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Eleonora's Falcon Arles Camargue France in December (1 Viewer)

SteveAtkinson

Well-known member
Has anyone seen an Eleonora's Falcon this late in this region? I was driving near Arles and I saw what could only be an Eleonora's Falcon on power lines. This was 4th December and I can only find one reference in the literature to one being around that late and that was a young one and in northern Italy. It could only have been a Eleonora's as they are so distinctive but the late date is making me question myself.
Any info will be much appreciated.

Steve
 
I’ve checked on faune-paca.org and the latest sighting in that area was 8 September, the last sighting in the whole south-east was near Nice on 1 October.
 
It was a dark phase but I couldn't age it as it was viewed from a moving car, so I only had a few seconds. I've never seen one before but it was fairly small (but bigger than a Hobby) with very obviously long wings and tail. From a distance it looked almost black. I can't think what else it could be and would be certain it was an Eleonora's if it was earlier in the season.
 
It might be worth establishing if an Eleonora's has ever been seen to perch on a power line; some falcons love it, Red Foots, both kestrels etc but i've never seen a Hobby or Peregrine do it for example.
 
It was a dark phase but I couldn't age it as it was viewed from a moving car, so I only had a few seconds. I've never seen one before but it was fairly small (but bigger than a Hobby) with very obviously long wings and tail. From a distance it looked almost black. I can't think what else it could be and would be certain it was an Eleonora's if it was earlier in the season.

Either dark form or morph would be the correct terms to use, 'phase' is a transitional, temporary state as has been discussed many times across BF.

Before anyone makes accusations of 'pedantry', is it so hard to use the right term?


A
 
Not wishing to go off topic but is this really true? I see no implication that phase is a temporary state any more than morph is permanent.
From wiki : Color phase, in biology, a group of individuals within a species with a particular coloration

Rob
 
I've gone through records back to 2011 Steve and the last individuals seen are usually in the first 10 days of October (with one very late one on 23rd October one year). So without a photo, Eleonora's here in December would not get accepted I'm afraid. I trawled through all the photos on Faune-PACA and found a handful where they're perched on rocks or in trees but none on wires.
Looks like it'll have to be "the one that got away" -I've had my share of those too (see attached mystery falcon from a few years back)!!
 

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Not wishing to go off topic but is this really true? I see no implication that phase is a temporary state any more than morph is permanent.
From wiki : Color phase, in biology, a group of individuals within a species with a particular coloration

Rob

Phase

'a distinct period or stage in a process of change or forming part of something's development'

There are no birds AFAIK, that as adults, change colour, they do have forms or morphs but they are what they are and don't change so therefore are not 'phases'.

You never heard a parent being told that their child is just 'going through a phase' indicating a non permanant condition?

Apologies for the tangent but despite this having been covered previously, people insist on using 'phase'?


A
 
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ZOOLOGY
a genetic or seasonal variety of an animal's coloration.

The former would not involve change.

Rob
 
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ZOOLOGY
a genetic or seasonal variety of an animal's coloration.

The former would not involve change.

Rob

I find this

'a variation in the normal form of an animal, esp a colour variation, brought about by seasonal or geographical change

Implying a non permanent condition to me and rather than phase, any genetic variation outside of the regular 'forms' would abberent?

To apply the word phase to a permanent condition, has to be wrong despite wiki and birders will refer to any species which appears to be outside of the recognised 'forms' as abberent?


A
 
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I think it can be a stable form. Certainly that is how it used in my line of work.
Genuinely curious here, as everyone still uses it for skuas.

Rob
 
I've gone through records back to 2011 Steve and the last individuals seen are usually in the first 10 days of October (with one very late one on 23rd October one year). So without a photo, Eleonora's here in December would not get accepted I'm afraid. I trawled through all the photos on Faune-PACA and found a handful where they're perched on rocks or in trees but none on wires.
Looks like it'll have to be "the one that got away" -I've had my share of those too (see attached mystery falcon from a few years back)!!

Thank you so much Richard, really appreciate you looking through the records. I think you're right, it is one of the ones that got away. It's a shame I was in a car on the autoroute at the time and so couldn't get a photo - that's birding for you.

All the best

Steve
 
Thank you so much Richard, really appreciate you looking through the records. I think you're right, it is one of the ones that got away. It's a shame I was in a car on the autoroute at the time and so couldn't get a photo - that's birding for you.

All the best

Steve

Wouldn't Hobby be equally likely / unlikely?


A
 
BTW Richard, where did you look for your records? I'm not familiar with French birding online sites. I'll be returning to the area again and it would be useful to see what's about.
 
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