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  1. J

    Taxonomy in-flux updates

    This is mentioned in the TiF page: TiF Checklist: GRUAE II: Charadriiformes Apparently the chimera in an earlier version of the paper has now been corrected and the revised sequence places Lymnocryptes with the dowitchers genetically, but the paper groups it with woodcocks for morphological...
  2. J

    Yet another thread on eponyms... But this one might actually be fun!

    Shame to see that this thread has started to develop in the same way as previous threads about eponyms. Anyway, to get back to the discussion Maffong started, I'd like to suggest that a renamed Cetti's Warbler becomes a Bush Warbler, in line with the other species in the family. Personally I...
  3. J

    Yehliu Geopark, Wanli District TW-New Taipei City, November 2024

    Thanks Grahame. You're probably right that it's Narcissus. This is a difficult species pair in this plumage and I try to be aware of the risk of overlooking Ryukyu away from the core breeding range. It's only relatively recently (past 15-20 years) that it's been understood that some Ryukyu do...
  4. J

    Yehliu Geopark, Wanli District TW-New Taipei City, November 2024

    The contrast/pattern that Grahame mentions is common to many flycatchers, which retain juvenile tertials/coverts that have pale tips/fringes, often with a hook along the feather shaft. There should be plenty of references describing this as a way to age these species (especially if you can get...
  5. J

    Yehliu Geopark, Wanli District TW-New Taipei City, November 2024

    Could it be a Ryukyu Flycatcher? I'm struggling to be sure on the upperpart tone, but it looks slightly green-tinged on my screen. It also has yellow in the centre of the underparts, but I'm not sure if this is actual colour or staining from vegetaton. The fringes to the tertials look broader...
  6. J

    What type of Shrike in Yunnan, China, December?

    I find this a slightly confusing bird. I agree that the mantle colour seems too pale for Burmese and the grey seems too extensive, plus the orange flanks and long tail point that way. But the head pattern is wrong for schach Long-tailed - the mask is poorly defined and much too broad behind...
  7. J

    Doi Inthanon NP - Sunbird species...?

    The second photo shows a bird with a reddish head, which I think should confirm this as Mrs Gould's. From my memory, this was the commonest sunbird when I visited Doi Inthanon. The other two birds are still in moult and the backlit photos are pretty difficult to ID. I'm not sure about ID for...
  8. J

    Swallow in Botswana, 11/24

    It seems to be a young bird, which are usually slightly duller and browner than the adults. But I think the main reason it looks unfamiliar is probably to do with moult & wear. This bird has not moulted any of the primaries, and most of the body feathers are also retained. After a few months in...
  9. J

    Need a help with this duck...

    It's probably not a good idea to list this as a pure Marbled Duck if you know that it is not. Can I suggest that a better option would be to enter this as 'Duck sp.', including the photos, with a note to give the hybrid identity. You could then try contacting eBird and ask if they can create a...
  10. J

    Nanjicheon park, Seoul, Bunting?

    It actually looks more like a female Common Rosefinch to me - rather plain overall colour, not heavily streaked, weak head pattern (eg no obvious supercilium), pale fringes to tertials, forked tail. Checking on eBird, it seems like that is also unusual in Korea so late in the season. Pallas's...
  11. J

    Common Reed Bunting sexing - November 2024, Hong Kong

    Male. The black bib is very clear on the view from the front. At the start of the winter, the black head feathers have paler tips, giving a pattern than resembles females. The black is exposed by wear of the feather tips. As well as the breast, you can see darker bases to the feathers of the...
  12. J

    Khao Yai NP Thailand - Drongo, Flycatcher and unknown grey bird...

    Hair-crested Drongo (blue gloss on neck, large bill, tail curved up at the sides) I agree with Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher The last one is definitely a cuckooshrike. I think the tail pattern fits Black-winged rather than Indochinese.
  13. J

    Isan Thailand - Ashy Minivet's ??

    Yes, Ashy Minivets
  14. J

    Khao Yai NP Thailand - Cuckoo or... and raptor species, barbet species? Ashy drongo....

    Maybe an immature male Violet Cuckoo? Similar to this bird but not quite as advanced in moult: ML620949646 - Violet Cuckoo - Macaulay Library The raptor looks like Crested Goshawk. And Ashy Drongo of the subspecies leucogenis (pale body, white cheek patch)
  15. J

    Gruiformes and Charadriiformes

    A useful discussion of some differences here: Identifying subspecies of Little Ringed Plovers I'm not convinced it's a species-level difference, but molecular work would be informative.
  16. J

    Odd Snipe

    Based on the features I would use here (in Hong Kong) to distinguish Pin-tailed/Swinhoe's from Common Snipe, it doesn't look like Pin-tailed/Swinhoe's to me - for example broad dark loral stripe, dark cheek bar, long bill, long tail and broad yellow 'tramlines' along the back. If you're...
  17. J

    Flycatcher, Bangkok, Thailand, 7 Nov 2024

    It looks fine for female/fist winter male Green-backed to me. Female Narcissus shouldn't be yellow on the breast like this bird. Not Brown-breasted, which should have a longer bill with pale lower mandible (usually quite obvious), browner back (no olive tones as on this bird) and no yellow on...
  18. J

    Isan Thailand - Lesser Whistling Duck, another Duck, Jacana's ...?

    e) Agree with Lesser Whistling Duck. I can't see anything else in the picture with many birds, but may have missed something. f) Garganeys - note that they are browner than Cotton Pygmy Goose with a larger bill. With Cotton Pygmy Goose in the background of photo 6539 for comparison g)...
  19. J

    Isan, Thailand - Little Grebe, Chinese Pond Heron, Little Cormorant, Cotton Pygmee Goose ....?

    a) Yes, Little Grebes b) Pond Heron sp. It's really difficult to separate species outside the breeding season. Chinese is perhaps more likely, but Javan may be possible. They wouldn't be in breeding plumage at this time of year, which may be why you haven't seen any. c) Agree, Little Cormorant...
  20. J

    Prinia species, Delhi, India

    The thin, black bill and short supercilium don't really fit Plain Prinia. It's a bit confusing because the shadow on the head in the 2nd photo makes this appear greyer. What about Grey-breasted? It is present in the Delhi area and has a rufous back. Some photos show a rufous crown, presumably a...
  21. J

    Pin-tailed snipes? - China

    With broad loral stripe, dark cheek bar, long bills and obvious yellow 'braces' on the back, I agree that these are Common Snipe. Interesting that one seems to have injured its bill at some point in the past (now healed, but with a bend).
  22. J

    Pallas's Leaf Warbler or Yellow-Browed Warbler

    Pallas's Leaf Warbler. Despite the name, the supercilium is brighter yellow on Pallas's than on Yellow-browed, especially in front of the eye (as seen here).
  23. J

    unknown Dushu Lake - China

    Female Daurian Redstart - the brown body and red tail show this is a redstart and you can just see the white panel in the wing.
  24. J

    Jaegers, Gulf of Thailand, October 22

    Isn't it Bridled? There seems like too much black in the wing for Aleutian. I agree the first jaeger looks good for Pomarine, but I'm terrible with Jaegers, so I'll leave the 2nd bird for others
  25. J

    Juvenile robin in Sichuan, China, July

    Golden and White-browed Bush-Robin do have photos of juveniles available online: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/57386721 https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/57386731 https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/377529281 As mentioned before by Andy, these seem to have slightly more prominent pale...
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