Beetle

9 Oct 2010
Went to Bride's Pool for a night safari for herps but decided to look for some birds near dusk.

Quiet at the Picnic Area but suddenly a Eurasian Hobby appeared above, circulated a few rounds and continued flying towards south.
I presume it is on the way of its migration and just passed the area.

A sleepy bird caught our eyes when were searching for snakes use torch light, at first glance i was thinking "another tailorbird sleeping?" but the large size and brownish back changed my thought. We managed to observe it with tourh night at two different angles before it flew inside the forest, decided that it was a Brown-chested jungle flycatcher - fat overall struture, pale pink legs, big eyes and narrow eye-ring. Managed to get a photo using torch light and comments welcome.



[ Last edited by Beetle at 9/10/2010 23:33 ]

lpaul

The photos look like a better fit for Pale-legged/Sakhalin Leaf Warbler, with whitish legs, feet and claws, and clean white underparts.  It would also be getting late for a Jungle-flycatcher.

fatchun

Thanks for Paul leader's reply.
When we discovered it from its back, I tried to go in front of it. After I used my torch in front of it for 1 min, I flew away. But we can see clearly of its face and the throat.

Clearly, we cannot see a eye-brow on its face. Also, The first impression of it was a kind of Robin and may be a female siberian blue robin(?). But, when we looked at its eyes, it had big eyes without a obvious eye-ring and its face was evenly pale brown in color. On the other hand, the upper part of ots tail was not blue but brown, so it must not be a female siberian blue robin. So, it must be a kind of flycatcher.

I know this is difficult to tell the real size from the photo, but it could not be a warbler because it has no eye-brow.
And the color of this photo is a bit to bright.
Thank you very much

wgeoff

I had a Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher on 8th October last year on Po Toi so the date is late but not impossible.



[ Last edited by wgeoff at 10/10/2010 13:09 ]

lpaul

OK, so not a PLLW or SLW, but the lack of blue on the tail does not eliminate Siberian Blue Robin as females, especially first-winters can show brown rather than blue tails.

wgeoff

I agree with Paul, your photo and description do not eliminate a first-winter female Siberian Blue Robin - see here for a second winter bird

http://orientalbirdimages.org/bi ... =205&pagesize=1

As Brown-chested Jungle Flycatcher is a reportable species, you will have trouble persuading the Rarities Committee without a photo from the front.

Of course, for your own personal lists, you can decide for yourself.

[ Last edited by wgeoff at 10/10/2010 14:49 ]

fatchun

Thank you Geoff's and Paul's comments!
I know this was such a surpise for both of us to find a bird in such a short distance at night. And I think this was very difficult to get the photo from its front at night (around 6:00pm).
No matter was it a siberian blue robin or jungle flycatcher, we were very surprised and happy to see it=]

Thanks again,
Chun

Beetle

Thanks for geoff's and paul's comments!
Sadly it was standing at a "bad" position and place which we couldn't get a photo of the front.