Lesser Whitethroat ? East London (1 Viewer)

[Andy Adcock]

I see what Andy means in the OP and I think the apparent white terminal tail band is due to the fact that the white outer tail feathers are longer than the inner ones, so when the tail is neatly folded like that they (the inner rectrices) don’t reach the tail tip.
I think

Or the inners are moulted thus absent?

 

[KenM]

The one that's a photo taken of a photo displayed on a screen? - that you have been repeatedly asked not to do?

Does it, or does it not, show quite graphically, the salient points that I referred to, in as much as fit for purpose?….something I’d find quite difficult to level at your goodself.🤣

 

[Richard Prior]

The bird came back today. It’s spent quite a bit of time in and out of the garden using the fat feeder. I’ve got a couple more pics that may be of more help which I’ll upload later. I’m trying really hard to get one of it on the feeder as it shows the whole of its back, but the little devil is so damn fast. It may take a bit of effort but hopefully I’ll be able to get one.

As you can see from the lively exchanges Liverbird, Birdforum is just like any family

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello Ken,

no offence you know, but:

the shade, paleness-value of the brownish and greyish hues on the head and neck, plus confident assesment of the contact/division area between them can be much better judged on the original.

Plus, at least I always have the feeling, that there might be additional features and/or more confidence with the original pictures than with only BOC=what am I missing until I can see the originals?

Both points are vital in (possible) ssp ID of Lesser WT

And no offence to all others: may I suggest a deal to you Ken?
You promise to come up with more (=all) of your interesting and helpful pictures/observations and threads here on BF. And I promise to ask for the original pictures and you add them when you find the time to do so (you know I am willing to wait).

Sounds like a good deal to me (yes, Canary Wharf came into my mind again)

Again: I hope this doesnt come out as an offence. If so, I will delete it. Because I can understand when someone hopes to see the original pictures that add to the value of your comments.

 

[KenM]

I acknowledge what your saying Alexander and will always show the original, if I think it makes a “material” difference.
However for me at least, expedience (difference in quality) is the consideration at all times.
FWIW adding the 3 RNP jpegs took 30 mins!

For one, my windows 7 computer is c20 years old and holds thousands of images (I’m a bit of a hoarder) thus the whole operation is slowed down somewhat when it comes to transferring from jpeg to comp, then to email…then to phone! added to which I’m a “tech luddite”.😩

As always no offence intended…and none taken.👍

 

[Andy Adcock]

I acknowledge what your saying Alexander and will always show the original, if I think it makes a “material” difference.
However for me at least, expedience (difference in quality) is the consideration at all times.
FWIW adding the 3 RNP jpegs took 30 mins!

For one, my windows 7 computer is c20 years old and holds thousands of images (I’m a bit of a hoarder) thus the whole operation is slowed down somewhat when it comes to transferring from jpeg to comp, then to email…then to phone! added to which I’m a “tech luddite”.😩

As always no offence intended…and none taken.👍

How?

Download to laptop, upload to BF, less than five minutes unless you're counting time spent in actually checking and choosing images?

 

[KenM]

How?

Download to laptop, upload to BF, less than five minutes unless you're counting time spent in actually checking and choosing images?

I elect to emailing my images to my phone because the retouching software therein is often superior to whats on my comp.

 

[Liverbird37]

Hi everyone. Hope you're all keeping well. Just an update. The bird has visited every day. Stays most of morning and then vanishes in the afternoon. I'm pleased to say I've managed to get more photos. I tried specifically to get its back. Just waiting on my daughter to get back at 3pm to upload them for me as I'm not very tech savvy I'm afraid.

I will attempt tomorrow to get some from outdoors rather than from inside the house. I snuck out today to see if I could get one and it didn't seem bothered I was there. Sadly a Blue Tit chased it just as I was about to take the pic. I will attempt again tomorrow. Will upload the pics later today.

Thank you all once again so very much for all the help and insight you have given. I'm so very grateful.

