Nuthatch ID please (1 Viewer)

I know these are awful shots of the nuthatch I saw this morning but they might help.They are the biggest nuthatch I have ever seen(kingfisher size) huge bill and head,a very wide black eye stipe and rufous flank and vent,so I thought Eastern Rock ~but I think that I am too far west here in Alacati, also they were only 300m above sea level and the sea is about 1km from where I saw them.Any help would be appreciated.
Apologise again for the quality of the pictures(100m away in a strong wind)

Tricky. Seems quite rusty on vent, which is pro Eastern, but the black supercillium is quite narrow behind the eye, which is pro Western. I guess if you're used to seeing Western and these seemed noticeably bigger then that's also an important factor.

Hi Bob

Eastern only occur to just west of Gaziantep (Isikli and Yesilce are the regualr sites)

The id is far from as easy as people often think due to large degree of ariation in size and features etc. Where they occur together the voice is best distinguisher, altohugh they do differ due to 'character displacement'.

They are usually in rocky valleys and gorges etc and have a liking for areas with pistachio and almond (such as G'antep)

Tim

Tim Allwood said:

Hi Bob

Eastern only occur to just west of Gaziantep (Isikli and Yesilce are the regualr sites)

The id is far from as easy as people often think due to large degree of ariation in size and features etc. Where they occur together the voice is best distinguisher, altohugh they do differ due to 'character displacement'.

They are usually in rocky valleys and gorges etc and have a liking for areas with pistachio and almond (such as G'antep)

Tim

Click to expand...

I thought I was too far west Tim ,although they were on a rocky valley with some almond trees.

Hi Bob,
We seem to be seeing a lot of the same birds these days. I saw quite a few Rock Nuthatches on my recent inland trips, but I haven't seen (or heard) any here in Marmaris. Some in Ilhara Valley and lots in the Hieropolis necropolis. I was thinking they might be Easterns because I was inland, but if they don't come farther west than Gaziantep, I guess not. (One more month and I get my Collins guide, can't wait; of course then I'll be in California 3 ) I just saw a Chaffinch today. Lifer for me. A chaffinch?--dozens and dozens! They've taken over the forest.
Here's an Ilhara Valley bird.
Suzanne