4 species - South Bulgaria (1 Viewer)

[raddev]

Hello, it is quite hard for me to ID the species in the threads due to a combo of bad photos/distance/lack of knowledge.

I know it's 4 diff species and it might be against the rules ( though I couldn't find that specific anywhere ), but any help is appreciated!

All shot October in South Bulgaria in an inland reservoir.

• White-winged tern - that's the hardest to ID for me, due to distance and the only mark hinting for that species is the dark back which I couldn't find for the other terns in winter plumage.
• Eurasian skylark - I've photoed Crested larks with that white underwings and the bills here are hardly visible, so the only hint is the white line at the end of wings visible on one of the images. I've also been told that I can use the tail in flight as a mark - it should be pointy for the Skylark while the Crested have its as a flat line.
• Meadow pipit - They were very local that evening, but I also heard Tree pipits, so I ID as meadow because the belly is not white and the streaks are quite thick.
• Hen harrier - I guess it's too late for the other 2 species of harriers to migrate, also the overall brownish color of the body points to a young Hen harrier?

Thank you for your help!

 

[kb57]

Your harrier looks good for hen harrier, broad wings with (I think) 5 visible primaries here.

Your skylarks look a lot like crested larks to me, with warm brown underwing tones - the only thing that makes me doubtful is the same feature you mention - the bird at the top of your second picture, which seems to show a white trailing edge to the wing (a skylark feature)...

I'll leave the pipit and the tern to others - not sure you have enough of the former for a positive ID, and I've not got a lot of experience with marsh terns.

 

[TheBlackGrouse]

• Hen harrier - I guess it's too late for the other 2 species of harriers to migrate, also the overall brownish color of the body points to a young Hen harrier?

With juvenile Harriers, I wouldn't rely on the body color. There is a (winter) night roost in my local patch so I see them quite often, and the young birds can have all sorts of colors. In this case, the broad arm and hand, with the boldly streaked breast, are enough. The whole bird looks 'heavy', even a bit fat at the second photo, that's typical for a female Hen Harrier.

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello,

the Marsh Tern looks like a Whiskered Tern to me. Please note strong bill and "flat" black mask, reaching far into the neck (whats the english name for "Datschkapp", flat-hat says googletranslate?)

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello again,

do you have more pictures of the pipit? You know, I trust observers ID more, especially with low resolution/artefacts (no offense you know), but first gut feeling was Reed Bunting.
But after looking at this for longer, I am not so sure anymore, is it the short, unproportional little/tiny tail?
I hope for more pictures and comments. Thanks!

 

[raddev]

Thank you everyone for your help!

@Alexander Stöhr unfortunately, no - this was the only picture I was able to take that's in focus. Meadow pipits were very local when flying over that evening, probably the only one that didn't make any sound was this one, thus the hesitation that it might be a tree pipit as some are still around.

As to the tern - the bird did not have any ginger coloring and I assume it's a young bird - that is why I excluded the whiskered.