Vagrant Dusky Thrush in Western Europe

NaumanndrosselA strong, white supercilium, blackish cheeks and long white submoustachial stripe on a Thrush in late fall might mean just a Redwing (Turdus iliacus). But sometimes, it is something different, something “better”. Dutch birders in Groningen were (almost) lucky to find a Dusky Thrush (Turdus eunomus) yesterday. Unfortunately the bird was found dead on a table. Additionally ist was gripped by a cat. The bird was found in Beijum on the northern part of Groningen in the eastern-most province of the Netherlands.

The last Dusky Thrush in Europe I heard from, was detected on Scilly (GB) on Wednesday 26 October 2016.

The author of a report on a birdguides-article of a Dusky Thrush on the Islands of Scilly realized during a birding walk, that a distant thrush-like bird did not show the flanks of a Redwing and looked superfically like a Dusky Thrush. The the scope it was clearly visible, that the bird showed in general a blackish-and-white plumage with strong golden-brown wing-panel, black chevrons on white flanks, a flaring white supercilium, blackish cheeks and long white submoustachial stripes.

Dusky Thrush is a split from the Naumann’s Thrush (formerly Turdus naumanni eunomus) and is a regular winter visitor of north-east China and Korea. The images shot on Daheishan/ Dalian fit perfectly in that pattern.

In his „Handbuch der Vögel Mitteleuropas“, Band 11/II „Passeriformes, Turtiidae“ Urs N. Glutz von Blotzheim mentioned that this thrush has its main distribution in middle east sibiria. Up to 1988 Urs N. Glutz von Blotzheim counted 21 observations for the middle Western Palearctic and notes at least 7 records for Poland and 8 proofed records for Germany – some from the previous century

To cope with the growing demand for top shots of the rarer species of the Palearctic Bird-Lens is keen to enrich the range of pictures of birds you can find in the western palearctic. Beside the image above you can find a nice selection of birds in the gallery or in the “Pictures Shop” very soon. Just give a message, if Bird-Lens could serve you with an image needed before the new pictures are online.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *