avner_cohen
Israel,
20.08.2010, 08:02 |
RBA: African Black Shouldered kite (19-8-2010) (Main Area) |
The following was copied from the israbirdnet, posted by Barak Granit:
<quote>
Hi all
At about 07:20 am, I identified a Black -shouldered Kite of the African
subspecies *caeruleus *hovering above a small alfalfa field adjusted to the
sewage ponds located opposite to Kmehin. Only right a way after I also
re-identified the place where I was. So - I was at Nizzana! I immediately
Identify the place!
I thought it can't happen and all the common cliches, including the one
which says that things can't get any better, but they actually did:
apparently I forgot my cell phone at Sasi Haham's car half an hour earlier (
we met him not far from there) so I couldn't inform him and Eyal Shochat who
was only 2 km a way. It is not that I am a mean person. I am, but it had
nothing to do with that. I just felt for some moments that I lost 15 years
within a second. A time machine has send me back to the pre-cellular phone
era, times when if one had found a rarity, the birding community would have
to wait for some hours before knowing about it - at least till the finder
would also find a public phone. What a great time was that (!) and what a
great 1.5 hours I had with this Black-shouldered kite, free of all guilt
feeling that could have arise if I decided just to shush it down as I often
did with many other rarities I found in the recent years.
I think the bird still showed some juv features btw. Some streaks on the
breast and some cape appearance. Although the bird was really close and was
perching for sometime on a sprinkler, the light was really crap, but...so it
seemed. On flight on the other hand it was no problem at all to see the
white secondaries from below.
Great place: many waders and good passerines around (Great Reed Warbler,
quite a few Savi's, many yellow wags, Lesser Grey Shrike, etc). Some 50
Crowned sandgrouse as well. excellent morning.
Barak
</quote> ---
Best Regards,
Avner Cohen,
Israbirding.com team |
Eyal Shochat
Omer, Israel,
20.08.2010, 08:13
@ avner_cohen |
Kite Continues today |
Posted this earlier to the Israbirdnet but it did not fly....
The BLACK-SHOULDERED KITE was seen again this morning at Kmehin's Alfalfa field, south of the sewage ponds. Sasi did not see it around 6:00, but at 7:50 when I arrived, I found it on one of the sprinklers. It than spent an hour hovering over the field, and at some stage landed on the pond's gate. Like yesterday, the bird disappeared around 9:00am, so twitchers who decide to drive the long way, be there around 8:00. It was getting very unpleasant around 8:30 anyway. I will post record shots soon.
The whole area is very birdy. The ponds have a nice variety of muddy habitats and are full of waders and waterfowl. Of note was one BROAD-BILLED SANDPIPER among the stints. All four sandgrouse species arrived to drink, though in small numbers. The field and especially the thick vegetation between the ponds and the alfalfa, are loaded with small birds: Yellow wagtails, Wheatears, Shrikes, Savis Warblers, Reed Warblers (including 1-2 Great), and one Roller. I didnt have much time to spend, but this small area deserves a thorough scan. |
Eyal Shochat
Omer, Israel,
20.08.2010, 09:08
@ avner_cohen |
Images |
![[image]](img/uploaded/image990.jpg)
![[image]](img/uploaded/image991.jpg)
![[image]](img/uploaded/image992.jpg)
|
itaisha
20.08.2010, 09:54
@ Eyal Shochat |
Images |
definitely a 1st year bird.
great to see
»
»
» |
Amir Ben Dov
21.08.2010, 08:43
@ Barak Granit |
one more |
![[image]](img/uploaded/image993.jpg)
|
James Smith
21.08.2010, 17:31
@ Amir Ben Dov |
one more question! |
»
Well this is a fantastic image! Nice work Amir.
I was wondering how safely this bird can be identified as a first-cycle of the African form and not the Asian form? Is it certain that the Asian form always shows the dark secondaries from the underside? What other features are suggestive of the African form?
Just asking questions..as always.
Best,
James ---
James P. Smith
Amherst, MA, USA
http://pioneerbirding.blogspot.com/ |
Barak Granit
22.08.2010, 07:15
@ James Smith |
one more question! |
Hi James
Since I identified this bird I guess I should answer this...
Good question! In-fact - I am not 100% sure we can. It is a question me and Eyal contemplated about in the last two days. Perhaps it is impossible to tell them apart in this age. To be honest - I don't know. I assumed it goes as the adults (and even here I am not 100% sure that every pale seconderies bird is for sure the african ssp although this is the trend). Perhaps it's true but I am not an expert for this at all so - good question which should be addressed to someone who knows something about it .
