ID help with wee brown bird. (1 Viewer)

Steve G

RAINBIRDER

• May 20, 2004

• #1

Whilst in Spain 3 weeks ago I took this single image of a small brown passerine perched on a fence. The bird suddenly materialised whilst I was photographing flamingoes in marismas at the edge of Donana. It seemed to come from adjacent roadside scrub on a raised dirt track with marsh on either side. The marshes comprised of rather short juncus-type plants with large expanses of Crowfoot rather than typical reeds & dense plant cover was absent. I only saw it briefly & just managed to get this single image. I took no notes & didn't bother much at the time but looking at the image now I'm not sure what it is -I had thought it might simply be a Reed warbler pictured at a bad angle to the light resulting in the face being shaded however the eye appears quite large & almost Nightingale-like, the bill shorter & thicker than I would expect & look at the "claws". The bird was about Reed/Cetti's warbler in size but other than that there is nothing extra I can add to the details in the picture.
This will probably turn out to be something obvious but I would be grateful if anyone could put me out of my misery.
Thanks,
Steve

 

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O

osborne

Well-known member

• May 20, 2004

• #2

I' ll be first to stick my neck on the line here and suggest Garden Warbler.

 

E

Edward woodwood

Member

• May 20, 2004

• #3

Nightingaley to me Steve

has a bit of sandy - buffishness underneath...

 

Last edited: May 20, 2004

Steve G

RAINBIRDER

• May 20, 2004

• #4

Tim Allwood said:

Nightingaley to me Steve

Click to expand...

Thanks Tim.
It seemed smaller than Nightingale & there was no obvious red-brown tail. The area was pretty open & exposed though I appreciate it could have been a passage bird. I've no better suggestion however. It'll be interesting to see what the consensus is.

 

Jane Turner

Well-known member

• May 20, 2004

• #5

My gut reaction was Garden warbler...On closer examination looks a wee bit gingery - but it has that classic grey spodge below and behind the ear coverts and those stocky lead grey legs are classic!

 

Michael Frankis

conehead

• May 20, 2004

• #6

I'm for Garden Warbler, too

Michael

 

Steve G

RAINBIRDER

• May 21, 2004

• #7

Jane Turner said:

My gut reaction was Garden warbler...

Click to expand...

Hi Jane,
I'm sure you've ringed a few of these LBJs in your time. I've never seen one in the hand myself -do Garden warblers really have such big "talons"?

 

Jane Turner

Well-known member

• May 21, 2004

• #8

Yes.. big fat grey legs! but not as fat as Barred Warblers

 

E

Edward woodwood

Member

• May 21, 2004

• #9

I will also humbly concede to GW too

didn't have my eye on the ball as we say in the Beautiful Game (can't stop lookin at those ipods)

 

H

HH75

Well-known member

• May 23, 2004

• #10

Hi all,
My initial reaction was for Garden Warbler also:looked to be a Sylvia,and that's the only one that fitted.As has been pointed out,the bill shape,facial pattern and greyish legs all point towards this species.
Harry

 

G

GrahamR

Well-known member

• May 23, 2004

• #11

I'm gonna go for a nightingale, there doesn't seem to be much difference in the shades of brown in the upper and lower halfs of the body, whereas there is a big contrast witha Garden Warbler.

I have also read that Garden Warrbler's seem to skulk in the undergrowth, so there wouldnt be much chance of seeing one in the open.

Please correct me if anything i have said is wrong as i am very poor at identifying birds.

Nightingale gets my vote.

 

H

HH75

Well-known member

• May 23, 2004

• #12

Hi Graham,
Nightingale would have a rufous tail,also the legs would be pinkish.
Harry

 

M Cowming

Well-known member

• May 23, 2004

• #13

Hi Graham,

Garden Warblers are notoriously difficult to pinpoint in shrubbery when singing at times but they do make themselves quite visible when they want to. I have seen many in plain view and just to add my two-pence worth...garden warbler for me too. Nightingale, from the experience of seeing only one, appears to be more brown than this bird even without seeing the rufous tail.

 

M Cowming

Well-known member

• May 23, 2004

• #14

P.S. if you think a garden warbler is notoriously skulky, try pinning down a nightingale even from as close as 15 feet!! Not easy!