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The Irish Birding List

Updated on Monday, October 22 at 03:46 PM ET
The most recently received Mail is at the top.

Mighten? And me thinking you could spell proper!

Coilin



> From: Hugh Delaney 
> Reply-To: Irish Bird Network 
> Date: Mon, 22 Oct 2007 19:17:31 +0100
> To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
> Subject: Re: Dusky Warbler Ballycotton
> 
> Heard bird was still showing well on/off at least untill 16.00 hrs. Another
> excellent flit find for 'Golden Graham'! With the wind tomorrow being
> south east, and an overcast drizzly night ahead, being in East Cork/Hook
> mighten be a bad idea!
> 
> Regards
> 
> Hugh

Heard bird was still showing well on/off at least untill 16.00 hrs. Another
excellent flit find for 'Golden Graham'! With the wind tomorrow being
south east, and an overcast drizzly night ahead, being in East Cork/Hook
mighten be a bad idea!

Regards

Hugh

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "irishbirdnews" 
To: 
Sent: Monday, October 22, 2007 2:16 PM
Subject: Re: Dusky Warbler Ballycotton


> The Dusky is in the large garden next to the school in the village
> 
> Eric  AT  BINS
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Graham Clarke" 
> To: 
> Sent: Monday, October 22, 2007 1:41 PM
> Subject: Re: Dusky Warbler Ballycotton
> 
> 
> Hi John
> 
> If you have exact details of location that would be great!
> 
> Thanks
> 
> 
> Graham Clarke
> 
> Production Manager
> 
> Gilead Sciences Cork Limited
> IDA Business & Technology Park
> Carrigtohill
> Co. Cork
> Ireland
> 
> Tel: 
> Fax: + 
> Mobile: 
> 
> graham.clarke AT gilead.com
> 
> www.gilead.com
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On Behalf Of
> John Coveney
> Sent: 22 October 2007 13:38
> To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
> Subject: Dusky Warbler Ballycotton
> 
> 13.35: I've just heard that a Dusky Warbler has been found in
> Ballycotton.
> John C
> 
> 
> 
> John Coveney. Mobile: . E-Mail:
>  johnc AT ecoveney.ie 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>

The Dusky is in the large garden next to the school in the village

Eric  AT  BINS
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Graham Clarke" 
To: 
Sent: Monday, October 22, 2007 1:41 PM
Subject: Re: Dusky Warbler Ballycotton


Hi John

If you have exact details of location that would be great!

Thanks


Graham Clarke
 
Production Manager
 
Gilead Sciences Cork Limited
IDA Business & Technology Park
Carrigtohill
Co. Cork
Ireland
 
Tel: 
Fax: + 
Mobile: 
 
graham.clarke AT gilead.com
 
www.gilead.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On Behalf Of
John Coveney
Sent: 22 October 2007 13:38
To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
Subject: Dusky Warbler Ballycotton

13.35: I've just heard that a Dusky Warbler has been found in
Ballycotton.
John C

 

John Coveney. Mobile: . E-Mail:
 johnc AT ecoveney.ie 

 

 

Hi John

If you have exact details of location that would be great!

Thanks


Graham Clarke
 
Production Manager
 
Gilead Sciences Cork Limited
IDA Business & Technology Park
Carrigtohill
Co. Cork
Ireland
 
Tel: 
Fax: + 
Mobile: 
 
graham.clarke AT gilead.com
 
www.gilead.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On Behalf Of
John Coveney
Sent: 22 October 2007 13:38
To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
Subject: Dusky Warbler Ballycotton

13.35: I've just heard that a Dusky Warbler has been found in
Ballycotton.
John C

 

John Coveney. Mobile: . E-Mail:
 johnc AT ecoveney.ie 

 

 

13.35: I've just heard that a Dusky Warbler has been found in Ballycotton.
John C

 

John Coveney. Mobile: . E-Mail:
 johnc AT ecoveney.ie 

 

 

Hi Paul

It was the local NPWS ranger Andrew Speer who had them. I'll ask him for a
date and location next time I see him.

Dermot


On 21/10/2007, Paul Milne  wrote:
>
> Dermot
>
> Do you have any details of the flock of 200 Pink-footed Geese in Donegal
> last winter?  This would set a new record for Ireland in terms of numbers.
>
>
> rgds
> Paul Milne
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dermot Breen" 
> To: 
> Sent: Sunday, October 21, 2007 6:47 PM
> Subject: Donegal News
>
>
> > Hi all
> >
> > News from county Donegal from the last few days (mostly ducks).
> > Adult female Surf Scoter at Blanket Nook, found on Friday evening and
> > still
> > present today. For those of you unfamiliar with Blanket Nook its a
> > smallish
> > brackish lagoon beside Lough Swilly. She was associating with around ten
> > Tufted Duck and a single Greater Scaup. Nice to get decent views rather
> > than
> > a distant black speck amongst hundred of other scoter. Reckon it was an
> > adult female due to the fact that the underparts were a continuation of
> > the
> > chocolate brown of the breast. However it lacked a pale eye and pale
> nape
> > patch?
> > Female-type Ring-necked Duck and male Green-winged Teal at Inch Island
> > Lake
> > on Saturday found by Derek Charles who was over for the Surfer. The
> > Ring-necked Duck was again present today but no sign of the Teal.
> > Adult male Lesser Scaup and female-type Ring-necked Duck at Lough Fern
> > today
> > (Sunday). The Lesser Scaup gave decent views. Contrast between primaries
> > and
> > secondaries very obvious when preening at one stage. Purple sheen to
> head,
> > small black nail and distinctive head shape also noted. Both Ring-necked
> > Ducks today were quite dull birds with hints of grey coming through the
> > head. Does anyone know of any reliable features for ageing
> > female/first-winter birds?
> > Have also heard of a yellow wing-tagged Marsh Harrier seen at Inch
> Island
> > Lake yesterday with a ringtail Hen Harrier (untagged).
> > Hundreds of Whoopers (a few colour ringed) in the surrounding fields
> with
> > smaller numbers of geese.  Most of the geese don't seem to have arrived
> or
> > maybe I just couldn't find them. Only 12 Pink-footed Geese (there was a
> > flock of 200 here last winter apparently) and 2 Barnacles the only thing
> > of
> > note with them.
> >
> > Dermot
> >
>

Dermot

Do you have any details of the flock of 200 Pink-footed Geese in Donegal 
last winter?  This would set a new record for Ireland in terms of numbers.


rgds
Paul Milne
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dermot Breen" 
To: 
Sent: Sunday, October 21, 2007 6:47 PM
Subject: Donegal News


> Hi all
>
> News from county Donegal from the last few days (mostly ducks).
> Adult female Surf Scoter at Blanket Nook, found on Friday evening and 
> still
> present today. For those of you unfamiliar with Blanket Nook its a 
> smallish
> brackish lagoon beside Lough Swilly. She was associating with around ten
> Tufted Duck and a single Greater Scaup. Nice to get decent views rather 
> than
> a distant black speck amongst hundred of other scoter. Reckon it was an
> adult female due to the fact that the underparts were a continuation of 
> the
> chocolate brown of the breast. However it lacked a pale eye and pale nape
> patch?
> Female-type Ring-necked Duck and male Green-winged Teal at Inch Island 
> Lake
> on Saturday found by Derek Charles who was over for the Surfer. The
> Ring-necked Duck was again present today but no sign of the Teal.
> Adult male Lesser Scaup and female-type Ring-necked Duck at Lough Fern 
> today
> (Sunday). The Lesser Scaup gave decent views. Contrast between primaries 
> and
> secondaries very obvious when preening at one stage. Purple sheen to head,
> small black nail and distinctive head shape also noted. Both Ring-necked
> Ducks today were quite dull birds with hints of grey coming through the
> head. Does anyone know of any reliable features for ageing
> female/first-winter birds?
> Have also heard of a yellow wing-tagged Marsh Harrier seen at Inch Island
> Lake yesterday with a ringtail Hen Harrier (untagged).
> Hundreds of Whoopers (a few colour ringed) in the surrounding fields with
> smaller numbers of geese.  Most of the geese don't seem to have arrived or
> maybe I just couldn't find them. Only 12 Pink-footed Geese (there was a
> flock of 200 here last winter apparently) and 2 Barnacles the only thing 
> of
> note with them.
>
> Dermot
> 

Hi all

News from county Donegal from the last few days (mostly ducks).
Adult female Surf Scoter at Blanket Nook, found on Friday evening and still
present today. For those of you unfamiliar with Blanket Nook its a smallish
brackish lagoon beside Lough Swilly. She was associating with around ten
Tufted Duck and a single Greater Scaup. Nice to get decent views rather than
a distant black speck amongst hundred of other scoter. Reckon it was an
adult female due to the fact that the underparts were a continuation of the
chocolate brown of the breast. However it lacked a pale eye and pale nape
patch?
Female-type Ring-necked Duck and male Green-winged Teal at Inch Island Lake
on Saturday found by Derek Charles who was over for the Surfer. The
Ring-necked Duck was again present today but no sign of the Teal.
Adult male Lesser Scaup and female-type Ring-necked Duck at Lough Fern today
(Sunday). The Lesser Scaup gave decent views. Contrast between primaries and
secondaries very obvious when preening at one stage. Purple sheen to head,
small black nail and distinctive head shape also noted. Both Ring-necked
Ducks today were quite dull birds with hints of grey coming through the
head. Does anyone know of any reliable features for ageing
female/first-winter birds?
Have also heard of a yellow wing-tagged Marsh Harrier seen at Inch Island
Lake yesterday with a ringtail Hen Harrier (untagged).
Hundreds of Whoopers (a few colour ringed) in the surrounding fields with
smaller numbers of geese.  Most of the geese don't seem to have arrived or
maybe I just couldn't find them. Only 12 Pink-footed Geese (there was a
flock of 200 here last winter apparently) and 2 Barnacles the only thing of
note with them.

Dermot

This is the UK400 Club Rare Bird Alert for Friday 19th October 2007, issued 
at 2200 hours, and published in association with Rare Bird Alert Pagers (for 
enquiries, visit _www.rarebirdalert.com_ (http://www.rarebirdalert.com) ) and 
utilising additional information gleaned from the Regional Birdlines, 
Birdguides, the local email groups and individual observers.
 
As one would expect in mid October, the Isles of Scilly continue to steal the 
headlines. Although the Wilson's Snipe departed on 16th, the two nearctic 
BLACKPOLL WARBLERS remain - with birds showing well along Pottery Lane on the 
Garrison and at the Higher Moors clumps. The extremely elusive GREY-CHEEKED 
THRUSH was reported again shortly after first light, in the field just beyond 
Rose 

Hill Studios on Porthloo Lane, whilst the rather showy first-winter BLYTH'S 
PIPIT remains by the school in Old Grimsby, Tresco. Bryher still has its 
BLYTH'S 

REED WARBLER at the south end, whilst the LITTLE BUNTING continues by the 
Incinerator and new arrivals included 3 Red-breasted Flycatchers and a 
Richard's 

Pipit.
 
Yesterday's juvenile Leach's Petrel at Belvide Reservoir (Staffs) relocated 
to Draycote Water (Warks) overnight and remained present until dusk.
 
The bonanza of GREAT WHITE EGRET sightings continues, with a 'new' bird at 
Rainham Marshes RSPB (London/Essex) this morning and a further bird at Cley, 
Salthouse, Sheringham and Holkham Freshmarsh this afternoon. Further 
long-stayers 

include singles at Leighton Moss RSPB (Lancs) and Mockbeggar Lake (Hants). 
CATTLE EGRETS are also unusually numerous, with two birds today at Grove Ferry 
(Kent) and another at Rainham Marshes RSPB (for its 4th day and favouring the 
cattle field immediately west of the Aveley Pools).
 
A juvenile LITTLE BITTERN showed extremely well in reeds adjacent to the 
coastal footpath at Titchwell Marsh RSPB (Norfolk) for an hour this afternoon 
giving rise to the possibility that this spring's barking adult male there 
actually attracted a mate!
 
Other fresh arrivals today included a Red-breasted Flycatcher at Berry Head 
(South Devon), a PALLAS'S LEAF WARBLER and Red-breasted Flycatcher at Church 
Cove on The Lizard (Cornwall), a Red-backed Shrike at Winterton North Dunes 
(Norfolk) and a Lapland Bunting at Audenshaw Reservoirs (Gtr Manchester).
 
Shetland has finally lost its spark with today's highlight a HORNEMANN'S 
ARCTIC REDPOLL on Bressay (at Brough) whilst a LITTLE BUNTING showed well in a 
garden at South Glendale, South Uist (Outer Hebrides) (recent days saw a 
BLYTH'S 

PIPIT at Sumburgh, RADDE'S WARBLER at Toab, BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER at 
Quendale and WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER at Virkie).
 
Pick of the Rest
 
A juvenile SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER continues to show well in SW Wales, 
consorting with Ringed Plovers on Pickle Ridge Pools and adjacent beaches, Gann 

Estuary, just north of Dale (Pembs), with 2 juvenile Pectoral Sandpipers still 
at 

Tophill Low Reservoir (East Yorks), GLOSSY IBIS at Marshside Marsh RSPB 
(Merseyside), PURPLE HERON at Meare Heath (Somerset), adult BLACK KITE of 
unknown 

origin at Nocton Heath (Lincs) and Barred Warblers at St Mary's Island 
(Northumberland), Scalby Lodge Pond, Scarborough (North Yorks) and Bardsey 
Island 

(Gwynedd). The 25 Eurasian Spoonbills remain on Brownsea Island, Poole Harbour 
(Dorset), with a BLACK BRANT on The Fleet (Dorset) and Green-winged Teal at 
Inner 

Marsh Farm RSPB (Cheshire).
 
Another AMERICAN BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT was identified in Scotland on 18th - at 
Torlum Machair, Borgh Point on Benbecula (Outer Hebrides) (Steve Duffield).
 
In IRELAND today, highlights include an ISABELLINE SHRIKE at Mizen Head (Co. 
Cork) (with recent sightings of Woodlark, Red-breasted Flycatcher, LITTLE 
BUNTING and RED-THROATED PIPIT there) and continuing GREENISH WARBLER at 
Dunnycove 

Bay, 4.5 miles south of Clonakilty (Co. Cork). An Icterine Warbler was on 
Cape Clear Island (Co. Cork) until at least 18th.
 
A juvenile SURF SCOTER is with Common Scoters on Lough Swilly at Blanket Nook 
(Co. Donegal) and a female Ring-necked Duck on Lough Foyle (Co. Derry). The 
resident SNOWY OWL continues on The Mullet (Co. Mayo).  

Lee G R Evans
British Birding Association
UK400 Club, Rare Birds Magazine, Ornithological Consultant and Conservationist
Discussion Forum/Email Group: _http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/_ 
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/) 
Rare Bird Alert: 
_http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400ClubBBA/_ 

(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400ClubBBA/) 

Email Address: LGREUK400 AT aol.com
Website Address: _www.uk400clubonline.co.uk_ 
(http://www.uk400clubonline.co.uk/) 

Chaffinch House
8 Sandycroft Road
Little Chalfont
Amersham
Buckinghamshire
England
HP6 6QL
Telephones:  and 
Mobile/Text Alerts: 
(Lee Evans Enterprises incorporate documentation of rare bird occurrences in 
Britain & Ireland and elsewhere in the Western Palearctic and in North 
America; Rare Bird Information and Rare Bird Alerts; Rare Birds Magazine and 
other 

related publications; Bird Tours for Birders)




   

Working on it.
Race ya!
C

-----Original Message-----
From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On Behalf Of
Michael O'Keeffe
Sent: 19 October 2007 17:39
To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
Subject: Weekend prediction

Given the phenomenal finds in the Mizen area in the last two weeks I
think
Blyth's Pipit has to be inevitable at this stage!  That is unless it
turns
up on Cape first!

Regards

Mike


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19/10/2007 05:10
 

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Given the phenomenal finds in the Mizen area in the last two weeks I think
Blyth's Pipit has to be inevitable at this stage!  That is unless it turns
up on Cape first!

Regards

Mike

Sorry should have made it clear that the meeting location is in Cork city

On Fri, 19 Oct 2007 09:38:02 +0100, Tom Gittings 
 wrote:

>There will be a meeting about the Bird Atlas  in the Cricket 
>Club, Mardyke on Thursday the 25th of October at 7.30pm.
>
>The Bird Atlas  (http://www.bto.org/birdatlas/) is a project 
to 
>map all of Ireland and Britain�s birds during both the winter and the 
>breeding season, using mainly volunteer effort, and is organised by 
>BirdWatch Ireland, the British Trust for Ornithology and the Scottish 
>Ornithologists' Club.
>
>The purpose of the meeting is to introduce birdwatchers in the Cork 
area 
>to the project, and explain what is involved for those who want to 
>volunteer. Brian Caffrey of Birdwatch Ireland will be leading the 
meeting.
>
>Tom Gittings

Is there any more info on the woodlark? - it would be a catch up for me.

John C

John Coveney. Mobile: . E-Mail: johnc AT ecoveney.ie 


-----Original Message-----
From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On Behalf Of
irishbirdnews
Sent: 19 October 2007 12:23
To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
Subject: Isabelline Shrike & Woodlark

Hi all
Just got word that an Isabelline Shrike (1st yr) has  been found this am on 
Mizen. It killed a Lesser Whitethroat this morning! Details on parking, 
viewing locations etc on BINS. A woodlark was seen last night in the same 
area.

Eric  AT  BINS
BINS  

Hi all
Just got word that an Isabelline Shrike (1st yr) has  been found this am on 
Mizen. It killed a Lesser Whitethroat this morning! Details on parking, 
viewing locations etc on BINS. A woodlark was seen last night in the same 
area.

Eric  AT  BINS
BINS  

Very little to report from around Belfast the last two weeks, the main reason 
being is that the RSPB Reserve still has no water in it! 

There has been a Curlew Sandpiper and Ruff on nearby Kinnegar Shore as well as 
one or two Intermedius LBBG's. The yellow wing tagged (no7) LBBG has returned 
to Kinnegar Shore, i am sure it bred somewhere locally and most probably will 
be on its way to Spain shortly. 

Best bird avoided the local birders, a Hoopoe! This bird was in the Harbour 
Estate for a few days and was photographed by a member of the public! 

Elsewhere in NI, a juv American Golden Plover was at Myroe last weekend and the 
GW Egret continues to be seen at Lough Beg. 

