688: Eastern Stonechat, a lounge tick

The group of eastern stonechats recently gained specific status on the AERC list of WP birds, pushing my WP total to 688. I saw variegatus in Kuwait and Egypt, armenicus in Egypt and maurus in Kuwait and Eypt. All three are currentl included within Eastern (Siberian) Stonechat, separated from the European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicula, ssp rubicula and hibernans). African stonechats have also specific level (Saxicola torquatus).

A female maurus, photographed in Al Abraq in Kuwait on 5 May 2008.


A pale female maurus, Marsa Alam, Egypt, on 3 March 2010 (all following stonechats same place same date). All dark tail.


A male armenicus; it showed some restricted white at the base of the outer tail feathers, not visible on the closed tail, seen only when the bird was landing and spreading its tail. It was accompanying the female pictured in the following image.


A female armenicus, with some white at the base of the outer tail feathers, and dark on throat (apparently not infrequent in this taxon). The pale rump was neat, but the longest upper tail coverts showed a dark shaft streak.


A male variegatus, one of few seen in Egypt in March 2010. Note the obvious white base to the outer tail feathers.