ID Help - United Arab Emirates - Dubai (1 Viewer)

[deanadsilva]

Any help with identifying these species would be very much appreciated. I have numbered them so it makes it easier to discuss. I have also written what I think each species might be as well as the date the image was captured (DD/MM/YY)


21) Plover (24/11/14)

22) Sandpiper (19/02/17)

23) Spanish Sparrow (12/04/16)

24) Sparrow (11/10/19)

25) Sparrow (11/10/19)

26) Sparrow (15/05/17)

27) Thrush (27/11/20)

28) Warbler (05/11/08)

29) Wheatear (01/04/04

30) Wheatear (04/03/04)

31) Wheatear (08-01-22)

32) Wheatear (18/08/04)

33) Wheatear (25/08/04)


Thank you in advance and I look forward to your replies.

 

[Brian J Small]

Hi

Critical examination of your photos shows them all to have a yellow hue, which in some instances may hinder ID - I attach 2 of them in which the yellow is reduced on the right image. You may have the wrong settings in your camera, but time of day can affect this too.

21 Looks like Little Stint and Dunlin
22 Temminck's Stint and Dunlin
23/24/25/26 House Sparrow
27 Back Redstart, but image so orange-yellow
28 Mountain Chiffchaff - see attached
29 Pied Wheatear - see attached
30 Isabelline Wheatear
31 Eastern Black-eared Wheatear?
32 Isabelline Wheatear
33 Pied Wheatear

Brian

 

[andyb39]

I'm not confident about no. 31 but I don't think it's Eastern Black-eared - possibly Red-tailed as it looks very grey on the head and nape, or possibly Desert. Any more images?

@Brian J Small There are as yet no definitive records of Mountain Chiffchaff in the UAE. This one does have a long prominent white supercilium and is very brown underneath. @deanadsilva Would it be OK to forward the image to my friends in the UAE?

 

[deanadsilva]

Hi

Critical examination of your photos shows them all to have a yellow hue, which in some instances may hinder ID - I attach 2 of them in which the yellow is reduced on the right image. You may have the wrong settings in your camera, but time of day can affect this too.

21 Looks like Little Stint and Dunlin
22 Temminck's Stint and Dunlin
23/24/25/26 House Sparrow
27 Back Redstart, but image so orange-yellow
28 Mountain Chiffchaff - see attached
29 Pied Wheatear - see attached
30 Isabelline Wheatear
31 Eastern Black-eared Wheatear?
32 Isabelline Wheatear
33 Pied Wheatear

Brian

Hi Brian,

Thank you for your reply. It is much appreciated.
Sorry for the late reply as I was out of the country. I think I should have also added the dates so it could have made identifying easier for you.

 

[deanadsilva]

I'm not confident about no. 31 but I don't think it's Eastern Black-eared - possibly Red-tailed as it looks very grey on the head and nape, or possibly Desert. Any more images?

@Brian J Small There are as yet no definitive records of Mountain Chiffchaff in the UAE. This one does have a long prominent white supercilium and is very brown underneath. @deanadsilva Would it be OK to forward the image to my friends in the UAE?

Hi Andy

Yeah it would be fine by me. Thank you for you reply

 

[deanadsilva]

Hi Brian,

Thank you for your reply. It is much appreciated.
Sorry for the late reply as I was out of the country. I think I should have also added the dates so it could have made identifying easier for you.

Just saw that I added the dates sorry

 

[Muppit17]

I'm not confident about no. 31 but I don't think it's Eastern Black-eared - possibly Red-tailed as it looks very grey on the head and nape, or possibly Desert. Any more images?

@Brian J Small There are as yet no definitive records of Mountain Chiffchaff in the UAE. This one does have a long prominent white supercilium and is very brown underneath. @deanadsilva Would it be OK to forward the image to my friends in the UAE?

I think I agree with Brian on the Wheatear. Certainly not Red-tailed (Persian) which look very plain and the tail pattern doesn't match my memory of the birds there.

I will pass on the Chiffchaff. All the birds I have seen were in Georgia and the supercilium was stronger before the eye, almost meeting over the bill. The is also confusion regarding the chiffchaffs wintering there (many call like tristis but sing long 'normal' birds) plus confusion of many Plain Leaf Warblers. The colour renditions are so 'off' can the colour corrections be relied upon.

 

[andyb39]

I think I agree with Brian on the Wheatear. Certainly not Red-tailed (Persian) which look very plain and the tail pattern doesn't match my memory of the birds there.

I will pass on the Chiffchaff. All the birds I have seen were in Georgia and the supercilium was stronger before the eye, almost meeting over the bill. The is also confusion regarding the chiffchaffs wintering there (many call like tristis but sing long 'normal' birds) plus confusion of many Plain Leaf Warblers. The colour renditions are so 'off' can the colour corrections be relied upon.

I've just had another look at the Wheatear and I think you and Brian are right - not Red-tailed, which would have a stronger supercilium, but probably a Desert.

I agree we need more images of the Chiffchaff but the bold whitish supercilium and extensive brown wash on the flanks and lower belly are unusual. I agree the supraloral should be broader. Compared to this bird (a good candidate IMO) Possible Mountain Chiffchaff, the throat looks dirty and I'm not sure the crown is dark enough. It still looks different from most of the Chiffchaffs there, which are supposed to be abietinus, and it may be another race.