2017 Western Palearctic Big Year (1 Viewer)

[Jon Turner]

Although there are usually several Rüppell's Vultures around the Tarifa area in late August/Sept you have to be very lucky indeed to hit the pay dirt with the 10th vulture you look at but then they were still luckier to get Eleonora's in the same area.

The only Ruppell's Vulture I've seen in the greater Tarifa area was a juv in a flock of about 300 Griffons near Jimena (all after a sheep carcase). Whenever I see a Vulture in the area I look carefully, must have looked at thousands over the years..... Must try harder obviously.

 

[PedroNicolau]

I don't remember the details of this, so was the Herring Gull they ticked safely reidentified as European? Shouldn't they then erase their tick? Or is the bird still open to debate?

The bird was initially identified by Peter Adriaens as a 3CY AHG I believe.
It stood around for an extended period of time and as it had a crippled wing it was somewhat easy to spot and never left the same place.
By April, the bird was starting to show a red orbital ring and legs were getting yellower. Someone questioned its ID on Facebook, and general consensus was michahellis, although Peter Adriaens defended this was a different bird due to some differences in plumage. However, later on, Yoav Pearlman posted some wing pictures of the moulted bird compared to February which showed it was indeed the same bird. The bird was not further discussed.

In my opinion, the bird was weird from the start, I was always intrigued by its ID. Arguing pro-smith with all those michahellis features doesn't seem logical to me.

I doubt this bird will even be submitted to the PRC so it will most likely just be forgotten. They should un-tick it in my opinion.

 

[Maffong]

Now the target list for regulars is down to 35

14 for Cape Verde
Fea's Petrel
Cape Verde Shearwater
Boyd's Shearwater
Cape Verde Storm Petrel
Red-billed Tropicbird
Brown Booby
Magnificent Frigatebird
Cape Verde Buzzard
Helmeted Guineafowl
Cape Verde Swift
Grey-headed Kingfisher
Raso Lark
Cape Verde Warbler
Iago Sparrow

8 for the Canaries
Houbara Bustard
Bolle's Pigeon
Laurel Pigeon
Nanday Parakeet
Fuerteventura Chat
Canary Islands Chiffchaff
Tenerife Blue Chaffinch
Gran Canaria Blue Chaffinch

3 for Iceland
Harlequin Duck
Barrow's Goldeneye
Gyrfalcon

2 for Varanger
Yellow-billed Loon
Steller's Eider

1 for Azores
Azores Bullfinch

8 Elsewhere
Sooty Shearwater
Lesser White-fronted Goose
Eurasian Dotterel
Sabine's Gull
Grey-headed Chickadee
Lesser Redpoll
Scottish Crossbill

I wonder where and when they'll try for those last eight and if maybe amongst them there will be a species that causes them any problems. Most interestingly I wonder about their stance on Scottish Crossbill. Also I believe Cackling Goose could be added to these targets as I've pointed out before

The only other rarity they could currently try for is Long-billed Dowitcher in Germany. Or is there anything else I've overlooked?

 

[Paul Chapman]

Also Long-billed Dowitcher in UK (Kent) where Sooty Shearwater, Sabine's Gull, Dotterel and Lesser Redpoll available today and perhaps Scottish Crossbill......

 

[Chris Bell]

Nanday Parakeet is not Cat C in Spain/ Canary Islands & is therefore by definition not tickable...

Albeit that there are probably more there than there ever were in Israel. 3

#blocker

 

[John Cantelo]

The only Ruppell's Vulture I've seen in the greater Tarifa area was a juv in a flock of about 300 Griffons near Jimena (all after a sheep carcase). Whenever I see a Vulture in the area I look carefully, must have looked at thousands over the years..... Must try harder obviously.

I've caught up with 4 Ruppell's in the greater Tarifa area (although most breaks in the area have, in theory at least, been family holidays) but, like you, must have checked thousands of Griffons over Alcala de los Gazules without success.

 

[RyanI]

Looks like they are getting to keep the martin on their list!

 

[neiltovey]

I fear the Martin will also end up in the not proven bucket

Got this from the WP team last night:

Hi! Happy news! Just got a very positive answer from Lars Svensson on the Diluta. He is certain it is one just like we thought. So congrats on finding a first for the WP. 🙂

So now we will write a report. There are features the excludes both Chinennsis and the sp Shelleyi and Eilata 🙂

They have updated their FB page as well. Of course I'm personally very excited but we await the RBR with baited breath....

 

[Paul Chapman]

Presumably this is an input error rather than a first for Europe?

