• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Acro. aggro. Any tips on this warbler i.d? (1 Viewer)

Basher

The Crimson Avenger
A series of photos has been posted on a sussex birds site showing an acro warbler that was seen in Brighton city centre on April 30th.

The bird seems to be an odd looking reed warbler and has many of the characteristics of that species (A. scirpaceus)

Bunched primary tip
Longest tertial appears equal to secondaries
Bill shape quite long (not short and stout)
Forehead looks long and sloping
Heavy looking dark claws

but also some commented that it has features of marsh warbler (A. palustris)

Upperpart colouration
White crescent tips to primaries

although the timing is too early for this species in England (?)

...and then Caspian reed warbler was suggested (A. scirpaceus fuscus)

Rump pale buffy brown, lighter than mantle
white eye ring

Thought I'd post the images on this site and see if anyone here has any comments, experiences or i.d tips they could add about this particular acro.

Thanks people!

More pics to follow....
 

Attachments

  • warbler#1.jpg
    warbler#1.jpg
    259.9 KB · Views: 261
I can see your problem! It would be incredibly early for Marsh Warbler so Reed Warbler is favourite and there is nothing there that rules out Reed Warbler.
 
Yeah, I read that you will never get any 'reliable' sightings of Marsh Warbler in England before at least May 20th!

I think the main thing that has caught peoples attention about this acro. is the pale rump, it doesn't seem to have the richer brown colouration usually associated with reed.

The description of caspian reed rump colouration seems to be more appropriate: "paler sandy ginger or tawny-buff", however this should be in contrast to upperparts which are "pale, less rich olive brown, tinged greyish on the head and nape". There's no sign of any greyness on this individual.

Quotes taken from article on Caspian Reed Warbler i.d at:

http://www.virtualbirder.com/bmail/idfrontiers/200107/w1/
 
Hi Basher,
I would agree that the bird doesn't appear to be a Marsh Warbler, due to the long thin bill, long darkish claws etc. In the first pic, though it is by no means certain, the emargination on P3 (counting inwards with P1 the outermost primary) appears to fall roughly level with the tip of P10: in (most) Marsh Warblers, this would fall roughly level with the tip of P6-7.
As to whether one can conclusively claim the bird as a fuscus Reed, I am not sure: my guess is that some nominate birds could look just like this?
Harry
 
Looks like Reed warbler from a brief look at the photos. Is it moulting its wing feathers? It is difficult to count the exposed primaries, but it looks like six, so not Blyth's Reed or Marsh.

Colouration looks spot-on for the Reed W's I've seen.

No expert on Reed warbler races, so it'll have to go to someone else for sub-specific i.d.

GV
 
Warning! This thread is more than 19 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top