Leaf Warbler | Hegurajima, Japan | may (1 Viewer)

[HouseCrow]

Chiffchaff?| Hegurajima, Japan | may

First Phylloscopus warbler of the 2nd proper birding-part of my stay in Japan last may. I was hoping for some typical Japanese leaf warblers but the first one i saw was this one.

Note: photo's are quite bad but should be enough for a positive ID.

dark legs and bill, few features, short primary projection...

Could it be anything other than Siberian Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus (collybita) tristis?)

full record: https://japan.observation.org/waarneming/view/157000092?lang=en&local=xx

NB. it could be that i'm completely wrong even at genus level....

hope to hear from you,

best regards,

Gerben

 

[HouseCrow]

Sorry for bumping this thread up, but surely there are some Phylloscopus-addicts around who dare spare a moment

thanks in advance

cheers
Housecrow

 

[johnallcock]

Black bill and legs, structure and plumage all look right for a (Siberian) Chiffchaff to me. This seems like it may be a good record for Japan.

 

[HouseCrow]

Thanks for the confirmation John. I think they may be overlooked...even though Hegurajima is relatively packed with birders in the right months.

There are some references to SibChiffs in birding blogs, not only referring to Hegura-records.

http://eastsussexbirding.blogspot.com/2011/11/21110-hegura-jima-japan.html
and
http://birdingkyoto.blogspot.com/2015/01/siberian-chiffchaff-another-visit-in.html

I'll notify my Japanese contact about this one, thanks!

best regards,

Gerben

 

[Brian J Small]

yakutensis Willow Warbler - 3 emarginations

Brian S

 

[HouseCrow]

Thanks for casting proper doubt here, Brian
I'm trying to figure out what you mean by '3 emarginations'. I am not very good at wingformula and related stuff.
I understand now (thanks to your post) what emargination means and that a trained eye should probably be able to see it here, but I don't.

What i'm left with is
pro Willow
-dull colored bird..with a hint of yellow on the breast, belly and rump
-rather fine bill

pro Chiffchaff
-black bill
-black legs
-not very prominent supercilium and eyestripe

I think I was wrong earlier in thinking that i could make out the primary projection

Hopefully Brian (or some other Phyllo-scholar) can shed some more light on the matter.

thanks,

Gerben

 

[HouseCrow]

I got a reply from one of the admins at waarneming.nl. He (Frank Neijts) confirms the yakutensis ID...due to the same 3 emarginations.

Will have to look at some chiffs to note the difference soon.

Willow it is

Thanks again
Gerben