The eyes have it

[Dave B]

Any guesses on these five? All pics taken in South-east Asia and Australia. Apologies for the poor quality of some of them!

[jobkjoseph]

2 is snowy owl

[timmyjones]

1. Black Redstart
2. Snowy Owl
3. Frogmouth/potto

[Dave B]

None right so far. Four of the five have been recorded in the West Palearctic region.

[James Lowther]

1. sooty shearwater
2. barn owl
3. white's thrush
4. great cormorant
5. australian owlet-nightjar

[Tim Allwood]

2 looks like an albatross

Royal or wandering?

Tim

[Dave B]

2 looks like an albatross

Royal or wandering?

Tim

Well done Tim. Does this help you decide which?

[James Lowther]

Well done Tim. Does this help you decide which?

wandering!!
bad luck tim ;)

[Vodomec]

is the fourth a Purple heron?

[Dave B]

wandering!!
bad luck tim ;)

Easy when someone else has done the hard work eh! ;)

One down, four to go.

[Dave B]

is the fourth a Purple heron?

Nope. Apart from no 2, no one has got the right genus yet. Would it help if I mention that all the birds are facing right to left?

[Dave B]

Nope. Apart from no 2, no one has got the right genus yet. Would it help if I mention that all the birds are facing right to left?


OK, OK - here are some recropped pics!

[Tim Allwood]

ok that's a bit better

1 nightjar? rather than frogmouth? due to dark eye but species?
2 no idea
3 I thought Ruddy Kingfisher but if it's been in WP must be White-throated?
4 Grey Heron

[Dave B]

ok that's a bit better

1 nightjar? rather than frogmouth? due to dark eye but species?
2 no idea
3 I thought Ruddy Kingfisher but if it's been in WP must be White-throated?
4 Grey Heron

No 3 is correct! This is a juv bird taken with flash, so the colours are a bit strange.

Of the remaining 3, two have occurred in the western palearctic; one as a vagrant, the other as a breeding species. So far, no one has guessed the correct genera of any of them.

[JWN Andrewes]

1 - House Crow
2 - Tree Sparrow

James

[KernowBirds]

I'd agree with Tree Sparrow for the second one.

[Vodomec]

Yes the second is Tree Sparrow

[Dave B]

1 - House Crow
2 - Tree Sparrow

James

Well done! Yes and yes! The former must be the least hoped for 1st for Britain!

So, the remaining one is a non WP species. There are only four species in this genus, one each ocurring in every continent except Europe and Antarctica. Need more clues?

[Dimitris]

I'll have a go with Darter...

[Dave B]

I'll have a go with Darter...

Yup - that's it! Australian Darter, together with a rather nervous-looking Dusky Moorhen.

Want any more???