Sunday 8 December 2013

Hoopoe near Abergele today, present in area over 2 weeks

There were 3 or 4 independent reports in the last week of November and another one since so it seemed very likely there was a Hoopoe knocking around the west of Abergele.  It had moved on from a friends garden (which had no access) so I didn't put news out widely but P Alderson has seen it this morning in the caravan park west of Pensarn along the road by the sea wall but it is elusive.  He saw it at 11am this morning.  Really late record! poss saturata?  

Not seen it myself yet so hope to get out this arvo!

Rob

7 comments:

  1. Still there at 11.45am half way through caravans around sea wall. (per Pete A).

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  2. or could be same bird from the Clwyd back in October and making its way along the coast

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  3. What's saturata, can you ID them in the field and where are they from?

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  4. Still present 11am this morning per JR showing well. It does tend to fly off but returns to same spot.
    Steve- saturata is an Easter spp. Not sure if any do get split but it does seem very pale/bleached going on reports. Not seen it myself but a good chance it was the River Clwyd bird.

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  5. If it is paler than a 'normal' looking Hoopoe it is probably just that!

    Upupa epops saturata Lonnberg, Arkiv for Zool., v, p. 29 (1909). (Kiachta). Upupa epops. Blanf. & Oates, iii, p. 159 (part).

    Vernacular names. Dao-hu-dup (Cachari).

    Description. Very similar to typical U. e. epops but a trifle-darker on the back and wings and distinctly darker and more brown, less vinous on the breast.

    Colours of soft parts as in U. e. epops.

    Measurements. Wing 123 to 164 mm.; culmen 39 to 55 mm. Few birds are under 140 mm. in wing-measurement.

    Distribution. Breeding from about the Yenesei to Mongolia and Manchuria; South to the higher ranges of Sikkim - above 8,000 feet - Tibet and, probably, throughout the higher ranges of Central China. In Winter it migrates South to South China, the Indo-Chinese countries, Burma, Assam and India. Ticehurst identifies specimens from Seoni, Belgaum and the Deccan as being of this race but it is probably rare anywhere West of Bengal and Orissa.

    Also paper about scandinavian records (although it is an old paper!)

    http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/40058153#page/51/mode/1up

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  6. Thanks Steve.
    It was still there today throughout the morning at least. I think attention was diverted by the stranded Minke this pm which was successfully turned and it managed to swim out and away. A good rescue mission.
    Rob

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  7. U. e. saturata
    Lönnberg, 1909 Japan, Siberia to Tibet and south China
    As nominate, greyer mantle, less pink below
    Taken from Avianweb

    Some footage of the Minke rescue on the local news site - glad it got floated, hope it recuperates..

    ATB, Mike.

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