 
Derek 
_________________________________________________________________
Celeb spotting � Play CelebMashup and win cool prizes
https://www.celebmashup.com

There will be a meeting about the Bird Atlas  in the Cricket 
Club, Mardyke on Thursday the 25th of October at 7.30pm.

The Bird Atlas  (http://www.bto.org/birdatlas/) is a project to 
map all of Ireland and Britain�s birds during both the winter and the 
breeding season, using mainly volunteer effort, and is organised by 
BirdWatch Ireland, the British Trust for Ornithology and the Scottish 
Ornithologists' Club.

The purpose of the meeting is to introduce birdwatchers in the Cork area 
to the project, and explain what is involved for those who want to 
volunteer. Brian Caffrey of Birdwatch Ireland will be leading the meeting.

Tom Gittings

I think the important question raised by the punkbirder article
is...just where exactly does one gain familiarity with Billie Pipers
naked bossoms? Are there trip reports available?

Owen

On 10/17/07, Robert Vaughan  wrote:
> http://www.freewebs.com/punkbirder/acroholics.htm
> Fantastic, hopefully all the olivacious splits will be as comparibly easy
> involving fruit and veg,
>

Thanks lads (Killian, Graham, Lee, Mike, Rick, Harry).
Beginning to sound like these yolks might be do-able! I�m not quite as
frightened as I was before, just merely petrified now.
A lot of good �feel� birding coming through on those posts, less about
unheard of coverts, and more about caresses! I like that.
And to the punkbirders � great stuff, I love that article. I�m off to
find a pomegranate � that�ll screw you up!
C
 
Oh, I�m guessing people like Killian are also getting double posts (and
bob too, and bob too).  It�s the �reply to all� function methinks, so
will only happen to the sender of the mail. Shows how much I post here,
that I�ve never noticed it before!
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Killian Mullarney [mailto:kmullarney AT eircom.net] 
Sent: 16 October 2007 20:37
To: ciarcronin AT eircom.net; IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed
 
Hi Ciaran,
 
I'm sure you're not the only one looking at those photos and scratching
your head, thinking "what makes this a Blyth's Reed and not just an
ordinary Reed Warbler?". I'd imagine that even some of those who went to
see it, if they didn't get such good views, are similarly uncertain as
why it was a Blyth's Reed?
 
If it is still there and you can go and see it, I would recommend you do
so. Provided it shows itself from time to time, first-hand experience of
a bird like this makes a huge difference compared to just scrutinizing a
few photos. 
For a start, there is the all-important call and this was what caught my
attention in the first place. I had been standing in the same spot for
some fifteen or twenty minutes hoping to see one of the Yellow-browed
Warblers that were occasionally calling from the small plantation, when
I heard a Lesser Whitethroat-like clearly enunciated 'tac...tac...tac'
call coming from just behind me (I had in fact being making
tongue-clicking sounds just beforehand since the 'spishing' didn't seem
to be working). Expecting to see a Sylvia warbler I was surprised when
an unstreaked Acrocephalus flew out of the bush and past me, only to
disappear behind another bush. It was not so much the call per se that
alerted me (in all honesty I'd have difficulty telling it from a
Blackcap or a Lesser Whitethroat) but an unstreaked Acrocephalus giving
this kind of call is definitely something worth following up. Autumn
migrant Reed Warblers are not usually amongst the most vocal of birds,
but their calls are generally rather quiet and have what might be
described as more rasping or softly grating quality (to my ear somewhat
similar in tone to one of the familiar calls of Starling). I have never
heard Reed (including 'Caspian', ssp fuscus) give a  clean 'tac' call,
but it is characteristic of both Blyth's Reed and Marsh Warblers.
 
I waited about twenty minutes for another sign of the bird, and that was
just a quick glimpse before it shot back into cover. I just had time to
register rather pale underparts (with very lightly buff-tinged, almost
whitish undertail coverts) and a prominent and distinct pale supercilium
in front of the eye. I did not get an impression of the bird being
'grey-toned' above, in fact it looked rather warm sandy-brown and bright
on the rump, but I have learned to give a lot of latitude to perception
of colours in this group; between overlap, the effect of differing light
conditions and the inevitably subjective nature of judging subtle shades
of colour, it doesn't help a lot.
 
I alerted the other lads on Mizen and from various points surrounding
the patch we waited and watched. The light was not good, but otherwise
the conditions were perfect - there wasn't a breath of wind. The bird
called from time to time, always the same clean 'tac' (usually repeated
a few times before falling silent again) but it certainly wasn't what
you'd call 'showy'! I concentrated on watching a small opening in the
willow where it had appeared momentarily a few times, but it was almost
invariably a foot or so inside the bush and obscured by leaves or
branches. Not surprisingly, these glimpses resulted in sometimes
contradictory impressions, and it was difficult not to be concerned
about the at times not-so-short-looking wing, the overall 'warmth' of
the upperparts and one or two other details that didn't look quite
right. Alas, the light faded and caution reigned. Back at the house we
looked at a series of mostly poor record shots, the overall impression
of which was a little more off-putting than encouraging. I decided to
stay overnight and try again in the morning as, at the very least, I
wanted to make a recording of the call.
 
Friday morning, four of us surrounded the spot again and waited. It was
a great relief to hear the call again and know that the bird was still
there, but the views were still just snatched glimpses. In situations
like this, where a bird is simply not giving decent views it is hard to
resist reaching for the camera in the desperate hope that one clear shot
might capture what you don't have time to register in such brief views.
Three perplexing hours later none of us had had much luck, but at least
I had a good sound recording. With so little else to go on I had pretty
much talked myself out of thinking this bird was a Blyth's Reed and as I
was coming under serious time-pressure, I reluctantly left. In fact we
all left, the others to check out spots that had not been looked at that
morning. On the way back we drifted up to the 'Bonelli's garden', one of
the best spots on the Mizen. A Yellow-browed popped into view almost
immediately, and it felt good to be looking at a bird again! This was
soon followed by a lovely, showy Reed Warbler, moving stealthily through
the upper branches of a small tree, snapping up flies along the way.
After a minute or so of studying this Reed Warbler, which in every
respect looked a classic Reed, I realised that in my anxiety to see
'minutiae' I had been blind to the obvious for the previous three hours;
Peter Wolstenholme's perceptive observation that the unidentified Acro
was "a dumpy little bird" hadn't seemed very important at the time he
made it, but looking at this long, sleek Reed Warbler I could see that
he was absolutely right!
 
Peter volunteered to round up the other guys again while I returned to
have another look at the bird, with the benefit of a fresh, clear
perspective. I didn't have to wait long; within ten minutes the bird was
'taccing' in the bush in front of me and a few minutes later it
miraculously hopped right out into the open. Those three or four seconds
will certainly rank as one of the most exciting birding moments of my
lifetime; I could clearly see the characteristic wing shape, the lack of
contrast in the wing, the attractive face pattern and the rather compact
shape of an absolutely perfect-looking Blyth's Reed Warbler,  looking
back at me from just 10m away. With one good view, the jigsaw of
impressions gained over the previous hours was suddenly complete - now,
at last, I was certain it really was one!
 
With hindsight, perhaps I should have been more certain right from the
start, but on the views we were getting it was very difficult to form a
clear and accurate picture. I expect he next one will be easier...
 
For an entertaining and surprisingly informative overview of Blyth's
Reed Warbler identification I recommend taking a look at : 
  
http://www.freewebs.com/punkbirder/acroholics.htm
 
 
Cheers,
 
Killian
 
 
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Ciaran Cronin   
To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE 
Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2007 12:10 AM
Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed
 
Lee,
Thanks for that. Of course I am aware that Killian is extrememly
thorough, and I repeat that I'm not casting doubt on this record. 

Your reply gives me some hope that I'm not alone in finding these birds
particularly difficult!

Obviously the call is a major feature, and the 'banana' posture is well
known.  As you say however, people do seem to becoming quite blas� about
them, whereas the more photographs I see of these birds over the last
few years the more confused I have become! They do seem to be extremely
variable in appearance, yet the textbooks seem to indicate that there is
a 'recipe' for field identification based on plumage features/structure.
I simply cant see it coming through on all the photographs.

Anybody else any comments to make on it?
C

-----Original Message-----
From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On Behalf Of
Lee Evans
Sent: 15 October 2007 20:51
To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed

Ciaran
 
I cannot comment on this individual bird but know that Killian was
involved 
with the identification of this difficult bird and spent two whole days
with it 
before 'putting out the news'. Knowing how sharp he is and how
meticulous he 
is, there is no way he would claim it if there was the slightest element
of 
doubt as to its identification. The main feature with any potential
Blyth's Reed 
Warbler is the highly distinctive and diagnostic contact call - a rather

Sylvia-like (Lesser Whitethroat) 'chiickk' call, often repeated several
times as 
it moves from bush to bush through the vegetation (this has certainly
been the 
case with 3 individual birds I have seen in Eastern Britain this
autumn).
 
Killian I am sure will be able to explain the minutia which allowed him
to 
confirm the Mizen individual but I am sure that call would have played a
major 
part. Blyth's Reed Warblers (like Eurasian Reed Warblers) are highly
variable 
in appearance, ranging from very cold-toned to quite warm-toned birds,
but 
consistently show a long, pointed bill (often grey in colour) and more
sloping 
forehead. They tend to prefer more scrubby terrain (and trees) and have
a habit 
of cocking their tails upwards when calling. In fact, the posture is
quite 
unique.
 
The primary projection is very short but fresh first-winters do show
paler 
tips to the primaries (but obviously not as prominent as in Marsh
Warbler) and 
tend to lack the contrasting alula. The supercilia extent is variable
within 
individuals but averaging paler and broader and often longer, whilst the

underparts are much more cold-toned, lacking the warmer buff of the Reed
Warbler 
flanks and sides (more of an olive-grey wash).
 
This year has seen an unprecedented arrival of this species in Britain
and 
Ireland allowing many observers an ideal (and perhaps one-off)
opportunity to 
study the species in late autumn. However, the differences between the
three 
species is still very subtle and caution should always be made when
making a firm 
identification. I believe we in Britain are perhaps becoming too blase
with 
this species, and overlooking the difficulties that many 'brighter'
individuals 
pose. Calls are the real clincher but care must be made to eliminate
some 
Caspian Reed Warblers which can make similar sounds on passage.  

Lee G R Evans
British Birding Association
UK400 Club, Rare Birds Magazine, Ornithological Consultant and
Conservationist
Discussion Forum/Email Group: _http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/_

(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/) 
Rare Bird Alert: 
_http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400Cl
ubBBA/_ 
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400Cl
ubBBA/) 
Email Address: LGREUK400 AT aol.com
Website Address: _www.uk400clubonline.co.uk_ 
(http://www.uk400clubonline.co.uk/) 

Chaffinch House
8 Sandycroft Road
Little Chalfont
Amersham
Buckinghamshire
England
HP6 6QL
Telephones:  and 
Mobile/Text Alerts: 
(Lee Evans Enterprises incorporate documentation of rare bird
occurrences in 
Britain & Ireland and elsewhere in the Western Palearctic and in North 
America; Rare Bird Information and Rare Bird Alerts; Rare Birds Magazine
and other 
related publications; Bird Tours for Birders)




   


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http://www.freewebs.com/punkbirder/acroholics.htm
Fantastic, hopefully all the olivacious splits will be as comparibly easy
involving fruit and veg,

Dermot

I found the following sites over the past few days:

http://www.virtual-bird.com/birdsounds.htm

http://freesound.iua.upf.edu/samplesViewSingle.php?id=31943

http://www.birdforum.net/opus/Blyth's_Reed_Warbler

Hope they are of some use to you
Derek

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Dermot Breen 
  To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE 
  Sent: Wednesday, October 17, 2007 8:56 AM
  Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed


  Does anyone know where you might be able to download the call from the net?
  Tried Tarsiger but they only had recordings of singing birds.

  Dermot


  On 16/10/2007, Lee Evans  wrote:
  >
  > Graham
  >
  > Nice to hear from you again - presume you're still plying away at
  > Ballycotton. As you say, 'Cooky' was over the moon when he stumbled on
  > that Blyth's Reed
  > this autumn and phoned me shortly after finding it to see if I still
  > 'required' it for the 'British Year'.
  >
  > As for your comments about reed warbler vocalisations. You are correct in
  > your description of Blyth's Reeds frequently calling when in view (and in
  > general
  > more vocal) but Eurasian Reed Warblers in autumn on Scilly for example are
  > extremely vocal. Those that frequent the Willows and Sallows of Higher
  > Moors,
  > Porthellick and Lower Moors are particularly vocal when present, making a
  > variety of sounds - all based around a harsh 'churr'. The sounds are all
  > somewhat
  > different to those made by Blyth's Reed however, which is a repetitive
  > sylvia
  > warbler-like sound, most similar to Lesser Whitethroat.
  >
  > Lee G R Evans
  > British Birding Association
  > UK400 Club, Rare Birds Magazine, Ornithological Consultant and
  > Conservationist
  > Discussion Forum/Email Group: _http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/_
  > (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/)
  > Rare Bird Alert:
  >
 > 
_http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400ClubBBA/_ 

  > (
 > 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400ClubBBA/ 

  > )
  > Email Address: LGREUK400 AT aol.com
  > Website Address: _www.uk400clubonline.co.uk_
  > (http://www.uk400clubonline.co.uk/)
  >
  > Chaffinch House
  > 8 Sandycroft Road
  > Little Chalfont
  > Amersham
  > Buckinghamshire
  > England
  > HP6 6QL
  > Telephones:  and 
  > Mobile/Text Alerts: 
  > (Lee Evans Enterprises incorporate documentation of rare bird occurrences
  > in
  > Britain & Ireland and elsewhere in the Western Palearctic and in North
  > America; Rare Bird Information and Rare Bird Alerts; Rare Birds Magazine
  > and other
  > related publications; Bird Tours for Birders)
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >

Does anyone know where you might be able to download the call from the net?
Tried Tarsiger but they only had recordings of singing birds.

Dermot


On 16/10/2007, Lee Evans  wrote:
>
> Graham
>
> Nice to hear from you again - presume you're still plying away at
> Ballycotton. As you say, 'Cooky' was over the moon when he stumbled on
> that Blyth's Reed
> this autumn and phoned me shortly after finding it to see if I still
> 'required' it for the 'British Year'.
>
> As for your comments about reed warbler vocalisations. You are correct in
> your description of Blyth's Reeds frequently calling when in view (and in
> general
> more vocal) but Eurasian Reed Warblers in autumn on Scilly for example are
> extremely vocal. Those that frequent the Willows and Sallows of Higher
> Moors,
> Porthellick and Lower Moors are particularly vocal when present, making a
> variety of sounds - all based around a harsh 'churr'. The sounds are all
> somewhat
> different to those made by Blyth's Reed however, which is a repetitive
> sylvia
> warbler-like sound, most similar to Lesser Whitethroat.
>
> Lee G R Evans
> British Birding Association
> UK400 Club, Rare Birds Magazine, Ornithological Consultant and
> Conservationist
> Discussion Forum/Email Group: _http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/_
> (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/)
> Rare Bird Alert:
>
> 
_http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400ClubBBA/_ 

> (
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400ClubBBA/
> )
> Email Address: LGREUK400 AT aol.com
> Website Address: _www.uk400clubonline.co.uk_
> (http://www.uk400clubonline.co.uk/)
>
> Chaffinch House
> 8 Sandycroft Road
> Little Chalfont
> Amersham
> Buckinghamshire
> England
> HP6 6QL
> Telephones:  and 
> Mobile/Text Alerts: 
> (Lee Evans Enterprises incorporate documentation of rare bird occurrences
> in
> Britain & Ireland and elsewhere in the Western Palearctic and in North
> America; Rare Bird Information and Rare Bird Alerts; Rare Birds Magazine
> and other
> related publications; Bird Tours for Birders)
>
>
>
>
>
>

According to the link below, if my arithmetic is correct, there were a total
of 24 Semi-palmated Plovers on the Azores on Sunday!

http://azores.seawatching.net/index.php?page=recent

Rick

On Sunday 14th October 2007, a RED-EYED VIREO was discovered in Dunquin 
Valley (County Kerry) - the 429th species recorded in Britain and Ireland this 
year. 

 
With a wet Atlantic front passing over much of the UK today, birding was 
relatively slow. The Isles of Scilly saw the most action, with a BLYTH'S PIPIT 
discovered in long grass adjacent to the school playing field at Old Grimsby, 
Tresco. The GREY-CHEEKED THRUSH was seen again a few times, still favouring the 

field just beyond Rosehill Studios, with the North American WILSON'S SNIPE 
showing well at Lower Moors both early and late in the day. Two LITTLE BUNTINGS 

are on St Mary's, with singles in bulb fields on Peninnis and by the 
Incinerator, and the juvenile ROSE-COLOURED STARLING remains on St Agnes.
 
There was a LITTLE BUNTING in Ireland this evening - at Toor Pier on Mizen 
Head (Co. Cork) - whilst a RADDE'S WARBLER was an excellent discovery atLingham 

Lane, Leasowe Lighthouse (Wirral), 2 miles ENE of Hoylake, showing 
infrequently in bushes and scrub at the NW end of the adjacent golf links  

Lee G R Evans
British Birding Association
UK400 Club, Rare Birds Magazine, Ornithological Consultant and Conservationist
Discussion Forum/Email Group: _http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/_ 
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/) 
Rare Bird Alert: 
_http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400ClubBBA/_ 

(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400ClubBBA/) 

Email Address: LGREUK400 AT aol.com
Website Address: _www.uk400clubonline.co.uk_ 
(http://www.uk400clubonline.co.uk/) 

Chaffinch House
8 Sandycroft Road
Little Chalfont
Amersham
Buckinghamshire
England
HP6 6QL
Telephones:  and 
Mobile/Text Alerts: 
(Lee Evans Enterprises incorporate documentation of rare bird occurrences in 
Britain & Ireland and elsewhere in the Western Palearctic and in North 
America; Rare Bird Information and Rare Bird Alerts; Rare Birds Magazine and 
other 

related publications; Bird Tours for Birders)




   

With the finding by Dave Acfield, Adam White and others of a BLYTH'S PIPIT on 
Tresco (Scilly) today, the number of species recorded in Britain and Ireland 
in Year 2007 is an outstanding 428 species, beating the previous (2006) record 
by one. With four more weeks at least of return migration, I suspect several 
more species will still be added.  

