Lesser Whitethroat S. curruca / Desert Whitethroat S. minula

From the Annotated Checklist:

Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca

A complex subspecies-group where more information is clearly needed.

- S. c. curruca is probably the commonly occurring subspecies. The form caucasica is now included in nominate curruca; if recognised it might occur.

- S. c. halimodendri winters in se Iran and Pakistan and might occur on migration and in winter. This subspecies tentatively includes blythi, affinis and telengetica.

It has been proposed that halimodendri is a subspecies of S. minula and often is indistinguishable from minula, even in the hand, with similar tit-like call.

Status: Fairly common to common on migration from mid February to mid May and from September to November. Local in winter in mountain wadis.

Desert Whitethroat Sylvia minula

Now considered monotypic, including the junior synonym jaxartica. Also called Desert Lesser Whitethroat.

Status: Common winter visitor from late September to early April.

Photos - more photos required, so please send in if you have any:

Green Mubazzarah, 13.01.2007 - proposed Desert Whitethroat

Green Mubazzarah, 09.12.2006 - proposed Desert Whitethroat

Green Mubazzarah, 24.10.2006 - all photos of same bird

Dark iris suggests a first-winter bird. A fairly solid bill suggests Lesser Whitethroat curruca.