BirdForum

Roy C · Thursday 27th April 2006, 21:12

Looked through Collins but cannot ID this bird - probably something common but I am poor on these little brown uns. Thanks

Andrew Rowlands · Thursday 27th April 2006, 21:16

Looks like a female Stonechat Roy.

Andy.

lou salomon · Thursday 27th April 2006, 21:17

female whinchat, roy

lou salomon · Thursday 27th April 2006, 21:21

oh my god! how could i. yes, it's a stonechat

obviously, because it sits on a stone

Henry B · Thursday 27th April 2006, 21:27

Having a chat.

steve55 · Thursday 27th April 2006, 21:40

i'll agree with lou and say female whinchat

Steve

steve55 · Thursday 27th April 2006, 21:41

i'll agree with lou and say female whinchat

Steve

Adey Baker · Thursday 27th April 2006, 21:51

I'll have a pint of whatever Andy's been drinking

lou salomon · Thursday 27th April 2006, 22:15

mine was just 1 bottle of german hefeweizen

lockbreeze926 · Thursday 27th April 2006, 22:45

In case Roy is confused by the above, it's a female whinchat.

Edward woodwood · Friday 28th April 2006, 00:09

Andy was right first off

Stonechat

steve55 · Friday 28th April 2006, 00:29

looking at this picture i think i'd have to change my mind to female stonechat not whinchat

although who's to say that this guy got it right...

Andrew Rowlands · Friday 28th April 2006, 00:44

So we seem to have a Stonechat/Whinchat situation here.

Would anyone like to say why they think it is one or the other?

ID Threads are most useful when they contain some details on how people came to the conclusion(s) they did.

AlexC · Friday 28th April 2006, 01:41

Has white coverts of Stonechat, but white supercilium of Whinchat.

As someone who's had no experience with either bird (been studying Europe guides like crazy lately...) I'm stumped so I think I'll just drink with Adey...

martin kitching · Friday 28th April 2006, 07:27

This is interesting; a real conundrum.

The bird appears to show the distinct white collar, short primary projection and extensive orange underparts of a Stonechat - and the pale orange uppertail coverts and huge supercilium of a Whinchat! I can't convince myself either way.

martin

Adey Baker · Friday 28th April 2006, 07:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew Rowlands

So we seem to have a Stonechat/Whinchat situation here.

Would anyone like to say why they think it is one or the other?

ID Threads are most useful when they contain some details on how people came to the conclusion(s) they did.

Looking again this morning, it seems as if the bird's supercillium could be over-exposed and the bird does look a bit 'tatty' so this could be a well-worn Stonechat - in which case, apologies for being wrong (it has been known!) -but the reason I went for Stonechat was that I've never seen one with such a prominent super - generally, if you saw a bird with a super like that at this time of year you'd go for Whinchat without looking at anything else.

Female Stonechats are usually like dull versions of the male - I've attached 3 shots (sorry, haven't got any Whinchats for comparison!)

London Birder · Friday 28th April 2006, 07:32

Stone for moi ...

Andrew Whitehouse · Friday 28th April 2006, 07:47

Short primary projection is good for Stonechat, as is the white patch on the wing.

Adey Baker · Friday 28th April 2006, 07:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by martin kitching

and the pale orange uppertail coverts... of a Whinchat!

martin

My first Stonechat shot shows orangey upper tail feathers (photo taken in January) so that just leaves the huge supercillium. I suppose the best thing to do is ask Roy if he got any other shots of the bird from different angles, in different light, etc., that show less of a super

martin kitching · Friday 28th April 2006, 08:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adey Baker

My first Stonechat shot shows orangey upper tail feathers (photo taken in January) so that just leaves the huge supercillium. I suppose the best thing to do is ask Roy if he got any other shots of the bird from different angles, in different light, etc., that show less of a super

Allowing for the effect of light on the colour of the uppertail coverts, and the possibility of over-exposure over-emphasising the supercilium, I'll go with Stonechat.

martin

Tom Tarrant · Friday 28th April 2006, 08:42

Here's a Whinchat photographed in Uganda in December (...is probably in the UK now!)
They were very common in there, seen on most of the 23 days of our visit.
Tom

PS: I reckon the 'mystery' bird is a Stonechat though, looks too 'squat' for a Whinchat to me.

London Birder · Friday 28th April 2006, 08:47

pp projection is enough ... I've seen a fem Stone with a super that makes this one look regular, but that's another story

sphinx79 · Friday 28th April 2006, 10:13

Always useful to look at the throat. Dark throat = Stonechat. Whinchat is pale-throated in all plumages.

Rgds

Greg

Capercaillie71 · Friday 28th April 2006, 12:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by sphinx79

Always useful to look at the throat. Dark throat = Stonechat. Whinchat is pale-throated in all plumages.

Rgds

Greg

I have found this dark throat = stonechat feature to be not entirely reliable. Both species breed near my house and on more than one occasion I have seen a juvenile chat with an apparently dark throat which I have taken to be a stonechat. Usually, once I have convinced myself of its identity, a male whinchat will fly in and start stuffing insects into its mouth. So, either the feature is variable or the whinchats round here get confused!

