Rare Birds in Spain Blog

As in 2011 edition, we enclose a selection of perhaps the rarest sightings obtained in the country during 2012. Please vote  the poll (right side of the blog) to see which species sighting can be considered the rarest of the rare 2012!. You can choose several choices, not only one. If interested in the different sightings, follow the links to the original report of the species in the Rare Birds in Spain website. Happy rarest of the rare 2012 and a better 2013 year! [Como en la edición de 2011, se incluyen una selección de las citas tal vez más raras que se hayan obtenido en el país durante 2012. Por favor, votad en la encuesta (en el lado derecho del blog) para ver qué cita puede ser considerada la más rara de entre las raras de 2012!. Podeis escoger diferentes opciones dado que la elección es complicada. Si estais interesados en obtener más información de las citas en cuestión podeis seguir los enlaces a las páginas originales de la web Rare Birds in Spain. Feliz raro de los rar...

On 5.12.2012 a believed-to-be Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti was found at Gola de Puçol, near Marjal dels Moros, Valencia. The bird had an obvious all black tail and showed a proper combination of whitish underparts and mantle combined with brown cap, blackish face and bib plus slender black bill. Some pictures were taken and a report was sent to Spanish Rarities Committe (CR-SEO/BirdLife). When seen the (distant) images, it was quickly felt that something was wrong with the expected Wheatear shape, particularly in terms of proportions. After acknowledging the authors and telling them that we were thinking in an aberrant (probably leucistic) Stonechat ( Saxicola rubicola ) rather than a Desert Wheatear, an alert was sent to local birdwatchers. On 6.12.2012 Miguel Tirado and others went to the site of the observation only to confirm the initial suspicions: the bird was indeed an amazing lecistic Stonechat, which almost matched the colour pattern of Desert Wheatear!. Unlike 5.12, ...