A Couple of ID's Please

[BillyPilgrim]

I may be cheating a bit here as these photos were taken in Lanzarote last week but I'd be grateful if anyone can help with their ID's.

[tigertom]

Your 1st pic i will go with common whitethroat 2nd pi looks like a linnet but may well wrong
MIKE

[Redrob]

1st pic - whitethroat
2nd pic - Corn Bunting (I think!!)

[Dogghound]

Common Whitethroat
Linnet

[poschiavanus]

Originally Posted by Redrob

1st pic - whitethroat
2nd pic - Corn Bunting (I think!!)

If you get a good view of a Corn Bunting the two sides of the bill do not meet in a straight line, so when the beak is closed it has a little wiggle in it (see image above), whereas the bird in the photo is not like this. (No doubt there are proper words for this).

[BillyPilgrim]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

[RoyW]

I'm not at all convinced that the first photo shows a Common Whitethroat. It may do, but I can't see any reason why it isn't a female Spectacled Warbler - though I would prefer to see other photos before making an ID (if any are available). The rufous edges to the tertials and wing coverts are very extensive, with virtually no dark centres visible, the legs seem quite yellow/pink, and the primary projection is relatively short (though not nearly short enough for Common Whitethroat to be ruled out).
The two species would usually be far easier to identify in the field (if you knew what to look for) using the difference in size and calls - but size is difficult to judge from a photo, and calls aren't available at all!

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by RoyW

I'm not at all convinced that the first photo shows a Common Whitethroat. It may do, but I can't see any reason why it isn't a female Spectacled Warbler - though I would prefer to see other photos before making an ID (if any are available). The rufous edges to the tertials and wing coverts are very extensive, with virtually no dark centres visible, the legs seem quite yellow/pink, and the primary projection is relatively short (though not nearly short enough for Common Whitethroat to be ruled out).
The two species would usually be far easier to identify in the field (if you knew what to look for) using the difference in size and calls - but size is difficult to judge from a photo, and calls aren't available at all!

The primary projection is way to large for a spectacled. The bill is too big and the upper mandible is too dark. Spectacled dont usually show black (dark) in the greater coverts where as this one does. The tail also looks to short.

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

The primary projection is way to large for a spectacled. The bill is too big and the upper mandible is too dark. Spectacled dont usually show black (dark) in the greater coverts where as this one does. The tail also looks to short.

If the photo had been taken in the UK, I would very happily agree with Common Whitethroat and forget about it. I can't see anything in the photo that would rule out Common Whitethroat - but I still can't see anything to rule out Spectacled Warbler. The primary projection does seem too large, certainly far longer than I would like to see, but it compares pretty well with some photos of Spectacled on Birdguides and elsewhere online in a brief search (ignoring any photos that may have been incorrectly ID'd). The other features that you mention are within the variability of either species IMO, so I would still be happier seeing other photos.


Billy did photograph Spectacled Warbler on his holiday - there's a shot of a male on his blog (that obviusly doesn't mean that this is one as well though).

[BillyPilgrim]

Originally Posted by RoyW

If the photo had been taken in the UK, I would very happily agree with Common Whitethroat and forget about it. I can't see anything in the photo that would rule out Common Whitethroat - but I still can't see anything to rule out Spectacled Warbler. The primary projection does seem too large, certainly far longer than I would like to see, but it compares pretty well with some photos of Spectacled on Birdguides and elsewhere online in a brief search (ignoring any photos that may have been incorrectly ID'd). The other features that you mention are within the variability of either species IMO, so I would still be happier seeing other photos.


Billy did photograph Spectacled Warbler on his holiday - there's a shot of a male on his blog (that obviusly doesn't mean that this is one as well though).

Thanks for the info. Both birds were photographed at the same place but on different days. I have other shots such as the one below but they are very similar.

I'm used to the Whitethroat song but heard nothing like it in Lanzarote.