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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Recent content by Grahame Walbridge

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    Ficedula flycat, today at Marrakesh, Morocco.

    Regarding tail pattern, both 2CY male speculigera and iberiae can exhibit white in the tail (see links below) i.e retained juvenile feathers. Compare 2CY Atlas Pied https://ebird.org/checklist/S65092918 The reduced and 'divided' white forehead patch, extent and shape of white mid wing panel +...
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    Tibetan or Siberian Sand-Plover? Tajikistan

    Male Tibetan Sand Plover, possibly ssp atifrons hence the solid black forehead, note also broad breast band and rather slight bill with short nail, rounded head etc. Siberian exhibits an extensive white forehead, deeper orange breast band, greyish blotched lower flanks and stubbier bill. Grahame
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    Besra or Shikra, Taiwan

    Precisely, it is a Crested Goshawk, note 6 fingers (versus 5 in Besra and Shikra) and wingshape; short, rounded hand and very rounded secondaries pinched in at base Undertail shows 4-5 dark bars ML91272001 - Crested Goshawk - Macaulay Library Also note strong bill and finely barred thighs...
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    Sunbird female id help pls. S Thailand

    Green-tailed only occurs at altitude (>1,500) and consequently has a very restricted range in the south i.e Khao Luang NP. Looks like a female Crimson with IMO, very dull plumage, lacks any semblance of a supercilium, the underside of tail is misleading due to lighting, small pale tips are OK...
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    Rishiri Island, Hokkaido, Japan - bird identification

    Its a Japanese Bush Warbler Ross. Gerben mentions size variability which is due to sexual dimorphism, males appreciably larger than females. Sakhalin Grasshopper has a totally different structure; bill is heavier, P1 is much shorter, pp is much longer, undertail coverts are long and tail is...
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    Brabant Netherlands - Greater Whitethroat maybe...?

    To reaffirm and expand on Alexander's comments above, sexing and ageing of Greater Whitethroat is a lot trickier than most people realise, even in the hand. Suggest you read Martin Cade's post here 1st May which highlights the main issues faced even by the most experienced ringers. Just to be...
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    Please help id which Sub Yellow Wagtail or Hybrid? Zhangjiagang city, East of China

    With green admixed in the crown and ear coverts + thin yelliow supercilium one might easily conclude this is an example of a tschuschensis x taivana intergrade which, according to Alstrom and Mild may not exist. They mention 'birds with yellowish supercilium and often some greenish spots on the...
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    Please help id which Sub Yellow Wagtail-Nanjing city,Jiangsu,China

    It is either plexa (aka eastern thunbergi depending on taxonomy) or macronyx, the extent of dark onto the forehead and dark necklace perhaps more suggestive of the former. Grahame
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    Pha Taem NP Thailand - Blue Rock Thrush again, Bulbul, Flycatcher...?

    The Muscicapa is an Asian Brown, face/head pattern + structural elements confirm. Gerben, Grey-streaked is a very rare bird in SE Asia with a mere handful of records from Vietnam and a couple of very recent records from the Thai-Malay peninsula; a bird wintered in southernmost Thailand (Dec...
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    Identification- India. Help!

    Black-chinned Babbler. Grahame
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    Pha Taem NP Thailand - 2 x Flycatcher, Purple Sunbird...?

    1-2 Asian Brown Flycatcher 3-4 Yes, Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher 5-6 Male Ornate (aka Olive-backed) Sunbird, the orange pectoral tufts are invariably hidden and often not even mentioned in literature see ML122974801 - Ornate Sunbird - Macaulay Library Grahame
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    Which short toed lark? W of Tehran. Iran

    Clearly one of 'LSTL' complex Andy, bill colour/structure, streaking on breast sides a/l, short tertials + long pp with 3 well-spaced tips confirm. Turkestan is the only species in range. Grahame
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    Which short toed lark? W of Tehran. Iran

    Turkestan Short-toed Lark Grahame
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    Unusual 'Yellow' Wagtail, Matzu Islands, Taiwan, April 2024

    Except that, according to Alstrom & Mild (2003), leucocephala appears to be isolated from any western taxa. It has though been found breeding within the range of macronyx in northern Mongolia and there may be limited contact with tschutschensis in northwest Mongolia. Further, this would not...
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    White or Pied Wagtail (UK)

    1st-w fem alba, age confirmed by obvious moult-limit in greater coverts, 2 innermost (GC 9 & 10) replaced fresh adult type with broad grey tips contrasting with worn juvenile feathers with narrow white tips. Useful reference...
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