[pacoraban]

Thank you for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.

Ali

[Cristian Mihai]

Looks like an Acrocephalus sp...

[KenM]

Difficult without seeing the UTC's.....It looks shorter winged than longer...It could be Booted Warbler?....Would have to see the UTC's. If you have more images it would be helpful.

cheers

[ammadoux]

Booted or Marsh !!

[Parker]

Possibly Booted.

Neil.

[Brian J Small]

...or Sykes's....

Brian S

[Parker]

Originally Posted by Brian J Small

...or Sykes's....

Brian S

Sykes's had crossed my mind but I've no experience with them.

Neil.

[KenM]

If the bird in question was 'proven' to be Hippolais v the UTC's. Then I believe a longer bill would have been more appropriate for Syke's than...as shown in the image.

[Brian J Small]

Originally Posted by KenM

If the bird in question was 'proven' to be Hippolais v the UTC's. Then I believe a longer bill would have been more appropriate for Syke's than...as shown in the image.

Ken, in your experience, would you expect a Booted to have a more prominent rear supercilium? or dark tip to lower mandible? http://www.birds.kz/Hippolais%20cali...rgee.html?7&19

Brian S

[pacoraban]

Any help is highly appreciated

[KenM]

Brian, in response to your question...I have extremely limited experience of the rarer unstreaked acro/hippo brigade. The very sight of a bland faced warbler always concentrates the mind, once Garden Warbler has been eliminated.

Clearly, I've not had your apparent experience concerning the 'latter'.

On a previous occasion I observed a BRW that according to text should have had the lower mandible diffusely tipped darker, which the bird did not have! Thus I call into question the absolute relevance of this cosmetic aid when dealing with scarce/rare bland migrants, prefering to address more fundamental issues...utc's, wing formula, overall cosmetics, behaviour(jizz)
vocal (if any) etc.

I've only ever seen one definite Booted Warbler, which I ascribed to the race caligata. This was due to the cosmetics/structure ticking all the boxes, with contrasting dark feet and a modestly sized bill....and lest I forget, observed at c8' from above.

If I may return the question....What's your opinion of the priority relevance, concerning diffusely tipped lower mandibles and the light-dependant extent of the rear supercillium...when your looking for a terminal clinch?

cheers

[CAU]

I agree that it is a Sykes's or Booted Warbler. Compared with the acros, note the dark upper edge of the supercilium, the rounded head, the less strong bill and the greyish brown plumage. Like Brian hinted, Sykes's Warbler has on average a shorter supercilium, but some Booted Warblers may also show a short supercilium (at least on photos):
http://tarsiger.com/gallery/index.ph...49314&lang=eng

AFAIK Sykes's Warbler breeds in Iran, but Booted Warbler would be a passage migrant.

[Brian J Small]

Originally Posted by CAU

I agree that it is a Sykes's or Booted Warbler. Compared with the acros, note the dark upper edge of the supercilium, the rounded head, the less strong bill and the greyish brown plumage. Like Brian hinted, Sykes's Warbler has on average a shorter supercilium, but some Booted Warblers may also show a short supercilium (at least on photos):
http://tarsiger.com/gallery/index.ph...49314&lang=eng

AFAIK Sykes's Warbler breeds in Iran, but Booted Warbler would be a passage migrant.

As usual, I agree with CAU - from this single head-on image it is not possible to see any other features to help, perhaps Booted/Sykes's is right. However, my gut reaction on the bill shape (slim and seems to curve down), plus head pattern was Sykes's.....

Brian S