Lee G R Evans
British Birding Association
UK400 Club, Rare Birds Magazine, Ornithological Consultant and Conservationist
Discussion Forum/Email Group: _http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/_ 
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/) 
Rare Bird Alert: 
_http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400ClubBBA/_ 

(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400ClubBBA/) 

Email Address: LGREUK400 AT aol.com
Website Address: _www.uk400clubonline.co.uk_ 
(http://www.uk400clubonline.co.uk/) 

Chaffinch House
8 Sandycroft Road
Little Chalfont
Amersham
Buckinghamshire
England
HP6 6QL
Telephones:  and 
Mobile/Text Alerts: 
(Lee Evans Enterprises incorporate documentation of rare bird occurrences in 
Britain & Ireland and elsewhere in the Western Palearctic and in North 
America; Rare Bird Information and Rare Bird Alerts; Rare Birds Magazine and 
other 

related publications; Bird Tours for Birders)




   

Graham
 
Nice to hear from you again - presume you're still plying away at 
Ballycotton. As you say, 'Cooky' was over the moon when he stumbled on that 
Blyth's Reed 

this autumn and phoned me shortly after finding it to see if I still 
'required' it for the 'British Year'.
 
As for your comments about reed warbler vocalisations. You are correct in 
your description of Blyth's Reeds frequently calling when in view (and in 
general 

more vocal) but Eurasian Reed Warblers in autumn on Scilly for example are 
extremely vocal. Those that frequent the Willows and Sallows of Higher Moors, 
Porthellick and Lower Moors are particularly vocal when present, making a 
variety of sounds - all based around a harsh 'churr'. The sounds are all 
somewhat 

different to those made by Blyth's Reed however, which is a repetitive sylvia 
warbler-like sound, most similar to Lesser Whitethroat.  

Lee G R Evans
British Birding Association
UK400 Club, Rare Birds Magazine, Ornithological Consultant and Conservationist
Discussion Forum/Email Group: _http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/_ 
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/) 
Rare Bird Alert: 
_http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400ClubBBA/_ 

(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400ClubBBA/) 

Email Address: LGREUK400 AT aol.com
Website Address: _www.uk400clubonline.co.uk_ 
(http://www.uk400clubonline.co.uk/) 

Chaffinch House
8 Sandycroft Road
Little Chalfont
Amersham
Buckinghamshire
England
HP6 6QL
Telephones:  and 
Mobile/Text Alerts: 
(Lee Evans Enterprises incorporate documentation of rare bird occurrences in 
Britain & Ireland and elsewhere in the Western Palearctic and in North 
America; Rare Bird Information and Rare Bird Alerts; Rare Birds Magazine and 
other 

related publications; Bird Tours for Birders)




   

Hi Ciaran,

I'm sure you're not the only one looking at those photos and scratching your 
head, thinking "what makes this a Blyth's Reed and not just an ordinary Reed 
Warbler?". I'd imagine that even some of those who went to see it, if they 
didn't get such good views, are similarly uncertain as why it was a Blyth's 
Reed? 


If it is still there and you can go and see it, I would recommend you do so. 
Provided it shows itself from time to time, first-hand experience of a bird 
like this makes a huge difference compared to just scrutinizing a few photos. 

For a start, there is the all-important call and this was what caught my 
attention in the first place. I had been standing in the same spot for some 
fifteen or twenty minutes hoping to see one of the Yellow-browed Warblers that 
were occasionally calling from the small plantation, when I heard a Lesser 
Whitethroat-like clearly enunciated 'tac...tac...tac' call coming from just 
behind me (I had in fact being making tongue-clicking sounds just beforehand 
since the 'spishing' didn't seem to be working). Expecting to see a Sylvia 
warbler I was surprised when an unstreaked Acrocephalus flew out of the bush 
and past me, only to disappear behind another bush. It was not so much the call 
per se that alerted me (in all honesty I'd have difficulty telling it from a 
Blackcap or a Lesser Whitethroat) but an unstreaked Acrocephalus giving this 
kind of call is definitely something worth following up. Autumn migrant Reed 
Warblers are not usually amongst the most vocal of birds, but their calls are 
generally rather quiet and have what might be described as more rasping or 
softly grating quality (to my ear somewhat similar in tone to one of the 
familiar calls of Starling). I have never heard Reed (including 'Caspian', ssp 
fuscus) give a clean 'tac' call, but it is characteristic of both Blyth's Reed 
and Marsh Warblers. 


I waited about twenty minutes for another sign of the bird, and that was just a 
quick glimpse before it shot back into cover. I just had time to register 
rather pale underparts (with very lightly buff-tinged, almost whitish undertail 
coverts) and a prominent and distinct pale supercilium in front of the eye. I 
did not get an impression of the bird being 'grey-toned' above, in fact it 
looked rather warm sandy-brown and bright on the rump, but I have learned to 
give a lot of latitude to perception of colours in this group; between overlap, 
the effect of differing light conditions and the inevitably subjective nature 
of judging subtle shades of colour, it doesn't help a lot. 


I alerted the other lads on Mizen and from various points surrounding the patch 
we waited and watched. The light was not good, but otherwise the conditions 
were perfect - there wasn't a breath of wind. The bird called from time to 
time, always the same clean 'tac' (usually repeated a few times before falling 
silent again) but it certainly wasn't what you'd call 'showy'! I concentrated 
on watching a small opening in the willow where it had appeared momentarily a 
few times, but it was almost invariably a foot or so inside the bush and 
obscured by leaves or branches. Not surprisingly, these glimpses resulted in 
sometimes contradictory impressions, and it was difficult not to be concerned 
about the at times not-so-short-looking wing, the overall 'warmth' of the 
upperparts and one or two other details that didn't look quite right. Alas, the 
light faded and caution reigned. Back at the house we looked at a series of 
mostly poor record shots, the overall impression of which was a little more 
off-putting than encouraging. I decided to stay overnight and try again in the 
morning as, at the very least, I wanted to make a recording of the call. 


Friday morning, four of us surrounded the spot again and waited. It was a great 
relief to hear the call again and know that the bird was still there, but the 
views were still just snatched glimpses. In situations like this, where a bird 
is simply not giving decent views it is hard to resist reaching for the camera 
in the desperate hope that one clear shot might capture what you don't have 
time to register in such brief views. Three perplexing hours later none of us 
had had much luck, but at least I had a good sound recording. With so little 
else to go on I had pretty much talked myself out of thinking this bird was a 
Blyth's Reed and as I was coming under serious time-pressure, I reluctantly 
left. In fact we all left, the others to check out spots that had not been 
looked at that morning. On the way back we drifted up to the 'Bonelli's 
garden', one of the best spots on the Mizen. A Yellow-browed popped into view 
almost immediately, and it felt good to be looking at a bird again! This was 
soon followed by a lovely, showy Reed Warbler, moving stealthily through the 
upper branches of a small tree, snapping up flies along the way. After a minute 
or so of studying this Reed Warbler, which in every respect looked a classic 
Reed, I realised that in my anxiety to see 'minutiae' I had been blind to the 
obvious for the previous three hours; Peter Wolstenholme's perceptive 
observation that the unidentified Acro was "a dumpy little bird" hadn't seemed 
very important at the time he made it, but looking at this long, sleek Reed 
Warbler I could see that he was absolutely right! 


Peter volunteered to round up the other guys again while I returned to have 
another look at the bird, with the benefit of a fresh, clear perspective. I 
didn't have to wait long; within ten minutes the bird was 'taccing' in the bush 
in front of me and a few minutes later it miraculously hopped right out into 
the open. Those three or four seconds will certainly rank as one of the most 
exciting birding moments of my lifetime; I could clearly see the characteristic 
wing shape, the lack of contrast in the wing, the attractive face pattern and 
the rather compact shape of an absolutely perfect-looking Blyth's Reed Warbler, 
looking back at me from just 10m away. With one good view, the jigsaw of 
impressions gained over the previous hours was suddenly complete - now, at 
last, I was certain it really was one! 


With hindsight, perhaps I should have been more certain right from the start, 
but on the views we were getting it was very difficult to form a clear and 
accurate picture. I expect he next one will be easier... 


For an entertaining and surprisingly informative overview of Blyth's Reed 
Warbler identification I recommend taking a look at : 

  
http://www.freewebs.com/punkbirder/acroholics.htm


Cheers,

Killian


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Ciaran Cronin 
  To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE 
  Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2007 12:10 AM
  Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed


  Lee,
  Thanks for that. Of course I am aware that Killian is extrememly
  thorough, and I repeat that I'm not casting doubt on this record. 

  Your reply gives me some hope that I'm not alone in finding these birds
  particularly difficult!

  Obviously the call is a major feature, and the 'banana' posture is well
  known.  As you say however, people do seem to becoming quite blas� about
  them, whereas the more photographs I see of these birds over the last
  few years the more confused I have become! They do seem to be extremely
  variable in appearance, yet the textbooks seem to indicate that there is
  a 'recipe' for field identification based on plumage features/structure.
  I simply cant see it coming through on all the photographs.

  Anybody else any comments to make on it?
  C

  -----Original Message-----
  From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On Behalf Of
  Lee Evans
  Sent: 15 October 2007 20:51
  To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
  Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed

  Ciaran
   
  I cannot comment on this individual bird but know that Killian was
  involved 
  with the identification of this difficult bird and spent two whole days
  with it 
  before 'putting out the news'. Knowing how sharp he is and how
  meticulous he 
  is, there is no way he would claim it if there was the slightest element
  of 
  doubt as to its identification. The main feature with any potential
  Blyth's Reed 
  Warbler is the highly distinctive and diagnostic contact call - a rather

  Sylvia-like (Lesser Whitethroat) 'chiickk' call, often repeated several
  times as 
  it moves from bush to bush through the vegetation (this has certainly
  been the 
  case with 3 individual birds I have seen in Eastern Britain this
  autumn).
   
  Killian I am sure will be able to explain the minutia which allowed him
  to 
  confirm the Mizen individual but I am sure that call would have played a
  major 
  part. Blyth's Reed Warblers (like Eurasian Reed Warblers) are highly
  variable 
  in appearance, ranging from very cold-toned to quite warm-toned birds,
  but 
  consistently show a long, pointed bill (often grey in colour) and more
  sloping 
  forehead. They tend to prefer more scrubby terrain (and trees) and have
  a habit 
  of cocking their tails upwards when calling. In fact, the posture is
  quite 
  unique.
   
  The primary projection is very short but fresh first-winters do show
  paler 
  tips to the primaries (but obviously not as prominent as in Marsh
  Warbler) and 
  tend to lack the contrasting alula. The supercilia extent is variable
  within 
  individuals but averaging paler and broader and often longer, whilst the

  underparts are much more cold-toned, lacking the warmer buff of the Reed
  Warbler 
  flanks and sides (more of an olive-grey wash).
   
  This year has seen an unprecedented arrival of this species in Britain
  and 
  Ireland allowing many observers an ideal (and perhaps one-off)
  opportunity to 
  study the species in late autumn. However, the differences between the
  three 
  species is still very subtle and caution should always be made when
  making a firm 
  identification. I believe we in Britain are perhaps becoming too blase
  with 
  this species, and overlooking the difficulties that many 'brighter'
  individuals 
  pose. Calls are the real clincher but care must be made to eliminate
  some 
  Caspian Reed Warblers which can make similar sounds on passage.  

  Lee G R Evans
  British Birding Association
  UK400 Club, Rare Birds Magazine, Ornithological Consultant and
  Conservationist
  Discussion Forum/Email Group: _http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/_

  (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/) 
  Rare Bird Alert: 
  _http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400Cl
  ubBBA/_ 
  (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400Cl
  ubBBA/) 
  Email Address: LGREUK400 AT aol.com
  Website Address: _www.uk400clubonline.co.uk_ 
  (http://www.uk400clubonline.co.uk/) 

  Chaffinch House
  8 Sandycroft Road
  Little Chalfont
  Amersham
  Buckinghamshire
  England
  HP6 6QL
  Telephones:  and 
  Mobile/Text Alerts: 
  (Lee Evans Enterprises incorporate documentation of rare bird
  occurrences in 
  Britain & Ireland and elsewhere in the Western Palearctic and in North 
  America; Rare Bird Information and Rare Bird Alerts; Rare Birds Magazine
  and other 
  related publications; Bird Tours for Birders)




     


  No virus found in this incoming message.
  Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
  Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: /1071 - Release Date:
  15/10/2007 06:48
   

  No virus found in this outgoing message.
  Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
  Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: /1071 - Release Date:
  15/10/2007 06:48
   

Hi Ciaran,

I can't comment very authoritatively on the ID features for Blyth's Reed but
I do have a little experience.  I saw plenty of Blyth's in Goa in India a
number of years ago and watched them for many hours.  I remember thinking
they were quite distinctive at the time.


Some features I remember which I considered striking - in no particular
order.

1. An often broader, brighter and more sharply defined eye-ring and a
brighter supercillium in front of the eye then on Reed.  Overall this
creates a nice open-faced expression.

2. Wings sometimes held below the tail level when at rest with a slightly
arched back contributing to the so called 'banana' posture.

3. A more rounded head than on Reed.

4. A distinctive Sylvia-like call.  Note the close similarity to the call
made by the Marsh Warbler on Galley Head some years ago.

5. Dark legs.

6. I think the wing structure is a potentially very useful feature but not
solely due to the shorter primary projection.  In Goa I remember finding the
shorter primaries a very difficult feature to gauge accurately in the field
using the standard primary-length versus tertial-length method.  We had the
very same problem trying to clinch this feature on the Mizen bird.  In Goa I
found it more useful to judge the wings in the context of the bird's overall
proportions.  I think this worked well for the Mizen bird too but as its a
rather subjective impression its possibly not great for pinning a positive
ID on, least of all when its a potential Irish 1st!  Here's my thoughts on
that point in any case...to me the wings look distinctly more compact and
short on Blyth's then in Reed.  The primary length is only a subtle part of
that difference and I dont think comparing primary length to tertial length
is entirely helpful.  The real difference I think is in the overall bulk of
the wing.  Have you noticed how the wing feathers on Reed warbler usually
appear long, big and bulky?  The primaries and secondaries often give the
impression of being stacked rather like a deck of cards to use an exagerated
analogy.   I find the wing structure a lot more subtle on Blyth's Reed
Warbler - much more like the wing of a shirt-winged Hippo, Sylvia or
Phllosc.  Perhaps this difference might help to explain why the bird
sometimes 'holds' its wings differently to Reed and Marsh.  In the latter
two, as for the longer winged Hippo's and Sylvia's it like the bird is
balancing a deck of cards on its back!

I managed to capture many of these features well in a few shots when the
Mizen bird was reasonably static at one point.  It's all very subtle I'll
agree, but I think its still distinctly different from the classic Reed
Warbler look.

http://www.surfbirds.com/cgi-bin/gallery/display.cgi?gallery=gallery9

In relation to field impressions of colour versus impressions in photos,
this is a constant problem when dealing with birds which have rather pale
and subtle colour tones.  As a rule of thumb I tend to find that all camera
images make these pale warblers look darker then they actually appeared to
the human eye in the field.  I wonder if it's the camera which is to blame
for this or if it is more a function of our own brains' interpretation of
pale objects against a dark terrain?  The tones on these warblers are also
certainly hugely influenced by light and shade.

Regardless of how dark the bird appears in photos I think the basic colour
tones in photos reflect the bird very accurately.  In the field I certainly
noticed subtle olive tones to the head, mantle and upper breast as well as
warmer reddish brown tones to the wings, tail and upper-tail coverts in
particular.  By contrast the under-parts were quite clean and whitish.  I
don't recall ever seeing a Reed Warbler with this combination of plumage
colouration though many Marsh Warblers can presumably look quite similar to
this.  Marsh should however have a shorter, blunter bill, straw coloured
legs and more contrast in the wing, along with structural features more
closely aligned to Reed Warbler.


Having said all this I, like everyone else was prepared to discount the bird
as a funny sounding Reed Warbler at one point.  If it hadn't been for the
presence of a classic Reed Warbler in Vireo Valley and Peter Wiltsenholm's
persistance that the bird was "chalk" to the usual "Reed cheese" I suspect
the bird would not have been clinched until photos and sound recordings were
passed on to those birders more familiar with the species.  By which time a
tick may have gone a begging for many.

Fair play to Killian for finding the bird and ultimately being the one to
stick his neck out and call it!

Lets face it, birding doesn't come much harder than this!

Regards

Mike





----- Original Message -----
From: "Ciaran Cronin" 
To: 
Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2007 2:56 PM
Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed


Thanks Colin!
Thanks Colin!

-----Original Message-----
From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On Behalf Of
Colin McNamee
Sent: 16 October 2007 14:24
To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed

Its just you
Its just you

-----Original Message-----
From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On Behalf Of
Ciaran Cronin
Sent: 16 October 2007 14:22
To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed


Is anybody else receiving all IBN mails in duplicate, or is it just me
and my poxy computer? C

-----Original Message-----
From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On Behalf Of
Phil Davis
Sent: 16 October 2007 13:39
To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed

Hi Ciaran



Graham Gordon here. Long time no hear! Tried to ring you once or twice
this autumn just for chat but no answer.



Re: Blyth's Reed. A mate of mine found one up in Whitburn this year and
was a bit uncertain of it's i.d. He rang a friend in Shetland who'd
handled a few, followed by a call to Mark Golley in Norfolk. The former
ran through a list of points regarding primaries and what have you,
while the latter - responsible for an early sighting in Norfolk and a
subsequent paper in Birding World - said: "Is it calling much, mate?" My
friend Cooky said:
Yeah, quite a bit actually." To which Mark replied: "Then it's an effin'
Blyth's Reed then."



Now I don't wish to upset the tertials and toes brigade who choose to
judge our records  - but as a field birder, who would like to find his
own Blyth's Reed, I think the above point is quite significant. Remember
our Olivaceous Warbler last year? Remember how much it called?



I haven't seen Blyth's Reed over here, but I have seen and heard umpteen
in India. They're pretty vocal. I've encountered  several dozen Reed
Warblers on passage in Britain & Ireland and in my experience they've
rarely uttered more than the odd note. Perhaps if there's more than one
around they might be a bit more vocal, but I believe like Olivaceous,
Radde's, Dusky, etc. Blyth's Reed is something that just likes
chuntering away to itself.



