Gran Canaria (2 Viewers)

[Jose605]

Spotted this past week....

#1 I think Canary Islands Chiffchaff?
#2 & #3 Also Canary Islands Chiffchaff? (same individual)
#4 Melodious?
#5 Not so sure

Many thanks!

Jose

 

[THE_FERN]

5 common sand. Think the others OK, 1 looks a bit oddly shaped for chiffchaff but not sure what else it could be (e.g. wrong shape for blackcap, I think)

 

[Butty]

5. I'd call this the (only) easy one! Common sandpiper. Note chest pattern and shape of the pointy white bit in front of wing-bend.

 

[KenM]

Am wondering if no.2. might be Western Bonelli’s (note complete distinct eye-ring, no.3 Chiffchaff and agree with Melodious for no.4.

Cheers

 

[Jose605]

5 common sand. Think the others OK, 1 looks a bit oddly shaped for chiffchaff but not sure what else it could be (e.g. wrong shape for blackcap, I think)

Thank you, The Fern!

 

[Jose605]

5. I'd call this the (only) easy one! Common sandpiper. Note chest pattern and shape of the pointy white bit in front of wing-bend.

Thanks a lot Butty.

 

[Jose605]

Am wondering if no.2. might be Western Bonelli’s (note complete distinct eye-ring, no.3 Chiffchaff and agree with Melodious for no.4.

Cheers

Thanks a lot, Ken. It could be Western Bonelli's. Apparently the Canary Islands Chiffchaff has a rather long tail, which I don't really see here.

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello,

first might well be a Sardinian Warbler. It looks good for a Sylvia warbler and has the right colours, including darkish underparts with little contrast to upperparts and a short pp.

Agree with Melodious warbler and Common Sandpiper.

 

[KenM]

Thanks a lot, Ken. It could be Western Bonelli's. Apparently the Canary Islands Chiffchaff has a rather long tail, which I don't really see here.

It sprang to mind as a possible, as the only WBW that I’ve ever seen and imaged, it was a bird that popped out of the shrubbery in the hotel grounds where we were staying, during August on Fuertaventura a few years back now Jose.

Cheers

 

[Owene]

1 looks Sardinian to me. Never been to GC but Sardinian has been my most common warbler (aside from CI chiffchaff) on the canaries

 

[Jose605]

It sprang to mind as a possible, as the only WBW that I’ve ever seen and imaged, it was a bird that popped out of the shrubbery in the hotel grounds where we were staying, during August on Fuertaventura a few years back now Jose.

Cheers

Interesting. Thanks for the feedback, Ken.

 

[Jose605]

1 looks Sardinian to me. Never been to GC but Sardinian has been my most common warbler (aside from CI chiffchaff) on the canaries

Thank you for the input

 

[Jose605]

Hello,

first might well be a Sardinian Warbler. It looks good for a Sylvia warbler and has the right colours, including darkish underparts with little contrast to upperparts and a short pp.

Agree with Melodious warbler and Common Sandpiper.

Thank you, Alexander. I'm used to seeing plenty of Sardinian warblers in the south of Spain, and this one seemed different to me. But it could be. Here's the only other photo I have of the bird. Thanks again for the feedback.

 

[Owene]

You’ve probably got a lot more experience of them than I have. Don’t think it’s a chiffchaff though

 

[Jose605]

You’ve probably got a lot more experience of them than I have. Don’t think it’s a chiffchaff though

It could be a juvenile Sardinian. I definitely didn't see the characteristic red eye.

 

[THE_FERN]

It could be a juvenile Sardinian. I definitely didn't see the characteristic red eye.

I'm not sure about that one. I would have thought sardinian would be less round headed, and we'd have some indication of light underparts. But I'm really unclear here.

 

[Jose605]

I'm not sure about that one. I would have thought sardinian would be less round headed, and we'd have some indication of light underparts. But I'm really unclear here.

It could even be Spectacled Warbler, which is relatively common in the island. And the habitat where I saw it is right for the bird. I lightened the pics a bit in case it helps. Thanks!!

I carried a pocket camera with me this time. Thus the terrible quality of the pics 🤦‍♂️

 

[KenM]

Believe on enlargement, I can see some splintered red tones around the eye for the first “lightened” image Jose?

Cheers

 

[Jose605]

Believe on enlargement, I can see some splintered red tones around the eye for the first “lightened” image Jose?

Cheers

Yes, I noticed that too. But the Spectacled also has a reddish eye. So I'm not sure. I also have a picture of the tail, flying away....

I'm not sure Sardinian has those brownish tones on the tail...