Taking a bath - Spain (1 Viewer)

[valhondo]

Hello all.

Last sunday I was hidden near this little river in the central part of Spain. It was really hot and a lot of birds came to drink and take a bath. I could identify all of the rest, but I don´t know what this one can be. A lot of the visitors were young birds from this last spring; I don't know if that's the case with this one.

What's your bet?

Thanks a lot.

 

[Motmot]

Hard to say, possibly a young Whitethroat (Sylvia communis).

 

[Szabo Jozsef]

Hi Valhondo,

Sincerely i saw something similar several years ago was grey on it's back and head and the rest of the body was white, we've caught it and turned out to be a robin with some aberrant colors. Obviously your bird (giving the shape of it's head) not a leucistic robin but more probably a leucistic sylvia warbler or ?

J

 

[Lappkrabben]

This is a hard one trying to identify from this photos. I can't help you with more than just saying i agree with sylvia-warbler (by the shape of the whole bird). Although i think lesser whitethroat is a candidate, the lesser whitethroat is á rare bird in spain (as i can remember, wich off course could be wrong).

As mentioned before i also think it might has some mis-colouration. The bill/beak looks too pale. I do not know if 1 cy sardinian or common whitethroat could be options.

Sorry but the id. on this one is too difficult for me.

Kind regards/Mattias

 

[valhondo]

Thanks for your replies.

I thought it was a warbler, with that head and beak, but could not find which one in my guide. As I just have a general guide with just a few drawings of each bird, I thought it could be a young bird, easier to find in a specific guide.

Lappkrabben, you're right, lesser whitethroat should be really rare; and more in this region.

The only adult warblers I saw while hidden there were blackcaps.

Regards,
Jesús

 

[Motmot]

Thanks for your replies.

I thought it was a warbler, with that head and beak, but could not find which one in my guide. As I just have a general guide with just a few drawings of each bird, I thought it could be a young bird, easier to find in a specific guide.

Lappkrabben, you're right, lesser whitethroat should be really rare; and more in this region.

The only adult warblers I saw while hidden there were blackcaps.

Regards,
Jesús

Hi Jesús,

Well, this is deffo not a Blackcap. The outer tailfeather showing a pale patch on the second pic, and the greater coverts dark centred with much paler margins on the first pic eliminate Blackcap. The most likely candidates to my eyes are either a juv/worn female Common Whitethroat or a first winter female Subalpine W. Iris looks very dark (pro juv) but colours look overburnt on these pics and the iris could be more colorful. Also a second year female could still show a fairly dark eye. Greater coverts fringes look thin (pro worn adult Common or many Subalpines). Bill looks too pale for almost any Sylvia (a bit better on second pic) but who knows its actual colours, same with head colours/eye-ring, tricky light.
Other poss Sylvia.A Sardinian Warbler looks very different. Same with Dartford's, Orphean and Garden. Spectacled should show more rufous on those wings even if worn I guess. Other than a Sylvia I can't think of any more candidates.
Cheers,

Eduardo

 

[valhondo]

Eduardo, thanks for your detailed reply. I'll try to remember those details.

It's a pitty the pictures are burnt and the details are not clear. There was sun and shadow were the birds came to the water and I didn´t always have time to change my settings before the bird flew away.

Cheers,
Jesús