Warbler near Amsterdam (1 Viewer)

[testoduro]

Hello. What is this bird? Picture taken last week. Thank you in advance!

 

[Richard Prior]

I’m thinking Western Bonelli’s Warbler going by the very white underparts and green in the wings - but not sure whether the species is to be expected in the Amsterdam area?

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello,

agree with Richard: with the bright green hues in the wing and tail its a Phylloscopus warbler.

As its a very young juvenile and features are still developing, going further is difficult for me and I hope for more comments. Thanks!

But if forced, I would opt for a Willow Warbler:

• appearant broken eye-ring, and nearly lack of it in the upper half is not good for a 1cy Western Bonellis Warbler
• with the bright and clear hues, it looks like many very young WW
• many young Chiffchaffs have darker or less bright legs and feet, and orangey ones are rare? But this is enhanced here by backlit situation and well exposure?
• But leg colour is good for quite a few young WW
• pp seems short at first, but they are still growing and its difficult to be sure here. Do you have more pictures?
• some at least young Chiffchaffs have more uniform darkish ear-coverts
• head-pattern seems better for WW imo.

Yes, I have seen many very young Chiffchaffs and WW, but this comment came out more confident than it is intended to be. As always: thanks...!

 

[Richard Prior]

Hello,

agree with Richard: with the bright green hues in the wing and tail its a Phylloscopus warbler.

As its a very young juvenile and Features are still developing, going further is difficult for me and I hope for more comments. Thanks!

But if forced, I would opt for a Willow Warbler:

• appearant broken eye-ring, and nearly lack of it in the upper half is not good for a 1cy Western Bonellis Warbler
• with the bright and clear hues, it looks like many very young WW
• many young Chiffchaffs have darker or less bright legs and feet, and orangey ones are rare? But this is enhanced here by backlit situation and well exposure?
• But leg colour is good for quite a few young WW
• pp seems short at First, but they are still growing and its difficult to be sure here. Do you have more pictures?
• some at least young Chiffchaffs have more uniform darkish ear-coverts
• head-pattern seems better for WW imo.

Yes, I habe seen many very young Chiffchaffs and WW, but this comment has more confident

I agrée, the broken eye ring doesn’t look good for Bonelli’s, but I (wrongly no doubt!) thought the total lack of yellow below was wrong for young Willow Warbler!

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello,

please note that the smooth, uniform, bright yellow underparts of WW are a feature of 1cy birds, while this bird still has the first belly-feathers from fledging, that are (regular?) paler/less yellow

 

[Richard Prior]

Hello,

please note that the smooth, uniform, bright yellow underparts of WW are a feature of 1cy birds, while this bird still has the first belly-feathers from fledging, that are (regular?) paler/less yellow

Ah, thanks A, in my home area WW is a passage migrant only, invariably 1CY, showing very yellow underparts!

 

[kuzeycem]

This seems to be a fully-fledged bird in 1st winter plumage, so I'd agree with Richard here. Primary projection and face pattern also don't fit WW.

 

[TheBlackGrouse]

I’m thinking Western Bonelli’s Warbler going by the very white underparts and green in the wings - but not sure whether the species is to be expected in the Amsterdam area?

They are extremely rare in the Netherlands and especially in the west. We gave it the name Mountain Warbler for a reason

It also depends on the definition of 'near'. For us in the Netherlands that's less than 25 km, I believe it's 250 km for Americans and I don't how Spanish people define it.

Still it's possible to see them close to Amsterdam.

 

[testoduro]

They are extremely rare in the Netherlands and especially in the west. We gave it the name Mountain Warbler for a reason

It also depends on the definition of 'near'. For us in the Netherlands that's less than 25 km, I believe it's 250 km for Americans and I don't how Spanish people define it.

Still it's possible to see them close to Amsterdam.

Hi, The Blackgrouse! The exact location of the observation is: Nationaalpark Zuid Kennermerland, dune-formation terrain by the North Sea coast, 25 kms west away from the capital. A spot which is as far away from any mountains as any place can possibly be.

 

[TheBlackGrouse]

Hi, The Blackgrouse! The exact location of the observation is: Nationaalpark Zuid Kennermerland, dune-formation terrain by the North Sea coast, 25 kms west away from the capital. A spot which is as far away from any mountains as any place can possibly be.

For us these dunes are mountains

Zuid-Kennemerland is a good area for rare warblers, in fact for all sorts of migrants and vagrants. You must have noticed the flooded areas, I was there two days ago, never seen something like that in the last 30 years.

 

[Earnest lad]

Hi, The Blackgrouse! The exact location of the observation is: Nationaalpark Zuid Kennermerland, dune-formation terrain by the North Sea coast, 25 kms west away from the capital. A spot which is as far away from any mountains as any place can possibly be.

I agree. The Netherlands are in fact, aptly named I am told.

 

[KenM]

FWIW here’s a shot taken in bright light, early am in the garden a few weeks ago of a young Chiffy.

 

[Grahame Walbridge]

A very brightly lit juvenile Common Chiffchaff IMO, note rump/utc colour + bare parts wrong for WBW. The OP appears in fresh plumage contra (adult) WBW which should heavily worn so late in the season.

Grahame

 

[Richard Prior]

A very brightly lit juvenile Common Chiffchaff IMO, note rump/utc colour + bare parts wrong for WBW. The OP appears in fresh plumage contra (adult) WBW which should heavily worn so late in the season.

Grahame

Thanks as always Grahame!