Tagus area, Portugal , Portugal 17:32-17:54
Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala, 1
Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis, 1
Common House Martin Delichon urbicum, 1
Eurasian Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla, 1
Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus, 1
Common Blackbird Turdus merula, 1
Black-headed Weaver Ploceus melanocephalus, 1
Melodious Warbler Hippolais polyglotta, 1
Common Waxbill Estrilda astrild, 1
African Reed Warbler Acrocephalus baeticatus, 1
Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis, 1

All the best

 

[Maffong]

Nope. African Reed Warbler is the form of Reed Warbler that breeds in Iberia.
Compare here: http://www.magornitho.org/2016/12/phylogeny-eurasian-african-reed-warbler-complex/

 

[flownek]

Presumably this is an input error rather than a first for Europe?

African Reed Warbler Acrocephalus baeticatus, 1

Completely unclear taxonomy of the Reed Warbler complex starts to have an effect finally

 

[Nutcracker]

Presumably this is an input error rather than a first for Europe?

....
African Reed Warbler Acrocephalus baeticatus, 1

Nope. African Reed Warbler is the form of Reed Warbler that breeds in Iberia.
Compare here: http://www.magornitho.org/2016/12/phylogeny-eurasian-african-reed-warbler-complex/

Interesting to know how they verified it - presumably there's lots of [northern] European Reed Warblers migrating south through Iberia at the moment :eek!:

And I'd not be at all surprised if that split gets reversed with more complete genetic data in the future . . .

 

[dantheman]

Didn't they tick African Reed Warbler earlier in the year in Morocco? So not a new bird.

Reasonably distinct - there was a nice ID paper on the web somewhere, presumably covers the Iberian one too. But yes, not the ideal time to try and pick one out!

 

[dantheman]

Some discussion in the taxonomy subforum -

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=344199

 

[DanielDoer]

Also Long-billed Dowitcher in UK (Kent) where Sooty Shearwater, Sabine's Gull, Dotterel and Lesser Redpoll available today and perhaps Scottish Crossbill......

Looking at their itinerary they have planned a long time (actually with 10-25 the main part of September!) for England and Ireland. Seems to be too much time for the remaining species (see quote). Any other American waders left after Azores an UK in winter? And available at the moment? Or any interesting vagrants? Similar picture (but at the moment quite more speculative) for almost the whole Oct planned on Azores! Probably they should visit other parts of Europe for Eastern rarities in October as well (e.g. Heligoland!).

Depends pretty much on the quality of the autumn in general now how far their total number will reach.

 

[Paul Chapman]

Nope. African Reed Warbler is the form of Reed Warbler that breeds in Iberia.
Compare here: http://www.magornitho.org/2016/12/phylogeny-eurasian-african-reed-warbler-complex/

Some discussion in the taxonomy subforum -

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=344199

Many thanks both. Interesting. I sincerely hope the further work is done before I end up chasing a claimed vagrant Ambiguous (African) Reed Warbler in Britain!!

All the best

 

[lewis20126]

before I end up chasing a claimed vagrant Ambiguous (African) Reed Warbler in Britain!!

All the best

It would make a change from 'fuscus' Reed Warblers. I've managed to avoid such nonsense to date!

Back to the thread and I agree it will be interesting to see what the strategy is for the autumn. I'm sure 750 must be achievable now but much higher will depend on the quality of the autumn, eg a great October season on the Azores.

cheers, alan

 

[JeroenVanheuverswyn]

So they got Lesser White-fronted goose for 701 (or 700 or 699 or 698)
And a the latest blog contains their thoughts on the 3 questioned species.

 

[Paul Chapman]

It would make a change from 'fuscus' Reed Warblers. I've managed to avoid such nonsense to date!

cheers, alan

I can't believe that you managed to miss a mid-week trip to Filey Dams and crawling through the bushes!

So they got Lesser White-fronted goose for 701 (or 700 or 699 or 698)
And a the latest blog contains their thoughts on the 3 questioned species.

Link here - as always a good read with some good photos and excellent video of the Pied-billed Grebe:-

http://www.bigyearwp.com/index.php/2017/08/30/700/

I've been putting some historical records into eBird and recently added the Lesser White-fronted Goose that I have seen best - - https://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S38874527

What is the score with birds in Europe now generally? How many wild and unimpeachable? How many reintroductions? Or is it just impossible to tell?

All the best

 

[John Cantelo]

Reasonably distinct - there was a nice ID paper on the web somewhere, presumably covers the Iberian one too.

That must be a new definition of "reasonably distinct" given that several generations of excellent field observers never noticed any difference (esp. but not exclusively in Spain) until somebody peeked at their DNA - as yet not something easily done in the field!