-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Valencia(Spain) (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter snowfinch147
- Start date
Simon Wates
Well-known member
Iduna opaca 
(seems like its still growing its tail)
(seems like its still growing its tail)
Jean FRANCOIS
Well-known member
Rather Eurasian Reed Warbler.Iduna opaca
Jean
Simon Wates
Well-known member
As its you Jean, I hesitate but I'm seeing a Western Olivaceous Warbler here - surely for Reed the under tail coverts are too short, the very wide bill base is too wide and the lack of warm flanks and the greyish uppers...well also, the bird is in a Tamarix - opaca's favourite - alright circumstantial I know
snowfinch147
Member
Thanks for your opinions. Western olivaceous warbler is quite rarer than reed warbler here, altought not impossible to see. So reed warbler seems the most probable to me.
Simon Wates
Well-known member
True, though they are regular breeders in Valencia province. When was the photo taken? I'm guessing July/ August?
The contrastingly dark alula points to opaca too I think (over Reed).
Last edited:
Jean FRANCOIS
Well-known member
Agree.As its you Jean, I hesitate but I'm seeing a Western Olivaceous Warbler here - surely for Reed the under tail coverts are too short, the very wide bill base is too wide and the lack of warm flanks and the greyish uppers...well also, the bird is in a Tamarix - opaca's favourite - alright circumstantial I know
The loral stripe is unsettling.
Jean
Last edited:
snowfinch147
Member
They breed in Valencia, but very few pairs. The photo was taken yesterday(by another photographer). We have asked him to share more photos of this bird, but he hasn't answered yet
snowfinch147
Member
And how do you rule out a juvenile melodious warbler?. I'm not sure if the colors in this photo are the real ones, since it seems like the shot is a bit overexposed
Simon Wates
Well-known member
Worried me a bit too but think its a bit like when a Richard's Pipit shows darkish lores at certain angles/lighting.
Simon Wates
Well-known member
Leg colour looks too pale for Melodious - and the apparent lack of even a hint of yellow tones on the underparts and the bill looks too wide. Also the legs look a bit thin. Aside, Melodious has a different facial expression somehow...don't ask me why, just an impression. As the shot was taken so recently I must admit I'm surprised - it must be a bit late for them now. I would wait for more opinions before I get hanged - as I tend to do when I'm so confident
It would be good to see more photos.
Last edited:
snowfinch147
Member
Ok thank you so much. I find so hard to ID them with just one pic. Lets wait too see if there are more shots of the bird and the ID can be confirmedLeg colour looks too pale for Melodious - and the apparent lack of even a hint of yellow tones on the underparts and the bill looks too wide. Also the legs look a bit thin. Aside, Melodious has a different facial expression somehow...don't ask me why, just an impression. As the shot was taken so recently I must admit I'm surprised - it must be a bit late for them now. I would wait for more opinions before I get hanged - as I tend to do when I'm so confident
It would be good to see more photos.
Tib78
Well-known member
The undertails coverts have a rufous tinge, which pretty much rules out opaca as this species has white undertail coverts. The whole flanks also show a slight buff tinge compared to the belly while opaca would typically have uniformly pale underparts except for the a very slightly darker patch to the rear flanks. From this angle the pale outer edges of the tail would be readily visible on opaca. I agree with Jean, It’s a Reed warbler.
Simon Wates
Well-known member
Thank-you Tib! And now I see the tail as being foreshortened, and with fresh eyes this morning I can see what you mean. I must admit I'm flustered that I saw the tail as in growth, of course it perfect for an acro - in the field this bird would present me no problems, I'm sure I'd immediately be happy with the ID. Opaca is a real favourite of mine and honestly, during many observations I've never had doubts between that and Reed. ID from photos can be so deceiving sometimes, when will I ever learn :-O
And apologies to Snowfinch and Jean!
And apologies to Snowfinch and Jean!
Alexander Stöhr
Well-known member
I still struggling to ID this bird as a Reed Warbler with confidence.
First impression was indeed a Melodious Warbler, because jizz was good, as was overall colours (such a pale sandy-grey back is still within variation for this species, espacially when the taken into account that the picture seems slightly overexposed) including an appearent yellowish throat and eyering (and the right shade for Melodius). Because the others havent seen such a yellow colour, I looked at this bird on different (=better) screens, and it isnt there on some.
Such pale flesh coloured legs are very unusual for Reed. I have seen other, obvious sick, ill passerines with a similar leg colour before, so I think this must be also possible for Reed. But its easy within variation for Marsh. For an example see the attached pictures (Marsh warbler, Schwetzinger Wiesen, SW-Germany, 5.7.2019).
When I first saw this picture, I thougt the real impression of the loral area was somehow distracted by displaced/ruffled feathers and/or "JPEG/photographic" artefacts, but after a second look I agree with all others, that the loral area is unusual for a hippolais-warbler.
I asume that Marsh is a rarity in Valencia, but I think if more pictures are available, this bird might well turn into an IDable Marsh Warbler, even in a vagrant context.
First impression was indeed a Melodious Warbler, because jizz was good, as was overall colours (such a pale sandy-grey back is still within variation for this species, espacially when the taken into account that the picture seems slightly overexposed) including an appearent yellowish throat and eyering (and the right shade for Melodius). Because the others havent seen such a yellow colour, I looked at this bird on different (=better) screens, and it isnt there on some.
Such pale flesh coloured legs are very unusual for Reed. I have seen other, obvious sick, ill passerines with a similar leg colour before, so I think this must be also possible for Reed. But its easy within variation for Marsh. For an example see the attached pictures (Marsh warbler, Schwetzinger Wiesen, SW-Germany, 5.7.2019).
When I first saw this picture, I thougt the real impression of the loral area was somehow distracted by displaced/ruffled feathers and/or "JPEG/photographic" artefacts, but after a second look I agree with all others, that the loral area is unusual for a hippolais-warbler.
I asume that Marsh is a rarity in Valencia, but I think if more pictures are available, this bird might well turn into an IDable Marsh Warbler, even in a vagrant context.
Attachments
Last edited:
rollingthunder
Well-known member
My first impression is a Melodious too...
Laurie:t:
Laurie:t:
Deb Burhinus
Used to be well known! 😎
At peak migration (September), Marsh would be a possibility, although mainly migrating down through the Aegean further East, the Iberian route attracts vagrant migrators. (I too like the straw leg colour and yellow feet btw - not definitively diagnostic but quite suggestive)
