juv northern, yes.
but EBW doesn't breed nearby (closest are at cap kaliakra in bulgaria)
yes i'm sure about the distribution. i worked on the breeding atlas and also know about the most recent records in that well surveyed region. the yellow area in southern romanian dobrogea is wrong. just a few male melanoleuca entered some places and produced hybrids with pied. but i agree the pics are suboptimal and a juv wheatear might not be possible to be identified by them. i'm still convinced it is just a northern - what exactly is it that makes you feel EBW, Brian?
i don't think so, valery. and it's a bit hard to measure pp exactly, but it looks to be around 100 which is ok for a juv northern. pp is longer than tail projection.
I find this an an interesting thread primarily through the knowledge and thoughts of those participating - and all because Earnest Lad couldn’t be bothered to try and ID a juvenile Wheatear.....spp.....for himself
Laurie:t:
you overlooked the smiley, kb57, which referred to a long discussion on another thread.
valery, here's a juv northern with not fully grown rectrices and primarries, pp about 70% i guess: https://scontent.ffra1-1.fna.fbcdn....=dc85bbcbc7d5ef14564086199c278247&oe=5DC5B4BB
Thanks Lou:t:
of course juv wheatears are very similar and an extremely difficult matter. but EBW doesn't breed nearby (closest are at cap kaliakra in bulgaria), while there are at least 4 pairs of northern wheatear nesting in the ruins of histria fortification. ok, now what i found in 3 online-pics of melanoleuca and in shirihai/svensson is a very conspicous white median covert bar in EBW while only a minority of northerns are showing this, usually less conspicous. also structurally - bill looks strong and legs long for EBW.
Are you sure EBW breeds at Kaliakra, Lou? I only know of Pied there.
Are you sure EBW breeds at Kaliakra, Lou? I only know of Pied there.