I haven't read Golley's paper for over a year and I don't have it to
hand (I read it in the Cape Clear Obs last year) but another thing I
believe they mention is Blyth's Reed's tendency to be more 'showy' on
average. I certainly hope if I ever come across one here it will be.
Reed Warblers in my opinion are a pain in the rear. There's nothing
worse than catching a glimpse of something skulking low in the
undergrowth that makes you have to sit there and wait for it to show
again, maybe two hours later. If it gets away I just dismiss it as a
Reed Warbler. I'm hoping if and when I see Mr Blyth's bird the i.d
should be at least heavily suspected in the first ten seconds of
observation.



Anyhow, just my thoughts. I hope like you I might find a Blyth's Reed
one day, but after what I've just said I'm hardly likely to convince a
rarities committee am I? Your original posting sounded like a heartfelt
cry of concern and I'm speaking back to you from the heart. Don't worry
about colour tones and flanks and rumps and all that for now. Just
listen to the Eastern vagrants CD and away you go...



Best wishes and hoping our paths cross this autumn

Graham



-------Original Message-------



From: Ciaran Cronin

Date: 10/16/07 00:11:06

To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE

Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed



Lee,

Thanks for that. Of course I am aware that Killian is extrememly

thorough, and I repeat that I'm not casting doubt on this record.



Your reply gives me some hope that I'm not alone in finding these birds

particularly difficult!



Obviously the call is a major feature, and the 'banana' posture is well

known.  As you say however, people do seem to becoming quite blas� about

them, whereas the more photographs I see of these birds over the last

few years the more confused I have become! They do seem to be extremely

variable in appearance, yet the textbooks seem to indicate that there is

a 'recipe' for field identification based on plumage features/structure.

I simply cant see it coming through on all the photographs.



Anybody else any comments to make on it?

C



-----Original Message-----

>From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On Behalf Of

Lee Evans

Sent: 15 October 2007 20:51

To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE

Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed



Ciaran



I cannot comment on this individual bird but know that Killian was

involved

with the identification of this difficult bird and spent two whole days

with it

before 'putting out the news'. Knowing how sharp he is and how

meticulous he

is, there is no way he would claim it if there was the slightest element

of

doubt as to its identification. The main feature with any potential

Blyth's Reed

Warbler is the highly distinctive and diagnostic contact call - a rather



Sylvia-like (Lesser Whitethroat) 'chiickk' call, often repeated several

times as

it moves from bush to bush through the vegetation (this has certainly

been the

case with 3 individual birds I have seen in Eastern Britain this

autumn).



Killian I am sure will be able to explain the minutia which allowed him

to

confirm the Mizen individual but I am sure that call would have played a

major

part. Blyth's Reed Warblers (like Eurasian Reed Warblers) are highly

variable

in appearance, ranging from very cold-toned to quite warm-toned birds,

but

consistently show a long, pointed bill (often grey in colour) and more

sloping

forehead. They tend to prefer more scrubby terrain (and trees) and have

a habit

of cocking their tails upwards when calling. In fact, the posture is

quite

unique.



The primary projection is very short but fresh first-winters do show

paler

tips to the primaries (but obviously not as prominent as in Marsh

Warbler) and

tend to lack the contrasting alula. The supercilia extent is variable

within

individuals but averaging paler and broader and often longer, whilst the



underparts are much more cold-toned, lacking the warmer buff of the Reed

Warbler

flanks and sides (more of an olive-grey wash).



This year has seen an unprecedented arrival of this species in Britain

and

Ireland allowing many observers an ideal (and perhaps one-off)

opportunity to

study the species in late autumn. However, the differences between the

three

species is still very subtle and caution should always be made when

making a firm

identification. I believe we in Britain are perhaps becoming too blase

with

this species, and overlooking the difficulties that many 'brighter'

individuals

pose. Calls are the real clincher but care must be made to eliminate

some

Caspian Reed Warblers which can make similar sounds on passage.



Lee G R Evans

British Birding Association

UK400 Club, Rare Birds Magazine, Ornithological Consultant and

Conservationist

Discussion Forum/Email Group: _http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/_



(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/)

Rare Bird Alert:

_http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400Cl

ubBBA/_

(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400Cl

ubBBA/)

Email Address: LGREUK400 AT aol.com

Website Address: _www.uk400clubonline.co.uk_

(http://www.uk400clubonline.co.uk/)



Chaffinch House

8 Sandycroft Road

Little Chalfont

Amersham

Buckinghamshire

England

HP6 6QL

Telephones:  and 

Mobile/Text Alerts: 

(Lee Evans Enterprises incorporate documentation of rare bird

occurrences in

Britain & Ireland and elsewhere in the Western Palearctic and in North

America; Rare Bird Information and Rare Bird Alerts; Rare Birds Magazine

and other

related publications; Bird Tours for Birders)















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15/10/2007 06:48





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************************************************************************
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This e-mail and its attachments, is confidential and is intended for the
addressee(s) only. If you are not the intended recipient, disclosure,
distribution or any action taken in reliance on it is prohibited and may
be unlawful. Please note that any information expressed in this message
or its attachments is not given or endorsed by An Post unless otherwise
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15/10/2007 17:55

Dear All

Can anyone (either Eric himself or someone else) provide me with a private 
E-mail address for Eric Dempsey? 


Alternatively he can E-mail me at jimrippey AT tiscali.co.uk

IAN RIPPEY 

Barry,
Indeed I was getting most mails to my private address and from IBN also,
so this one is the first attempt to fix it!

No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: /1072 - Release Date:
15/10/2007 17:55
 

Is anybody else receiving all IBN mails in duplicate, or is it just me and my 
poxy computer? 

E

-----Original Message-----
From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On Behalf Of Ciaran 
Cronin 

Sent: 16 October 2007 14:22
To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed

Is anybody else receiving all IBN mails in duplicate, or is it just me
and my poxy computer?
C

-----Original Message-----
From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On Behalf Of
Phil Davis
Sent: 16 October 2007 13:39
To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed

Hi Ciaran



Graham Gordon here. Long time no hear! Tried to ring you once or twice
this
autumn just for chat but no answer.



Re: Blyth's Reed. A mate of mine found one up in Whitburn this year and
was
a bit uncertain of it's i.d. He rang a friend in Shetland who'd handled
a
few, followed by a call to Mark Golley in Norfolk. The former ran
through a
list of points regarding primaries and what have you, while the latter -
responsible for an early sighting in Norfolk and a subsequent paper in
Birding World - said: "Is it calling much, mate?" My friend Cooky said: 
Yeah, quite a bit actually." To which Mark replied: "Then it's an effin'
Blyth's Reed then." 



Now I don't wish to upset the tertials and toes brigade who choose to
judge
our records  - but as a field birder, who would like to find his own
Blyth's
Reed, I think the above point is quite significant. Remember our
Olivaceous
Warbler last year? Remember how much it called? 

    

I haven't seen Blyth's Reed over here, but I have seen and heard umpteen
in
India. They're pretty vocal. I've encountered  several dozen Reed
Warblers
on passage in Britain & Ireland and in my experience they've rarely
uttered
more than the odd note. Perhaps if there's more than one around they
might
be a bit more vocal, but I believe like Olivaceous, Radde's, Dusky, etc.
Blyth's Reed is something that just likes chuntering away to itself.



I haven't read Golley's paper for over a year and I don't have it to
hand (I
read it in the Cape Clear Obs last year) but another thing I believe
they
mention is Blyth's Reed's tendency to be more 'showy' on average. I
certainly hope if I ever come across one here it will be. Reed Warblers
in
my opinion are a pain in the rear. There's nothing worse than catching a
glimpse of something skulking low in the undergrowth that makes you have
to
sit there and wait for it to show again, maybe two hours later. If it
gets
away I just dismiss it as a Reed Warbler. I'm hoping if and when I see
Mr
Blyth's bird the i.d should be at least heavily suspected in the first
ten
seconds of observation.



Anyhow, just my thoughts. I hope like you I might find a Blyth's Reed
one
day, but after what I've just said I'm hardly likely to convince a
rarities
committee am I? Your original posting sounded like a heartfelt cry of
concern and I'm speaking back to you from the heart. Don't worry about
colour tones and flanks and rumps and all that for now. Just listen to
the
Eastern vagrants CD and away you go...



Best wishes and hoping our paths cross this autumn

Graham  

 

-------Original Message-------

 

From: Ciaran Cronin

Date: 10/16/07 00:11:06

To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE

Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed

 

Lee,

Thanks for that. Of course I am aware that Killian is extrememly

thorough, and I repeat that I'm not casting doubt on this record.

 

Your reply gives me some hope that I'm not alone in finding these birds

particularly difficult!

 

Obviously the call is a major feature, and the 'banana' posture is well

known.  As you say however, people do seem to becoming quite blas� about

them, whereas the more photographs I see of these birds over the last

few years the more confused I have become! They do seem to be extremely

variable in appearance, yet the textbooks seem to indicate that there is

a 'recipe' for field identification based on plumage features/structure.

I simply cant see it coming through on all the photographs.

 

Anybody else any comments to make on it?

C

 

-----Original Message-----

>From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On Behalf Of

Lee Evans

Sent: 15 October 2007 20:51

To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE

Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed

 

Ciaran

 

I cannot comment on this individual bird but know that Killian was

involved

with the identification of this difficult bird and spent two whole days

with it

before 'putting out the news'. Knowing how sharp he is and how

meticulous he

is, there is no way he would claim it if there was the slightest element

of

doubt as to its identification. The main feature with any potential

Blyth's Reed

Warbler is the highly distinctive and diagnostic contact call - a rather

 

Sylvia-like (Lesser Whitethroat) 'chiickk' call, often repeated several

times as

it moves from bush to bush through the vegetation (this has certainly

been the

case with 3 individual birds I have seen in Eastern Britain this

autumn).

 

Killian I am sure will be able to explain the minutia which allowed him

to

confirm the Mizen individual but I am sure that call would have played a

major

part. Blyth's Reed Warblers (like Eurasian Reed Warblers) are highly

variable

in appearance, ranging from very cold-toned to quite warm-toned birds,

but

consistently show a long, pointed bill (often grey in colour) and more

sloping

forehead. They tend to prefer more scrubby terrain (and trees) and have

a habit

of cocking their tails upwards when calling. In fact, the posture is

quite

unique.

 

The primary projection is very short but fresh first-winters do show

paler

tips to the primaries (but obviously not as prominent as in Marsh

Warbler) and

tend to lack the contrasting alula. The supercilia extent is variable

within

individuals but averaging paler and broader and often longer, whilst the

 

underparts are much more cold-toned, lacking the warmer buff of the Reed

Warbler

flanks and sides (more of an olive-grey wash).

 

This year has seen an unprecedented arrival of this species in Britain

and

Ireland allowing many observers an ideal (and perhaps one-off)

opportunity to

study the species in late autumn. However, the differences between the

three

species is still very subtle and caution should always be made when

making a firm

identification. I believe we in Britain are perhaps becoming too blase

with

this species, and overlooking the difficulties that many 'brighter'

individuals

pose. Calls are the real clincher but care must be made to eliminate

some

Caspian Reed Warblers which can make similar sounds on passage.

 

Lee G R Evans

British Birding Association

UK400 Club, Rare Birds Magazine, Ornithological Consultant and

Conservationist

Discussion Forum/Email Group: _http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/_

 

(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/)

Rare Bird Alert:

_http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400Cl

ubBBA/_

(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400Cl

ubBBA/)

Email Address: LGREUK400 AT aol.com

Website Address: _www.uk400clubonline.co.uk_

(http://www.uk400clubonline.co.uk/)

 

Chaffinch House

8 Sandycroft Road

Little Chalfont

Amersham

Buckinghamshire

England

HP6 6QL

Telephones:  and 

Mobile/Text Alerts: 

(Lee Evans Enterprises incorporate documentation of rare bird

occurrences in

Britain & Ireland and elsewhere in the Western Palearctic and in North

America; Rare Bird Information and Rare Bird Alerts; Rare Birds Magazine

and other

related publications; Bird Tours for Birders)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No virus found in this incoming message.

Checked by AVG Free Edition.

Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: /1071 - Release Date:

15/10/2007 06:48

 

 

No virus found in this outgoing message.

Checked by AVG Free Edition.

Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: /1071 - Release Date:

15/10/2007 06:48

 

 


No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: /1072 - Release Date:
15/10/2007 17:55
 

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Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: /1072 - Release Date:
15/10/2007 17:55
 

##################################################################################### 

This e-mail message has been scanned for Viruses and Content and cleared 
by MailMarshal

##################################################################################### 

Hi Ciaran

You might be subscribed twice to IBN. Check if your address is 
eircom.net and/or tinet.ie on the duplicate messages.

Also I notice that everybody's messages have the Sender's address and 
the Reply-to address both IBN whereas your messages have IBN as the 
sender and your  address in the Reply-to slot.

Various solutions might be to (i) unsubscribe and see what happens  (ii) 
unsubscribe and re-subscribe (iii) contact the list moderator to fix it 
or (iv) enjoy the opportunity to read everything twice.

good luck with the repair!

bom


Ciaran Cronin wrote:
> Is anybody else receiving all IBN mails in duplicate, or is it just me
> and my poxy computer?
> C
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On Behalf Of
> Phil Davis
> Sent: 16 October 2007 13:39
> To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
> Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed
>
> Hi Ciaran
>
>
>
> Graham Gordon here. Long time no hear! Tried to ring you once or twice
> this
> autumn just for chat but no answer.
>
>
>
> Re: Blyth's Reed. A mate of mine found one up in Whitburn this year and
> was
> a bit uncertain of it's i.d. He rang a friend in Shetland who'd handled
> a
> few, followed by a call to Mark Golley in Norfolk. The former ran
> through a
> list of points regarding primaries and what have you, while the latter -
> responsible for an early sighting in Norfolk and a subsequent paper in
> Birding World - said: "Is it calling much, mate?" My friend Cooky said: 
> Yeah, quite a bit actually." To which Mark replied: "Then it's an effin'
> Blyth's Reed then." 
>
>
>
> Now I don't wish to upset the tertials and toes brigade who choose to
> judge
> our records  - but as a field birder, who would like to find his own
> Blyth's
> Reed, I think the above point is quite significant. Remember our
> Olivaceous
> Warbler last year? Remember how much it called? 
>
>     
>
> I haven't seen Blyth's Reed over here, but I have seen and heard umpteen
> in
> India. They're pretty vocal. I've encountered  several dozen Reed
> Warblers
> on passage in Britain & Ireland and in my experience they've rarely
> uttered
> more than the odd note. Perhaps if there's more than one around they
> might
> be a bit more vocal, but I believe like Olivaceous, Radde's, Dusky, etc.
> Blyth's Reed is something that just likes chuntering away to itself.
>
>
>
> I haven't read Golley's paper for over a year and I don't have it to
> hand (I
> read it in the Cape Clear Obs last year) but another thing I believe
> they
> mention is Blyth's Reed's tendency to be more 'showy' on average. I
> certainly hope if I ever come across one here it will be. Reed Warblers
> in
> my opinion are a pain in the rear. There's nothing worse than catching a
> glimpse of something skulking low in the undergrowth that makes you have
> to
> sit there and wait for it to show again, maybe two hours later. If it
> gets
> away I just dismiss it as a Reed Warbler. I'm hoping if and when I see
> Mr
> Blyth's bird the i.d should be at least heavily suspected in the first
> ten
> seconds of observation.
>
>
>
> Anyhow, just my thoughts. I hope like you I might find a Blyth's Reed
> one
> day, but after what I've just said I'm hardly likely to convince a
> rarities
> committee am I? Your original posting sounded like a heartfelt cry of
> concern and I'm speaking back to you from the heart. Don't worry about
> colour tones and flanks and rumps and all that for now. Just listen to
> the
> Eastern vagrants CD and away you go...
>
>
>
> Best wishes and hoping our paths cross this autumn
>
> Graham  
>
>  
>
> -------Original Message-------
>
>  
>
> From: Ciaran Cronin
>
> Date: 10/16/07 00:11:06
>
> To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
>
> Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed
>
>  
>
> Lee,
>
> Thanks for that. Of course I am aware that Killian is extrememly
>
> thorough, and I repeat that I'm not casting doubt on this record.
>
>  
>
> Your reply gives me some hope that I'm not alone in finding these birds
>
> particularly difficult!
>
>  
>
> Obviously the call is a major feature, and the 'banana' posture is well
>
> known.  As you say however, people do seem to becoming quite blas� about
>
> them, whereas the more photographs I see of these birds over the last
>
> few years the more confused I have become! They do seem to be extremely
>
> variable in appearance, yet the textbooks seem to indicate that there is
>
> a 'recipe' for field identification based on plumage features/structure.
>
> I simply cant see it coming through on all the photographs.
>
>  
>
> Anybody else any comments to make on it?
>
> C
>
>  
>
> -----Original Message-----
>
>   
>> From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On Behalf Of
>>     
>
> Lee Evans
>
> Sent: 15 October 2007 20:51
>
> To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
>
> Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed
>
>  
>
> Ciaran
>
>  
>
> I cannot comment on this individual bird but know that Killian was
>
> involved
>
> with the identification of this difficult bird and spent two whole days
>
> with it
>
> before 'putting out the news'. Knowing how sharp he is and how
>
> meticulous he
>
> is, there is no way he would claim it if there was the slightest element
>
> of
>
> doubt as to its identification. The main feature with any potential
>
> Blyth's Reed
>
> Warbler is the highly distinctive and diagnostic contact call - a rather
>
>  
>
> Sylvia-like (Lesser Whitethroat) 'chiickk' call, often repeated several
>
> times as
>
> it moves from bush to bush through the vegetation (this has certainly
>
> been the
>
> case with 3 individual birds I have seen in Eastern Britain this
>
> autumn).
>
>  
>
> Killian I am sure will be able to explain the minutia which allowed him
>
> to
>
> confirm the Mizen individual but I am sure that call would have played a
>
> major
>
> part. Blyth's Reed Warblers (like Eurasian Reed Warblers) are highly
>
> variable
>
> in appearance, ranging from very cold-toned to quite warm-toned birds,
>
> but
>
> consistently show a long, pointed bill (often grey in colour) and more
>
> sloping
>
> forehead. They tend to prefer more scrubby terrain (and trees) and have
>
> a habit
>
> of cocking their tails upwards when calling. In fact, the posture is
>
> quite
>
> unique.
>
>  
>
> The primary projection is very short but fresh first-winters do show
>
> paler
>
> tips to the primaries (but obviously not as prominent as in Marsh
>
> Warbler) and
>
> tend to lack the contrasting alula. The supercilia extent is variable
>
> within
>
> individuals but averaging paler and broader and often longer, whilst the
>
>  
>
> underparts are much more cold-toned, lacking the warmer buff of the Reed
>
> Warbler
>
> flanks and sides (more of an olive-grey wash).
>
>  
>
> This year has seen an unprecedented arrival of this species in Britain
>
> and
>
> Ireland allowing many observers an ideal (and perhaps one-off)
>
> opportunity to
>
> study the species in late autumn. However, the differences between the
>
> three
>
> species is still very subtle and caution should always be made when
>
> making a firm
>
> identification. I believe we in Britain are perhaps becoming too blase
>
> with
>
> this species, and overlooking the difficulties that many 'brighter'
>
> individuals
>
> pose. Calls are the real clincher but care must be made to eliminate
>
> some
>
> Caspian Reed Warblers which can make similar sounds on passage.
>
>  
>
> Lee G R Evans
>
> British Birding Association
>
> UK400 Club, Rare Birds Magazine, Ornithological Consultant and
>
> Conservationist
>
> Discussion Forum/Email Group: _http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/_
>
>  
>
> (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/)
>
> Rare Bird Alert:
>
> _http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400Cl
>
> ubBBA/_
>
> (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400Cl
>
> ubBBA/)
>
> Email Address: LGREUK400 AT aol.com
>
> Website Address: _www.uk400clubonline.co.uk_
>
> (http://www.uk400clubonline.co.uk/)
>
>  
>
> Chaffinch House
>
> 8 Sandycroft Road
>
> Little Chalfont
>
> Amersham
>
> Buckinghamshire
>
> England
>
> HP6 6QL
>
> Telephones:  and 
>
> Mobile/Text Alerts: 
>
> (Lee Evans Enterprises incorporate documentation of rare bird
>
> occurrences in
>
> Britain & Ireland and elsewhere in the Western Palearctic and in North
>
> America; Rare Bird Information and Rare Bird Alerts; Rare Birds Magazine
>
> and other
>
> related publications; Bird Tours for Birders)
>
>  
>
>  
>
>  
>
>  
>
>  
>
>  
>
>  
>
> No virus found in this incoming message.
>
> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
>
> Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: /1071 - Release Date:
>
> 15/10/2007 06:48
>
>  
>
>  
>
> No virus found in this outgoing message.
>
> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
>
> Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: /1071 - Release Date:
>
> 15/10/2007 06:48
>
>  
>
>  
>
>
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
> Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: /1072 - Release Date:
> 15/10/2007 17:55
>  
>
> No virus found in this outgoing message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
> Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: /1072 - Release Date:
> 15/10/2007 17:55
>  
>
>
>
>   

Thanks Colin!
Thanks Colin! 

