Stejneger's Stonechat, Oct 21 2012 | Tg42 Low Carbon Bird

Stejneger’s (Amur) Stonechat Saxicola stejnegeri, Eccles-on-Sea, 2012 T.E. Allwood & A.J. Kane

During the windy and dismal afternoon of Oct 21st, we (T. E. Allwood and A.J. Kane) were seawatching at the usual spot in the dunes at Eccles-on-Sea having just had rather good views of a juvenile Sabine's Gull. It had been another disappointing day in terms of passerine migrants and otherwise the seawatch wasn't exactly inspiring with only a few Kittiwakes and Little Gulls of note, so the Sabine's was a very welcome filip. A local resident with an interest in birds dropped by to inform us of two Black Redstarts and a Stonechat nearby. As Stonechat is very seldom recorded north of Waxham, AJK decided to walk the short distance to take a look at the bird while TEA carried on the seawatch recording.

A short while later, TEA called AJK by mobile to inform him of a Red-necked Grebe that had just landed on the sea off the seawatch point. Fortunately, AJK was just leaving his house with a coffee and arrived mere seconds later to see the grebe. We sat and drank the coffee and AJK rather relaxedly stated that on the brief views he'd had, and after consulting a couple of books, the 'stonechat' looked very much a candidate for Siberian, particularly as it had a large pale peachy rump and on first view he had thought it very reminiscent of a wheatear sp. We finished the coffee smartly and returned the short distance to the stonechat. TEA quickly located what was presumably the bird in a chalet garden, but in the first fraction of a second's view also thought he'd got onto a Wheatear before realising that this was indeed the stonechat.

After a brief view the bird flew across the track in front of us at only 20-25 ft range; the paleness and especially the very large expanse of clean and unstreaked peachy rump area was immediately striking. It also seemed similar in tone to the flanks, creating a wrap-around effect. The bird showed a striking amount of white in wing-coverts in flight too and we both remarked on this immediately. The bird then perched up in brambles and on fence posts for several minutes, never staying in the same place for long. The throat of the bird was extensively white reaching up a good way to the darker ear-coverts and quite far round the neck-sides. When seen head on this was very striking indeed and combined with the rump and other features, strongly indicated a Siberian Stonechat. It didn't have the typical pale, sandy tones and Whinchat-like appearance of maura and this was unusual. Several features of the bird point towards stejnegeri and these are discussed later.

The following description was taken:

Rump:

This was striking and very apparent - even to the naked eye - whenever the bird flew, and could also even be seen in a side-on view of the perched bird as it extended below the level of the wing in a wrap-around fashion. It was a peachy tone, large and unmarked and presumably extended onto both the uppertail coverts / lower back areas as these all appeared to be a similar shade. The rump and tail contrast reminded me of a Desert Wheatear and appeared considerably larger than the white rump present on occasional presumed rubicola males that can be encountered in east Norfolk in spring.

Head:

The main feature was the prominent and extensive white chin and throat. This was striking when seen head on. The entire throat and chin were white, extending to just below the ear coverts and narrowing along the neck sides. A few dark feathers were visible on the bird's left malar area, forming two thin lines almost like narrow malar stripes. We initially considered the bird to be a first-winter female, but the presence of limited dark feathering on the left side of the throat, the ear coverts and the cheek area presumably indicate a first-winter male. There was evidence of a slightly paler supercilium when the bird was viewed side-on through the scope, but this wasn't striking as it often is in typical maura. A more Wheatear-like facial pattern was given when the bird was viewed through binoculars or with the naked eye especially from the front or from an oblique angle. There was a clear dark eye-stripe, thinner behind the eye. The fore-crown was slightly darker than rest of the grey-brown crown. Darker markings were obvious on the crown, but towards the rear crown and onto the nape in particular they became much less clear and you had to look quite hard to see them. This more lightly marked nape area created a pale shawl effect.

Mantle:

The mantle was slightly paler than that of a Common/European Stonechat but not as pale as a typical maura, with pale-rufous-tinged feather fringing apparent at close range similar in pattern to that seen on a first-winter Pied Wheatear and perhaps unlike the more frosty fringing associated with maura. The ground colour was grey-brown with darker markings. AJK also remarked on this being rather Whinchat-like.

Wing:

Again striking. The flight feathers were very dark, appearing black in the field and were noticeably edged paler. This was very evident on the tertials and secondaries, which were edged pale-buffy and which together produced a very clear and extensive pale wing-panel – larger and clearer than on the many maura that could be located on the internet. The primary coverts were also clearly edged white and stood out as a pale spot on the dark wing just below the black alula. The greater coverts were also clearly edged, but with more of a rusty-brown tone. The tips of the greater coverts formed a fairly clear wing bar along their length. The median coverts and probably lesser coverts were also edged with a more rufous tone giving a complex and almost Turtle Dove-like impression. The dark centres of the lowest row of scapulars stood out clearly against the paler mantle. The length of the primary projection was overlooked in field, but TEA remarked while observing that the bird appeared slightly 'drawn-out' and it may have been the slightly longer wing creating this impression. The colour of the underwing coverts could unfortunately not be reliably noted.

Tail:

Appeared wholly dark save for thin pale outer edges and noticeable pale tips. The black tail contrasting with the pale rump in flight was reminiscent of a Desert Wheatear.

Underparts:

The tone was peachy on the breast - where it was richer – and also on the breast sides and flanks. The lower belly and vent graded from peachiness into pale-buff / white. The white throat was clearly demarcated from the peach-toned upper breast.

Call:

None was heard.

After 30 minutes the bird flew north and away over the sea wall. It was not seen again.

Discussion.

The extensive unmarked pale rump, extensive white throat, paler mantle than hibernans/rubicola, prominent pale wing-panel, large amount of white in the wing in flight and Whinchat/Wheatear/Desert Wheatear-like impression all add up to an identification of Siberian Stonechat.

British Stonechat hibernans was ruled out by the extensive, unmarked pale peachy-buff rump and extensive white throat among other features.

European Stonechat rubicola was also ruled out by the extensive, unmarked pale peachy-buff rump and extensive white throat, large and obvious pale wing-panel etc. Furthermore, after consulting the literature it seems that a first-winter male rubicola would have more extensive dark on the throat and ear coverts - more akin to a spring bird - whereas on our bird the amount of black showing through was minimal and inconspicuous on a frontal view, restricted to a small area on the left malar region etc. A rubicola would also be expected to show at least some some evidence of streaking on the rump or uppertail coverts area.

There are several features that point to this bird being a stejnegeri; the prominent pale wing-panel, the slightly darker than typical maura upperpart colours giving a less Whinchat-type look than usual, the more extensive and more intense peach tones to the breast, the less obvious than usual supercilium, the Turtle Dove-like scalloped effect on the coverts and possibly some lower scaps, and the extensive peach-toned rump. Another presumed stejnegeri was in the UK at the same time in Dorset and yet another was in Holland and identified as stejnegeri through DNA. Pale-legged Leaf Warbler, another far eastern species, also turned up at this time. It may also be that the true variation in maura is poorly appreciated at present.

This bird turned up at the currently expected time of the year for stejnegeri and in an expected area during favourable weather conditions. Although there is no way to analyse this bird’s DNA, for the purposes of my own records and those of the TG42 square, it seems sensible to regard this bird as a Stejneger’s Stonechat.