My guess is still the african - I assume the date fits better this one, and the fact that it is juv bird , and that the affrican ssp breeds really close to here (Nile delta), it is more likely that this bird refer to this population and not to the asiatic one - but, it is only a guess (perhaps a good and well established guess... )
keep asking good Q
Barak
» »
»
» Well this is a fantastic image! Nice work Amir.
»
» I was wondering how safely this bird can be identified as a first-cycle of
» the African form and not the Asian form? Is it certain that the Asian form
» always shows the dark secondaries from the underside? What other features
» are suggestive of the African form?
»
»
» Just asking questions..as always.
»
»
» Best,
»
»
» James |
James Smith
22.08.2010, 09:44
@ Barak Granit |
one more question! |
Hi Barak & Eyal,
Thanks very much for trying to answer this one. The question arose for several reasons, primarily because of Barak's initial confidence that it must be the African sub-species but also because my limited references don't draw attention to, or even show, the colour tone of the secondaries (from below) as being definitive for separating the two forms. Also, a very quick image search of birds from Asia on the OBC database seems to show a number of birds with paler underside to the secondaries such as the bird in the link forwarded by Eyal.
However, I'd agree that on distribution and perhaps season it should most likely be the African form but playing Devil's advocate a little, when I stand back from my monitor and look at Amir's amazing shot the secondaries actually more grayish to me, not white as the underwing coverts. But, as we all know, this is one impression from one image, and your impression from the field is the most important.
Separating the two forms is a really interesting question and it would be very good to get a definitive opinion from someone like Dick Forsman.
Great bird, and keep posting those images!
Best,
James
» Hi James
»
» Since I identified this bird I guess I should answer this...
»
» Good question! In-fact - I am not 100% sure we can. It is a question me
» and Eyal contemplated about in the last two days. Perhaps it is impossible
» to tell them apart in this age. To be honest - I don't know. I assumed it
» goes as the adults (and even here I am not 100% sure that every pale
» seconderies bird is for sure the african ssp although this is the trend).
» Perhaps it's true but I am not an expert for this at all so - good
» question which should be addressed to someone who knows something about it
» .
»
» My guess is still the african - I assume the date fits better this one,
» and the fact that it is juv bird , and that the affrican ssp breeds really
» close to here (Nile delta), it is more likely that this bird refer to this
» population and not to the asiatic one - but, it is only a guess (perhaps a
» good and well established guess... )
»
» keep asking good Q
»
» Barak
» » »
» »
» » Well this is a fantastic image! Nice work Amir.
» »
» » I was wondering how safely this bird can be identified as a first-cycle
» of
» » the African form and not the Asian form? Is it certain that the Asian
» form
» » always shows the dark secondaries from the underside? What other
» features
» » are suggestive of the African form?
» »
» »
» » Just asking questions..as always.
» »
» »
» » Best,
» »
» »
» » James ---
James P. Smith
Amherst, MA, USA
http://pioneerbirding.blogspot.com/ |
Eyal Shochat
Omer, Israel,
22.08.2010, 07:43
@ James Smith |
one more answer |
Small mind think alike  . I pointed this out to Barak when seeing this image on Friday (A bird from Malaysia):
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Dq5_ABpF...+Kite_Sg+Burung_180209_IMG_8117.
I am not sure that based on plumage per se one can tell the race.
Anyway, an excuse for one more image from this morning...
![[image]](img/uploaded/image994.jpg) |
Barak Granit
22.08.2010, 11:39
@ Eyal Shochat |
one more answer |
To the last thing James wrote: I am guessing that no one will be confidant enough to say a definite thing about it. I am also guessing it goes like this: an adult bird with clear dark seconderies: Asian bird. An adult bird with pale seconderies: probably African but not rulling out Asian. A juv like this: prob african according to time of year together with location. well - actually we can try and catch it and take a DNA sample. the only problem is that I don't have any Idea what we will do with it...hang on the wall in the living room?
» Small mind think alike . I pointed this out to Barak when
» seeing this image on Friday (A bird from Malaysia):
»
» http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Dq5_ABpF...+Kite_Sg+Burung_180209_IMG_8117.
»
» I am not sure that based on plumage per se one can tell the race.
»
» Anyway, an excuse for one more image from this morning...
»
» |
Oz Horine
23.08.2010, 06:53
@ Barak Granit |
The BWK is still there today |
today between 07:15 to 08:15 |
yoavpe
Nir Moshe, N Negev,
31.08.2010, 22:43
@ Oz Horine |
And still present 31/8/10 |
![[image]](img/uploaded/image995.jpg)
Also ringed 16 Marsh Warblers, which should be a national ringing record.
More images in my blog.
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