YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Q

We’ve all been amazed at the appearance of the Bearded Vulture in the Peak District: its staying record, the quality of coverage in publications and press and the attention received by the public at large. When it first appeared, it was recognised as having lost tail feathers which allowed its journey to be tracked. Then it was established as a first-summer and then as a female.

I was fine until the last point, although this now seems to be widely accepted. However, there’s very little literature on the sexing of Bearded Vulture, other than it is difficult. The best features appear to be minor differences in head elongation, beard shape and forehead to beak angle, but this is tricky in the field and more troublesome in younger birds. Your article on the wanderings of another young Bearded Vulture pointed to DNA samples revealing its sex (Birdwatch 338: 8). I’m guessing that the sex of the Peak District bird was also established through DNA sampling (feathers or droppings), but confirmation would be great, and if not, some confirmation clues please. Richard Goodlad, Buckingham, via email

A

Sam Viles, BirdGuides News Manager, replies: “Sexing of Bearded Vultures is indeed difficult, and is based on a combination of features as well as a bird’s overall ‘jizz’ (or ‘general impression of size and shape’). Females are heavier, slightly larger birds on average, and have slightly broader wings in flight.

“It is also possible to successfully sex the species by looking at the shape of the head. In females this is more elongated, with a sharp angle between the beak and bulky forehead. This is largely caused by the shape and size of the bill, which is larger and heavier in females. The female’s beard is shaped like a ‘hand fan’, while this is more brush like and backwards pointing in males.

“High-quality images taken during the bird’s stay allowed these subtle differences to be analysed in detail, leading experts at the Vulture Conservation Foundation to conclude that it was most likely a female, based on a combination of these different features.” late spring and mid-autumn scarce migrant (occurring in May/June and September/October). A July occurrence in Britain would be unheard of.”

Q

Do you have any idea what bird this is? I photographed it on 27 September near Prescot Reservoir, Lancs. I think it may be a Reed Bunting with an albino head. Martin Hulme, via email

A

Josh Jones, BirdGuides Head of Content, replies: “You are correct in that this is a bizarre-looking Reed Bunting, exhibiting leucism around the head (which appears totally white), but also seemingly extending onto the mantle and rump (creating upperparts not too dissimilar in appearance to an Arctic Redpoll!). There also appears to be some white in the flight feathers, too – at least one greater covert and primary appear to be white. Leucism can take many forms and isn’t all that rare in birds, although I’ve not seen many cases of it observed in a Reed Bunting. It’s quite common to see, for example, House Sparrows with varying extents of leucism.”

found it. The bird was so close to everyone, unbelievably tame. At one point it hopped onto the foot of a lady who happened to be standing beside me, allowing me to get some good close-ups (left).

Now I can finally say I have seen this awesome bird and visited Spurn for the first time. Believe me it is definitely the place to be! Harriet Day, via email

Falcon found

Iread Mick Davis’s account of the Eleonora’s Falcon at Winterton Dunes, Norfolk (Birdwatch 340: 8) with interest. A great find and an excellent article.

I had a very similar experience at New Fancy View raptor viewpoint in the Forest of Dean, Glos, in May 2013. I wrote a full description, but never submitted the record to the BBRC because, at the time, I didn’t have a decent camera. Nowadays, of course, every man and his dog seems to have one. The bird is on my list, though, and it’s staying there!

I’m still enjoying the magazine and appreciating all the hard work that goes into it. Keith Vinicombe, via email