Pied Flycatcher... or Semi-collared? (W France) (1 Viewer)

[kuzeycem]

Staying clear from the discussion, here's my two cents.
Being a 1cy, the bird has darker/blackish uppertail and uppertail coverts than would be expected for SC.
The pattern of t6 on the spread tail shot doesn't look very promising, and neither does the tertial pattern, especially the lower tertial still shows substantial widening. Nevertheless, apparently Euro. Pied can also show tertial pattern almost identical to Semicollared (see this bird: European Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca). Birds of Belarus.)
The primary base patch is also too small for Semicollared, even a 1cy female SC should show a larger one. This bird barely has a 'streak' of white.
Re. the median coverts bar: a pretty much useless feature in 1cy. All of them show it. In Semicollared usually slightly better marked but much overlap.
Finally, the appearance of median coverts bar CAN change. Lower scapulars can cloak a part of the bar depending on the birds posture.

 

[Brian J Small]

This is a first-winter Pied Flycatcher - I see no features outside the range of that; the white tips to median coverts are within variability of Pied - see the first Pied Fly pic in this article Autumn flycatchers photo ID guide

No doubt some are very difficult (impossible?) in first-autumn plumage, but I would like to see more white at the base of the primaries on the closed wing if Semi-c. See - Kuwait - Part 2 and Semicollared Flycatcher (Ficedula semitorquata). Birds of Ukraine.

The arrowmarked feather is the outer primary, which is displaced and the light catching it. There is virtually no white at the base of the closed wing on the op pix.

Brian

 

[kuzeycem]

This is a first-winter Pied Flycatcher - I see no features outside the range of that; the white tips to median coverts are within variability of Pied - see the first Pied Fly pic in this article Autumn flycatchers photo ID guide

No doubt some are very difficult (impossible?) in first-autumn plumage, but I would like to see more white at the base of the primaries on the closed wing if Semi-c. See - Kuwait - Part 2 and Semicollared Flycatcher (Ficedula semitorquata). Birds of Ukraine.

The arrowmarked feather is the outer primary, which is displaced and the light catching it. There is virtually no white at the base of the closed wing on the op pix.

Brian

That Ukranian bird looks like a Collared, doesn't it?

 

[Gduff]

Thanks a lot. Appreciate your useful help !