Identification Articles and Photos

….will probably reign for ever more unless the bird is trapped. Could it even be Acadian? Information from the USA’s Cornell Lab of Ornithology states:

Alder Flycatcher is difficult to distinguish from the Willow Flycatcher by any feature other than voice.

Song is the only definitive way to tell them apart. However, measurements of crown color with a colorimeter, together with other measures of wing shape, bill and tail, may be able to distinguish birds in the hand that are not calling.

Willow and Alder flycatchers do not respond to playback of recordings of each other’s songs, even where their ranges overlap.

Willow Flycatcher has a thin white eyering which may be lacking. (The Nanjizal bird has a very obvious one)

The distribution/migration maps show Alder Flycatcher to migrate only on the eastern side of America to its wintering quarters in Nothern south America, whereas Willow, migrates south across the whole of central America to winter in central and southern America.

The photos below all show WILLOW Flycatcher. I have trawled through 100′s of photos of Willow and cant find many that show (a) as bold, bright wingbars as the Nanjizal bird and (b) as prominant an eyering as the Nanjizal bird? On the other hand all the literature states they can only be seperated on call.

Paul Freestone (c) Cornwall Birding 2008.

For those of you who don’t know, there is an ‘acro’ at Nanquidno that appears to be causing a few ID headaches. The views of many birders who have seen ‘it’ are varied. Some are saying its a Marsh, some Eastern Reed Warbler and others just a Eurasian Reed Warbler. Read more »

Below are a few more images of the Buff-breasted Sandpipers at Davidstow Airfield yesterday. Many thanks to Steve Rogers (SW Optics) for submitting them.

With the bulk of the Seawatching season over and birders eyes now looking towards rare and scarce landbirds, we thought we would share with you these excellent images taken by Steve Rogers from August’s Scillonian III Pelagic, capturing the Storm Petrel in its hostile environment.

Heres some more superb shots of the Juvenile Osprey currently on the Estuary at Hayle. Thanks to regular Cornwall Birding contributor John H Johns for submitting them.

Osprey on the Hayle Estuary 27/08/08 (Photos:JH Johns)

Unfortunately this well watched male hasn’t been seen for two days so below are a few stunning images taken by Mark Halliday to refresh your memory!

For copies of these or any of the images on Cornwall Birding please contact us.

Below are a few excellent images of Roseate and Little Terns that graced the beach between Marazion and Long Rock yesterday, 18th May. Thanks to Mark Halliday for submitting them.

Thought we would share these excellent images of a Yellow Wagtail Moticilla Flava, so called ‘dombrowski‘. This subspecies is believed to be an integrade between feldegg and probably flava or beema. Images kindly submitted to Cornwall Birding by Adam Boyns. This bird and two White Wagtails were at St Gothian Sands NR, Gwithian on Monday 5th May 2008.

Yellow Wagtail, St Gothian Sands NR. (photos:A.Boyns)

Below are photographs kindly submitted by R.Bullock of a Jackdaw at Copperhouse Library Car Park on 12th April showing characteristics of the ‘Nordic’ race Corvus m.monedula. Any thoughts?

possible ‘Nordic’ Jackdaw, Copperhouse (Photos:R.Bullock)

Although captured on film many times, you never can get bored of seeing shots like these! Nature in the raw as a Sparrowhawk captures an unwary Collared Dove. Superb images from John Johns.

(Photos:J.H.Johns)

There appears to be some debate over the recent Scaup sp. at Dozmary and Siblyback reservoirs. The bird appears to have a very rounded head, lacking the peaked rear crown of Lesser and shows a green, rather than purple gloss on its head. It has been observed in flight and may show a shortish wing bar. Anyone else have any thoughts on this bird? Please add your comments below.

Here is a selection of Photos by Cornwall Birding’s Mark Halliday taken at Newlyn today. Superbly captured, great images as we have come to expect from Mark.

(c) Cornwall Birding Images 2008

okay so it’s not in Cornwall, as much as we wish it was, but Spanish birder Rafael Armada sent in some shots of this Yankee gem after he twitched it from Barcelona!

(Photos (c) Rafael Armada)

It appears the jury is out on this one. It appears that there are some salient features on the plumage that point to Hume’s but the call is thought by many to be that of Yellow-browed Warbler, although Hume’s do a YB Warbler type call which is the common call in India. Matt Sallis has kindly submitted a few shots of this bird at Tehidy (below). What are your opinions? Feel free to comment below.

We have had a response from Julian Hough of New Haven, Conneticut, USA stating that the photos of the Semi P published earlier HERE on Cornwall Birding, do indeed show a moulting adult of this species. Julian goes on to say, “Basically grey-white appearance with mottled breast band, nice supercilium and darkish earcoverts and bill shape and length all fit perfectly.”

Our thanks go to Julian for his clarification on this bird, a species he has much experience with in the States.

Here are the long awaited shots (courtesy of Nick Bond) of the possible Semipalmated Sandpiper at Carnsew Pool on 22nd August 2007. The bird was eventually flushed by a peregrine, but general concencus leaned towards Semi P at the time. What do you think? Let us know your thoughts HERE at Cornwall Birding.