-----Original Message-----
From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On Behalf Of
Colin McNamee
Sent: 16 October 2007 14:24
To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed

Its just you
Its just you

-----Original Message-----
From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On Behalf Of
Ciaran Cronin
Sent: 16 October 2007 14:22
To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed


Is anybody else receiving all IBN mails in duplicate, or is it just me
and my poxy computer? C

-----Original Message-----
From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On Behalf Of
Phil Davis
Sent: 16 October 2007 13:39
To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed

Hi Ciaran



Graham Gordon here. Long time no hear! Tried to ring you once or twice
this autumn just for chat but no answer.



Re: Blyth's Reed. A mate of mine found one up in Whitburn this year and
was a bit uncertain of it's i.d. He rang a friend in Shetland who'd
handled a few, followed by a call to Mark Golley in Norfolk. The former
ran through a list of points regarding primaries and what have you,
while the latter - responsible for an early sighting in Norfolk and a
subsequent paper in Birding World - said: "Is it calling much, mate?" My
friend Cooky said: 
Yeah, quite a bit actually." To which Mark replied: "Then it's an effin'
Blyth's Reed then." 



Now I don't wish to upset the tertials and toes brigade who choose to
judge our records  - but as a field birder, who would like to find his
own Blyth's Reed, I think the above point is quite significant. Remember
our Olivaceous Warbler last year? Remember how much it called? 

    

I haven't seen Blyth's Reed over here, but I have seen and heard umpteen
in India. They're pretty vocal. I've encountered  several dozen Reed
Warblers on passage in Britain & Ireland and in my experience they've
rarely uttered more than the odd note. Perhaps if there's more than one
around they might be a bit more vocal, but I believe like Olivaceous,
Radde's, Dusky, etc. Blyth's Reed is something that just likes
chuntering away to itself.



I haven't read Golley's paper for over a year and I don't have it to
hand (I read it in the Cape Clear Obs last year) but another thing I
believe they mention is Blyth's Reed's tendency to be more 'showy' on
average. I certainly hope if I ever come across one here it will be.
Reed Warblers in my opinion are a pain in the rear. There's nothing
worse than catching a glimpse of something skulking low in the
undergrowth that makes you have to sit there and wait for it to show
again, maybe two hours later. If it gets away I just dismiss it as a
Reed Warbler. I'm hoping if and when I see Mr Blyth's bird the i.d
should be at least heavily suspected in the first ten seconds of
observation.



Anyhow, just my thoughts. I hope like you I might find a Blyth's Reed
one day, but after what I've just said I'm hardly likely to convince a
rarities committee am I? Your original posting sounded like a heartfelt
cry of concern and I'm speaking back to you from the heart. Don't worry
about colour tones and flanks and rumps and all that for now. Just
listen to the Eastern vagrants CD and away you go...



Best wishes and hoping our paths cross this autumn

Graham  

 

-------Original Message-------

 

From: Ciaran Cronin

Date: 10/16/07 00:11:06

To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE

Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed

 

Lee,

Thanks for that. Of course I am aware that Killian is extrememly

thorough, and I repeat that I'm not casting doubt on this record.

 

Your reply gives me some hope that I'm not alone in finding these birds

particularly difficult!

 

Obviously the call is a major feature, and the 'banana' posture is well

known.  As you say however, people do seem to becoming quite blas� about

them, whereas the more photographs I see of these birds over the last

few years the more confused I have become! They do seem to be extremely

variable in appearance, yet the textbooks seem to indicate that there is

a 'recipe' for field identification based on plumage features/structure.

I simply cant see it coming through on all the photographs.

 

Anybody else any comments to make on it?

C

 

-----Original Message-----

>From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On Behalf Of

Lee Evans

Sent: 15 October 2007 20:51

To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE

Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed

 

Ciaran

 

I cannot comment on this individual bird but know that Killian was

involved

with the identification of this difficult bird and spent two whole days

with it

before 'putting out the news'. Knowing how sharp he is and how

meticulous he

is, there is no way he would claim it if there was the slightest element

of

doubt as to its identification. The main feature with any potential

Blyth's Reed

Warbler is the highly distinctive and diagnostic contact call - a rather

 

Sylvia-like (Lesser Whitethroat) 'chiickk' call, often repeated several

times as

it moves from bush to bush through the vegetation (this has certainly

been the

case with 3 individual birds I have seen in Eastern Britain this

autumn).

 

Killian I am sure will be able to explain the minutia which allowed him

to

confirm the Mizen individual but I am sure that call would have played a

major

part. Blyth's Reed Warblers (like Eurasian Reed Warblers) are highly

variable

in appearance, ranging from very cold-toned to quite warm-toned birds,

but

consistently show a long, pointed bill (often grey in colour) and more

sloping

forehead. They tend to prefer more scrubby terrain (and trees) and have

a habit

of cocking their tails upwards when calling. In fact, the posture is

quite

unique.

 

The primary projection is very short but fresh first-winters do show

paler

tips to the primaries (but obviously not as prominent as in Marsh

Warbler) and

tend to lack the contrasting alula. The supercilia extent is variable

within

individuals but averaging paler and broader and often longer, whilst the

 

underparts are much more cold-toned, lacking the warmer buff of the Reed

Warbler

flanks and sides (more of an olive-grey wash).

 

This year has seen an unprecedented arrival of this species in Britain

and

Ireland allowing many observers an ideal (and perhaps one-off)

opportunity to

study the species in late autumn. However, the differences between the

three

species is still very subtle and caution should always be made when

making a firm

identification. I believe we in Britain are perhaps becoming too blase

with

this species, and overlooking the difficulties that many 'brighter'

individuals

pose. Calls are the real clincher but care must be made to eliminate

some

Caspian Reed Warblers which can make similar sounds on passage.

 

Lee G R Evans

British Birding Association

UK400 Club, Rare Birds Magazine, Ornithological Consultant and

Conservationist

Discussion Forum/Email Group: _http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/_

 

(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/)

Rare Bird Alert:

_http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400Cl

ubBBA/_

(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400Cl

ubBBA/)

Email Address: LGREUK400 AT aol.com

Website Address: _www.uk400clubonline.co.uk_

(http://www.uk400clubonline.co.uk/)

 

Chaffinch House

8 Sandycroft Road

Little Chalfont

Amersham

Buckinghamshire

England

HP6 6QL

Telephones:  and 

Mobile/Text Alerts: 

(Lee Evans Enterprises incorporate documentation of rare bird

occurrences in

Britain & Ireland and elsewhere in the Western Palearctic and in North

America; Rare Bird Information and Rare Bird Alerts; Rare Birds Magazine

and other

related publications; Bird Tours for Birders)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No virus found in this incoming message.

Checked by AVG Free Edition.

Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: /1071 - Release Date:

15/10/2007 06:48

 

 

No virus found in this outgoing message.

Checked by AVG Free Edition.

Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: /1071 - Release Date:

15/10/2007 06:48

 

 


No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: /1072 - Release Date:
15/10/2007 17:55
 

No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: /1072 - Release Date:
15/10/2007 17:55
 

************************************************************************
***************************************
This e-mail and its attachments, is confidential and is intended for the
addressee(s) only. If you are not the intended recipient, disclosure,
distribution or any action taken in reliance on it is prohibited and may
be unlawful. Please note that any information expressed in this message
or its attachments is not given or endorsed by An Post unless otherwise
indicated by an authorised representative independently of this message.
An Post does not accept responsibility for the contents of this message
and although it has been scanned for viruses An Post will not accept
responsibility for any damage caused as a result of a virus being passed
on.

An Post, incorporated with limited liability, registered in Ireland,
registered number 98788, Registered Office: General Post Office,
O'Connell Street, Dublin 1.

************************************************************************
*****************************************


No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: /1072 - Release Date:
15/10/2007 17:55
 

No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: /1072 - Release Date:
15/10/2007 17:55
 

Its just you
Its just you

-----Original Message-----
From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On Behalf Of Ciaran 
Cronin 

Sent: 16 October 2007 14:22
To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed


Is anybody else receiving all IBN mails in duplicate, or is it just me and my 
poxy computer? C 


-----Original Message-----
From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On Behalf Of Phil 
Davis 

Sent: 16 October 2007 13:39
To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed

Hi Ciaran



Graham Gordon here. Long time no hear! Tried to ring you once or twice this 
autumn just for chat but no answer. 




Re: Blyth's Reed. A mate of mine found one up in Whitburn this year and was a 
bit uncertain of it's i.d. He rang a friend in Shetland who'd handled a few, 
followed by a call to Mark Golley in Norfolk. The former ran through a list of 
points regarding primaries and what have you, while the latter - responsible 
for an early sighting in Norfolk and a subsequent paper in Birding World - 
said: "Is it calling much, mate?" My friend Cooky said: 

Yeah, quite a bit actually." To which Mark replied: "Then it's an effin' 
Blyth's Reed then." 




Now I don't wish to upset the tertials and toes brigade who choose to judge our 
records - but as a field birder, who would like to find his own Blyth's Reed, I 
think the above point is quite significant. Remember our Olivaceous Warbler 
last year? Remember how much it called? 


    

I haven't seen Blyth's Reed over here, but I have seen and heard umpteen in 
India. They're pretty vocal. I've encountered several dozen Reed Warblers on 
passage in Britain & Ireland and in my experience they've rarely uttered more 
than the odd note. Perhaps if there's more than one around they might be a bit 
more vocal, but I believe like Olivaceous, Radde's, Dusky, etc. Blyth's Reed is 
something that just likes chuntering away to itself. 




I haven't read Golley's paper for over a year and I don't have it to hand (I 
read it in the Cape Clear Obs last year) but another thing I believe they 
mention is Blyth's Reed's tendency to be more 'showy' on average. I certainly 
hope if I ever come across one here it will be. Reed Warblers in my opinion are 
a pain in the rear. There's nothing worse than catching a glimpse of something 
skulking low in the undergrowth that makes you have to sit there and wait for 
it to show again, maybe two hours later. If it gets away I just dismiss it as a 
Reed Warbler. I'm hoping if and when I see Mr Blyth's bird the i.d should be at 
least heavily suspected in the first ten seconds of observation. 




Anyhow, just my thoughts. I hope like you I might find a Blyth's Reed one day, 
but after what I've just said I'm hardly likely to convince a rarities 
committee am I? Your original posting sounded like a heartfelt cry of concern 
and I'm speaking back to you from the heart. Don't worry about colour tones and 
flanks and rumps and all that for now. Just listen to the Eastern vagrants CD 
and away you go... 




Best wishes and hoping our paths cross this autumn

Graham  

 

-------Original Message-------

 

From: Ciaran Cronin

Date: 10/16/07 00:11:06

To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE

Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed

 

Lee,

Thanks for that. Of course I am aware that Killian is extrememly

thorough, and I repeat that I'm not casting doubt on this record.

 

Your reply gives me some hope that I'm not alone in finding these birds

particularly difficult!

 

Obviously the call is a major feature, and the 'banana' posture is well

known.  As you say however, people do seem to becoming quite blas� about

them, whereas the more photographs I see of these birds over the last

few years the more confused I have become! They do seem to be extremely

variable in appearance, yet the textbooks seem to indicate that there is

a 'recipe' for field identification based on plumage features/structure.

I simply cant see it coming through on all the photographs.

 

Anybody else any comments to make on it?

C

 

-----Original Message-----

>From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On Behalf Of

Lee Evans

Sent: 15 October 2007 20:51

To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE

Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed

 

Ciaran

 

I cannot comment on this individual bird but know that Killian was

involved

with the identification of this difficult bird and spent two whole days

with it

before 'putting out the news'. Knowing how sharp he is and how

meticulous he

is, there is no way he would claim it if there was the slightest element

of

doubt as to its identification. The main feature with any potential

Blyth's Reed

Warbler is the highly distinctive and diagnostic contact call - a rather

 

Sylvia-like (Lesser Whitethroat) 'chiickk' call, often repeated several

times as

it moves from bush to bush through the vegetation (this has certainly

been the

case with 3 individual birds I have seen in Eastern Britain this

autumn).

 

Killian I am sure will be able to explain the minutia which allowed him

to

confirm the Mizen individual but I am sure that call would have played a

major

part. Blyth's Reed Warblers (like Eurasian Reed Warblers) are highly

variable

in appearance, ranging from very cold-toned to quite warm-toned birds,

but

consistently show a long, pointed bill (often grey in colour) and more

sloping

forehead. They tend to prefer more scrubby terrain (and trees) and have

a habit

of cocking their tails upwards when calling. In fact, the posture is

quite

unique.

 

The primary projection is very short but fresh first-winters do show

paler

tips to the primaries (but obviously not as prominent as in Marsh

Warbler) and

tend to lack the contrasting alula. The supercilia extent is variable

within

individuals but averaging paler and broader and often longer, whilst the

 

underparts are much more cold-toned, lacking the warmer buff of the Reed

Warbler

flanks and sides (more of an olive-grey wash).

 

This year has seen an unprecedented arrival of this species in Britain

and

Ireland allowing many observers an ideal (and perhaps one-off)

opportunity to

study the species in late autumn. However, the differences between the

three

species is still very subtle and caution should always be made when

making a firm

identification. I believe we in Britain are perhaps becoming too blase

with

this species, and overlooking the difficulties that many 'brighter'

individuals

pose. Calls are the real clincher but care must be made to eliminate

some

Caspian Reed Warblers which can make similar sounds on passage.

 

Lee G R Evans

British Birding Association

UK400 Club, Rare Birds Magazine, Ornithological Consultant and

Conservationist

Discussion Forum/Email Group: _http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/_

 

(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/)

Rare Bird Alert:

_http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400Cl

ubBBA/_

(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400Cl

ubBBA/)

Email Address: LGREUK400 AT aol.com

Website Address: _www.uk400clubonline.co.uk_

(http://www.uk400clubonline.co.uk/)

 

Chaffinch House

8 Sandycroft Road

Little Chalfont

Amersham

Buckinghamshire

England

HP6 6QL

Telephones:  and 

Mobile/Text Alerts: 

(Lee Evans Enterprises incorporate documentation of rare bird

occurrences in

Britain & Ireland and elsewhere in the Western Palearctic and in North

America; Rare Bird Information and Rare Bird Alerts; Rare Birds Magazine

and other

related publications; Bird Tours for Birders)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No virus found in this incoming message.

Checked by AVG Free Edition.

Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: /1071 - Release Date:

15/10/2007 06:48

 

 

No virus found in this outgoing message.

Checked by AVG Free Edition.

Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: /1071 - Release Date:

15/10/2007 06:48

 

 


No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: /1072 - Release Date: 15/10/:55 

 

No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition. 
Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: /1072 - Release Date: 15/10/:55 

 


*************************************************************************************************************** 

This e-mail and its attachments, is confidential and is intended for the 
addressee(s) only. If you are not the intended recipient, disclosure, 
distribution or any action taken in reliance on it is prohibited and may be 
unlawful. Please note that any information expressed in this message or its 
attachments is not given or endorsed by An Post unless otherwise indicated by 
an authorised representative independently of this message. An Post does not 
accept responsibility for the contents of this message and although it has been 
scanned for viruses An Post will not accept responsibility for any damage 
caused as a result of a virus being passed on. 


An Post, incorporated with limited liability, registered in Ireland, registered 
number 98788, Registered Office: General Post Office, O'Connell Street, Dublin 
1. 



***************************************************************************************************************** 

Is anybody else receiving all IBN mails in duplicate, or is it just me
and my poxy computer?
C

-----Original Message-----
From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On Behalf Of
Phil Davis
Sent: 16 October 2007 13:39
To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed

Hi Ciaran



Graham Gordon here. Long time no hear! Tried to ring you once or twice
this
autumn just for chat but no answer.



