Mystery Warbler (1 Viewer)

CJW

Hit-and-run WUM

• Apr 11, 2004

• #1

Any thoughts on this one? Unfortunately this is the only shot I have as the bird was very active and spent all of it's time either skulking very deep amongst brambles or occasionally 'flycatching' over a pond. Taken today.

 

Attachments

• 
  Mystery.jpg

  80.1 KB · Views: 317

Michael Frankis

conehead

• Apr 11, 2004

• #2

Any reason why not Chiffchaff?

Michael

 

B

Bluetail

Senior Moment

• Apr 11, 2004

• #3

Willow Warbler for me. Head looks slightly hippo-ish, but dark lores, pale legs argue against.

Jason

 

M

mountain man

Guest

• Apr 11, 2004

• #4

Definitely Syke's. There is no doubt about it.

 

D

Darrell Clegg

Well-known member

• Apr 11, 2004

• #5

I'm with Jason on this - Willow Warbler for me too.

It sees to have that nice clean white belly that spring Willow warblers have.

Darrell

 

M

mountain man

Guest

• Apr 11, 2004

• #6

Just incase anyone thinks I've gone mad, I'll add

:frog: B

to my original post.

 

Andrew Whitehouse

Professor of Listening

Supporter

• Apr 11, 2004

• #7

I thought Willow Warbler - a bit of a funny head shape but that could easily be 'explained away' by the way it's holding its feathers. The bill looks funny as well, a bit long and almost 'decurved', but maybe that's just the picture. Still looks like a Willow Warbler to me though, albeit a slightly funny one.

 

Michael Frankis

conehead

• Apr 11, 2004

• #8

Bluetail said:

Willow Warbler for me. Head looks slightly hippo-ish, but dark lores, pale legs argue against.

Jason

Click to expand...

I thought the legs looked dark!

Michael

 

Jane Turner

Well-known member

• Apr 11, 2004

• #9

Come on Chris.. how did it move, what did it sound like?

I'd have an inlking... inlking only mark you towards Iberian Chiff

Inlking based on the facial pattern and belly, but I need to hear it call or better still sing.

 

Last edited: Apr 11, 2004

Jane Turner

Well-known member

• Apr 11, 2004

• #10

A clue about its wing structure would be a great help too...and was it a tail pumper?

 

H

HH75

Well-known member

• Apr 11, 2004

• #11

Hi Chris,
Either a Willow Warbler or possibly an Iberian Chiffchaff,though impossible to say really based on this photo.Would go for former...unless calls and/or song suggested otherwise!
Harry

 

CJW

Hit-and-run WUM

• Apr 11, 2004

• #12

Do you want to know yet or should I let you carry on discussing? You'll notice, I didn't say that I took the photo or where it was taken. Just that it was the only shot I had.
But for what it's worth, the bird wasn't heard to call and had a "fairly long" primary projection.

 

Jane Turner

Well-known member

• Apr 11, 2004

• #13

If the projection was long enough to rule out Chiff/Ib Chiff then its simple, if it was just a little on the long side for Chiff...well..without calls you/they are stuffed. Its about time someone threw in Willow/chiff hybrid too, though my prejudice is that a lot of theose are actually unidentified Iberian Ciffs.

It appears ro have a bit of a bridging super which I have found to be a feature of birds which I believe to be Iberian chiff - though note that this might just be a self supporting fallacy!

 

Jane Turner

Well-known member

• Apr 11, 2004

• #14

Come on Chris - spill the beans then we have have a proper debate!

 

A

alcedo.atthis

Well-known member

• Apr 11, 2004

• #15

Do you want to know yet or should I let you carry on discussing? You'll notice, I didn't say that I took the photo or where it was taken. Just that it was the only shot I had.
But for what it's worth, the bird wasn't heard to call and had a "fairly long" primary projection.


Chris, you old tease you!!

Malky @ Westhill

 

CJW

Hit-and-run WUM

• Apr 11, 2004

• #16

Alright alright, it was a Willow Warbler. I just posted the photo 'cos it illustrates just what a 'snapshot' can do to a bird's i.d. features.
In particular, Jason's comment about the hippo-headshape was very pertinent.

 

Adey Baker

Member

• Apr 11, 2004

• #17

CJW said:

In particular, Jason's comment about the hippo-headshape was very pertinent.

Click to expand...

Yes, if it had looked more plain-faced it would have been a real teaser.

 

Stephen Dunstan

Registered User

• Apr 11, 2004

• #18

Jane,

Are you trying to get inlking into the English lexicon!!

Regards,

Stephen.

 

Jane Turner

Well-known member

• Apr 11, 2004

• #19

Its worth a go!

 

Colin

Axeman (Retired)

• Apr 12, 2004

• #20

Talking of possible Willow W/Chiff hybids, there is a bird just down the road from me at Frampton on Severn which starts it song as a Chiffchaff but ends it like a Willow Warbler. While checking the gulls/terns over the sailing lake I thought that there were two birds singing nearby as my attention was on the lake but it was pointed out to me that it was one bird and eventually I managed to see it singing. I have checked the literature and there is a suggestion that the North African population of Iberian Chiffchaff may sing like this but I have yet to track down an example of the song which is somewhat different to the Iberian peninsula Iberian Chiffchaffs or so the literature leads me to believe.