Acrocephalus, Eastern Turkey, August (1 Viewer)

[Valéry Schollaert]

Hi all,

All photos this month from Van, Turkey.

Photo 1 and 2, same bird. Can it be a very worn Moustached Warbler ?

Photo 3 : I guess juvie Sedge Warbler

Photo 4 : looks to have longer pp and duller rump than fuscus Reed Warbler that are plentyful around at the moment. Can it be a Marsh Warbler or is this within variation of Reed Warbler ?

Thanks

 

[andyb39]

The first bird does indeed look like Moustached - the short primary projection is obvious in the second image They're definitely present there.

I'd agree with Sedge Warbler for the second bird but I don't know how to age it.

I'm not seeing Marsh for the last bird but I may be wrong. I don't know if this ID paper helps: https://www.the-soc.org.uk/files/docs/bird-recording/sbrc/Marsh-Warbler.pdf. The bill is thin, leg colour doesn't fit Marsh, the primaries lack pale tips and the tertials lack dark centres.

What are you doing in Van?

 

[KenM]

I’m seeing Moustached Warbler in the first 3 images, the imm. in the 3rd image has dark legs and the crown very black to my eye, also the eye-stripe line is straight and parallel with the crown and not sweeping up to the aforesaid unlike Sedge Warbler. Believe image 4. to be a Reed Warbler albeit with 8 primary tips showing, nice shots Val. :t:

Cheers

 

[Valéry Schollaert]

The first bird does indeed look like Moustached - the short primary projection is obvious in the second image They're definitely present there.

I'd agree with Sedge Warbler for the second bird but I don't know how to age it.

I'm not seeing Marsh for the last bird but I may be wrong. I don't know if this ID paper helps: https://www.the-soc.org.uk/files/docs/bird-recording/sbrc/Marsh-Warbler.pdf. The bill is thin, leg colour doesn't fit Marsh, the primaries lack pale tips and the tertials lack dark centres.

What are you doing in Van?

Thanks Andy. For the Sedge Warbler, I thought juvie because of bare gape and little spots on lesser wing coverts. I'm not used of seing Sedge Warbler in fresh plumage...

I will read that paper you linked, looks interesting. :t:

Well, I'm birding in a accessible place (despite Covid) and cheap enough to spend time without too much trouble for my budget, waiting for my next mission. I've one good offer in the Philippines but borders are closed ; as soon as the country opens, I go back there (easy direct flight from Istanbul). If not, I don't know yet what will be my next country...

Regard !

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

I agree with Moustached Warbler for the first two pictures, but the third looks like a Sedge Warbler to me.
Sedge Warblers with black crown are regular, clear and yellowish tinge to supercilium is wrong for Moustached, as is yellow/buff wash to breast.
More, PP is to long. In some Moustached Warblers, the wings are curved like in Locustella Warblers, this can sometimes be very obvious and then a good character against Sedge, and often be just discernable, like in picture 1 and 2.
In picture 3 the wings are straight, which is good for long winged Sedge (but not ruling out Moustached).
I agree, it is a 1cy for me.

Ken, I read the difference in shape of the supercilium between Moustached and Sedge somewhere, but when I tried to find this in the field, I failed. In some (not many) birds the difference, you describe, was there, but individual variation and strong depence on posture makes this are very weak character for ID in my experience.

Conclusion: 3 picture a 1 cy Sedge Warbler for me, but as I have no experience with ssp. Mimicus , I would like to learn, if this is one. But it looks very good for a Sedge Warbler for me.

 

[andyb39]

I agree with Alexander - the bird in the 3rd image should be Sedge on structure alone. Also, the supercilium should be whitish even on mimicus and the ear-coverts solid brown.

 

[Valéry Schollaert]

Thank you every one, very helpful.

nice shots Val. :t:

Cheers

Thank you Ken