Leaf Warbler Identification - Lake Miyagase, Kanagawa, Japan (1 Viewer)

[Ross Thompson]

Hello there

I saw this leaf warbler today on my walk along the rivers near Lake Miyagase. I'm torn between a Japanese Leaf Warbler, Sakhalin Leaf Warbler and an Eastern Crowned Warbler. If anyone more familiar with Asian warblers than me could give advice, I'd be grateful.

Many thanks,
Ross

 

[Southern Viking]

It's got an obvious light artefact on the crown that's caused by the shadow/natural light rather than a central crown stripe. That said, it doesn't mean there isn't a real central (median) crown stripe. I think that may mean this is a difficult one to tell from the photo. Someone else may be able to see something though.

 

[Ross Thompson]

It's got an obvious light artefact on the crown that's caused by the shadow/natural light rather than a central crown stripe. That said, it doesn't mean there isn't a real central (median) crown stripe. I think that may mean this is a difficult one to tell from the photo. Someone else may be able to see something though.

Thanks for the reply. Yeah - I understand that Leaf Warblers can be a tricky area. There were two birds that were constantly moving, so it was hard to get a decent photo. If it helps their call was a short, sharp 'tseep'.

 

[Kandahar]

I would suggest listening to the three species calls on Xeno Canto. That would be the most reliable way of identifying them. The photo, unfortunately isn't clear enough for a positive ID.

 

[James Eaton]

Brightening up the photo helps - it's an Eastern Crowned Warbler.
Note - all orange lower mandible (Japanese would have large dark smudge)
Supercilium shape (your bird tapers behind eye) and crown colour (greenish, no contrast with upperparts) rule out Sakhalin
Also, undertail coverts can just make out has some colour - ECW is lemon-coloured, others whitish.

In addition, time of year is a pointer - Japanese LW shouldn't arrive on Japan until May.

James

 

[Ross Thompson]

Brightening up the photo helps - it's an Eastern Crowned Warbler.
Note - all orange lower mandible (Japanese would have large dark smudge)
Supercilium shape (your bird tapers behind eye) and crown colour (greenish, no contrast with upperparts) rule out Sakhalin
Also, undertail coverts can just make out has some colour - ECW is lemon-coloured, others whitish.

In addition, time of year is a pointer - Japanese LW shouldn't arrive on Japan until May.

James

Many thanks. It's my first spring in Japan, so I am not particularly experienced with warblers yet.

All the best

 

[HouseCrow]

Good luck (and good fun) with them all, these coming weeks you will be able to find all leaf warblers during migration I suspect, loudly singing....but then IDing them on sight alone is near impossible, except for Eastern Crowned of course. Videoing your birds might come in handy.

cheers,
Gerben