Eurasian Skylark? (Greece, Crete) (1 Viewer)

[JarJar]

Hello everybody,
is this an Eurasian Skylark?
Seen in Greece, Crete, Akrotiri/Chania 15.april.2014
Thanks a lot,
Chris

 

[KenM]

I would suggest yes, a pp longer than most, heavier spotting to chest (juv), head pattern looks ok for Skylark, although I note that the bill looks perhaps a tad longer than what one might expect, whether this is a regional feature I wouldn’t know.

Cheers

 

[Muppit17]

I would suggest yes, a pp longer than most, heavier spotting to chest (juv), head pattern looks ok for Skylark, although I note that the bill looks perhaps a tad longer than what one might expect, whether this is a regional feature I wouldn’t know.

Cheers

Surely the black & white marking on the wing leading edge makes this a Woodlark.

 

[RafaelMatias]

Woodlark indeed.

 

[KenM]

Surely the black & white marking on the wing leading edge makes this a Woodlark.

To my eye the ear coverts don’t look right for WL (no chestnut wash with contrasting pale surround). The mantle doesn’t look contrastingly streaky as should be, being more suffused, the bill looks perhaps too deep, granted the b&w marks to the leading edge were a concern, however on balance I felt the points made outweighed the latter, but certainly worth more discussion, fwiw here’s one from a few years back.

Cheers

 

[JarJar]

Hi everybody - what about Thekla's Lark? Could that be possible? Thanks a lot to all of you!
Chris

 

[RafaelMatias]

The wing pattern is 100% diagnostic of Woodlark.

 

[KenM]

The wing pattern is 100% diagnostic of Woodlark.

Agree the leading edge wing pattern is very much Woodlark that was the first observation point.
Perhaps the bird being in shadow and with such a seemingly large bill was enough to dissuade me from the obvious, presume I was too hasty on this one, Woodlark it appears to be.👍

 

[JarJar]

Thanks @All! I tried to change it to Woodlark (but it is not possible to edit anymore...)
Best regards, Chris

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello,
first: yes, its a Woodlark

But I wanted to write someting about this bird (as I had said some days ago). my thoughts:

• please look at this picture on a small screen and then the unusual long bill and flat head gives dominates over details
• I have never seen a Woodlark with such a long bill before, curved shape reminiscent of a Crested/Theklas Lark seems enhanced by lenghts
• BUT: is the appearent lenghts enhanced by missing feathers at the base? I think so
• many=normally Woodlark has a more domed, rounded crown. This bird does its best to flatten its crown pretending another species. If this bird wanted to look like a Crested/Theklas, then: congrutalions, well done, little bird! but yes, you can make out a rounded crown, at least a Crested/Thekla=the real thing would say this.
• many Woodlarks have a whiter=more prominent supercilium (but yes, its within variation)
• after reading the other comments, its easy to see the wing pattern, but rarely passerines can have deficient pigmented feathers, leaving parts "ill/poor-looking" whitish.

Conclusion? I hope my post doesnt come out as a try to make a bird more difficult that it is or as an unnecessary one, but as an reminder: please look at pictures on a large, good screen!