Wasn't going to get involved in this but with comments below I feel I might have to.
There are that many would be sit at home behind a computer experts I felt the need to still use the word "probable" on the blog although it was reported to Steve Haynes (by telephone), two minutes after seeing the bird and RBA who chose to use probable as a "tritis" Chiffchaff. I do have experience of finding "tristis" in the region before and I am put out you choose to question the use of the term probable
My blog style does not allow me to go into vast details, my readership would call me boring if I did that, besides it now appears (I did know that I suppose I am being judged all the time). however all observers on Jan 1st felt as though we had obtained the full suite of charactors needed, fact. It was the assembled crowd that was not fully aware of Sibe Chiffchaff identification criteria and chose to use the word "pale", which in the scheme of things is fairly true.
What you need to ask yourself John, has a Ladywalk regular is just how long has that bird or birds been there before we hightlighted the fact that there was a Siberian Chiffhaff present, besides even on that morning we saw the pale type Chiffchaff at Eddision Road, how come there had been no talk of that anywhere.
If this is what finding a good bird in Warwickshire like you can forget it....
I also found a Greater Scaup at Lea Marston that morning, bet someone is going to me its been present for most of 2012!
Thats my final words on the subject, just hope everyone is enjoying seeing what is an ultra rare bird, especially in Midlands region.
I dont seem to remember you asking me if you distribute my images either, I am fully aware who Alan Dean is and I know would have been fully involved with the records commitee, I am not one on these birders that have to get my record slips in two minutes after my initial sighting and my documents will follow in due course...
Dave,
Extract from Martyn Yapps blog Adult Plumage
Knowing what these birds are like and in all honesty what we managed to get on the bird apart from the very distinctive call it will no doubt just remain a probable, which in a way is disappointing as we saw this bird on the way down the track and could have spent a lot more time with it.
This was on January 1st, quick thinking by Martyn got some shots of the bird but unfortunately they were not showing the right points, I sent these pictures to Alan Dean who served on the BBRC Tristis panel for 1 year to asertain the rarity of Siberian Chiffchaff, Alan said nothing could be positively identified from these pictures.
Therefore if you put probable to the County Recorder, you are in doubt of the identification of the bird so the County recorder would have no confidence in the record and throw it out, with no other evidence like good photo's. I went looking for the probable Sibe Chiffchaff after this knowing that Martyn is a competent birder, however I did not see the bird ( we now know the Sibes spend most of the time feeding along the river wall after insects).
Another report by reliable birder Peter Sofley (details Tame Valley Birding 9/1/13) of 4 Chifchaff and one giving a Bullfinch type call (however a Bullfinch type call on it's own does not identify a Chiffchaff as a Siberian Chiffchaff.
This sighting then encourage myself to look again and on the 12/1/12 I saw the full suite of characters on 2 birds and 1 gave a distinctive Bullfinch type call. I put the news out which has lead to experienced birders seeing the birds including Alan Dean and some nice photo's taken.
I am pleased that Martyn's original record of Probable Siberian Chiffchaff should have no trouble in being excepted by the Warwickshire County Recorder now.
Regards, John
