that bill. It does look very broad......however, I concede it's most likely a Pied.

[Motmot]

Now we have them all

1 Reed Bunting
2 Wryneck. I thought it was the worst and surprisingly was ided on first response by TIM100. Great job!
3 Northern Wheatear ssp leucorrhoa
4 Pied Flycatcher
5 Woodchat Shrike ssp badius

Here´s a full view of the flycatcher

[Motmot]

The final set

[David FG]

1 Sardinian Warbler?

[Tim100]

1= Marmora's Warbler
2 = Song Thrush
3 =?
4 = Bluethroat (without the blue)
5 = ?

[David FG]

Agree with Bluethroat

[Jurij Hanžel]

1 sardinian warbler
2 song thrush
3 savi's warbler (??) the spread feathers are probably a clue (but I am a bit too stupid)
4 more of a 1w redstart than a bluethroat to me (they have a supercilium)
5 definitely a pipit, I'd say tawny

[David FG]

My thinking on the Bluethroat/Redstart was that if my memory serves me correctly, we have had a redstart already - I am guessing that Motmot wouldn't repeat (this is VERY amateur psychology!)

[David FG]

5 Tawny Pipit - I agree

[M Cowming]

1. Sardinian Warbler
2. Song thrush
3. Bluethroat
4. Redstart
5. Tawny Pipit

[Jurij Hanžel]

Of course!! I knew I was being an idiot! The black thing in the lower part of pic 3 is a bluethroat's collar!

[Saphire]

1.Dartford Warbler
2.Song Thrush

[David FG]

Yes, I'm convinced - Bluethroat and Redstart

[Motmot]

1. Sardinian Warbler
2. Song thrush
3. Bluethroat
4. Redstart
5. Tawny Pipit

:clap: Amazing! That was quick. Well done Mc Cowming and all :t:

[David FG]

Thanks for the game, Motmot - great fun!

[Motmot]

Want some more? :cool:

[Saphire]

Yes please

[Motmot]

Here we go again!

[Saphire]

1 Pipit, no sure which one yet

[Bluetail]

Here's what they're not (unless I'm very lucky):

1. Mealy Redpoll
2. Bluethroat
3. Melodious Warbler
4. Subalpine Warbler
4. Dartford Warbler

[M Cowming]

1. Redpoll
2. Skylark
3. Reed Warbler
4. Spectacled Warbler
5. Dartford Warbler

... this is a tough one

[David FG]

I think you might have made a clean sweep there!

[Saphire]

1,tree Pipit
2.
3. Reed Warbler
4
5 Dartford Warbler

[Motmot]

Four birds have been correctly ided so far

[Saphire]

4. Menetries's Warbler

[M Cowming]

come on then...which is the contentious one??

[Motmot]

Remember there´s SIX birds. I´m off to bed. Answers tomorrow.

[M Cowming]

I take it that the 2 birds in the second picture are the unidentified ones. I can't get past them both being Lark species.... Think I'll sleep on it. Good one this!!!

[Bluetail]

Not Crested and Thekla Larks??? (Pure guess, I have to say.)

[M Cowming]

I agree with Jason.

My final guess then is;

1. Redpoll
2. Crested lark
3. Thekla Lark
4. Reed warbler
5. Spectacled Warbler
6. Dartford Warbler

[Saphire]

1,tree Pipit
2. I agree with the two Lark Theory, I am goin for left, Skylark right, Woodlark
3. Reed Warbler
4. Melodious Warbler
5 Dartford Warbler

[Motmot]

Counting all responses we have five ided birds.

[Ghostly Vision]

1 Linnet
2/3 Crested & Sky larks
4 Reed Warbler (can't get over it looking like a Savis tho)
5 Subalpine
6 Dartford

Sean

How many out of 6?

[Tim100]

Any chance number 1 is a reed bunting?

[Ghostly Vision]

Not Reed Bunting - pale bases to the tail and primaries by the looks of it, rufous mantle, greyer head.......Still think Linnet.

Motmot, you are watching - any chance of a score?

Sean

[Tim100]

Not saying it isn't a linnet but there's no sign of any rufous on that picture.

[Motmot]

Well done Sean :clap: , you ided the Linnet and most of them all. It is not Crested Lark but Thekla on the left. Correct answers
1 Linnet
2 Thekla left-Skylark right
3 Reed Warbler
4 Subalpine W.
5 Dartford W.

I´ll put later the few mistery pics still left in my computer. Thanks all for making this thread so interesting.

[Motmot]

Ok, here´re my very last pictures. Six of them, not difficult I guess. Five on this post and last in next

[Motmot]

Last one

[Harry Hussey]

Hi Motmot,
Just a few quick thoughts:
1)Redwing
2)Barn Swallow
3)Common Chiffchaff
4)Meadow Pipit
5)Dartford Warbler
6)Blackcap (female)

Harry

[Motmot]

Quick and accurate Harry! :clap:

I took all pictures of this long quiz on Formentera island, South of Ibiza last October while working on a ringing campaign. Hope you like them. I´ll put some of the good, not quizzy ones, in another thread somewhere on the forum.
Saludos y gracias a todos

[David FG]

Good grief, I hadn't even got my trigger finger in action then!

Thanks very much, Motmot - I enjoyed that, and (until the last one) I was beginning to get my eye in!

David FG

[Jurij Hanžel]

I hope you'll soon go on another ringing campaign. The quiz photos were great!

[Ghostly Vision]

Damn, Harry you were fast there!!!

Actually got the Chiffy wrong, but maybe it is Iberian???????

Sean

[Petri Lampila]

2nd mystery bird is rock sparrow

Petri

[Petri Lampila]

ooops...did not notice that there were 6 pages....

Petri