Eastern Black Redstart - Phoenicurus ochruros phoenicuroides
On Tuesday 21 October 2003 Steven Wytema photographed a phoenicurus-species at the Zuidpier at IJmuiden NH, but the bird disappeared and Steven went on birding. The next day on Wednesday 22 October Laurens Steijn independently found the bird at the same location and was able to see the red-orange underparts, so it had to be one of the eastern subspecies. He warned other birders and several birders made it before dark and could confirm the identity of a Black Redstart from the eastern race phoenicuroides. The bird stayed till Thursday 23 October and was seen by c 100 birders from all of the country. I saw in at very close range in the afternoon of 23 October.
The first photograph by Steven Wytema, 21 October 2003, Zuidpier IJmuiden NH; © Steven Wytema.
22 October 2003, Zuidpier IJmuiden NH; © Patrick Palmen.
Laurens investigated many skins in several museums. His research resulted in an excellent ID-paper published in Dutch Birding 27: 171-194, 2005. Most important was the wing formula, well documented on several photographs and it ruled out a hybrid between Redstart P phoenicurus and Black Redstart P ochruros. It was accepted as the first record for the Netherlands.
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