Thick-billed Warbler on Fair Isle!! (1 Viewer)

H

HH75

Well-known member

• May 16, 2003

• #1

Hi all,
I presume many of you will have heard of this amazing spring record.Photos are already online at:
http://www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/Sightings/pictures_2003.htm
Stunning!The species has yet to be seen here in Ireland,but we can but hope:next September on Tory Island...?;-)
Harry

 

Ashley beolens

Breeding the next generation of birders.

• May 16, 2003

• #2

stunning bird, how scarey would that be to find, its huge!! still I live in hope there will be a mainland record soon.

 

H

HH75

Well-known member

• May 16, 2003

• #3

Hi Ash,
I'd quite happily make do with a Great Reed Warbler here:hasn't been a record since 1979 and even THAT one wasn't twitchable,so it would be as good as a first national record.None at my local reedbed...yet!
Planning to be on Tory for a week this Sep,and this species would be one of my "most wanted",though I realise that the likes of Lancy,Citrine,PG Tips etc would be more likely,despite the former not having been seen in Ireland yet...
Harry

 

Michael Frankis

conehead

• May 21, 2003

• #4

Hi Harry,

Looks like you've got a White-crowned Sparrow to go for now!

Lucky you

Michael

 

Michael Frankis

conehead

• May 21, 2003

• #5

Or come to think of it, did you find it in the first place??

M

 

H

HH75

Well-known member

• May 21, 2003

• #6

Hi Michael,
Yes,I had a White-crowned Sparrow to go for;no,I didn't find it;yes,I did see it!;-)A brilliant bird!Oddly enough,it was missing all its tail feathers,but showed no other signs of a captive origin(the rest of the plumage was pristine and there was no damage to the feet(and no rings)).Given the time of year and location of the bird I'd assume that it will be acceptable on to Category A of the Irish list in time.
Harry

 

Michael Frankis

conehead

• May 21, 2003

• #7

Congrats Harry!

Wonder if it had a close encounter with a gull on arrival?

Or more prosaically, its tail got stuck in some gunk on board the ship it came over on . .

Michael

 

D

Darrell Clegg

Well-known member

• May 22, 2003

• #8

Ooooh Michael - you stirrer you!!!!

Darrell

 

Michael Frankis

conehead

• May 22, 2003

• #9

Hi Darrell,

No problem if it did - birds are allowed to use ships these days, as long as no-one feeds them deliberately (though why bird tables are permitted on land but banned at sea is beyond me, and I find the idea of the Records Cttees interrogating the crew absurd!)

Michael

 

H

HH75

Well-known member

• May 22, 2003

• #10

Hi Darrell,
Michael's right,ship assistance is no barrier to its acceptance onto Category A(and hence on to our lists!),unless it could be proved that the bird was fed(very strange rule,as I'd imagine that it would be hard to rule this out!).
If he REALLY wanted to stir things up,he could suggest that the tail feathers got jammed in the bars of the cage...
Harry
P.S.Still present and showing well all day(per BINS)

 

D

Darrell Clegg

Well-known member

• May 22, 2003

• #11

You're right Harry!! As I replied to CJW the other day - one of the best birds I've seen was Lazuli Bunting, but it got rejected as an escape despite the fact that Yellow-throated and Red-eyed Vireo were present at the same time not far away.

 

H

HH75

Well-known member

• May 23, 2003

• #12

Hi Darrell,
In the case of the Lazuli Bunting,I can see how the BOU might have difficulty admitting that to Cat.A,but given that:
a)the species has straggled to the east coast of the US,and could then find itself on a ship bound for Europe
b)other west-coast species such as Varied Thrush have made it on to Cat.A
then I can see how a wild origin would be possible(indeed likely?),especially with those vireos being present at the same time.
Harry