Ashy or Swinhoe's Minivet in Hong Kong (1 Viewer)

MKinHK

Mike Kilburn

• Oct 9, 2017

• #1

This minivet appeared yesterday on my patch in Hong Kong. I find autumn Ashy/Swinhoe's Minivets far from straightforward, and would welcome any thoughts on which this might be.

Cheers
Mike

 

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gandytron

Well-known member

• Oct 9, 2017

• #2

Hi Mike

This awesome resource should help: http://digdeep1962.blogspot.com/2012/02/swinhoes-minivet-another-new-species.html?m=1

Best wishes

Dave

 

MKinHK

Mike Kilburn

• Oct 9, 2017

• #3

Thanks dave I found this - and am still none the wiser!

If I look at my pix there is a hint of brown on the rump, but is it brown enough for Swinhoe's

There is no hint of buff wash on the underparts that I can detect, which is better for Ashy

There seems to be very little, if any extension of a black loral line above the bill - pro Swinhoe's

There is no sign of any white super behind the eye - pro Ashy!

So, with a 2 - 2 split I'm wondering if I am misinterpreting the either the photo, or the criteria, or the bird itself is just plain difficult!


Cheers
Mike

 

S

SteveMM

Well-known member

• Oct 10, 2017

• #4

I would favour Ashy based on the extensive and rather dark-looking grey through the ear coverts. On Swinhoe's, this grey area is normally reduced to little more than an eye stripe. 3 -2 Ashy?

Steve

 

Last edited: Oct 10, 2017

James Eaton

Trent Valley Crew

• Oct 10, 2017

• #5

Hi Mike, Ashy for me based on a few subtle features - I think we would see a hint of buff on the rump or underparts given the angle of photographs, and this combined with hardly any visible white on the forecrown pulls me to Ashy.

Cheers

James

 

MKinHK

Mike Kilburn

• Oct 11, 2017

• #6

Many thanks for the feedback.

In the field there was a hint a buff wash on the rump, but no more than the photos suggest, so taking the other features into account I'm happy to go with Ashy Minivet. They are regular on passage in autumn, but this is the first time I've seen one relatively close-up at this time of year.

Cheers
Mike

 

delia todd

If I said the wrong thing it was a Senior Moment

Staff member

Opus Editor

Supporter

• Oct 11, 2017

• #7

Hi Mike

I've now linked this useful thread to The Opus page for Ashy Minivet.

It would be great if you could upload one or two of your pictures to the Gallery too, as we don't see them coming in too often (just 3 this year so far).