A few odds and sods from Fuerteventura last week? (1 Viewer)

[KenM]

1st image- a cock Linnet, albeit with a ''leucistic rose'' rump?

2nd image- a ''runt'' Ringed Plover?

3rd image- a well marked Mipit (I believe ALL Ipits) are scarce on the Island.

4th/5th images- possible LLBuzzard candidates?

Cheers

 

[Steve Lister]

The Buzzards on Fuerteventura are regarded as Common Buzzards with some similarities to Long-legged. There was an article about them somewhere recently.

Steve

 

[Andy Adcock]

The Buzzards on Fuerteventura are regarded as Common Buzzards with some similarities to Long-legged. There was an article about them somewhere recently.

Steve

Long-legged wouldn't show the white bar on the undwerwing I don't think without checking, a constant feature of Common Buzzard of all races?

Does vulpinus occur?




A

 

[KenM]

Here are a few more shots- overall the individual birds involved, perhaps a half dozen plus, had this consistent rufous tint sometimes less/more, either to tail or under-wing, often with a pale head/chest against darker lower belly and trousers (perhaps not unlike RLB in some respects). And all seemed to have an almost consistent ''isolated'' dark carpal patch to the elbow, agreed as variable as CB's are, these clearly have different cosmetics.

 

[miami]

The Pipit looks like a Red-throated. They winter in very small numbers most years.. Just out of curiosity, where exactly did you see in Ken ? im out again at the end of Jan for a month, and ill check the area..

 

[KenM]

The Pipit looks like a Red-throated. They winter in very small numbers most years.. Just out of curiosity, where exactly did you see in Ken ? im out again at the end of Jan for a month, and ill check the area..

Miami Hi,

I drove North past the airport on the TV2 until I crossed the Barranco, reasoning that the TV2 would pass over it. Parked in the first gravel lay-by opposite the garage, walked back South c100m or so, and traversed the sand/stone dune until I hit the Barranco track (that ran underneath the road) then followed it NW until I hit the first dam (c35 mins), then another 10 mins. before hitting the trickle, and perhaps another 45 mins. before I (probably unwisely turned back) had a dinner date with the missus!...and I never connected with the Dwarf Bittern.....:-C

FWIW I found a RTP well imaged, Xmas 3 years ago...in a ''dry'' field habitat, this was quite rufous, unlike the imaged bird, having said that....I've seen Classic RTP's on Cyprus with others...that didn't have ''braces'' and could have passed for contrasty mipits.

Best of luck.

 

[KenM]

Here's perhaps a better image of the Plover?

Cheers

 

[miami]

Hi Ken, Why dont you post the pic in the Bird ID section, as it could possibly a Semipalmated Plover ?

 

[KenM]

Hi Ken, Why dont you post the pic in the Bird ID section, as it could possibly a Semipalmated Plover ?

I believe the leg colour is wrong for that species miami, at the time we were rushing back for the cab to take us back to the airport. It was at least 25% smaller than the accompanying RP's, LRP has been suggested, however I think the bill might be somewhat heavier for the latter, also I've never knowingly seen LRP at the rocks on site, Kentish and RP being the only other Charadrius plovers seen by myself (other visiting birders may have better information?). Unfortunately I had no time to linger and scrutinise, makes you wonder how many birders have found themselves in this type of situation...a potentially interesting bird...but having to rush off and leave it?

Cheers

 

[KenM]

It has been suggested that the race C.tundrae (smaller and perhaps darker) might be a candidate?

Cheers

 

[KenM]

The Pipit looks like a Red-throated. They winter in very small numbers most years.. Just out of curiosity, where exactly did you see in Ken ? im out again at the end of Jan for a month, and ill check the area..

I'm beginning to wonder whether you are indeed correct miami? Adult Ripit is a fairly straightforward exercise, however 1st Winters (perhaps the ones most likely to peregrinate further?), have a lot of overlap with well marked Mipits. Apart from the original image taken in the Dwarf Bittern barranca, I imaged another Ipit in another barranca to the North of the previous. Both birds had ''contrasty'' median/greater covert bars and braces! both looked a little Olivey grey on the uppers, and appeared to have clean white unders with black striations. Seeing as the Island is no stranger to Sibes, I'm wondering how reliable the Mipit sightings might be overall, as the perception might just be that being commoner on mainland Europe, that would also transfer further South?...Dunno just a thought!....Indeed image 4 appears to show a ''warm'' tint abutting the braces on the neck.

 

[CharlesFentiman]

Hi Ken, as you know I rather agree with Miami that the Pipit looks more like a Red-throated rather than Meadow but I recall from one of your posts (it may be your excellent trip report) that you felt that there may not be enough streaking to the rump. Also, I think you mentioned somewhere that you didn't associate RTP with wet habitats and thought the Barranca's might not be optimum habitat for them.
I did an image search and found some footage that suggests that the rump is not always heavily marked with an example that suggests that your flight shot is not a bad fit. If you look at some of the other U-Tube clips you will also find one at waters edge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jzxaz8A_C9U
Cheers
Charles

 

[Mark Lew1s]

Hi Ken, as you know I rather agree with Miami that the Pipit looks more like a Red-throated rather than Meadow but I recall from one of your posts (it may be your excellent trip report) that you felt that there may not be enough streaking to the rump. Also, I think you mentioned somewhere that you didn't associate RTP with wet habitats and thought the Barranca's might not be optimum habitat for them.
I did an image search and found some footage that suggests that the rump is not always heavily marked with an example that suggests that your flight shot is not a bad fit. If you look at some of the other U-Tube clips you will also find one at waters edge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jzxaz8A_C9U
Cheers
Charles

Why isn't the bird in the video a meadow pipit?