Re: Blyth's Reed. A mate of mine found one up in Whitburn this year and
was
a bit uncertain of it's i.d. He rang a friend in Shetland who'd handled
a
few, followed by a call to Mark Golley in Norfolk. The former ran
through a
list of points regarding primaries and what have you, while the latter -
responsible for an early sighting in Norfolk and a subsequent paper in
Birding World - said: "Is it calling much, mate?" My friend Cooky said: 
Yeah, quite a bit actually." To which Mark replied: "Then it's an effin'
Blyth's Reed then." 



Now I don't wish to upset the tertials and toes brigade who choose to
judge
our records  - but as a field birder, who would like to find his own
Blyth's
Reed, I think the above point is quite significant. Remember our
Olivaceous
Warbler last year? Remember how much it called? 

    

I haven't seen Blyth's Reed over here, but I have seen and heard umpteen
in
India. They're pretty vocal. I've encountered  several dozen Reed
Warblers
on passage in Britain & Ireland and in my experience they've rarely
uttered
more than the odd note. Perhaps if there's more than one around they
might
be a bit more vocal, but I believe like Olivaceous, Radde's, Dusky, etc.
Blyth's Reed is something that just likes chuntering away to itself.



I haven't read Golley's paper for over a year and I don't have it to
hand (I
read it in the Cape Clear Obs last year) but another thing I believe
they
mention is Blyth's Reed's tendency to be more 'showy' on average. I
certainly hope if I ever come across one here it will be. Reed Warblers
in
my opinion are a pain in the rear. There's nothing worse than catching a
glimpse of something skulking low in the undergrowth that makes you have
to
sit there and wait for it to show again, maybe two hours later. If it
gets
away I just dismiss it as a Reed Warbler. I'm hoping if and when I see
Mr
Blyth's bird the i.d should be at least heavily suspected in the first
ten
seconds of observation.



Anyhow, just my thoughts. I hope like you I might find a Blyth's Reed
one
day, but after what I've just said I'm hardly likely to convince a
rarities
committee am I? Your original posting sounded like a heartfelt cry of
concern and I'm speaking back to you from the heart. Don't worry about
colour tones and flanks and rumps and all that for now. Just listen to
the
Eastern vagrants CD and away you go...



Best wishes and hoping our paths cross this autumn

Graham  

 

-------Original Message-------

 

From: Ciaran Cronin

Date: 10/16/07 00:11:06

To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE

Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed

 

Lee,

Thanks for that. Of course I am aware that Killian is extrememly

thorough, and I repeat that I'm not casting doubt on this record.

 

Your reply gives me some hope that I'm not alone in finding these birds

particularly difficult!

 

Obviously the call is a major feature, and the 'banana' posture is well

known.  As you say however, people do seem to becoming quite blas� about

them, whereas the more photographs I see of these birds over the last

few years the more confused I have become! They do seem to be extremely

variable in appearance, yet the textbooks seem to indicate that there is

a 'recipe' for field identification based on plumage features/structure.

I simply cant see it coming through on all the photographs.

 

Anybody else any comments to make on it?

C

 

-----Original Message-----

>From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On Behalf Of

Lee Evans

Sent: 15 October 2007 20:51

To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE

Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed

 

Ciaran

 

I cannot comment on this individual bird but know that Killian was

involved

with the identification of this difficult bird and spent two whole days

with it

before 'putting out the news'. Knowing how sharp he is and how

meticulous he

is, there is no way he would claim it if there was the slightest element

of

doubt as to its identification. The main feature with any potential

Blyth's Reed

Warbler is the highly distinctive and diagnostic contact call - a rather

 

Sylvia-like (Lesser Whitethroat) 'chiickk' call, often repeated several

times as

it moves from bush to bush through the vegetation (this has certainly

been the

case with 3 individual birds I have seen in Eastern Britain this

autumn).

 

Killian I am sure will be able to explain the minutia which allowed him

to

confirm the Mizen individual but I am sure that call would have played a

major

part. Blyth's Reed Warblers (like Eurasian Reed Warblers) are highly

variable

in appearance, ranging from very cold-toned to quite warm-toned birds,

but

consistently show a long, pointed bill (often grey in colour) and more

sloping

forehead. They tend to prefer more scrubby terrain (and trees) and have

a habit

of cocking their tails upwards when calling. In fact, the posture is

quite

unique.

 

The primary projection is very short but fresh first-winters do show

paler

tips to the primaries (but obviously not as prominent as in Marsh

Warbler) and

tend to lack the contrasting alula. The supercilia extent is variable

within

individuals but averaging paler and broader and often longer, whilst the

 

underparts are much more cold-toned, lacking the warmer buff of the Reed

Warbler

flanks and sides (more of an olive-grey wash).

 

This year has seen an unprecedented arrival of this species in Britain

and

Ireland allowing many observers an ideal (and perhaps one-off)

opportunity to

study the species in late autumn. However, the differences between the

three

species is still very subtle and caution should always be made when

making a firm

identification. I believe we in Britain are perhaps becoming too blase

with

this species, and overlooking the difficulties that many 'brighter'

individuals

pose. Calls are the real clincher but care must be made to eliminate

some

Caspian Reed Warblers which can make similar sounds on passage.

 

Lee G R Evans

British Birding Association

UK400 Club, Rare Birds Magazine, Ornithological Consultant and

Conservationist

Discussion Forum/Email Group: _http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/_

 

(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/)

Rare Bird Alert:

_http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400Cl

ubBBA/_

(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400Cl

ubBBA/)

Email Address: LGREUK400 AT aol.com

Website Address: _www.uk400clubonline.co.uk_

(http://www.uk400clubonline.co.uk/)

 

Chaffinch House

8 Sandycroft Road

Little Chalfont

Amersham

Buckinghamshire

England

HP6 6QL

Telephones:  and 

Mobile/Text Alerts: 

(Lee Evans Enterprises incorporate documentation of rare bird

occurrences in

Britain & Ireland and elsewhere in the Western Palearctic and in North

America; Rare Bird Information and Rare Bird Alerts; Rare Birds Magazine

and other

related publications; Bird Tours for Birders)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Hi Ciaran

Graham Gordon here. Long time no hear! Tried to ring you once or twice this
autumn just for chat but no answer.

Re: Blyth's Reed. A mate of mine found one up in Whitburn this year and was
a bit uncertain of it's i.d. He rang a friend in Shetland who'd handled a
few, followed by a call to Mark Golley in Norfolk. The former ran through a
list of points regarding primaries and what have you, while the latter -
responsible for an early sighting in Norfolk and a subsequent paper in
Birding World - said: "Is it calling much, mate?" My friend Cooky said: 
Yeah, quite a bit actually." To which Mark replied: "Then it's an effin'
Blyth's Reed then." 

Now I don't wish to upset the tertials and toes brigade who choose to judge
our records  - but as a field birder, who would like to find his own Blyth's
Reed, I think the above point is quite significant. Remember our Olivaceous
Warbler last year? Remember how much it called? 
    
I haven't seen Blyth's Reed over here, but I have seen and heard umpteen in
India. They're pretty vocal. I've encountered  several dozen Reed Warblers
on passage in Britain & Ireland and in my experience they've rarely uttered
more than the odd note. Perhaps if there's more than one around they might
be a bit more vocal, but I believe like Olivaceous, Radde's, Dusky, etc.
Blyth's Reed is something that just likes chuntering away to itself.

I haven't read Golley's paper for over a year and I don't have it to hand (I
read it in the Cape Clear Obs last year) but another thing I believe they
mention is Blyth's Reed's tendency to be more 'showy' on average. I
certainly hope if I ever come across one here it will be. Reed Warblers in
my opinion are a pain in the rear. There's nothing worse than catching a
glimpse of something skulking low in the undergrowth that makes you have to
sit there and wait for it to show again, maybe two hours later. If it gets
away I just dismiss it as a Reed Warbler. I'm hoping if and when I see Mr
Blyth's bird the i.d should be at least heavily suspected in the first ten
seconds of observation.

Anyhow, just my thoughts. I hope like you I might find a Blyth's Reed one
day, but after what I've just said I'm hardly likely to convince a rarities
committee am I? Your original posting sounded like a heartfelt cry of
concern and I'm speaking back to you from the heart. Don't worry about
colour tones and flanks and rumps and all that for now. Just listen to the
Eastern vagrants CD and away you go...

Best wishes and hoping our paths cross this autumn
Graham  
 
-------Original Message-------
 
From: Ciaran Cronin
Date: 10/16/07 00:11:06
To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed
 
Lee,
Thanks for that. Of course I am aware that Killian is extrememly
thorough, and I repeat that I'm not casting doubt on this record.
 
Your reply gives me some hope that I'm not alone in finding these birds
particularly difficult!
 
Obviously the call is a major feature, and the 'banana' posture is well
known.  As you say however, people do seem to becoming quite blas� about
them, whereas the more photographs I see of these birds over the last
few years the more confused I have become! They do seem to be extremely
variable in appearance, yet the textbooks seem to indicate that there is
a 'recipe' for field identification based on plumage features/structure.
I simply cant see it coming through on all the photographs.
 
Anybody else any comments to make on it?
C
 
-----Original Message-----
>From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On Behalf Of
Lee Evans
Sent: 15 October 2007 20:51
To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed
 
Ciaran
 
I cannot comment on this individual bird but know that Killian was
involved
with the identification of this difficult bird and spent two whole days
with it
before 'putting out the news'. Knowing how sharp he is and how
meticulous he
is, there is no way he would claim it if there was the slightest element
of
doubt as to its identification. The main feature with any potential
Blyth's Reed
Warbler is the highly distinctive and diagnostic contact call - a rather
 
Sylvia-like (Lesser Whitethroat) 'chiickk' call, often repeated several
times as
it moves from bush to bush through the vegetation (this has certainly
been the
case with 3 individual birds I have seen in Eastern Britain this
autumn).
 
Killian I am sure will be able to explain the minutia which allowed him
to
confirm the Mizen individual but I am sure that call would have played a
major
part. Blyth's Reed Warblers (like Eurasian Reed Warblers) are highly
variable
in appearance, ranging from very cold-toned to quite warm-toned birds,
but
consistently show a long, pointed bill (often grey in colour) and more
sloping
forehead. They tend to prefer more scrubby terrain (and trees) and have
a habit
of cocking their tails upwards when calling. In fact, the posture is
quite
unique.
 
The primary projection is very short but fresh first-winters do show
paler
tips to the primaries (but obviously not as prominent as in Marsh
Warbler) and
tend to lack the contrasting alula. The supercilia extent is variable
within
individuals but averaging paler and broader and often longer, whilst the
 
underparts are much more cold-toned, lacking the warmer buff of the Reed
Warbler
flanks and sides (more of an olive-grey wash).
 
This year has seen an unprecedented arrival of this species in Britain
and
Ireland allowing many observers an ideal (and perhaps one-off)
opportunity to
study the species in late autumn. However, the differences between the
three
species is still very subtle and caution should always be made when
making a firm
identification. I believe we in Britain are perhaps becoming too blase
with
this species, and overlooking the difficulties that many 'brighter'
individuals
pose. Calls are the real clincher but care must be made to eliminate
some
Caspian Reed Warblers which can make similar sounds on passage.
 
Lee G R Evans
British Birding Association
UK400 Club, Rare Birds Magazine, Ornithological Consultant and
Conservationist
Discussion Forum/Email Group: _http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/_
 
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/)
Rare Bird Alert:
_http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400Cl
ubBBA/_
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400Cl
ubBBA/)
Email Address: LGREUK400 AT aol.com
Website Address: _www.uk400clubonline.co.uk_
(http://www.uk400clubonline.co.uk/)
 
Chaffinch House
8 Sandycroft Road
Little Chalfont
Amersham
Buckinghamshire
England
HP6 6QL
Telephones:  and 
Mobile/Text Alerts: 
(Lee Evans Enterprises incorporate documentation of rare bird
occurrences in
Britain & Ireland and elsewhere in the Western Palearctic and in North
America; Rare Bird Information and Rare Bird Alerts; Rare Birds Magazine
and other
related publications; Bird Tours for Birders)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: /1071 - Release Date:
15/10/2007 06:48
 
 
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Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: /1071 - Release Date:
15/10/2007 06:48
 
 

Thank you Dave and Tom.


Eamonn

-----Original Message-----
From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On Behalf Of
Tom Gittings
Sent: 16 October 2007 00:41
To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
Subject: Speckled Bush-cricket

Hi Eamonn

Speckled Bush-cricket has been quite widely recorded but from rather 
few localities in southern and eastern Ireland. There is a 1975 record 
from Cape. There are various notes in the INJ that give details of 
individual records (try searching the archive at 
http://www.habitas.org.uk/inj/ using Leptophyes). However, it is 
probably under-recorded because its stridulation is barely, or not at
all, 
audible to the human ear. I have found from casual surveying with a bat 
detector that it is common in east Cork (between Cork city and 
Midleton). It seems to favour dense brambles, which is another factor 
that makes it liable to be under-recorded. It is best detected at 30 kHz

but can be detected at 45 kHz (pipistrelle frequency) and 20 kHz 
(Leislers frequency) - but you need to poinjt the detector down not up! 
Sounds like chirping, and you will know it not a bat because bats don't 
tend to crawl around in the middle of bramble thickets!

Tom Gittings

##################################################################################### 

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by MailMarshal

##################################################################################### 

I would like to suggest that maybe Killian, and/or Dave Suddaby, provide a
resume of how they arrived at their decisions on this most difficult
species. I would be very interested to read this, particularly as I know I
would be flummoxed in the field, even with Collins Guide in hand.

Best wishes

Coiln MacLochlainn

Hi Eamonn

Speckled Bush-cricket has been quite widely recorded but from rather 
few localities in southern and eastern Ireland. There is a 1975 record 
from Cape. There are various notes in the INJ that give details of 
individual records (try searching the archive at 
http://www.habitas.org.uk/inj/ using Leptophyes). However, it is 
probably under-recorded because its stridulation is barely, or not at all, 
audible to the human ear. I have found from casual surveying with a bat 
detector that it is common in east Cork (between Cork city and 
Midleton). It seems to favour dense brambles, which is another factor 
that makes it liable to be under-recorded. It is best detected at 30 kHz 
but can be detected at 45 kHz (pipistrelle frequency) and 20 kHz 
(Leislers frequency) - but you need to poinjt the detector down not up! 
Sounds like chirping, and you will know it not a bat because bats don't 
tend to crawl around in the middle of bramble thickets!

Tom Gittings

Lee,
Thanks for that. Of course I am aware that Killian is extrememly
thorough, and I repeat that I'm not casting doubt on this record. 

Your reply gives me some hope that I'm not alone in finding these birds
particularly difficult!

Obviously the call is a major feature, and the 'banana' posture is well
known.  As you say however, people do seem to becoming quite blas� about
them, whereas the more photographs I see of these birds over the last
few years the more confused I have become! They do seem to be extremely
variable in appearance, yet the textbooks seem to indicate that there is
a 'recipe' for field identification based on plumage features/structure.
I simply cant see it coming through on all the photographs.

Anybody else any comments to make on it?
C

-----Original Message-----
From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On Behalf Of
Lee Evans
Sent: 15 October 2007 20:51
To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
Subject: Re: The mizen Blyths reed

Ciaran
 
I cannot comment on this individual bird but know that Killian was
involved 
with the identification of this difficult bird and spent two whole days
with it 
before 'putting out the news'. Knowing how sharp he is and how
meticulous he 
is, there is no way he would claim it if there was the slightest element
of 
doubt as to its identification. The main feature with any potential
Blyth's Reed 
Warbler is the highly distinctive and diagnostic contact call - a rather

Sylvia-like (Lesser Whitethroat) 'chiickk' call, often repeated several
times as 
it moves from bush to bush through the vegetation (this has certainly
been the 
case with 3 individual birds I have seen in Eastern Britain this
autumn).
 
Killian I am sure will be able to explain the minutia which allowed him
to 
confirm the Mizen individual but I am sure that call would have played a
major 
part. Blyth's Reed Warblers (like Eurasian Reed Warblers) are highly
variable 
in appearance, ranging from very cold-toned to quite warm-toned birds,
but 
consistently show a long, pointed bill (often grey in colour) and more
sloping 
forehead. They tend to prefer more scrubby terrain (and trees) and have
a habit 
of cocking their tails upwards when calling. In fact, the posture is
quite 
unique.
 
The primary projection is very short but fresh first-winters do show
paler 
tips to the primaries (but obviously not as prominent as in Marsh
Warbler) and 
tend to lack the contrasting alula. The supercilia extent is variable
within 
individuals but averaging paler and broader and often longer, whilst the

underparts are much more cold-toned, lacking the warmer buff of the Reed
Warbler 
flanks and sides (more of an olive-grey wash).
 
This year has seen an unprecedented arrival of this species in Britain
and 
Ireland allowing many observers an ideal (and perhaps one-off)
opportunity to 
study the species in late autumn. However, the differences between the
three 
species is still very subtle and caution should always be made when
making a firm 
identification. I believe we in Britain are perhaps becoming too blase
with 
this species, and overlooking the difficulties that many 'brighter'
individuals 
pose. Calls are the real clincher but care must be made to eliminate
some 
Caspian Reed Warblers which can make similar sounds on passage.  

Lee G R Evans
British Birding Association
UK400 Club, Rare Birds Magazine, Ornithological Consultant and
Conservationist
Discussion Forum/Email Group: _http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/_

(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/) 
Rare Bird Alert: 
_http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400Cl
ubBBA/_ 
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400Cl
ubBBA/) 
Email Address: LGREUK400 AT aol.com
Website Address: _www.uk400clubonline.co.uk_ 
(http://www.uk400clubonline.co.uk/) 

Chaffinch House
8 Sandycroft Road
Little Chalfont
Amersham
Buckinghamshire
England
HP6 6QL
Telephones:  and 
Mobile/Text Alerts: 
(Lee Evans Enterprises incorporate documentation of rare bird
occurrences in 
Britain & Ireland and elsewhere in the Western Palearctic and in North 
America; Rare Bird Information and Rare Bird Alerts; Rare Birds Magazine
and other 
related publications; Bird Tours for Birders)




   


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Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: /1071 - Release Date:
15/10/2007 06:48
 

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Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: /1071 - Release Date:
15/10/2007 06:48
 

Ciaran
 
I cannot comment on this individual bird but know that Killian was involved 
with the identification of this difficult bird and spent two whole days with it 

before 'putting out the news'. Knowing how sharp he is and how meticulous he 
is, there is no way he would claim it if there was the slightest element of 
doubt as to its identification. The main feature with any potential Blyth's 
Reed 

Warbler is the highly distinctive and diagnostic contact call - a rather 
Sylvia-like (Lesser Whitethroat) 'chiickk' call, often repeated several times 
as 

it moves from bush to bush through the vegetation (this has certainly been the 
case with 3 individual birds I have seen in Eastern Britain this autumn).
 
