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Southern & Central Turkey – 28th April – 11th May 2011 (1 Viewer)

Brilliant report...... well detailed and superb use of maps

Hmmm its got me thinking for a trip of my own, some smashing birds youve reported on

Dave
 
Yes, my mistake. Someone commented to me privately about this yesterday; I guess I don't see enough harriers!

Some of your black kite shots also, strike me as being of a Buteo. My guess would be a dark Vulpinus, but would like to see better shots.

Owen
 
Some of your black kite shots also, strike me as being of a Buteo. My guess would be a dark Vulpinus, but would like to see better shots.

Yes, already trying to sort this out the past day or so. Structurally it did not seem right for a buteo; hence my assumption it was most likely an odd Black Kite (fitted this better structurally). I have sent the images to those with more knowledge than me, for opinions.

Any other mis-identifications you would like to add to the public flogging would be most appreciated!

Regards
Tristan
 
Brilliant report...... well detailed and superb use of maps

yep, 's'what I thought too; very impressed with the format of it

must get out there rather than just threatening to

got a thing about seeing Cinereous Bunting; Black Francolin looks a cracking bird and I'd love to pull back the Irania after not even getting a sniff of one in Kaz (and that little haul would only be the tip of the iceberg)
 
Tristan, the raptor that Owen "flogged" you for looks pretty much like vulpinus to me too.

More importantly, at least for me, is your Grasshopper Warbler record. Was the bird seen or only heard? I assume only one individual? It's a pretty rare bird in Turkey.
 
???

Pardon my audacity.

Owen

Hmmm I guess I should have placed a smiley there ;)

However.......

Nothing audacious about your questions Owen. Though, whenever I notice any mis-identifications by someone else I tend to try and contact them privately rather than publically.

I personally have no problems with making errors, after all its how I learn. In fact if I do not mis-identify at least three birds everytime I go out birding, then I am clearly not trying hard enough ;)
 
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yep, 's'what I thought too; very impressed with the format of it

must get out there rather than just threatening to

got a thing about seeing Cinereous Bunting; Black Francolin looks a cracking bird and I'd love to pull back the Irania after not even getting a sniff of one in Kaz (and that little haul would only be the tip of the iceberg)

Many thanks, its a superb country!
 
Tristan, the raptor that Owen "flogged" you for looks pretty much like vulpinus to me too.

This seems to be the concensus of the feedback I am getting thus far. Strange, as it did not appear buteo-like structurally in the field. This is probably just down to my inexperience.

More importantly, at least for me, is your Grasshopper Warbler record. Was the bird seen or only heard? I assume only one individual? It's a pretty rare bird in Turkey.

Seen and heard, and yes just one individual.
 
Tristan, the raptor that Owen "flogged" you for looks pretty much like vulpinus to me too.

Guy,

Out of interest can vulpinus look like the bird in the attached image? If I saw this in the UK it would go down as a nominate, just not sure how regular the nominate form is in southern/central Turkey?

Regards
Tristan
 

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Wow...........what a detailed report! In conjunction with Derek's report I feel I could go to Turkey tomorrow and know exactly where to find stuff!

Must have spent as long writing that up as you did actual birding there! Great credit to you mate.
 
Out of interest can vulpinus look like the bird in the attached image? If I saw this in the UK it would go down as a nominate, just not sure how regular the nominate form is in southern/central Turkey?

a question (that I've been pondering for some time rather than simply as a result of reading this thread)

how can a bird with a continuous range be split into sub-species ? Surely any variation is clinal ? I sense that (lets say) the 'ornithological scientific community' tend to look at individuals at the extreme ends of a range and go "Oo look how different they are. Lets call this one a something and that one a something else." Nobody ever seems to identify Central [something] Warblers or whatever do they, only Easterns and Westerns

2 birds on opposite sides of a casually discarded chocolate bar wrapper. I see a piece of litter. A scientist sees an insurmountable reproductive hurdle

a quick look on the net and I see subspecies is defined as a "geographically isolated population"

so what is this not-obviously-visible-from-outer-space chasm that is supposedly isolating good old-fashioned roast beef n Yorkshire pudding nominal Common Buzzard from purported sub-species vulpinus ?

and that question's to anyone who feels they can answer it rather than at Tristan...
 
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Wow...........what a detailed report! In conjunction with Derek's report I feel I could go to Turkey tomorrow and know exactly where to find stuff!

Must have spent as long writing that up as you did actual birding there! Great credit to you mate.

Many thanks; it was fun writing it!
 
Guy,

Out of interest can vulpinus look like the bird in the attached image? If I saw this in the UK it would go down as a nominate, just not sure how regular the nominate form is in southern/central Turkey?

Regards
Tristan



I'm not entirely convinced that I'm the best person to answer your question because, despite my original comment on your photo, if you read the relevant text in Birds of Turkey, you'll see that I don't much believe in vulpinus as a valid taxon. However, if you rephrased your question to say, "can Turkish breeders look like your photograph", then the answer is yes.
 
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