Western Olivaceous Warbler photos (1 Viewer)

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James Lidster

Well-known member

• Apr 22, 2010

• #1

Hi All
at the link are 38 photos of probably the same bird taken on different dates this spring in Marrakech, Morocco. The species concerned is Western, sadly i didn't get any photos of Eastern 'Saharan' reiseri.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lidsterjames/WesternOlivaceousWarblerMoroccoMarchApril2010#
Im hoping to merge both my picasa sites into this one, but older photos of things like Black Kites from Mongolia can be found at the picasa link in my signature
Cheers
James

 

Brian J Small

Well-known member

• Apr 22, 2010

• #2

Hi James

Here's one of both reiseri and opaca side by side - http://www.pbase.com/cristianjensen/image/123215237

Brian S

 

C

CAU

Well-known member

• Apr 22, 2010

• #3

I have atteched a bad photo of a presumed Saharan Olivaceous Warbler, taken near Tazenakht in the beginning of this month (they were quite difficult to photogaph, hiding in tamarisk-type trees). The identification is based on the cyclical and monotonous song (more elaeica- than opaca-like, although the birds didn't seem to react to mp3 playback of the song of elaeica). Also the base of the bill looks narrower than on opaca. Here are some more photos of reiseri:
http://go-south.org/various/species/h_pallida_reiseri.pdf

 

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James Lidster

Well-known member

• Apr 22, 2010

• #4

Thanks Brian and CAU. We had singing reiseri at Kasbah Derkaoua again (the same large tamarisk bush as previous years). Views also difficult here. This was in contrast to opacas which were all over the place this year.
Cheers
James

 

C

CAU

Well-known member

• Apr 22, 2010

• #5

I have attached a recording of an opaca and of a presumed reiseri (with Serin in the background in both recordings). Both are made with a pocket camera, so the quality is pretty low. I have not yet compared the recording of the presumed reiseri with the recording found on the Sound Approach CD (just put it on order), but at least the written descripitions seem to fit.

 

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• opaca.mp3

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• presumed reiseri.mp3

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J

James Lidster

Well-known member

• Apr 22, 2010

• #6

Sounds good to me, like you say the 'cyclical' nature of the song of reiseri is a good clue and the fact it didn't respond to elaeica maybe another point towards paying more attention to this taxon.
In 2004 or 05 i remember seeing tail pumping Olivaceous Warblers near Merzouga and thinking that it wasn't a good feature for separating Eastern and Western (obviously its a subjective feature anyway) but now i realise that they must have been reiseri as well. I wonder what we will be saying in 10 years time about other taxon?
Cheers
James

 

C

CAU

Well-known member

• Apr 22, 2010

• #7

The recording was made at a lake northwest of Tazenakht, at 30.624629°N, 7.299790°W. It looked very good on Google Earth, and the tamarisks contained at least ten singing presumed Saharan Olivaceous Warblers (no Western Olivaceous Warblers were heard), and lots of migrants (Bonelli's, Subalpine and Western Orphean Warblers). Additionally, during a short visit to the Ouarzazate region we heard three more presumed Saharan Olivaceous Warblers, and a few Western Olivaceous Warblers. Western Olivaceous Warbler was numerous at some other locations, for example Oued Massa.

Many trip reports to the region (central and eastern Morocco) still mention only Western Olivaceous Warbler, and it seems like reiseri is very under-recorded in the area (still a description species, possibly not after ten years...).

 

A

Acrocephalus

Well-known member

• Apr 22, 2010

• #8

Hi,

This relatively old (2005) note from a ringing study. I know it is out of topic but it could help someone. It is about moult and migration of Eastern Olivaceous Warblers
Hippolais pallida reiseri in the Sahara, Mauritania. It includes also side by side view of H. p. reiseri and H. opaca.
http://blx1.bto.org/pdf/ringmigration/22_3/salewski.pdf