ML618770418

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

Strikingly patterned individual, far to the dark end of the spectrum for variation in this species. The jury still seems to be out regarding the full story with this subspecies and how reliably it can be identified in the field, but this bird appears to be as strong a candidate as any and is a good sight darker than many putative nigrideus that I've seen bandied about online. Extensive black plumage spilling down the neck and upperparts, forming a gradual gradient from all-black to dark with faint pale edging rather than a sharp cutoff between black and gray at the base of the skull. Even the rump and lower back seemed to be a darker shade of gray than typical migratorius birds. Noticeably reduced white markings on the throat and around the eyes, adding to the overall very dark-headed impression and contrasting dramatically with the bold, banana yellow bill. Underparts seemed especially rich in coloration, a deep reddish-orange without much pale edging except towards the lower flanks. Wet feathers from the dewy grass made the belly a bit difficult to assess, but the undertail coverts also appeared to show particularly strong, dark markings

Technical information

Model

NIKON D7500

ISO

1100

Focal length

500 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/5.6

Shutter speed

1/800 sec

Dimensions

4676 pixels x 3117 pixels

Original file size

3.64 MB