Golden spectacled warblers in Henan, China (1 Viewer)

[beijingbabbler]

Hello, I saw these warblers at a mountaintop at about 2000m elevation, which should rule out Alstrom's warbler. These birds were part of a large mixed flock of different warblers, and the songs of Martens's and Bianchi's warblers were heard, so these two are all possible options. Not sure what these two birds are, and I'm wondering if any of them can be identified to species from Martens's/Bianchi's. Thanks!

 

[Derbyfella]

But the lack of a wing bar……?

 

[Grahame Walbridge]

Hello, I saw these warblers at a mountaintop at about 2000m elevation, which should rule out Alstrom's warbler. These birds were part of a large mixed flock of different warblers, and the songs of Martens's and Bianchi's warblers were heard, so these two are all possible options. Not sure what these two birds are, and I'm wondering if any of them can be identified to species from Martens's/Bianchi's. Thanks!

But the lack of a wing bar……?

AFAIK, there are no totally reliable plumage differences (inc pattern of crown, eyering, wing-bar), though there are sublte differences in patterns R6 and R5 (best examined in the hand, not visible here) but even that might not be 100% reliable. In the absence of a soundfile safest recorded as Marten's/Bianchi's IMHO.

Grahame

 

[fufuda]

is it a Buff-throated Warbler (Phylloscopus subaffinis)?

 

[THE_FERN]

is it a Buff-throated Warbler (Phylloscopus subaffinis)?

Nope. One of Marten's/Bianchi's warblers as discussed above. Buff-throated is very different