Adey Baker · Friday 28th April 2006, 12:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by martin kitching

Allowing for the effect of light on the colour of the uppertail coverts, and the possibility of over-exposure over-emphasising the supercilium, I'll go with Stonechat.

martin

yes, I'll go along with that, esp as London Birder has seen female Stonechat with a strong super

Thursday 27th April 2006, 21:12	#1
Roy C Occasional bird snapper Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Barnstaple,North Devon,UK Posts: 14,786 My location	ID Please Looked through Collins but cannot ID this bird - probably something common but I am poor on these little brown uns. Thanks Attached Thumbnails __________________ MY PHOTOSTREAM 500px Gallery
	Click here to Support BirdForum

Thursday 27th April 2006, 21:16	#2
Andrew Rowlands Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Wales. Posts: 5,889	Looks like a female Stonechat Roy. Andy.
	Click here to Support BirdForum

Thursday 27th April 2006, 21:17	#3
lou salomon the birdonist Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Stuttgart Posts: 8,791	female whinchat, roy __________________ lou

Thursday 27th April 2006, 21:21	#4
lou salomon the birdonist Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Stuttgart Posts: 8,791	oh my god! how could i. yes, it's a stonechat obviously, because it sits on a stone __________________ lou

Thursday 27th April 2006, 21:27	#5
Henry B Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Lhanbryde-Elgin. Posts: 3,206	Having a chat. __________________ henry

Thursday 27th April 2006, 21:40	#6
steve55 Yellow Hammer Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Royston, Herts Posts: 188	i'll agree with lou and say female whinchat Steve __________________ The early bird catches the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese...

Thursday 27th April 2006, 21:41	#7
steve55 Yellow Hammer Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Royston, Herts Posts: 188	i'll agree with lou and say female whinchat Steve __________________ The early bird catches the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese...

Thursday 27th April 2006, 21:51	#8
Adey Baker Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Hinckley, Leics Posts: 4,761	I'll have a pint of whatever Andy's been drinking
	Click here to Support BirdForum

Thursday 27th April 2006, 22:15	#9
lou salomon the birdonist Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Stuttgart Posts: 8,791	mine was just 1 bottle of german hefeweizen __________________ lou

Thursday 27th April 2006, 22:45	#10
lockbreeze926 Sight Without Vision Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: UK and Florida Posts: 812 My location	In case Roy is confused by the above, it's a female whinchat.
	Click here to Support BirdForum

Friday 28th April 2006, 00:09	#11
Edward woodwood Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 11,309	Andy was right first off Stonechat

Friday 28th April 2006, 00:29	#12
steve55 Yellow Hammer Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Royston, Herts Posts: 188	looking at this picture i think i'd have to change my mind to female stonechat not whinchat although who's to say that this guy got it right... __________________ The early bird catches the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese...

Friday 28th April 2006, 00:44	#13
Andrew Rowlands Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Wales. Posts: 5,889	So we seem to have a Stonechat/Whinchat situation here. Would anyone like to say why they think it is one or the other? ID Threads are most useful when they contain some details on how people came to the conclusion(s) they did.
	Click here to Support BirdForum

Friday 28th April 2006, 01:41	#14
AlexC Opus Editor Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA Posts: 4,469 My location	Has white coverts of Stonechat, but white supercilium of Whinchat. As someone who's had no experience with either bird (been studying Europe guides like crazy lately...) I'm stumped so I think I'll just drink with Adey... __________________ --Alex (formerly 'overworkedirish') My Gallery \| My Life List of Life (updated 16 December 2010) Latest Lifer: Hudsonian Godwit (513 World, 461 ABA).
	Click here to Support BirdForum

Friday 28th April 2006, 07:27	#15
martin kitching Obsessed seawatcher Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: northumberland Posts: 1,238	This is interesting; a real conundrum. The bird appears to show the distinct white collar, short primary projection and extensive orange underparts of a Stonechat - and the pale orange uppertail coverts and huge supercilium of a Whinchat! I can't convince myself either way. martin __________________ Northern Experience Wildlife Tours www.newtltd.co.uk Northeast Cetaceans blog northeastcetaceans.blogspot.com North East Cetacean Project www.northeastcetaceans.org.uk/

Friday 28th April 2006, 07:32	#17
London Birder Registered User Join Date: May 2003 Location: London Posts: 3,335	Stone for moi ...

Friday 28th April 2006, 07:47	#18
Andrew Whitehouse Professor of Listening Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Aberdeen Posts: 13,747 My location	Short primary projection is good for Stonechat, as is the white patch on the wing. __________________ Andrew Listening to Birds

Friday 28th April 2006, 08:42	#21
Tom Tarrant Opus Editor Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Brisbane Australia Posts: 1,037	Here's a Whinchat photographed in Uganda in December (...is probably in the UK now!) They were very common in there, seen on most of the 23 days of our visit. Tom PS: I reckon the 'mystery' bird is a Stonechat though, looks too 'squat' for a Whinchat to me. Attached Thumbnails __________________ http://www.aviceda.org/ http://www.aviceda.org/pix/ Last edited by Tom Tarrant : Friday 28th April 2006 at 08:45.
	Click here to Support BirdForum

Friday 28th April 2006, 08:47	#22
London Birder Registered User Join Date: May 2003 Location: London Posts: 3,335	pp projection is enough ... I've seen a fem Stone with a super that makes this one look regular, but that's another story

Friday 28th April 2006, 10:13	#23
sphinx79 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Falsterbo Posts: 207	Always useful to look at the throat. Dark throat = Stonechat. Whinchat is pale-throated in all plumages. Rgds Greg

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

BirdForum

The net's largest birding community, dedicated to wild birds