Killian I am sure will be able to explain the minutia which allowed him to 
confirm the Mizen individual but I am sure that call would have played a major 
part. Blyth's Reed Warblers (like Eurasian Reed Warblers) are highly variable 
in appearance, ranging from very cold-toned to quite warm-toned birds, but 
consistently show a long, pointed bill (often grey in colour) and more sloping 
forehead. They tend to prefer more scrubby terrain (and trees) and have a habit 

of cocking their tails upwards when calling. In fact, the posture is quite 
unique.
 
The primary projection is very short but fresh first-winters do show paler 
tips to the primaries (but obviously not as prominent as in Marsh Warbler) and 
tend to lack the contrasting alula. The supercilia extent is variable within 
individuals but averaging paler and broader and often longer, whilst the 
underparts are much more cold-toned, lacking the warmer buff of the Reed 
Warbler 

flanks and sides (more of an olive-grey wash).
 
This year has seen an unprecedented arrival of this species in Britain and 
Ireland allowing many observers an ideal (and perhaps one-off) opportunity to 
study the species in late autumn. However, the differences between the three 
species is still very subtle and caution should always be made when making a 
firm 

identification. I believe we in Britain are perhaps becoming too blase with 
this species, and overlooking the difficulties that many 'brighter' individuals 

pose. Calls are the real clincher but care must be made to eliminate some 
Caspian Reed Warblers which can make similar sounds on passage.  

Lee G R Evans
British Birding Association
UK400 Club, Rare Birds Magazine, Ornithological Consultant and Conservationist
Discussion Forum/Email Group: _http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/_ 
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/) 
Rare Bird Alert: 
_http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400ClubBBA/_ 

(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400ClubBBA/) 

Email Address: LGREUK400 AT aol.com
Website Address: _www.uk400clubonline.co.uk_ 
(http://www.uk400clubonline.co.uk/) 

Chaffinch House
8 Sandycroft Road
Little Chalfont
Amersham
Buckinghamshire
England
HP6 6QL
Telephones:  and 
Mobile/Text Alerts: 
(Lee Evans Enterprises incorporate documentation of rare bird occurrences in 
Britain & Ireland and elsewhere in the Western Palearctic and in North 
America; Rare Bird Information and Rare Bird Alerts; Rare Birds Magazine and 
other 

related publications; Bird Tours for Birders)




   

With the addition of LEAST SANDPIPER (juvenile photographed at Butt of Lewis, 
Outer Hebrides, on 13th October) and North American WILSON'S SNIPE (on Lower 
Moors Pool, St Mary's, Scilly) on 11th to at least 15th October), the total 
number of species now recorded in Britain and Ireland in 2007 has reached a 
remarkable 427 species, equalling the previous record high achieved only last 
year.  

Lee G R Evans
British Birding Association
UK400 Club, Rare Birds Magazine, Ornithological Consultant and Conservationist
Discussion Forum/Email Group: _http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/_ 
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/) 
Rare Bird Alert: 
_http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400ClubBBA/_ 

(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400ClubBBA/) 

Email Address: LGREUK400 AT aol.com
Website Address: _www.uk400clubonline.co.uk_ 
(http://www.uk400clubonline.co.uk/) 

Chaffinch House
8 Sandycroft Road
Little Chalfont
Amersham
Buckinghamshire
England
HP6 6QL
Telephones:  and 
Mobile/Text Alerts: 
(Lee Evans Enterprises incorporate documentation of rare bird occurrences in 
Britain & Ireland and elsewhere in the Western Palearctic and in North 
America; Rare Bird Information and Rare Bird Alerts; Rare Birds Magazine and 
other 

related publications; Bird Tours for Birders)




   

Hi all,
As one of the unlucky few who left the site on the first day believing
there was no access, I probably remain one of the very few who havn�t
seen or heard Blyths Reed. I should get off my lazy ass and go back I
suppose�.!  Anyway, I�m confused as hell � having seen some pictures of
this bird I�m really not sure at all if I�d pick one out.  Could some
kindhearted soul explain to me why this bird is a Blyths Reed? I�m not
casting doubt, just don�t understand! I can see clean flanks, but other
than that some photos show a complete pale lower  mandible, the primary
projection looks normal to me for reed, the super is indeed quite
striking but doesn�t seem to extend past the eye in some shots at least,
and the whole bird seems quite warm coloured.  People who have seen it
tell me it did in fact appear colder coloured than reed, so perhaps some
of these shots are not quite true to life?
Basically � can someone explain to me the identification features of
Blyths Reed!!
Ciar�n

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This is the UK400 Cub Rare Bird Alert for Monday 15th October 2007, issued at 
1600 hours, and produced in association with Rare Bird Alert Pagers 
(_www.rarebirdalert.com_ (http://www.rarebirdalert.com) ) and utilising further 

information gleaned from Regional Birdlines, _www.Birdguides.com_ 
(http://www.Birdguides.com) , the Irish Birdnet, local email groups and 
individual observers. 

 
With a major clearout on Shetland at the onset of an Atlantic front, all 
major activity reverts to the Isles of Scilly. The star attraction continues to 
be 

the North American WILSON'S SNIPE. Present early mornings in front of the 
Lower Moors hides, the bird then retreats to the quiet, sedge-filled 
surroundings 

of the adjacent Stepping Stones Field, where it is incredibly difficult to 
observe and out of view for 90% of the time. It occasionally returns to the 
pool 

prior to dusk, but does roost there each evening.
 
A LESSER YELLOWLEGS was a new but all-too-brief fresh transatlantic arrival 
this afternoon, pausing briefly to refuel on Porthellick Beach, St Mary's. The 
GREY-CHEEKED THRUSH remains on Porthloo Lane, but is remarkably elusive, being 
glimpsed mainly in flight perhaps three times a day (in the vicinity of the 
first few fields beyond Rose Studios) whilst the GREATER SHORT-TOED LARK 
commutes between the Golf Course and the Airfield and the extremely confiding 
(and 

incidentally only easy bird to see) juvenile WOODCHAT SHRIKE continues to 
refill its larder in the bracken stone-wall hedgerows behind Carn Vean Tearooms 

adjacent to Green Lane.
 
There are two similarly marked first-winter BLACKPOLL WARBLERS on St Mary's - 
one in Sallows and Willows at the Higher Moors Clump and another in gardens, 
tall Elms and dense shrubs along Pottery Lane on the quayside Garrison. Both 
birds can involve considerable time for connection.
 
A RUSTIC BUNTING is a new addition at the far end of McFarlane Down, Pungies 
Lane, St Mary's, with a LITTLE BUNTING in fields opposite the Incinerator also 
newly discovered.
 
St Agnes offers a juvenile ROSE-COLOURED STARLING on Periglis Beach, with the 
elusive BLYTH'S REED WARBLER still on Bryher (in Green Bay area) and a highly 
mobile GREAT WHITE EGRET occasionally seen over Tresco (on route to 
feeding/roosting areas on the Eastern Isles). There are up to 15 Yellow-browed 
Warblers 

on the archipelago, at least 1 Lapland and Snow Bunting, a lingering Osprey, 
several Black Redstarts, 600+ Siskins and a field-full of over 1,200 
Chaffinches on Tresco.
 
At the extreme opposite end of the country, Shetland continued to be 
bombarded by mouthwatering vagrants all weekend (check out the Shetland website 
to be 

'gripped off' by Hugh Harrop's outstanding images). Pride of place (as always) 
was the spectacular WHITE'S THRUSH, present at Sumburgh Farm on 13th, with 
runners-up in the form of a very showy PECHORA PIPIT at Toab and yet another 
RED-FLANKED BLUETAIL (first-winter) at Scatness (13th-14th). Also on 14th, a 
RUSTIC BUNTING and DUSKY WARBLER were at Sumburgh Farm, obliging PADDYFIELD 
WARBLER and LITTLE BUNTING at Quendale Burn, GREATER SHORT-TOED LARK at Toab, 
PALLAS'S LEAF WARBLER at Sumburgh Head and ever present KILLDEER again at Pool 
of 

Virkie. The drake Ring-necked Duck remains at Loch of Tingwall whilst 
well-marked ARCTIC REDPOLLS (probably HORNEMANN'S) continue with Twite flocks 
at 

Collafirth, Northmavine, and in West Yell. On Unst, the BLYTH'S REED WARBLER 
and 12 

Northwestern Redpolls remained at Norwick (14th), with a Rufous Nightingale 
trapped at Northdale, with 3 OLIVE-BACKED PIPITS on Foula.
 
Most unusual was an adult male RED-FOOTED FALCON at Tarbat Ness Lighthouse 
(Highland) until 0920 hours this morning (Dave Tanner), with a PALLAS'S LEAF 
WARBLER trapped and ringed at The Naze (Essex), a European Serin over Stanpit 
Marsh (Dorset) and a Wryneck present for its 2nd day at Warham Greens 
(Norfolk). 

A first-winter LESSER GREY SHRIKE was reported from Dersingham Bog NR this 
morning (at cTF 665 285) as was the HUME'S LEAF WARBLER again from Holkham 
Pines. 

The juvenile/first-winter Red-necked Phalarope survives on Kelling Water 
Meadows, with a fair number of Yellow-browed Warblers, Ring Ouzels and 
Bramblings 

still at coastal localities.
 
Further north, a moulting adult AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER remains for a third 
day in the Spurn/Kilnsea area (East Yorks), with PECTORAL SANDPIPERS at Tophill 

Low Reservoir (East Yorks) (2 juveniles) and a GREAT WHITE EGRET at Rutland 
Water Egleton Reserve (Leics).
 
A very confiding juvenile SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER is present for a second day 
on the Gann Estuary, just north of Dale (Pembrokeshire), whilst the adult 
WHITE-BILLED DIVER in absolutely pristine summer plumage remains in residence 
off 

Selsey Bill (West Sussex) (please note that this bird frequents sea surfaces 
between 500 and 1500 yards offshore - a 60X lens is recommended for viewing). 
At the other end of the telescopic spectrum, a juvenile PECTORAL SANDPIPER 
shows down to 3 feet just north of White's Creek in Pagham Harbour (access from 

Pagham Lagoon car park; walk north for half a mile to view spartina at edge of 
muddy foreshore track to North Wall).
 
A CATTLE EGRET is present for a second day at Seaton Marshes (South Devon), 
although there is no sign tofday of yesterday's first for Berkshire - at Lower 
Farm GP until dusk. The Mockbeggar Lake (Hants) GREAT WHITE EGRET continues to 
prosper, as does the 2nd-winter GLOSSY IBIS at Marshside Marsh RSPB 
(Merseyside). Up to 252 Taiga Bean Geese have returned to Luckenburn Farm, 
Slamannan 

(Forth). A drake LESSER SCAUP is at Blagdon Lake (Somerset), whilst an adult 
blue morph LESSER SNOW GOOSE is with 15,000 Pinkfeet at Aberlady Bay (Lothian).
 
From the island of IRELAND, weekend highlights include LESSER YELLOWLEGS at 
Clonakilty (Co. Cork), BLYTH'S REED WARBLER and RED-RUMPED SWALLOW at Mizen 
Head (Co. Cork), DUSKY WARBLER on Cape Clear Island (Co. Cork), LONG-BILLED 
DOWITCHER and GREAT WHITE EGRET at Lough Beg and LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER at 
Shannon 

Lagoons (Co. Clare). At least 1 AMERICAN BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT continues at 
Liscannor.
 
Lee G R Evans
British Birding Association
UK400 Club, Rare Birds Magazine, Ornithological Consultant and Conservationist
Discussion Forum/Email Group: _http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/_ 
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/) 
Rare Bird Alert: 
_http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400ClubBBA/_ 

(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400ClubBBA/) 

Email Address: LGREUK400 AT aol.com
Website Address: _www.uk400clubonline.co.uk_ 
(http://www.uk400clubonline.co.uk/) 

Chaffinch House
8 Sandycroft Road
Little Chalfont
Amersham
Buckinghamshire
England
HP6 6QL
Telephones:  and 
Mobile/Text Alerts: 
(Lee Evans Enterprises incorporate documentation of rare bird occurrences in 
Britain & Ireland and elsewhere in the Western Palearctic and in North 
America; Rare Bird Information and Rare Bird Alerts; Rare Birds Magazine and 
other 

related publications; Bird Tours for Birders)



   

The bird showed for about 1 1/2 hours after you left Owen, giving good,
if sporadic views in the bushes in the olly gully.  Last seen flying
back down towards west bog yesterday evening (towards where it was
originally found).
Not seen today. No shots.
Nice one Dick, and a good call!
C

-----Original Message-----
From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On Behalf Of
Owen Foley
Sent: 15 October 2007 14:42
To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
Subject: Dusky warbler

Congrats to Dick Coombes on an excellent find on cape yesterday.
Many pints...oh many pints due there!
Did anyone manage to get shots of this cracker after the last ferry
left?

Owen


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15/10/2007 06:48
 

Hi all.

I know ye are an amazing collection of knowledge, with book critics,
doctors, statisticians, photographers, bop specialists, music fans,
butterfly and dragonfly fans, moth hunters, world listers, comedians ,
artists, tour leaders, dna specialists, trespassers ,magicians,
splitters, lumpers, Lurchers, lurkers, self assessment birders, game
players, grammar police, linguists, storytellers and honest to goodness
all rounders but can anyone tell me the status of Speckled Bush Cricket
in Ireland ?

I had one on Cape.

 

Good to see so many of ye last week.

Regards, Bob. 



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by MailMarshal

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Congrats to Dick Coombes on an excellent find on cape yesterday.
Many pints...oh many pints due there!
Did anyone manage to get shots of this cracker after the last ferry left?

Owen

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Billy Quinn [mailto:bqsnr44 AT gmail.com] 
Sent: 14 October 2007 21:28
To: Heather Quinn
Subject: Gambia & Senegal Birding 

 

Folks

You will not want to miss the spectacular new show on the birds of Senegal
and the Gambia  (over 200 0verheads) this Thursday at 19.30 in the
Botanic
Gardens (18th October 2007). West African veterans Dermot McCabe and Bill 
Quinn will make the presentation. Please forward to anyone who is interested
in birding West Africa .
 See you there!

Lorraine Benson

PS It is possible that we might have a pint or 2 afterwards in Tolka House! 
Bill




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10:15


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10:15
 


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Hi Paul,

I'm very glad to hear that you and so many others managed to see the bird in 
the end; the scene I left behind as I returned to Wexford on Thursday afternoon 
sounded pretty dire! 


I was so preoccupied with working out exactly how the bird measured up in terms 
of the more established identification features (not easy given the difficulty 
in obtaining any kind of sustained view) that I hardly registered some of the 
more incidental features. I did notice an extensive grey smudge across the 
bird's left flank, where it seemed as if the dark grey 'underlay' in the body 
plumage was showing through. It looked as if it may have sustained some sort of 
damage here, and lost a clump of feathers. 



Looking at the photographs, I can see the faint suggestion of blurry greyish 
streaking on the flank (as if the dark grey bases of the feathers are showing 
through) which is similar to what you often see in juvenile warblers (for 
example Chiffchaff), the body feathers in juvenile plumage being weaker, less 
sleek and 'tidy' than subsequent plumages. My guess is that the Mizen bird 
still has mostly juvenile underparts; the limited information available in BWP 
on Blyth's Reed moult indicates that the post-juvenile moult is variable and 
that in some birds it may be much less extensive than others. The similarity 
(in this respect) to the Spurn bird is interesting, but at this point I would 
recommend placing too much reliance on this as an identification feature, as I 
suspect it is unlikely to be sufficiently exclusive to Blyth's Reed. 


We have had to wait a very long time for this addition to the Irish List, but 
with so many people having got their eye (and ear) in on this one I expect 
Blyth's Reed will prove to be considerably less rare in the future than the 
lack of records up to now has indicated. 


Regards,

Killian




 ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Paul Milne 
  To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE 
  Sent: Friday, October 12, 2007 10:07 PM
  Subject: Re: Blyth's Reed Warbler.


  I count myself lucky to have been one of the 14.
  The bird was extremely active and gave few opportunities for prolonged 
  views, so hats off to the identifiers. I did note, in the field, a 
  considerable amount of dark streaking on the lower breast and this is 
  illustrated on Killian's shots on Birds Ireland website, 
  http://www.birdsireland.com/images/2007/october/blythsreed03.jpg
  also apparent on a photo of the Spurn Head bird 
  http://www.birdguides.com/pictures/default.asp?f=150681

  What's that all about, is this a consistent id feature of BRW  ?


  puzzled lister in Dublin
  Paul.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: "Killian Mullarney" 
  To: 
  Sent: Friday, October 12, 2007 5:16 PM
  Subject: Re: Blyth's Reed Warbler.


  I have heard from Dan Ballard that access has now been arranged, and that 
  the bird has been giving views today.

  Killian
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Joseph Doolan
    To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
    Sent: Friday, October 12, 2007 11:20 AM
    Subject: Re: Blyth's Reed Warbler.


    Hi Colin.

    14 birders saw it this am.

    Regards.

