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Acrocephalus Warbler ~ ID help (1 Viewer)

Sumit

Well-known member
Hi,
Does this look good for a Blyth's Reed (A. dumetorum) ?
Thanks for your help.

Sumit
 

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I don't even have the right book, Sumit, but edges of tertials look too well-defined. Do you get Blunt-winged there? Sorry not to be much help; how about moving closer to Japan? Just got two easy Acrocephalus here...
 
The fore-supercillium looks good but the tertials do indeed look too contrasty unless that's an effect of the contrasty lighting.

Hopefully, Michael F. will sort it out without too much trouble!
 
On the lower picture the lower mandible looks pretty much entirely pale (bad for BRW) though on the upper it looks darker. Might be hard to be conclusive about its ID from the photos.
 
Tim Allwood said:
well, I for one can't do that from the pix

Me neither!! but then I'm a bit confused as to what exactly is cast iron positive ID features for Blyth's Reed.
I thought that leg, and especially nail colour could differentiate Reed, Marsh and Blyth's Reed, but the bird I watched for hours at Portland in 2001 had pale legs and pale nails. All the literature I could find suggested that pale nails could only be Marsh Warbler, yet the bird seems to have been accepted as Blyth's Reed.

At least this bird has the nail colour I would expect of Blyth's Reed!

Darrell
 
Hi Sumit,
The bird looks like two different species in the two photos!;)
Nevertheless,I'd say that it could well be a Blyth's Reed,with the proviso that it is almost impossible to be certain about such critical features as upperpart colouration,primary projection(appears short,pro-BRW feature),leg colour,prominence of supercilium,tertial pattern etc.Based on these photos alone,I wouldn't like to commit myself to an identification!
Harry H
 
Hi Sheryl,
sheryl said:
Looks like a Booted/Sykes' Warbler to me.

SM

You may well have hit the nail on the head there!Had been having doubts about it being a Blyth's Reed,and now I know why!Looks good for one of that pairing,suddenly the pale legs make sense.Would think Sykes's more likely?
Harry H
P.S.Of course,based on these photos it may STILL be an Acro....;)
 
Looks to have a bit too much a rounded end to the tail on the upper picture for a Hippolais. Although wierdly the tail also seems to have a pale edge in the same photo! I give up.
 
There is another shot of the bird. I had thought Booted 1st, but was shot down by the others who strongly pointed at Blyth's. I am uncomfortable with Blyth's based on these images, so I decided to seek the Forum members confirmation. Attached last available shot (lower bird), all of the same bird.
thanks,
Sumit
 

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Are they really the same bird?

The lower one has a strong enough head pattern to suggest Moustached Warbler . . . well not really ;), but certainly Paddyfield, with the blackish lores below the supercilium, and lateral crown edge above it.

The upper bird by contrast has hardly any supercilium, pale brown lores and no dark lateral crown edge. It also shows (just!) a rusty rump, suggesting Reed Warbler (also OK for Paddyfield if it really is the same bird).

Am I talking things into the photos to say that the upper bird appears to have rather longer primaries than the lower (which looks very short-winged)

Michael
 
Watcha Michael

I also thought it suggested Paddyfield from the first pic at least. Does it have a rufous cast or is it the pic, bill looks reasonable too and there is a rufousy wash on the flanks and stout, dark-tipped bill ....and the tertials would also fit.

I can't do it though
 
My 2 second view before I went to the airport made me think Booted...but I couldn't justify it. I will have a good look soon! Honest

It reminds me of those pics of a mystery warbler in BB a while back..and I can't rmember what that turned out to be!

addendum
The new pic, well the bottom one, really has the character of Booted.. and I still can't justify it
 
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Ok here goes.

I have had loads of trouble in the past deciding if warblers were Hippolais or Acrocephalus... it shouldn't be difficult but it is. I can't make up my mind about the tail shape and utc length on this bird. T

The attached pic does show what is making me think booted-type though. Its the bill shape, eye shaoe and position and crown shape. Left hand birds are BRW... upper right mystery and lower right Booteds. The bill is realtively short, straight and broad tipped the eye appears large and the crown is quite rounded.

That hint of a darker line above the super remids me of Booted too. not autumn "milky tea" jobs, but that singing bird at Spurn a few springs back.


Oh and that Mystery bird thing in BB put up pics of Booted types and Paddyfield types and as I remember confused be so much I can't recall what the bird actually was. It was by Colin Bradshaw and I think it was taken in Kazakstan or similar!
 

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Darrell Clegg said:
Wasn't there a move a couple of years ago to move Booted from hippo to acro?
Hi Darrell,

There was (from the Dutch records ctee), along with (just Eastern?) Olivaceous (and Sykes). That recent AERC review pretty much completely dismisses the move, though, so it looks like they'll stay as Hippolais.

Michael
 
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