Came across this male flava wag sp last weekend at Paphos sewage works in Cypus. it was accompanied by over a hundred other wagtails, mostly feldeggs. Its very similar to our flavissima, but to my eye the cap is too green and the cheek too dark. I'd beinterested to hear what you think.
Diolch
Rhys
Hi Rhys. Hope you had a good time. Aled, my son is going to Paphos next week with a friend and his parents - lucky thing!
ReplyDeleteThe Wagtail is interesting. I'm not particularly up to date with Yellow Wagtail races but the bird does seem to be flavissima with it's all green forehead, well defined yellow supercilium and dark loral stripe. Although sometimes inseperable from flavissima, lutea is the other option. However, these birds usually show at least yellow forheads and largely yellow ear coverts if not completely yellow heads.
There is a 'taivana' race from NE Siberia and Japan that has dark ear coverts and a pronounced yellow supercilium. Perhaps Mike Dukham has seen this race on his Japanese travels? Not sure if there is a West Pal record even?
Interesting stuff. Do we get a trip report?
I've seen taivana in China which this bird resembles. It's just the pale "OBP" type pale patch on the black ear coverts that makes me think it may just be a hybrid. I would think a flavissima x feldegg could possibly turn out like this.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think?
Didn't even consider hybrid Steve- nice one. Surely flavissima would be a very rate bird in Cyprus, intact if it isn't a hybrid, lutes might be geographically more likely. Anyone know Per Alstom's e-mail?
ReplyDeleteHi Rhys did you have a good trip, hope Simon behaved himself, the tinker. First thought was – got to be a Yellow. Then – well it’s a long way east. I think flavissima take a westerly route, I’ve seen them in W Sahara but I can’t say they definitely don’t take an easterly route too. No idea how frequent flavissima is on Cyprus but shouldn’t be hard to find out. Then Marc got me thinking, yes seen some taivana and they do have a dark “face” rather like this one… Martin Garner discussed during his talk, the recently accepted record of Eastern Yellow Wag in Devon, and confidently predicted that it’ll open the floodgates. Well if it can reach Devon it musta flown past Cyprus! Given that a very early R F Bluetail has just turned up, which presumably wintered in somewhere like Spain, Morocco or RSPB Conwy, an early April Eastern Yellow Wag could quite conceivably have wintered in the Middle East somewhere. Considering how regular japonicus BB Pipits, Oriental Skylark etc are in Israel it’s possible I spose. Any records of EYW from Oman, Israel etc? I’ll send the pics to a mate who lived over there and ask him for his gut feeling without saying where it was taken. Alternatively it could indeed be a hybrid of some sort, (tho of what? - don’t think there’s an overlap zone between feldegg and flavissima, with flava getting in the way, tho anything is possible; feldegg & lutea might overlap in the east). Call is supposed to be diagnostic - don’t suppose you got a sonogram of its call by any chance??! Where’s Andy when you need him.
ReplyDeleteATB MJD.
Have a look at these Yellow wagtails photographed on Bardsey this week.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bbfo.org.uk/
Thanks for the comments guys. This bird really stood out. having had a week of hundreds of black/grey/blue-headed birds of several colour schemes. It reminded me of flavissima, but it was just too green. We conisdered taivina pretty early on but dissmissed it as rather fanciful. Also considered hybrids , but of what? The bthe bird also reminded me of Dombrwowski and appeared to match the head pattern of a male , but with blue replaced by green - a pigment disorder perhaps? As Mike asks it's difficult to come to a conclusion until we know where the start line is - do falvissima occur in Cyprus? I've asked someone in the know and will report back
ReplyDeletehwyl
I've found one record of flavissima for Cyprus, and one for Israel - not a lot for 2 quite well-birded countries! Also at least one record of EYW in Israel.
ReplyDeleteCheers, Mike.
Hi Rhys. I was reading Pipits and Wagtails in bed last night. I found it very stimulating! On a serious note lutea (which looks very similar to flavissima) is found just to the north of feldeggs range so hybrids of these two races would be a serious contender for your bird. "taivana" is a well eastern species and would be a true vagrant and the pale patch on the ear coverts puts me off that idea. I hope this helps.
ReplyDeletePossible lutea x feldegg:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/27651543@N08/5421737814/
Cheers.
Hmmm probably not then unless it was a second generition hybrid ie (lutea x feldegg) x lutea?
ReplyDeleteSent it to a mate who lived in Saudi for 3 years then Japan for 8. Finally heard back, he's been bobbing about on a boat in the N Sea for a coupla weeks. He says it looks very good for taivana, but can't be sure and can't rule out hybrids, which i guess would be a more likely option.
ReplyDeletehttp://orientalbirdimages.org/search.php?Bird_ID=2087&Bird_Image_ID=31146&Bird_Family_ID=&p=28
Cheers, Mike.