Wood Warbler? - Lake District (1 Viewer)

[Alexjh1]

I spotted this little fellow along the edge of Derwant Water earlier this week - I'm prety sure it's a wood warbler, but as with any bird I've never seen before, I like to get confirmation on these things.

Thanks in advance!

 

[IanF]

Looks more like a Willow Warbler to me both from the colours and the setting.

Wood Warbler has a lovely vibrant lemon yellow and a clear white belly.

 

[shrikebirder]

I'd go with wood warbler, they definitely breed around Derwent.
The breast looks quite yellowey as well

 

[Espen]

i agree with willow.

 

[shrikebirder]

Looks like I might be proved wrong- am I allowed to switch?

 

[Alexjh1]

I'd actually come to wood in the first place on the basis the stomach was white and the face a bright yellow?

 

[JWN Andrewes]

I'd actually come to wood in the first place on the basis the stomach was white and the face a bright yellow?

I do see what you mean, but Wood Warbler would usually be even yellower, with the white a lot cleaner looking, and the upperparts a cleaner looking yellowish green, although all of these can vary, and anomolous birds are not unknown. The one thing for me that says Willow rather than Wood above all else is the lack of any clean looking yellowish green edges to the coverts and along the edges of the primaries.

Cheers

James

 

[phil baber]

Alex,

Have you got any more photos of this bird?

Showing wings and full-face for instance?

 

[Espen]

here's a thread showing a very clear wood, note the lemon eyestripe and fully white underpartshttp://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=197625

 

[KenM]

Short of better images showing more structure, I'm thinking Wood Warbler...birds with reduced yellow and green pigmentation are not unknown, see Collins. From personal experience I have seen one bird with muted pigmentation as shown, for me the clearly demarcated pale yellow bib area, against the 'hard' white underparts are compelling enough for me to favour sibilatrix over Willow.

 

[nickderry]

I see a wood warbler - muted colours sure, but willow doesn't show that clear distinction between yellow and white.

 

[Alexjh1]

I do have a couple more photos, tho unfortunatly none of them are a straight clear shot, but between them you might be able to get something more out of them:

 

[KenM]

I believe the perfectly rounded bib against the snow white belly in image one, strongly suggest Wood over Willow.

cheers

 

[Stew]

But what about the short undertail coverts, usually very long in Wood? Not sure it can be told for certain from these photos but think I favour Willow

 

[lou salomon]

i think it's a bright willow warbler (rarely that i disagree with nick but primary projection would be longer than the one in this bird - wingtip seems to end about where the blossom margin is. usually strikingly longer in wood warbler, the latter thus giving the impressionof having a short tail (and slightly more notched than willow). plus the features that james mentioned in #7.
http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=319031&d=1302990405
http://www.netfugl.dk/pictures.php?id=showpicture&picture_id=33365:smoke:

 

[nickderry]

i think it's a bright willow warbler (rarely that i disagree with nick but primary projection would be longer than the one in this bird - wingtip seems to end about where the blossom margin is. usually strikingly longer in wood warbler, the latter thus giving the impressionof having a short tail (and slightly more notched than willow). plus the features that james mentioned in #7.
http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=319031&d=1302990405
http://www.netfugl.dk/pictures.php?id=showpicture&picture_id=33365:smoke:

easier when you have the primary projection to work with! I agree that bright willow looks better now, but that really is the most contrast I've seen on one.

 

[Alexjh1]

So, from what people are saying - am I right in understanding it's atypical of whichever of the two it might be?

If so to just throw these ideas out there as someone who knows bog all about warblers - is there any possibility it could be either a) something more exotic, or b) a hybrid of some sort?

 

[birdboybowley]

Just a bog-standard bright Willow for me.....

 

[hagar1]

i would stick with willow look at photo of wood warbler in Greece thread very yellow indeed :t:

 

[redeyedvideo]

- is there any possibility it could be either a) something more exotic, or b) a hybrid of some sort?

a) No, b) No

It's a Willow Warbler in typical spring plumage, the song would have nailed it.