Song sparrow in Switzerland ! (1 Viewer)

saviornitho

Jérémy Savioz

• May 10, 2010

• #1

Hello

This email is not a hoax ! I saw this bird on 1st May 2010, in the south of Switzerland. He looked like a sparrow I had seen in Canada but I told myself that it wasn't possible at all. In the end, I identified it as a young Reed bunting...
I put all the same these pictures on a forum (www.ornithomedia.com) and people told me it might be a song bunting. Could you please confirm ????
Thanks

 

Attachments

• 
  oiseaumystère.jpg

  115.1 KB · Views: 578
• 
  oiseaumystère1.jpg

  115.2 KB · Views: 660

saviornitho

Jérémy Savioz

• May 10, 2010

• #2

other pictures

 

Attachments

• 
  bruant.jpg

  108.1 KB · Views: 295
• 
  bruant1.jpg

  105.1 KB · Views: 675
• 
  bruant3.jpg

  114.7 KB · Views: 347
• 
  bruant2.jpg

  104.6 KB · Views: 231
• 
  bruant4.jpg

  113.8 KB · Views: 350

steveo

King Midas in reverse

• May 10, 2010

• #3

If I saw that here in Massachusetts it would be a Song Sparrow. I don't know if you may have a close candidate to that over there.

 

lostinjapan

Well-known member

• May 10, 2010

• #4

Well certainly looks like a Song Sparrow, A bet a LOT of Swiss birders will be very interested in that as is most likely a first for the country!!

Sean Minns

 

JANJ

Well-known member

• May 10, 2010

• #5

Song sparrow confirmed!

Good find.

JanJ

 

StuartReeves

Local rarity

• May 10, 2010

• #6

Just for once, it seems unlikely to have been ship-assisted, at least not recently!

 

KC Foggin

Very, very long time member

Supporter

• May 10, 2010

• #7

Well done on capturing this wonderful find and a warm welcome to you from the entire staff here at BirdForum :t:

 

james holdsworth

Consulting Biologist

• May 11, 2010

• #8

100% Song Sparrow, right down to the contrasting buffy malar......looks very like eastern NA race.

 

phil baber

Clipped Wing

• May 11, 2010

• #9

This IS a Song Sparrow.

And a perfect example of such! Everything about it is, without question, as far as I can see, a Song Sparrow!

An amazing find!

Welcome to BF in such a spectacular way!

 

RJP

Well-known member

• May 11, 2010

• #10

I wonder what the possibility is that this bird was not human assisted. Song Sparrows are not the strongest flyers. Are there any other records of North American sparrows in France, Germany, Switzerland, or Italy?

 

saviornitho

Jérémy Savioz

• May 11, 2010

• #11

Thank you !
There is 8 records in Great Britain, one in Norway, one in Nederland and one in Belgium. No records in France, Germany or Italy !!!!

How could this bird be there with humain assistance ? He was in the middle of Europ, in the Alps !! Is this bird common in aviaries ?

 

wintibird

André Weiss

Opus Editor

• May 11, 2010

• #12

What a shame that the Swiss birders were not informed! :eek!:
(for example here: www.chclub300.ch)


André

 

S

stonechat1

New member

• May 11, 2010

• #13

saviornitho said:

[...] Is this bird common in aviaries ?

Click to expand...

Surely not.

Great find BTW

 

Jos Stratford

Eastern Exile

Staff member

• May 11, 2010

• #14

saviornitho said:

How could this bird be there with humain assistance ? He was in the middle of Europ, in the Alps !! Is this bird common in aviaries ?

Click to expand...

As with all European records of passerines, but particularly sparrows, there exists chance of the Trans-Atlantic part being ship-assisted, i.e. onboard a ship. This however should not detract from an excellent record.

 

saviornitho

Jérémy Savioz

• May 11, 2010

• #15

Ok thank you everybody. I have only 3 words : oh my god ! :eek!:
I wasn't prepared at all for such an amazing find !

 

Brian J Small

Well-known member

• May 11, 2010

• #16

But where exactly was it? Looks like one of the gravel pits along the Rhone valley...

Brian S

 

saviornitho

Jérémy Savioz

• May 11, 2010

• #17

Yes, it was in the Rhone valley ! Here is a picture of the place

 

Attachments

• 
  Turtmann.jpg

  148.5 KB · Views: 202

saviornitho

Jérémy Savioz

• May 11, 2010

• #18

And the plan

 

Attachments

• 
  Turtmann.JPG

  67.1 KB · Views: 149

Brian J Small

Well-known member

• May 11, 2010

• #19

Thanks for the information. I have been there (and Leukerfeld and Feschelbach) many times. Has anyone been back to check? (I will be there in June leading a trip for Limosa Holidays).

Brian S

 

dantheman

Bah humbug

• May 11, 2010

• #20

Jos Stratford said:

As with all European records of passerines, but particularly sparrows, there exists chance of the Trans-Atlantic part being ship-assisted, i.e. onboard a ship. This however should not detract from an excellent record.

Click to expand...

I recall hearing of a round Switzerland yacht race once. How many ports does the country actually have??