 

[Liverbird37]

Well the little fella seemed quite content in the garden today. Came in and out all day. Figured out how to bypass the squirrel buster to access the peanut feeder and happily used the sunflower seed feeder. Spent most of day eating the seeds from the buddleija heads I’d lazily left on. It’s out in the open pretty much all of the time. I think I expected it to be more of a skulking type of bird but it’s very confident. Hope these pics help a bit. I’ll try again from outside tomorrow.

 

[KenM]

Certainly an interesting specimen Liverbird, outside pics preferred, also a spread tail shot could be most useful…keep up the good work👍

Cheers

 

[01101001]

Spent most of day eating the seeds from the buddleija heads I’d lazily left on.

As a sidenote, thanks for helping me find the name of this plant I've seen in my neighbour's garden that attracted so many butterflies in the summer.

 

[Liverbird37]

I will try my best Ken. It was preening in one of those pics and I was praying it would spread the tail in my direction. Sadly it was in other direction. it stayed all day today so am hoping it’ll hang around a bit longer. It didn’t seem to mind when I went into garden. Fingers crossed I can get something of better quality.

 

[Liverbird37]

As a sidenote, thanks for helping me find the name of this plant I've seen in my neighbour's garden that attracted so many butterflies in the summer.

You´re very welcome. I had no idea to be honest that the birds would feed on the seedheads. I normally remove them to stop self seeding but think I’ll leave them now. Eryngium & Eupatorium are absolute magnets for butterflies too. Mine we’re both absolutely swamped by bees, butterflies and hoverflies last summer. The Goldfinches enjoyed teasing the seeds out of the Eryngium too.

 

[jogresh]

Glad you're enjoying having this unusual visitor to your garden Liverbird. Perhaps it's a blythi from Siberia?.. 🤔🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️
Don't be surprised if someone suggests you tape record it's contact calls, and scoop up some of its poop, for DNA analysis! 😀🤦‍♂️🐦🐦

 

[Liverbird37]

Glad you're enjoying having this unusual visitor to your garden Liverbird. Perhaps it's a blythi from Siberia?.. 🤔🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️
Don't be surprised if someone suggests you tape record it's contact calls, and scoop up some of its poop, for DNA analysis! 😀🤦‍♂️🐦🐦

Im not getting any work done that’s for sure 😂 As for being asked to do crazy things….I’m at that point already. I saw it preening yesterday and hovered in the hope a feather may have dropped out. I’d have chased it around the garden if I had to to get my hands on it (The feather that is) I’m keeping an ear out to see if it does make any call. I’m guessing if it’s Siberian it will disappear in the spring ?

I have been trying to get pics of it from in the garden rather than indoors which is proving pretty tricky. It’s not bothered about me being outdoors but the 30 odd Goldfinches that it comes into the garden with are. If one flies then they all fly. Gonna have to camp out there I think 😂

 

[Liverbird37]

Tried taking some pics outside. Heck it’s hard. It won’t stay still for more than a few seconds. Seemed oblivious to me watching it. It investigated more of the garden today, and came within a few feet of where I was sat but flew off before I had the camera properly focused. I will try the camera on sport mode to see if I can get it in movement rather than static.

I sat in garden for 2hrs and it didn’t make a Sound. Even when bossed off the fat feeder by the LTTˋs Was as quiet as a mouse. I’m not sure the pics are of any use but thought I’d post them anyway as you know what you’re looking at. I will continue to keep try

 

[KenM]

FWIW Liverbird, I’m not aware of any overwintering LW in the UK as being anything other than of an Eastern persuasion, stand to be corrected if that is not the case though.
Anyway, keep up the good work, your level of commitment I understand only too well.👍

 

[Prestdj]

i can only agree with kens comments
great bird

 

[Liverbird37]

If it's Siberian, will it disappear at some point ? Once again, I can't thank you all enough for all the help and advice you've given. I'm so very grateful.

 

[Richard Prior]

If it's Siberian, will it disappear at some point ? Once again, I can't thank you all enough for all the help and advice you've given. I'm so very grateful.

In fact it will disappear from your garden as the spring approaches, no matter where it originally came from!