Melodious warbler Hippolais polyglotta ? Western France today (1 Viewer)

[buck mulligan]

Hello everybody

could someone please confirm, or if not correctly identify, that this is "just" a Melodious warbler (Hippolais polyglotta)

sthe bird was seen in the bushes on the edge of Chevigny outside Angers

TIA

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello,
no its either a Chiffchaff or a Willow Warbler.
Please note against MW

• extensive blackish smudge on the lore
• too short bill

It has the loose textured feathers of a juvenile bird and those are hard (several examples here on BF), but I get a Chiffchaff vibe from your bird. I think its mainly by the (nearly) complete lack of an supercilium.

And despite a bright greenish wing patch, its no Bonellis Warbler for me.

 

[Rotherbirder]

Another feature against a Hippolais sp. is the width of the bill at the base, which is much too narrow in your bird, as clearly demonstrated in the first image. Definitely a Phylloscopus, as Alex said.

RB

 

[Andy Hurley]

Hello,
no its either a Chiffchaff or a Willow Warbler.
Please note against MW

• extensive blackish smudge on the lore
• too short bill

It has the loose textured feathers of a juvenile bird and those are hard (several examples here on BF), but I get a Chiffchaff vibe from your bird. I think its mainly by the (nearly) complete lack of an supercilium.

And despite a bright greenish wing patch, its no Bonellis Warbler for me.

A bright eye ring and short primary projection, makes me agree with your Chiffchaff vibe, Alexander. There is also a lot of yellow refection from the leaves to make it look brighter than it is, I think.

 

[buck mulligan]

Thank you all for your help

I will get better at this !


Big news ! we found a Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus) nesting site this afternoon



thanks agian
BM

 

[Andy Hurley]

Thank you all for your help

I will get better at this !


Big news ! we found a Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus) nesting site this afternoon



thanks agian
BM

Just come back from a trip to Namibia. Over the last 3 weeks, we saw a large number of them moving north. They were even more numerous than the Pale Chanting Goshawks.

 

[buck mulligan]

wow !

we have Namibia on the horizon

 

[lou salomon]

juvenile Chiffchaff.