• David Bremner
  • 24 Oct 2021 11:35 AM
  • State Verified Answer
  • +1 person also asked this people also asked this
  • Replies 17 replies
  • Subscribers 78 subscribers
  • Views 855 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Latest posts

Passing visitor?

Two of these in the willow tree in my garden this morning. We are out in quite open country near Wick, Caithness. Never seen there here before. Any help very much appreciated. 

  • Robbo
    Nice garden tick! Especially for late October. Lesser whitethroat.
  • Shezkah
    Looks a lot like a whitethroat to me but the eye stripe is throwing me. I even had a muddle through my shrikes in case I'm wrong XD

    Whitethroats are known willow warblers so it would make sense.
  • Robbo

    In reply to Shezkah:

    Shezkah said:


    Whitethroats are known willow warblers so it would make sense.

    What do you mean?

  • Robbo

    In reply to Shezkah:

    Shezkah said:
    Looks a lot like a whitethroat to me but the eye stripe is throwing me.

    In that photo, the bird is upside down. It is a white throat......of a lesser whitethroat.

  • rspbailey
    Yes, as Robbo says - the bird is upside down in that photo.

    The darker 'mask' is a notable marker for a Lesser.
  • HAZY

    Hi David,   What a lovely bird to have visit your garden and I agree with Rob that it is an Lesser Whitethroat which is pointing downwards;   to help I have added a photo of one I took a few years ago ......

    not the best of photos but enough I think to give you the overall impression 

    _________________________________________________________________________

    Regards, Hazel 

    "Each kindness shown to birds or men is sure to flutter back again" 

  • David Bremner

    In reply to HAZY:

    Thanks Hazel, nice picture of a lesser whitethroat! I have seen a whitethroat before (near Dornoch in springtime) but lesser whitethroat is new to me.
    They were active birds and indeed were often upside down among the branches. I think we had them for a few hours and now they are gone. Thanks for your help. :)
  • David Bremner

    In reply to Shezkah:

    I also thought shrike but size more like lesser whitethroat. Seems quite far north for this time of year. Thanks for your help :)
  • Robbo

    In reply to David Bremner:

    David Bremner said:
    I also thought shrike but size more like lesser whitethroat. Seems quite far north for this time of year. Thanks for your help :)

    It'll be a migrant so still trying to head south. Compass might need serious adjustment! If not, it'll end up in the Atlantic.

  • David Bremner

    In reply to rspbailey:

    Thanks for your help. I'm glad I had the camera at hand though my photography isn't too good and my windows need cleaned! Lesser whitethroat is a new spot for me. They were very active and stayed around a few hours but are now gone.