Wheatears, Green Mubazzarah early October 2007
Bird 1:
Putative female Finsch's Wheatear, Green Mubazzarah 06.10.2007
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Female Finsch's Wheatear from Turkey
http://www.birdphotography.co.uk/FemaleFinschs.htm
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Western Mourning Wheatear female, for comparison. Morocco, April
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pied Wheatear, same place 08.10.2007, for comparison
Bird 2:
Putative female Pied Wheatear, Green Mubazzarah, 05.10.2007 - all photos are of the same female.
Note tailpattern with a fairly broad black terminal band and black extending up the outer tailfeather; most Pied Wheatears will have a narrower terminal tailband, but this is variable and this tail fits well for Pied Wheatear. Also note the pale fringes to the upperparts, indicating Pied Wheatear
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pied Wheatear female, Green Mub, 12.10.2007, for comparison
Bird 3:
Putative male Pied Wheatear in fresh plumage, Green Mubazzarah, 05.10.2007, behind the cafe
Note the strong white wingbar, white underside and grey scaling on back, quite unlike Pied Wheatear.
Bird 4:
Putative male Pied Wheatear in fresh plumage, Green Mub, photographed by Dave Clark 24.09.2006.
This wheatear was seen by Dave Clark at Green Mubazzarah in Al Ain on 24.09.2006
Initially identified as Pied Wheatear, it became obvious when looking at the photos that the grey crown and nape does not contrast with the black back as in Pied Wheatear, but rather continuing down the back as in Rufous-tailed Wheatear xanthoprymna. No red was noted on the tail or vent.
Rufous-tailed Wheatear Oenanthe xanthoprymna has been proposed by two independent birders.
Points noted against Rufous-tailed Wheatear:
- Can Rufous-tailed ever have such a pale mantle (very marked contrast with the black wings)? I thought it should be brown-grey, as in Ian's pic and others on the web.
- The chest of the 2004 bird looks almost plain white whereas Dave's bird is creamy buff (like Pied) underneath.
- On the 2004 bird, the white chest 'warms' to peachy orange, at a point almost level with the start of the greater coverts. Although the equivalent part of Dave's bird is partly obscured, I reckon you can still see enough to expect to detect some evidence of the white-to-orange transition if it was a Rufous-tailed.
- It doesn't seem to have the long Hooded-like bill of the 2004 bird.
- The black on the face is more extensive, even apparently going over the bill, in contrast to the restricted black in the 04 bird.
- The crown has that dusky appearance you get on male Pied.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First-winter male Pied Wheatear, Green Mub 25.09.2007, for comparison
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Male Finsch's Wheatear - Kuwait, for comparison
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1st winter male Black-eared Wheatear - Kuwait, 27. September, for comparison