 

[Grahame Walbridge]

Unmarked rump and upper tail coverts confirm its a Meadow.

Grahame

 

[CharlesFentiman]

You may be right about the bird in the video (I used the link for the collection of clips accessible from the link). I had been looking at several clips and didn't think to check that the bird was correctly identified - I couldn't see much information about where the image was taken. Whoever posted this image on U-Tube seems to have thought it was red throated but I do see your point as more than just the rump suggest meadow. The collection of videos might help Ken though as most seem to be correctly identified including one singing!

 

[KenM]

You may be right about the bird in the video (I used the link for the collection of clips accessible from the link). I had been looking at several clips and didn't think to check that the bird was correctly identified - I couldn't see much information about where the image was taken. Whoever posted this image on U-Tube seems to have thought it was red throated but I do see your point as more than just the rump suggest meadow. The collection of videos might help Ken though as most seem to be correctly identified including one singing!

Thanks Charles the videos were most helpful, as were some of the 1st Winter images on the web. I'm thinking that my ''still'' images (2 birds/2 locations), seem ambiguously challenging to say the least....bright contrasty coverts/braces, with warm tints here and there. Some interesting birds on the net with some individuals appearing to show almost un-streaked rumps.

Bit like Redpolls!.....can be bloody variable particularly with 1st Winters, not unlike Mipits.

Cheers

 

[GWB77]

I'm beginning to wonder whether you are indeed correct miami? Adult Ripit is a fairly straightforward exercise, however 1st Winters (perhaps the ones most likely to peregrinate further?), have a lot of overlap with well marked Mipits. Apart from the original image taken in the Dwarf Bittern barranca, I imaged another Ipit in another barranca to the North of the previous. Both birds had ''contrasty'' median/greater covert bars and braces! both looked a little Olivey grey on the uppers, and appeared to have clean white unders with black striations. Seeing as the Island is no stranger to Sibes, I'm wondering how reliable the Mipit sightings might be overall, as the perception might just be that being commoner on mainland Europe, that would also transfer further South?...Dunno just a thought!....Indeed image 4 appears to show a ''warm'' tint abutting the braces on the neck.

Images 2-4 are of a Meadow Pipit. Do you have any further images of bird #1? Furthermore, did you note any calls, as the call of Red-throated Pipit is notably distinct from Meadow Pipit.

 

[KenM]

Images 2-4 are of a Meadow Pipit. Do you have any further images of bird #1? Furthermore, did you note any calls, as the call of Red-throated Pipit is notably distinct from Meadow Pipit.

Images 2-5 are the same bird, 1st image is the only image (didn't call when it flew, as didn't the 2nd bird....am also aware of the vocal differences between Rip and Mip.). Have also found classic RTP on previous visits to the island (of the red variety with contrasty braces), Further to these birds, I've also encountered small parties during Spring on Cyprus, classic and non-classic, several birds still resonate, 1st Winter RTP's without any rufous or braces, with most of the party having the previous requisites. I can remember many years ago encountering a large flock of mipits on the reservoir banks (London..when they were more numerous), composed of ''olivey'', ''warm brown'' and ''grey brown'' individuals, mostly without braces, but some with!...a variable group at best, here's one from a previous visit, of the classic variety.

cheers

 

[KenM]

I've had a private request to resurrect this ''problem plover'', FWIW here are the remaining images of the said bird.

Cheers

 

[Houbara2]

I'm beginning to wonder whether you are indeed correct miami? Adult Ripit is a fairly straightforward exercise, however 1st Winters (perhaps the ones most likely to peregrinate further?), have a lot of overlap with well marked Mipits. Apart from the original image taken in the Dwarf Bittern barranca, I imaged another Ipit in another barranca to the North of the previous. Both birds had ''contrasty'' median/greater covert bars and braces! both looked a little Olivey grey on the uppers, and appeared to have clean white unders with black striations. Seeing as the Island is no stranger to Sibes, I'm wondering how reliable the Mipit sightings might be overall, as the perception might just be that being commoner on mainland Europe, that would also transfer further South?...Dunno just a thought!....Indeed image 4 appears to show a ''warm'' tint abutting the braces on the neck.

Just to confirm, Meadow Pipit is a fairly common winter visitor to Fuerteventura. I have regularly seen flocks of a dozen or so on the fields at La Oliva for example, and they are present all winter. Red-throated is much less common. You may be interested in the appendix list of birds in my book 'A Walk Through Fuerteventura' which identifies status of all birds on the island. For me, photo 1 has strong similarities to the bird I photographed on Lizard Point on 8th (see separate post), particularly in the white, strongly streaked underparts and contrasting black and white pattern on the back. On the basis that most people agree the Lizard bird was a Red-throated, this would appear also to be one. But the other photos are surely Meadow Pipit, as the flight shot seems to show an olive, un-streaked rump.