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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

2017 Western Palearctic Big Year (2 Viewers)

Kuwait could be a good option as Manuel Schweiser has just confirmed the ID of both chinensis and diluta and incredibly the birds are still present today!

They don't need diluta but they might also get another crack at Shikra as there have been 1 or 2 present recently.

I am also not sure if they have Crested Honey Buzzard either - as there are at least 2 wintering here at the moment.
 
Kuwait could be a good option as Manuel Schweiser has just confirmed the ID of both chinensis and diluta and incredibly the birds are still present today!

They don't need diluta but they might also get another crack at Shikra as there have been 1 or 2 present recently.

I am also not sure if they have Crested Honey Buzzard either - as there are at least 2 wintering here at the moment.

they have seen Crested Honey Buzzard (I think Oriental is correct in English) already at their very first visit to Kuwait!

But with chinensis and Shikra still available (really unbelievable that the Martin stayed as long) they should really go there...
 
A hint that perhaps they won't be shelling out to go to Kuwait "Happy faces and 760 year ticks! Yesterday we saw the American Herring Gull in Sesimbra south of Lisbon and tomorrow we go back home to Sweden. The gull might be our last bird of the year unless something new turns up. Who knows!?"
Just posted on their site: http://www.bigyearwp.com/index.php/pictures/
 
There's still plenty of birds around. Allen's Gallinule on Fuerteventura, Green Heron on Pico (Azores), Grey-throated Martin and Shikra in Kuwait...
 
Very interested to hear how the ID of the martins was confirmed. We potentially get both in Hong Kong.

Cheers
Mike

We were quite confident on the ID of both (I've seen them in Asia and in the UAE) but we've had them confirmed by Manuel Schweizer, who studies riparia martins and is a global authority on them.
 
A hint that perhaps they won't be shelling out to go to Kuwait "Happy faces and 760 year ticks! Yesterday we saw the American Herring Gull in Sesimbra south of Lisbon and tomorrow we go back home to Sweden. The gull might be our last bird of the year unless something new turns up. Who knows!?"
Just posted on their site: http://www.bigyearwp.com/index.php/pictures/

I was chatting to them yesterday. It's unlikely they will come for the martin alone although when I told them a Shikra was seen last Friday they perked up a bit! But they did say they are totally exhausted so I think they are done now.
 
... Has anyone out there plans for a big year in 2018?

That is a really reasonable question!! It would be very nice to have somebody to follow after the great Worldwide, ABA or WP Big Years of the last years resp this year! Otherwise I will fall into a deep virtually birding black hole...
 
We were quite confident on the ID of both (I've seen them in Asia and in the UAE) but we've had them confirmed by Manuel Schweizer, who studies riparia martins and is a global authority on them.

Neil - I was not doubting the ID. Perhaps I'll rephrase my question.

What are the criteria for separation for these two species? Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Mike
 
There's still plenty of birds around. Allen's Gallinule on Fuerteventura, Green Heron on Pico (Azores), Grey-throated Martin and Shikra in Kuwait...

Abyssinian Roller and Slaty-backed Gull still there, but no movement visible from the team. I kinda prefer the way things go in North America :/ One day I'll have the money, time and support and then I'll have it my way...
(Or most probably not :( )
 
Been following this thread for a few months. Very exciting, and especially thanks to Paul Chapman and Maffong for keeping track of possible species.

In my opinion they were not prepared or willing to an ABA Big Year full hard core twitching. From their blog in March: http://www.bigyearwp.com/index.php/2017/03/04/twitching-iberia/
"In order to get a really high year-tick number, we don’t only have to go bird all the different countries in WP, but we must also do some twitching. So when those rare and lost vagrants appear, we must pick at least some of them. We cannot go for all of them, that is just too much." And then explain that they will not twitch the White-Throated Bee-Eater in Morocco. Some of it must be financial: through the year they have mentioned in their blog and Facebook that availability of cheap/reasonable priced flights have influenced their twitching trips.

I think only major mistake they have made this year is the Corvo episode - leaving early cost them 10-15 species - they could have reached 780 and that would have been very hard to break unless an unlimited budget for twitching.
 
Species missed in Corvo:
6 while there:
Upland Sandpiper
Greater Yellowlegs
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Belted Kingfisher
Scarlet Tanager
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak

11 leaving too early:
Cedar Waxwing
Grey-cheeked Trush
Swainson's Trush
American Robin
Black-and-white Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Hooded Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Indigo Bunting
+ more chances for Sandpiper, Cuckoo, Tanager and Grosbeak

3 missed earlier in the season:
Black-throated Blue Warbler (1.10.)
Canada Warbler (28.9.)
Solitary Sandpiper (26.9.)
 
Species missed in Corvo:
6 while there:
Upland Sandpiper
Greater Yellowlegs
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Belted Kingfisher
Scarlet Tanager
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak

11 leaving too early:
Cedar Waxwing
Grey-cheeked Trush
Swainson's Trush
American Robin
Black-and-white Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Hooded Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Indigo Bunting
+ more chances for Sandpiper, Cuckoo, Tanager and Grosbeak

3 missed earlier in the season:
Black-throated Blue Warbler (1.10.)
Canada Warbler (28.9.)
Solitary Sandpiper (26.9.)

Great analysis and summary of "their Corvo mistake", thanks! Does anybody know if the Slaty-backed Gull is still in Poland and if they are willing to try to twitch it? I can understand that they don't want to go to Kuwait or Marokko just for 1-2 species, but Poland is just across the Baltic Sea!
 
Does anybody know if the Slaty-backed Gull is still in Poland and if they are willing to try to twitch it? I can understand that they don't want to go to Kuwait or Marokko just for 1-2 species, but Poland is just across the Baltic Sea!

After all they've achieved, if I was in their shoes (or nice warm slippers;)) I'd be spending the rest of the month by a cosy fire with a glass of something warming, and trying to spend some time with family, to paraphrase:
All birding and no play
makes Jack a dull boy
 

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