Masters of Mystery

Solutions of the First round 2008

I This bird could be identified as a Sooty Gull Larus hemprichii. It was photographed near El Gouna along the Red Sea, Egypt, on 9 May 2007 by Edwin Winkel. The identification of the bird is extensively discussed in Dutch Birding 30: 119-120, 2008.

II This bird depicted in mystery photograph II is a Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris. It was photographed at Vogelringstation Meijendel, Wassenaar, The Netherlands, on 4 November 2007 by Ben Wielstra. The identification of the bird is discussed in Dutch Birding 30: 119-120, 2008.

Winners
From those subscribed to Dutch Birding, 15 out of the 26 entrants (58%) managed to identify both mystery birds correctly. From these, Rient Niks was drawn as the winner of a copy of The Sound Approach to Birding, A guide understanding bird sound by Mark Constantine and donated by The Sound Approach. Congratulations to him!

The names of all entrants with at least one correct identification can be viewed here.

From 2007 onwards, only subcribers of Dutch Birding are allowed to join the Masters of Mystery contest of Dutch Birding.

Click here for the gallery of fame, with the names of the past winners of the Masters of Mystery.

Rob S A van Bemmelen, Gouwzee 20, 1423 DV Uithoorn, Netherlands
master@dutchbirding.nl
Dick Groenendijk, Elzenstraat 14, 4043 PB Opheusden, Netherlands
master@dutchbirding.nl
Jan Eerbeek, De Peel 2, 4041 EL Kesteren, Netherlands
master@dutchbirding.nl