plain leaf warbler or chifchaf (2 Viewers)

[yashar1981yr]

plain leaf warbler or chifchaf

Tehran, Iran
7-1-16

 

[Grahame Walbridge]

Yashar,

It looks a good candidate for Plain Leaf, though I should point out I have personal experience. Any more images?

Grahame

 

[Brian J Small]

I would say Plain Leaf too, though rather grubby about the face.

Brian S

 

[KenM]

With such an image....how would you rule out Mountain Chiff Chaff?

Cheers

 

[ehsan]

Does PLW shows that brown tinge to the forehead? I've seen PLW several times but never saw this feature. saw this PLW in north-east Iran september 2015 that shows the forehead.

 

[Bryon Wright]

Eshan, can appear to have weak sepia on the forehead times. Only five visible primaries? Chiffchaffs often similar but PLW always seems to have shiny, black patent leather legs and feet with lemon coloured soles. More convincing, portrayal of PLW jizz in this photograph than other sharper, brighter sunlit ones?

 

[KenM]

Eshan, can appear to have weak sepia on the forehead times. Only five visible primaries? Chiffchaffs often similar but PLW always seems to have shiny, black patent leather legs and feet with lemon coloured soles. More convincing, portrayal of PLW jizz in this photograph than other sharper, brighter sunlit ones?

The crown of the OP's bird looks quite brown to my eye as does the rest of the mantle, the secondary/primary edges appear to suggest a panel of contrasting olive green...does this concur with Plain-leaf Warbler?

Cheers

 

[Iraq Babbler]

The crown of the OP's bird looks quite brown to my eye as does the rest of the mantle, the secondary/primary edges appear to suggest a panel of contrasting olive green...does this concur with Plain-leaf Warbler?

Cheers

I would agree, adding: rather long pp and common habitat for wintering Chiffs; tristisis interfering here, difficult for such photograph.

Siberian: http://britishbirds.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/03-Siberian-Chiffchaff-Roger-Riddington_11.jpg

Omar

 

[yashar1981yr]

Dear Friends
I'm sorry for the delay
I've tried to prepare the requested images
There were at least 5 birds on this perch and I'm not sure the images show the first warbler
Thank you for your attention

 

[ehsan]

The second set of pics shows pale base to the bill. Can PLW shows this feature?
https://www.birdguides.com/iris/pictures.asp?v=1&f=461336

 

[KenM]

I'd like to know why it isn't?....in the absence of that information not being forthcoming with this second set of images......"it don't arf look like one!"

Cheers

 

[Brian J Small]

The second set of pics shows pale base to the bill. Can PLW shows this feature?
https://www.birdguides.com/iris/pictures.asp?v=1&f=461336

Hi Ehsan

Just coming back to this thread and seeing the extra images my positivity regarding it being Pale-legged is ebbing away. The bill does look long and quite spiky, and the pale bill base is quite obvious - though Pale-legged can show a little pale horn colour at the base of the lower mandible sometimes.

The last image of the new set does make it look like a Mountain Chiffchaff, but none of the photos are great and there may be some moult around the base of the bill. The hint of olive-yellow in the wings can be matched by P-l too.

Brian S

 

[Bryon Wright]

Eshan, KenM, Bryan, and Iraq B.
Pale-legged? Two types of mountain chiffchaff ? I would take cognisance of Iraq Babbler and others views. The true wintering habitat of PLW is very specific. The original photograph, however showed a bird with with only three visible, evenly spaced primaries, plus two closely bunched? This wing on the first photograph must be a very rounded one if this is the case.