Dutch Birding volume 35 (2013) no 2

Northern Waterthrush on Vlieland in September 2010

On 18-21 September 2010, a first-year Northern Waterthrush Parkesia noveboracensis was seen on Vlieland, Friesland, the Netherlands. It concerned the first record for the Netherlands. During its four-day stay, it was visited by more than 500 birders. Identification as Northern rather than Louisiana Waterthrush P motacilla was based on the following characters: 1 uniformly buff supercilium (bicoloured in Louisiana); 2 finely streaked chin (unstreaked in Louisiana); 3 cream-coloured underparts (more whitish with buffier rear flank in Louisiana); 4 rather fine and pointed bill (slightly heavier and blunter in Louisiana); 5 'dirty' flesh-coloured leg (pale pinkish in Louisiana); 6 streaking on underparts extending to rear flank (rear flank weaker streaked or unstreaked in Louisiana); 7 shortish primary projection (slightly longer in Louisiana); and 8 harsh tsik call (call of Louisiana shorter, more melodious and metallic pit).

Until late 2012, there have been 19 other records in the WP: in the Azores (six, of which four in autumn 2012), Britain (seven), Channel Islands (one), France (three) and Ireland (two). There is only one WP record of Louisiana Waterthrush (Canary Islands, November 1991).

Ben Gaxiola, A Knottenbeltsingel 42, 3135 HD Vlaardingen, Nederland
(bgaxiolachello.nl)
Enno B Ebels, Joseph Haydnlaan 4, 3533 AE Utrecht, Nederland
(ebelswxs.nl)