wheatear..

[michael23]

Hi I photographed this wheatear on st marys isles of scilly on saturday not long before the scillonian had to leave, so rattelled some pics off, now it may just be a normal everyday wheatear, but the bird seems well marked, more pronounced than i recall seeing. So I would like your comments on this one please.

http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv283/michael23_photo/scilly091110.jpg

http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv283/michael23_photo/scilly091112.jpg

http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv283/michael23_photo/scilly091120.jpg

http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv283/michael23_photo/scilly091094.jpg

http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv283/michael23_photo/scilly091122.jpg

[Colin Key]

Hello Michael,

Can't see anything other than Northern Wheatear in your images. Here is a very similar bird:

Colin


http://s118.photobucket.com/albums/o100/Passarinhos/0C0J2955.jpg

[Red-eyed Video]

Normal everyday, that is Northern Wheatear possibly of the Greenland race.

[Colin Key]

Normal everyday, that is Northern Wheatear possibly of the Greenland race.

Hi Dave,

The Greenland/Icelandic race (leucorhoa) is actually not an "everyday" occurrence, but I do not think that Michael's bird is strongly-coloured enough for a leucorhoa (bit of a paradox there if you think about it!).

Colin :err:

[michael23]

many thanks both, i did have the greenland race at the back of my mind, thanks for clearing it up.

Cheers :beer::smile:

[MichaelF]

The Greenland/Icelandic race (leucorhoa) is actually not an "everyday" occurrenceDunno about Scilly, but up here, unless you're high up in the hills (where some oenanthe breed), leucorhoa is the 'normal' Northern Wheatear. Always amazing just how different wheatears breeding in the hills look compared to amost all coastal passage birds.

[Tom Tams]

I would be interested in people's thoughts on this Wheatear taken at Sennen, Cornwall earlier this month

http://www.tomtamsnaturephotography.com/Pages,%20Birds/Northern%20Wheatear.htm

Tom

[michael23]

one thing i would like explaining, is the white marking underneath the chin on my which is neither on colins image or in the one that tom posted, is it age/sex related? Unfortunately i dont have a birdguide to hand at the moment.

[Colin Key]

one thing i would like explaining, is the white marking underneath the chin .....

Looking more closely at your images Michael, it was obviously a windy day and you can see on some shots the wind blowing the throat feathers - so, I would think that this apparent white underchin is due to you seeing the feather bases.

Colin :smile:

[michael23]

yes colin, it was quite windy that day! many thanks again :smile:

[LeeEvans]

Michael, the bird you photographed on St Mary's last week seems to be a fairly standard GREENLAND WHEATEAR to me, with a well marked eye-stripe, rather richly coloured underparts and long pointed bill. They generally have a more upright posture and often appear quite like Isabelline Wheatears in late autumn

Very best wishes

Lee Evans

[michael23]

many thanks lee, very much appreciated.
:beer::smile: