Warbler or What,What? Western Hokkaido, Japan, Otaru (1 Viewer)

[Otarujef]

Place: Naebo Nagahashi Park, Otaru, Hokkaido, Japan 43.21294939674882, 140.97709694932485
Time: 2021-10-10, 12:30
Weather: Overcast
Temp =17 degrees C
Wind = 4 mph
Humidity = 60%

Hi Everyone!
I got a couple of shots the best I could with what I got.
This bird was the size of a sparrow or smaller, possibly larger than a marsh tit.
I was trying to guess if it was an immature or female of a species, etc.
white-eyes were in the area too.
The eye seems rather large, and the bill and eye marking could be a clue.
I looked through all my books, no luck.
Please excuse the photo quality.
Well appreciated any help with this!
Thanks greatly,
Jeff

 

[kb57]

Sakhalin leaf-warbler?

 

[Grahame Walbridge]

Japanese Bush Warbler

Grahame

 

[Otarujef]

Grahame & kb57 thanks greatly for your input....

I was thinking, Eastern-Crowned, Sakhalin, or Arctic.
I had not seen any Bush Warblers for awhile,
and thought they all left for the south by now,
and their sound is quite distinctive.
This one was quiet at the time.
But Japanese Bush Warbler is on table now too.. lol

 

[Otarujef]

Japanese Bush Warbler

Grahame

Grahame, hints as to your conclusion, so I can see what you are seeing???

 

[Otarujef]

Sakhalin leaf-warbler?

kb57, hints as to your conclusion, so I can see what you are seeing???

 

[Grahame Walbridge]

Sakhalin leaf-warbler?

It's not a Phylloscopus the structure is completely wrong, tail too long for starters. Nor have I seen any leaf-warbler feasting on berries!

Grahame, hints as to your conclusion, so I can see what you are seeing???

I refer to comments above further, the combination of rather short pp, rather short utc's and long, narrow rectrices are good for JBW. Plumage-wise, the bird has recently moulted hence the warm plumage tones.

Regarding timing, it is not too late; northern populations (Sakhalin, Kurile and Hokkaido) vacate breeding grounds as late as early Oct. Indeed, there are eBird images from Hokkaido captured in Oct.

Grahame

 

[Otarujef]

It's not a Phylloscopus the structure is completely wrong, tail too long for starters. Nor have I seen any leaf-warbler feasting on berries!

I refer to comments above further, the combination of rather short pp, rather short utc's and long, narrow rectrices are good for JBW. Plumage-wise, the bird has recently moulted hence the warm plumage tones.

Regarding timing, it is not too late; northern populations (Sakhalin, Kurile and Hokkaido) vacate breeding grounds as late as early Oct. Indeed, there are eBird images from Hokkaido captured in Oct.

Grahame

Grahame , thank you so much for taking the time to clarify things for me! I didn't think about the molting aspect!
Other birds yes, but I forgot the Bush Warbler needs that too!

 

[CARERY]

FWIW, Sakhalin Leaf Warbler is indistinguishable from Pale-legged Leaf Warbler in the field. That means it would have pale legs which your bird hasn't...

 

[Otarujef]

Roland