Red-breasted Flycatcher
Today I went to do some birding with Patrick Wildjang again. First we checked Viðareiði. It was fairly empty with only two Lesser Whitethroats and a single Yellow-browed. So we decided to go west.
Lesser Whitethroat
Our next stop was the plantation at Hvalvík. There we found another Yellow-browed and a Garden Warbler and about 7 Redpolls.
Then we headed to Gásadalur and Bø, where we saw another Lesser Whitethroat and a Yellow-browed Warbler respectively.
Red-breasted Flycatcher
Then we checked Sørvágur. A juv. Red-breasted Flycatcher was the best bird there.
Redpollish something
At Vatnsoyrar a tricky (arctic) Redpoll type gave very brief views. It had a large white upper-rump, but heavily streaked flanks. The bill was fine and in had an over all buff tone.
On our way back towards Streymoy we saw a Canada Goose-type, that had joined some domestic geese. It was rather small and short-necked with a quite steep forehead.
Canada Goose’ish goose
The bird could fly and was quite shy, so I am quite sure it is a wild one. But it looked too big for a typical Crackling Goose – or at least how I would expect it to be. Comments on the bird are welcome.
Silas Olofson
Well, the goose subspecies is still loose! I believe it could be some kind of B.h.hutchinsii / B.c. parvipes type, but seem to be a very tricky matter to determine even by experts. Check out the overview description at: http://www.sibleyguides.com/2007/07/identification-of-cackling-and-canada-goose This particullary fellow was trying to hung out with a flock of domestic geese, who tried to chase him off several times? However this fellow seemed to be fairly shy and with all wing-feathers intact. There might be occuring strange hybrids/intergrades of geese on the islands and maybe even a “strange” goose-breeder there according to CG C G Gustavsson (Sweden) who also got to see pictures from these (ref. Netfugl?)? In case you´re interested in seeing more pictures of actual goose you may e-mail me: wildjang AT hotmail.com , By the way the the lesser whitethroat (22nd Sep) got an interesting varm brown back-colouration, which giving me good vibes of eastern subspecies s.c.blythi or from the halimodendri-complex. Cheers!