    Joe

    On 12 Oct 2007, at 09:23, Colin McNamee wrote:

    > Hi Joe
    >
    > I just heard that it was seen by Dan Ballard, but no access.
    >
    > Regards
    > Colin
    >
    > -----Original Message-----
    > From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On
    > Behalf Of
    > Joseph Doolan
    > Sent: 12 October 2007 09:12
    > To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
    > Subject: Re: Blyth's Reed Warbler.
    >
    >
    > Hi Colin.
    >
    > Birders from Dublin on site. No access so far & no news of the bird.
    >
    > Regards.
    >
    > Joe
    >
    >
    > On 12 Oct 2007, at 08:37, Colin McNamee wrote:
    >
    >> Any news this morning yet ??
    >>
    >>
    >> -----Original Message-----
    >> From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On
    >> Behalf Of
    >> Joseph Doolan
    >> Sent: 11 October 2007 16:11
    >> To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
    >> Subject: Re: Blyth's Reed Warbler.
    >>
    >>
    >> Birders from Cape are there at the moment & are still unable to
    >> access the site.
    >>
    >> Regards.
    >>
    >> Joe
    >>
    >>
    >> On 11 Oct 2007, at 15:32, Colin McNamee wrote:
    >>
    >>> Killian - who else !!!
    >>>
    >>> -----Original Message-----
    >>> From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On
    >>> Behalf Of
    >>> jhobbs AT iol.ie
    >>> Sent: 11 October 2007 15:20
    >>> To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
    >>> Subject: Re: Blyth's Reed Warbler.
    >>>
    >>>
    >>> Who found it Eric?
    >>>
    >>> Original Message:
    >>> -----------------
    >>> From: irishbirdnews irishbirdnews AT EIRCOM.NET
    >>> Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2007 14:53:20 +0100
    >>> To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
    >>> Subject: Re: Blyth's Reed Warbler.
    >>>
    >>>
    >>> Hi all
    >>> I have just learned that the landowners in the area where the
    >>> Blyth's
    >>> Reed
    >>> has been found has refused access to their lands. The area can
    >>> only be
    >>> viewed from approx 1km away from the road. Given that this bird is
    >>> skulky
    >>> and the area quite dense, local birders fear that the bird will
    >>> not be
    >>> seen
    >>> from this location.  The only hope is that the bird may move further
    >>> down
    >>> the valley but even then it will only be viewable from the road.
    >>> BINS
    >>> will
    >>> be updated with any developments as they arise regarding access.
    >>>
    >>> BINS 
    >>>
    >>> Eric
    >>> ----- Original Message -----
    >>>> From: "Joseph Doolan" 
    >>> To: 
    >>> Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2007 1:56 PM
    >>> Subject: Blyth's Reed Warbler.
    >>>
    >>>
    >>>> FYI.
    >>>>
    >>>> A Blyth's Reed Warbler was positively identified on Mizen Head.
    >>>> Found
    >>>> late yesterday evening & only confirmed before lunch today.
    >>>> Access to
    >>> the
    >>>> site (near the garden with the 04 Bonelli's) is being organised.
    >>>>
    >>>> Regards.
    >>>>
    >>>> Joe
    >>>>
    >>>>
    >>>
    >>>
    >>>
    >>> --------------------------------------------------------------------
    >>> mail2web.com - Microsoft(r) Exchange solutions from a leading
    >>> provider -
    >>> http://link.mail2web.com/Business/Exchange
    >>>
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    >
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    >>
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    >>>
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    >

This is the UK400 Club Rare Bird Alert for Friday 12th October 2007, issued 
at 2200 hours, and published in association with Rare Bird Alert Pagers 
(_www.rarebirdalert.com_ (http://www.rarebirdalert.com) ) and utilising 
information 

gathered from local email groups, regional Birdlines, Birdguides and individual 

observers.
 
A North American WILSON'S SNIPE is present for a second day at Lower Moors, 
St Mary's (Isles of Scilly), showing intermittently in front of the two hides 
(mornings seem best). The bird is a well-marked individual and has been 
excellently photographed (see James Lidster's images on the RBA website) and 
represents the latest in a line of records from this archipelago.
 
With increasing numbers of birders on the islands (at about 300-strong now) 
and a change to light SE winds, a noticeable increase in rarities occurred 
today. The first-winter BLACKPOLL WARBLER which initially arrived on the 
Garrison 

on Tuesday (9th) showed well again today in Sallows at Porthellick Pool and in 
Elms just west of Carn Friars Farm, whilst a BLYTH'S REED WARBLER was present 
for a second day on Bryher (showing occasionally and calling intermittently). 
A GREY-CHEEKED THRUSH was reported very briefly from fields near Rocky Hills 
(per Mark Palmer), whilst the juvenile WOODCHAT SHRIKE remains at Carn Vean 
and incoming vagrants included a PENDULINE TIT on Lower Moors briefly (James 
Lidster), a GREATER SHORT-TOED LARK by the Hospital, Hugh Town, and a 
RED-THROATED PIPIT over Longstones. Up to 10 Yellow-browed Warblers are present 
on the 

islands, with a LITTLE BUNTING briefly at Borough Farm, Tresco (and another on 
the Wingletang, St Agnes) and a Common Rosefinch at Troy Town, St Agnes. A 
GREAT WHITE EGRET flew over Tresco early morning, with a long-staying Osprey 
lingering off Porthellick Pool, whilst there was no sign of yesterday evening's 

showy RADDE'S WARBLER on St Agnes.
 
In neighbouring Cornwall, a RADDE'S WARBLER in Nanquidno Valley was typically 
elusive, with newly arrived RED-BREASTED FLYCATCHERS discovered at Kenidjack 
Valley and at Polgigga. The Spotted Crake remains at Marazion Marsh RSPB, with 
a juvenile Red-backed Shrike at Botallack and a handful of Yellow-browed 
Warblers at scattered localities.
 
At the other end of the country, Shetland continued to dominate. With up to 
10 roving car loads of rarity finders, the autumn haul continued to increase. A 

PADDYFIELD WARBLER continues to show very well in Iris beds at Quendale Burn, 
with a HORNEMANN'S ARCTIC REDPOLL nearby and PALLAS'S LEAF WARBLER, 
Red-breasted Flycatcher and DUSKY WARBLER at Sumburgh Head. A very confiding 
PECHORA 

PIPIT was on wires at Toab (see Mark Reeder's superb images), along with a 
GREATER SHORT-TOED LARK and 8 Lapland Buntings, whilst a BLYTH'S REED WARBLER 
and 

juvenile Red-backed Shrike are in Helendale, Lerwick. The MELODIOUS WARBLER is 
still at East Voe of Quarff whilst Yellow-browed Warblers today included 7 at 
Helendale, 2 at Wester Quarff, 2 at Geosetter and singles at Sumburgh Head, 
Gulberwick, Hoswick, Grutness, Boddam, Quendale, West Yell and Seafield, 
Lerwick. On Unst, a DUSKY WARBLER was at Norwick and a PALLAS'S LEAF WARBLER at 

Ungirsta, Haroldswick, with a further DUSKY WARBLER (and LITTLE BUNTING) on Out 

Skerries and a freshly arrived LESSER YELLOWLEGS on Foula. Fair Isle has 
OLIVE-BACKED PIPIT, Richard's Pipit, Bluethroat and GREATER SHORT-TOED LARK.
 
A RED-THROATED PIPIT visited Flamborough Head (East Yorks) today, whilst 
Oxfordshire's first-ever AMERICAN BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT was relocated at Port 
Meadow, 

Oxford, where it was seen briefly with Scandinavian Rock Pipits (this bird 
had performed exceptionally well at Farmoor Reservoir on 6th-9th - Nic Hallam 
et 

al).
 
A CATTLE EGRET was seen several times during the day at Chew Valley Lake 
(Avon), with another briefly at Bewl Water (East Sussex) late morning. GREAT 
WHITE 

EGRETS remained in Norfolk and Lancashire (Leighton Moss) with another on 
South Uist at Stoneybridge (Outer Hebrides).
 
An adult WHITE-BILLED DIVER in absolutely pristine full summer plumage 
remains offshore at Selsey Bill (West Sussex) (ranging from 700-1,000 yards 
offshore 

and feeding at low tide on Crabs and Flatfish on the seaward side of the 
sandbar) (present since 2nd October and clearly lingering) with a juvenile 
PECTORAL SANDPIPER showing to just a few feet in White's Creek, on the east 
side of 

Pagham Harbour (West Sussex). Further late PECTORAL SANDPIPERS include pairs at 

Tophill Low Reservoir (East Yorks) and Portmeadow Floods, Oxford (Oxon), with 
a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER at Paull Holme Strays, Hull (East Yorks).
 
A total of 41 Eurasian Spoonbills includes 26 on Brownsea Island, Poole 
Harbour (Dorset) and 15 on the River Taw at Isley Marsh (North Devon), with a 
drake 

LESSER SCAUP on Blagdon Lake (Somerset), the GLOSSY IBIS still at Marshside 
Marsh RSPB (Merseyside) and the white morph LESSER SNOW GOOSE at West Caister 
(Norfolk). The juvenile LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER continues at Branston Island, 2 
miles NW of Bardney (Lincs), whilst the Easington (East Yorks) DUSKY WARBLER 
remains for a third day.
 
A phenomenal total of 1,100 Tree Sparrows flew south at Spurn Point (East 
Yorks) today, with bumper numbers of Chaffinch, Brambling and redpoll moving 
south throughout the country, and up to 600 Siskin new in on Scilly. At least 
20 

Northern Grey Shrikes are scattered throughout.
 
In IRELAND, the big talking point is BLYTH'S REED WARBLERS, with Dave Suddaby 
discovering a bird on The Mullet (Co. Mayo) and Killian Mullarney another in 
Cork - at Mizen Head. The latter, discovered yesterday, was successfully 
twitched by at least 16 Irish birders today (see 
_http://www.birdsireland.com/pages/rare_bird_news/2007/october_photos.html_ 
(http://www.birdsireland.com/pages/rare_bird_news/2007/october_photos.html) for 
Killian's images) 

 
Lee G R Evans
British Birding Association
UK400 Club, Rare Birds Magazine, Ornithological Consultant and Conservationist
Discussion Forum/Email Group: _http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/_ 
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/) 
Rare Bird Alert: 
_http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400ClubBBA/_ 

(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RareBirdAlertforBritainandIreland_UK400ClubBBA/) 

Email Address: LGREUK400 AT aol.com
Website Address: _www.uk400clubonline.co.uk_ 
(http://www.uk400clubonline.co.uk/) 

Chaffinch House
8 Sandycroft Road
Little Chalfont
Amersham
Buckinghamshire
England
HP6 6QL
Telephones:  and 
Mobile/Text Alerts: 
(Lee Evans Enterprises incorporate documentation of rare bird occurrences in 
Britain & Ireland and elsewhere in the Western Palearctic and in North 
America; Rare Bird Information and Rare Bird Alerts; Rare Birds Magazine and 
other 

related publications; Bird Tours for Birders)



   

 I count myself lucky to have been one of the 14.
The bird was extremely active and gave few opportunities for prolonged 
views, so hats off to the identifiers. I did note, in the field, a 
considerable amount of dark streaking on the lower breast and this is 
illustrated on Killian's shots on Birds Ireland website, 
http://www.birdsireland.com/images/2007/october/blythsreed03.jpg
also apparent on a photo of the Spurn Head bird 
http://www.birdguides.com/pictures/default.asp?f=150681

What's that all about, is this a consistent id feature of BRW  ?


puzzled lister in Dublin
Paul.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Killian Mullarney" 
To: 
Sent: Friday, October 12, 2007 5:16 PM
Subject: Re: Blyth's Reed Warbler.


I have heard from Dan Ballard that access has now been arranged, and that 
the bird has been giving views today.

Killian
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Joseph Doolan
  To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
  Sent: Friday, October 12, 2007 11:20 AM
  Subject: Re: Blyth's Reed Warbler.


  Hi Colin.

  14 birders saw it this am.

  Regards.

  Joe

  On 12 Oct 2007, at 09:23, Colin McNamee wrote:

  > Hi Joe
  >
  > I just heard that it was seen by Dan Ballard, but no access.
  >
  > Regards
  > Colin
  >
  > -----Original Message-----
  > From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On
  > Behalf Of
  > Joseph Doolan
  > Sent: 12 October 2007 09:12
  > To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
  > Subject: Re: Blyth's Reed Warbler.
  >
  >
  > Hi Colin.
  >
  > Birders from Dublin on site. No access so far & no news of the bird.
  >
  > Regards.
  >
  > Joe
  >
  >
  > On 12 Oct 2007, at 08:37, Colin McNamee wrote:
  >
  >> Any news this morning yet ??
  >>
  >>
  >> -----Original Message-----
  >> From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On
  >> Behalf Of
  >> Joseph Doolan
  >> Sent: 11 October 2007 16:11
  >> To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
  >> Subject: Re: Blyth's Reed Warbler.
  >>
  >>
  >> Birders from Cape are there at the moment & are still unable to
  >> access the site.
  >>
  >> Regards.
  >>
  >> Joe
  >>
  >>
  >> On 11 Oct 2007, at 15:32, Colin McNamee wrote:
  >>
  >>> Killian - who else !!!
  >>>
  >>> -----Original Message-----
  >>> From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On
  >>> Behalf Of
  >>> jhobbs AT iol.ie
  >>> Sent: 11 October 2007 15:20
  >>> To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
  >>> Subject: Re: Blyth's Reed Warbler.
  >>>
  >>>
  >>> Who found it Eric?
  >>>
  >>> Original Message:
  >>> -----------------
  >>> From: irishbirdnews irishbirdnews AT EIRCOM.NET
  >>> Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2007 14:53:20 +0100
  >>> To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
  >>> Subject: Re: Blyth's Reed Warbler.
  >>>
  >>>
  >>> Hi all
  >>> I have just learned that the landowners in the area where the
  >>> Blyth's
  >>> Reed
  >>> has been found has refused access to their lands. The area can
  >>> only be
  >>> viewed from approx 1km away from the road. Given that this bird is
  >>> skulky
  >>> and the area quite dense, local birders fear that the bird will
  >>> not be
  >>> seen
  >>> from this location.  The only hope is that the bird may move further
  >>> down
  >>> the valley but even then it will only be viewable from the road.
  >>> BINS
  >>> will
  >>> be updated with any developments as they arise regarding access.
  >>>
  >>> BINS 
  >>>
  >>> Eric
  >>> ----- Original Message -----
  >>>> From: "Joseph Doolan" 
  >>> To: 
  >>> Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2007 1:56 PM
  >>> Subject: Blyth's Reed Warbler.
  >>>
  >>>
  >>>> FYI.
  >>>>
  >>>> A Blyth's Reed Warbler was positively identified on Mizen Head.
  >>>> Found
  >>>> late yesterday evening & only confirmed before lunch today.
  >>>> Access to
  >>> the
  >>>> site (near the garden with the 04 Bonelli's) is being organised.
  >>>>
  >>>> Regards.
  >>>>
  >>>> Joe
  >>>>
  >>>>
  >>>
  >>>
  >>>
  >>> --------------------------------------------------------------------
  >>> mail2web.com - Microsoft(r) Exchange solutions from a leading
  >>> provider -
  >>> http://link.mail2web.com/Business/Exchange
  >>>
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On a somewhat similar note, only this afternoon a caller to the Derek 
Mooney show was talking about a family of mute swans that included 
the two parents and five singlets/cynglets. The good DM immediately 
corrected her to little effect. I wonder were they cotton, woollen or 
even featherdown ones?

Richard.

At 09:36 12/10/2007, you wrote:
>Richard,
>     It's nice to read that they have improved... A few years ago 
> they were almost completely illiterate. Though it's good to know 
> that they are still nescient. I gave up on them when they stopped 
> reporting facts and started reporting opinion, or worse even giving 
> their own.
>
>Graham
>
>
>   I sometimes despair of our semi illiterate journalists.
>
>   Richard.

I have heard from Dan Ballard that access has now been arranged, and that the 
bird has been giving views today. 


Killian
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Joseph Doolan 
  To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE 
  Sent: Friday, October 12, 2007 11:20 AM
  Subject: Re: Blyth's Reed Warbler.


  Hi Colin.

  14 birders saw it this am.

  Regards.

  Joe

  On 12 Oct 2007, at 09:23, Colin McNamee wrote:

  > Hi Joe
  >
  > I just heard that it was seen by Dan Ballard, but no access.
  >
  > Regards
  > Colin
  >
  > -----Original Message-----
  > From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On  
  > Behalf Of
  > Joseph Doolan
  > Sent: 12 October 2007 09:12
  > To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
  > Subject: Re: Blyth's Reed Warbler.
  >
  >
  > Hi Colin.
  >
  > Birders from Dublin on site. No access so far & no news of the bird.
  >
  > Regards.
  >
  > Joe
  >
  >
  > On 12 Oct 2007, at 08:37, Colin McNamee wrote:
  >
  >> Any news this morning yet ??
  >>
  >>
  >> -----Original Message-----
  >> From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On
  >> Behalf Of
  >> Joseph Doolan
  >> Sent: 11 October 2007 16:11
  >> To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
  >> Subject: Re: Blyth's Reed Warbler.
  >>
  >>
  >> Birders from Cape are there at the moment & are still unable to
  >> access the site.
  >>
  >> Regards.
  >>
  >> Joe
  >>
  >>
  >> On 11 Oct 2007, at 15:32, Colin McNamee wrote:
  >>
  >>> Killian - who else !!!
  >>>
  >>> -----Original Message-----
  >>> From: Irish Bird Network [mailto:IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE] On
  >>> Behalf Of
  >>> jhobbs AT iol.ie
  >>> Sent: 11 October 2007 15:20
  >>> To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
  >>> Subject: Re: Blyth's Reed Warbler.
  >>>
  >>>
  >>> Who found it Eric?
  >>>
  >>> Original Message:
  >>> -----------------
  >>> From: irishbirdnews irishbirdnews AT EIRCOM.NET
  >>> Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2007 14:53:20 +0100
  >>> To: IBN-L AT LISTSERV.HEANET.IE
  >>> Subject: Re: Blyth's Reed Warbler.
  >>>
  >>>
  >>> Hi all
  >>> I have just learned that the landowners in the area where the  
  >>> Blyth's
  >>> Reed
  >>> has been found has refused access to their lands. The area can
  >>> only be
  >>> viewed from approx 1km away from the road. Given that this bird is
  >>> skulky
  >>> and the area quite dense, local birders fear that the bird will
  >>> not be
  >>> seen
  >>> from this location.  The only hope is that the bird may move further
  >>> down
  >>> the valley but even then it will only be viewable from the road.  
  >>> BINS
  >>> will
  >>> be updated with any developments as they arise regarding access.
  >>>
  >>> BINS 
  >>>
  >>> Eric
  >>> ----- Original Message -----
  >>>> From: "Joseph Doolan" 
  >>> To: 
  >>> Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2007 1:56 PM
  >>> Subject: Blyth's Reed Warbler.
  >>>
  >>>
  >>>> FYI.
  >>>>
  >>>> A Blyth's Reed Warbler was positively identified on Mizen Head.
  >>>> Found
  >>>> late yesterday evening & only confirmed before lunch today.
  >>>> Access to
  >>> the
  >>>> site (near the garden with the 04 Bonelli's) is being organised.
  >>>>
  >>>> Regards.
  >>>>
  >>>> Joe
  >>>>
  >>>>
  >>>
  >>>
  >>>
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