id help request Wheatear sp. Cape Kaliakra, Bulgaria, 2019 (1 Viewer)

[Earnest lad]

Going through some previous photos I had a look just recently at three photos of a bird seen but at the time not thought much about.
Please may I request advice as to what species it might be

 

[Deb Burhinus]

My tentative suggestion would be Northern Wheatear

 

[Butty]

Date?

 

[Earnest lad]

Dear Butty, the exact date I can't say but it was in the month of September

 

[Butty]

 

[Earnest lad]

Thank you for the suggestion of Northern W. I appreciate it.

 

[Brian J Small]

Pied Wheatear for me. Suggestion of breast band - at least dark breast sides.

Brian

 

[Deb Burhinus]

I agree that the breast sides look swarthy and of course Pied is a strong alternative (which is why I said ‘tentative’ Northern😉) - However, I liked the isolated and solid rusty ear coverts, darkish lores and strong supercilium flaring behind the eyes for Northern. Autumn female Northern can show darkish breast sides too (a bit!)

ML300125561 - Northern Wheatear - Macaulay Library

Macaulay Library ML300125561; © John Kuenzli; Holmes, Ohio, United States

macaulaylibrary.org

ML281900651 - Northern Wheatear - Macaulay Library

Macaulay Library ML281900651; © leon berthou; Skåne län [SE-12], Sweden

macaulaylibrary.org

I am wondering how one would rule out either for sure based on these image resolutions and these angles?

 

[KenM]

I agree that the breast sides look swarthy and of course Pied is a strong alternative (which is why I said ‘tentative’ Northern😉) - However, I liked the isolated and solid rusty ear coverts, darkish lores and strong supercilium flaring behind the eyes for Northern. Autumn female Northern can show darkish breast sides too (a bit!)

ML300125561 - Northern Wheatear - Macaulay Library

Macaulay Library ML300125561; © John Kuenzli; Holmes, Ohio, United States

macaulaylibrary.org

ML281900651 - Northern Wheatear - Macaulay Library

Macaulay Library ML281900651; © leon berthou; Skåne län [SE-12], Sweden

macaulaylibrary.org

I am wondering how one would rule out either for sure based on these image resolutions and these angles?

Or even Black-eared.....?

 

[Richard Prior]

Or Pied x Black - eared which at this location is a distinct possibility ( he added unhelpfully)!

 

[Brian J Small]

Deb

I have no idea how you are judging colours from this image...the yellow colour cast is so bad that it negates any accurate assessment of colour.

Brian

 

[andyb39]

I'm inclined to agree with Brian - the warm brown ear-coverts also point to Pied.

 

[Deb Burhinus]

Deb

I have no idea how you are judging colours from this image...the yellow colour cast is so bad that it negates any accurate assessment of colour.

Brian

Fair enough, they look warm but maybe ‘rusty’ is the wrong word. Solid ear coverts of ‘warm brown’ would be a better description.
I have difficulty seeing colours accurately on my monitor so was mainly referring to the strong face pattern tbh.

http://www.johnbettsphotography.co.uk/northern-wheatear.html Autumn F

Happy to go with the majority - am certainly not 100% sure on anything here 🙂

 

[Brian J Small]

Or Pied x Black - eared which at this location is a distinct possibility ( he added unhelpfully)!

Richard

I have visited Cape Kaliakra (and area) many times in spring and autumn and never seen a hybrid - many Pied, no hybrids. Attached a female from September 2010.

Brian

 

[Richard Prior]

Thanks for putting me right there Brian, I must be thinking of somewhere else I’d read about where there were hybrids, your photo shows the dark breast band nicely which to my eyes is evident on the OP photo even though overexposed.

 

[Brian J Small]

Thanks for putting me right there Brian, I must be thinking of somewhere else I’d read about where there were hybrids, your photo shows the dark breast band nicely which to my eyes is evident on the OP photo even though overexposed.

Hi Richard

Sorry if my comment came across as a bit brusque, it was not my intention.

I guess I could have added the word 'knowingly' to 'never seen a hybrid'...

Brian

 

[Richard Prior]

Hi Richard

Sorry if my comment came across as a bit brusque, it was not my intention.

I guess I could have added the word 'knowingly' to 'never seen a hybrid'...

Brian

I didn’t take it as brusque at all Brian !! I’ve only been to Cape Kaliakra once during my ‘single parent years’, late August 1997 with my three sons in tow (17, 12 and 9 years old at the time) so not surprisingly I managed just one Wheatear sp (which had a good resemblance to your image)!
I will return one day 🤞

 

[KenM]

Just to add to the mix, how anyone can exclude Black-Eared Wheatear from the equation is baffling!
If I may quote Collins under Pied Wheatear....”a few Autumn females are warmer pinkish brown or orange on breast and very like Eastern race of BEW (melanoleuca)......

Cheers