Matt Griffiths
ad. ♂ Blackcap
Stunning bird! Thanks for sharing John.
Also interesting is the bright red bill but lack of whiskers and sails - is it a male or female?
Matt
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Birding in Worcestershire (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter timmyjones
- Start date
Stunning bird! Thanks for sharing John.
Also interesting is the bright red bill but lack of whiskers and sails - is it a male or female?
Matt
midlands birder
Well-known member
AlanH46
Well-known member
From what appears to be a normal amount of melanin pigmentation, in the eyes, would not a more accurate description be leucistic rather than albino.
If this individual is indeed leucistic it would mean that the red bill colour is not a result of albinoism and is the bills normal colour.
Would the strength of the red together with the shading to straw colour, around the nail, suggest that this is more likely to be a drake.
Sorry but no ideas on lack of sails and whiskers.
If this individual is indeed leucistic it would mean that the red bill colour is not a result of albinoism and is the bills normal colour.
Would the strength of the red together with the shading to straw colour, around the nail, suggest that this is more likely to be a drake.
Sorry but no ideas on lack of sails and whiskers.
Phil Andrews
It's only Rock and Roller but I like it
Whatever it is, its a stonking bird. Does anyone know if it is still present?
Phil
Phil
midlands birder
Well-known member
well i dont really know much about leucistic/albino so i have just got it down as 'white' mandarin!!!!
phil- i went looking for it on the 22nd (last sat) and there was no sign, but the river was flooded abit and there was only 56 mandarin
there was 2 waxwing in the car park tho
MB
Matt Griffiths
ad. ♂ Blackcap
I was wondering if it might be leucistic, but in the second photo the bird to me seems to have reddish eyes (not as dark as the two normals' eyes), suggesting albino. Craig/John, did you note eye colour in the field?
The strength of the red on the bill indeed suggests a male, but plumage structure suggests female, hence my confusion over its gender. I agree with MB :t: and wonder if the red bill may be due to albinism?
Matt
Sy V
Well-known member
The report (on Worcester Birding News) of a Caspian Gull (2W) in Wildmoor on Monday afternoon mentioned the Landfill site. FYI, this is the site to the North of the A491 (as opposed to the Quarry (Wildmoor Aggregates) owned by the Williams family to the South of the same road).
john
what a beaut mate, was it you asking about it in the bbc mag (saw the pic and comment but didnt buy it) because i can give you the background on the bird
including that me and my dad found it on the 10/12/10 with 191 other mandarin (192 counting the albino),
and is it ok if i use one of your stunning pics on my blog (in footer) for a cross link in the side bar to the albino mandarin finding post....
aanyway well done with getting these great shots, i know hardly anyone has seen the bird ( maybe less that 10 pos even 5,) so to have some great shots is nice
cheers for sharing:t:
MB
Hi MB
It was Brett Westwood (Saving Species presenter BBC Radio4) who wrote to BBC Wildlife Mag. Brett asked me if I could get a photo of the albino bird for the Mag. He wondered if there were any other examples of albino mandarin in the wild, hence the letter.
I'll past on your info to Brett. Thanks.
Provided you don't use the photos for any profit or gain and copyright and full credit for the photo is given clearly to me (John Bingham), them please use them for you blog.
Rather a dark location down on the river to get a decent photo. Two white birds here, too far away but ... as they say 'birds of a feather.....' you can add the rest!
Cheers, John
Attachments
timmyjones
Well-known member
Leucism is probably the closest description to this bird, quick internet search shows a few more photos here and the drakes show a lot more fawn colouring on them.
Also after a quick search Wood Duck can be ruled out due to the different head shape and the apparent paler bill that white Wood Duck show, photos here
Also after a quick search Wood Duck can be ruled out due to the different head shape and the apparent paler bill that white Wood Duck show, photos here
midlands birder
Well-known member
cheers john,
nope no profit will be made via my blog or elsewhere, and you name will be with it,
the river is usually in the shade, with the steep bank on the other side of the river and the hill to the res behind you, still great photos :t:
MB
Edit- have you got a larger filesize because the photo which i have is 150x 100 (the one with it on the tree) aand that is abit small for the blog???
MB
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geoffw1946
Well-known member
Not done any birdwatching today,but visited The Camp Inn,Grimley for lunch and noticed someone had chalked up an Oystercatcher on the birdboard for today. Quite an early bird I should think but good to see spring is on the way.
midlands birder
Well-known member
Well this is around the time Oyc usually arrive back, somtimes january but usually in feb:t: one also appeared at clayhanger marsh west mids today..
by any chance is you name geoff waight (or something similar??)
i have wondered since you posted on the sheepwash fourum, and if so i have met you.. (reply to your post on sheep fourum), but its not hard to pick me out from a crowd (teenage birder
lol)MB
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geoffw1946
Well-known member
Hi MB, I usually find Oystercatchers arrive in late Feb or early March but maybe Worcs. gets them earlier. For your information here are my first dates for RSPB Middleton Lakes - 17/2/08, 21/2/09 and 19/2/10 (none for this year yet).
I think you have got me mixed up with Dave Waite who is a regular at SUP.
I think you have got me mixed up with Dave Waite who is a regular at SUP.
midlands birder
Well-known member
ok i would generally agree, my first Oyc dates in the midlands in the last 2 years are 18/02/09 + 27/02/10,
mid to late march :t:
yep, i was getting mixed up with dave waite, i have met him at SUP :t:
dont ask how i got confused, i dont know 8-P
MB
Phil Andrews
It's only Rock and Roller but I like it
Hi Craig - Oyk also at Belvide today.
In recent years at Upton the first birds of the year have been as follows:
2009 - 17th Feb
2008 - 29th Jan
2007 - 1st Feb
2006 - 4th Feb
2005 - 3rd Feb
In other words one is due any day now!
Phil
In recent years at Upton the first birds of the year have been as follows:
2009 - 17th Feb
2008 - 29th Jan
2007 - 1st Feb
2006 - 4th Feb
2005 - 3rd Feb
In other words one is due any day now!
Phil
midlands birder
Well-known member
Hi Gareth
i was looking for these birds litterally minuites after they were reported (possibly 10-15 mins) but despite looking over the whole estate (including tennyson way) the only birds i saw was 80c starlings and BHG, have you got any more precise details about where the birds were, because a have a very low 'hit rate' with these birds and a big flock in my hometown would be superb:t:, mind you i did see 5 just around the corner on the island as spennels :t:
any info apreciated (If you dont want to put it on here it can be Pm)
MB
Hi Craig
Half way between the 2 islands (short way round) between the 2 longfellow Green turns. They were in the large tree on the left coming from B'ham road and feeding in the berry tree on the other side of the road. They were only there for ten minutes though and could see them when we came back a couple of hours later.
As they weren't there for long and it was on the bus route i think here should be Ok.
Good luck
Gareth
Half way between the 2 islands (short way round) between the 2 longfellow Green turns. They were in the large tree on the left coming from B'ham road and feeding in the berry tree on the other side of the road. They were only there for ten minutes though and could see them when we came back a couple of hours later.
As they weren't there for long and it was on the bus route i think here should be Ok.
Good luck
Gareth
Phil Andrews
It's only Rock and Roller but I like it
Hi MB - further to the above I found out at the weekend that an Oyk was at the Flashes the very day I posted this. Not sure if any have been seen at Grimley, Clifton, Bredons, Kinsham or other likely spots.
Phil
