ID help please.. small bird/Reed Warbler?

[sweedie]

Hi all, looking for some help with an ID on this little bird,I think it might be a reed warbler, this photo was taken on the south wales coast in a wetland reserve.if any one could enlighten me would be much appreciated?

[Johnny81]

I'd go for reed warbler.

[sweedie]

Thank you John, I have just read that the reed warbler and the marsh warbler are the same bird do you know if this is correct?

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by sweedie

Thank you John, I have just read that the reed warbler and the marsh warbler are the same bird do you know if this is correct?

No, Reed Warbler and Marsh Warbler are two seperate species that are very similar in appearance. Marsh Warbler is a very rare bird in the UK.

[sweedie]

Thank you Roy, I must have found a bit of bogus info!

[Shrike]

I think this looks good for a Great Reed warbler , dark grey legs , large head , long primary projection and young birds are tinged warm brown in fresh plumage. Both marsh and reed warblers have paler legs and also reed warbler shows a sharper supercillium.Great reed warblers supercillium is pale and diffuse.

[htcdude]

Originally Posted by Shrike

I think this looks good for a Great Reed warbler , dark grey legs , large head , long primary projection and young birds are tinged warm brown in fresh plumage. Both marsh and reed warblers have paler legs and also reed warbler shows a sharper supercillium.Great reed warblers supercillium is pale and diffuse.

I think the shadows over the legs make them look darker and the quality of the photo doesn't show the detailed supercillium.

Also sweedie says it's a 'small' bird, Great Reed Warbler's are noticeably bigger.

Nige

[aeshna5]

It is a Reed Warbler; Great Reed warblers are about the size of a Song Thrush + scarce annual vagrants/overshoots.

[sweedie]

Originally Posted by htcdude

I think the shadows over the legs make them look darker and the quality of the photo doesn't show the detailed supercillium.

Also sweedie says it's a 'small' bird, Great Reed Warbler's are noticeably bigger.

Nige

Yes it was a small bird, you are right about the photo , unfortunately at the time I only had a 200mm lens so i have had to zoom in post camera to get a closer look , i have posted a version a little less vetted not much better but prehaps the colours are a bit more natural?

[sweedie]

Originally Posted by Shrike

I think this looks good for a Great Reed warbler , dark grey legs , large head , long primary projection and young birds are tinged warm brown in fresh plumage. Both marsh and reed warblers have paler legs and also reed warbler shows a sharper supercillium.Great reed warblers supercillium is pale and diffuse.

I just found an interesting article on another species of reed warbler apparently (large billed reed warbler) the same size as ours but with shorter wings and a longer beak here is a link i found quite interesing Acrocephalus orinus (large-billed reed warbler) | Natural History Museum