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warbler ID form Jeddah (1 Viewer)

Looks a bit like a Blyth’s Reed Warbler to me but without checking any references/images etc I could be
wrong

I am wrong Jeddah is out of range according to maps and it doesn’t look right so I agree with Upcher’s!
 
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I am pretty confident this isn't Blyth's Reed due to head and bill shape - it looks very Iduna-like, what means that I will see myself out because I have not the faintest clue how to tell those apart other than by song.
 
This warbler is strangely so familiar and yet I have to keep coming back! ....Large feet, sturdy legs, pp about half tertial length, no visible emarginations - pumping tail - Eastern Olivaceous maybe? (Would Upcher’s not show a dark centered alula contrasting with the coverts and obvious pale wing panel?)
 
Upcher's for me as well due to uneven tertial spacing, rather long pp (to me it seems like about 3/4 of tertials) and straight, not particularly long bill. In Eastern Olivaceus the bill is slightly down curved
 
(After a rash a false start!) I did agree with Upcher’s but then being so contrary, changed my mind again as general pale sandy tones made me then consider EOW - The lack of a pale panel also threw me (this is generally quite noticeable on Upcher’s) as did the uneven spacing of the primaries (larger gap between p4-5?) also the very pale centered alula (usually darker/contrasting with coverts and mantle in Upcher’s). Agree though, the pointed tip of the bill and tertial spacing is better for Upcher’s (I find the pp hard to judge from this angle but also agree it’s probably nearer to 75% than 50%).
 
Any more photos of this bird?
The pale brown iris, rounded tail shape, slightly curved shape of outer primaries, and raised tail suggest an Acrocephalus much rather than Iduna.
 
Any more photos of this bird?
The pale brown iris, rounded tail shape, slightly curved shape of outer primaries, and raised tail suggest an Acrocephalus much rather than Iduna.

hmm that’s where I was going originally before being quickly talked down off the ledge ...and deleting my post,
 
Any more photos of this bird?
The pale brown iris, rounded tail shape, slightly curved shape of outer primaries, and raised tail suggest an Acrocephalus much rather than Iduna.

no sorry, he just briefly came to the water, he did not even take a sip.
 
It looks mainly like a Blyth's Reed Warbler to me.

I’m beginning to wish I hadn’t deleted my first post (was #3) on this thread saying it looked like a Blyth’s ! ;)

(It does have a banana stance I thought but p3,4 & 5 are supposed to be emarginated - unless the feather position is obscuring the shape of the wing)
 
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A really puzzling bird and I wish there were more images. It looks at first glance like an Acro with that heavy bill, rather broad tail with slightly pointed tips and even an apparent contrasting pale iris. However, on closer examination, the undertail coverts don't look particularly long or full and the wing looks more like that of an Iduna with those tatty-looking tertials of uneven width and ragged edges to the secondaries. BRW in particular has a sleek look with very even, neat-looking rows on the wing and it's hard to imagine one looking as ragged as this. The apparent lack of emargination is puzzling - emarginated P3, 4 & 5 would be a feature of all Iduna species as well as BRW, wouldn't it?

Certainly not Basra - that's the only thing I'm sure about!
 
another angle for the same one before it was on the 16th. the other images are for one i saw early on the 19th.
 

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another angle for the same one before it was on the 16th.

Does this help?

It appears to me have shallow emarginations to p3 and p4 from this angle - re. the utcs, probably not the best angle to judge them, from the side at eye level or from below is better.
 

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