Michael Frankis
conehead
Of course it could be that Steve released the Black-browed Reed Warbler Acrocephalus bistrigiceps that he got from a Japanese sailor . . . :-O :-O 
Michael
Michael
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Warbler id ? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter peteh
- Start date
Adey Baker
Member
Some Reed Warblers can be highly mimetic - I had one on one of my local patches last year which included, amongst others, snatches of Sedge Warbler song in it's repertoire!
Adey
Adey
Simon Woolley
New member
Hybird Warbler
I agree with the hybrid theory. The high degree of mimicry in the song might suggest Marsh x Sedge, but one can never tell!
There is a Mystery Photo discussion of known Reed x Sedge hybrids from Finland in BB 78 : 434-437, Sept 1985. The birds there look very like the IoM bird indeed - and Black-browed Reed Warbler is discussed as a pitfall there too!
Simon
I agree with the hybrid theory. The high degree of mimicry in the song might suggest Marsh x Sedge, but one can never tell!
There is a Mystery Photo discussion of known Reed x Sedge hybrids from Finland in BB 78 : 434-437, Sept 1985. The birds there look very like the IoM bird indeed - and Black-browed Reed Warbler is discussed as a pitfall there too!
Simon
Steve Lister
Senior Birder, ex County Recorder, Garden Moths.
Hybrid Sedge x Reed seems right to me . I see no reason to suspect Sedge x Marsh on either plumage or song. Sedge Warblers are pretty good mimics themselves.
Steve
Steve
Hi all,
What an interesting bird!I have to confess that my initial reaction was that it was a Sedgie that for some reason lacked any streaking on the mantle(some Groppers can show this and look quite like a Savi's!),but the more I look at the shots the more sense a hybrid Sedge x Reed makes.
I wouldn't think that it is necessary that the unstreaked parent was a Marsh to explain the mimetic nature of the song:as was pointed out,Sedge are accomplished mimics(Swallow being quite commonly imitated),not to mention the great rarity of Marsh Warbler anywhere near the Isle of Man!
NOT a Paddyfield,of course!
Harry H
What an interesting bird!I have to confess that my initial reaction was that it was a Sedgie that for some reason lacked any streaking on the mantle(some Groppers can show this and look quite like a Savi's!),but the more I look at the shots the more sense a hybrid Sedge x Reed makes.
I wouldn't think that it is necessary that the unstreaked parent was a Marsh to explain the mimetic nature of the song:as was pointed out,Sedge are accomplished mimics(Swallow being quite commonly imitated),not to mention the great rarity of Marsh Warbler anywhere near the Isle of Man!
NOT a Paddyfield,of course!
Harry H
Michael Frankis
conehead
Hi Harry,
I'd guess Reed Warbler is also distinctly rare on Man - can CJW or Peteee give us any details as to their relative abundance?
Michael
I'd guess Reed Warbler is also distinctly rare on Man - can CJW or Peteee give us any details as to their relative abundance?
Michael
CJW
Hit-and-run WUM
Hi Harry/Michael,
Marsh Warbler would have been a first for the main island, but I think there may be one or two records from the Calf. Reed Warbler is also a rare passage bird here (I've only ever seen one - in the Autumn of 2001).
Taking all this into consideration, if the bird is a hybrid (and I'm more or less convinced that it is) it must surely be the offspring of a pair of Reed/Marsh x Sedge Warblers from the 'adjacent islands' (presumably England).
I did consider a very washed-out Sedge, but the size of the bird (bigger than Sedge), the length of the bill (more inline with Reed/Marsh) and the lack of any obvious abrading to the plumage lead me down the hybrid route.
Marsh Warbler would have been a first for the main island, but I think there may be one or two records from the Calf. Reed Warbler is also a rare passage bird here (I've only ever seen one - in the Autumn of 2001).
Taking all this into consideration, if the bird is a hybrid (and I'm more or less convinced that it is) it must surely be the offspring of a pair of Reed/Marsh x Sedge Warblers from the 'adjacent islands' (presumably England).
I did consider a very washed-out Sedge, but the size of the bird (bigger than Sedge), the length of the bill (more inline with Reed/Marsh) and the lack of any obvious abrading to the plumage lead me down the hybrid route.
marek_walford
Well-known member
Very interesting!
Hybrid theory sounds good. Personally I don't think it's a Reed or Marsh. I'm not sure it isn't a worn adult Sedge Warbler. I've certainly seen very worn (i.e. quite plain lacking classic "stripes") Sedge Warblers in the autumn. June is probably early for that much wear though.
Marek Walford
http://www.berksbirds.co.uk
Hybrid theory sounds good. Personally I don't think it's a Reed or Marsh. I'm not sure it isn't a worn adult Sedge Warbler. I've certainly seen very worn (i.e. quite plain lacking classic "stripes") Sedge Warblers in the autumn. June is probably early for that much wear though.
Marek Walford
http://www.berksbirds.co.uk
If anyone is interested cjw has written a little article detailing
this warbler at
http://www.homepages.mcb.net/wormwell/strange_warbler_at_the_lhen_15.htm.
this warbler at
http://www.homepages.mcb.net/wormwell/strange_warbler_at_the_lhen_15.htm.
jpoyner
Well-known member
The bird looks very like a warbler I found in Moray a few years ago in spring. It had me puzzled for some time, but eventually I think it was just a Sedge.
Think I agree here that this is what this bird is too. It would seem pretty unlikely I think to come across a hybrid in summer hundreds of miles from the nearest area where both species breed.
JP
Think I agree here that this is what this bird is too. It would seem pretty unlikely I think to come across a hybrid in summer hundreds of miles from the nearest area where both species breed.
JP
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