Beskrivelse: Photographed at approx 04:00-05:30 in heavy rain, effective exposure 1/50-1/80
The status of this rather long distance interafrican migrant is unclear. The bird has no rings and the wings appear to be in good shape, so no direct suggestions of captive origin. Could this bird have arrived into europe from Africa in flocks of white storks with which it is said to associate with?
Hi Harry!
In Tanzania I've seen flocks of thousands of white storks mixed up with hundreds and hundreds of abdim's storks. So they migrate together, that's for sure. The possibility of one lost abdim's following the whites to Europe is not at all impossible I would say.
Is it new to WP?
Silas
Silas,
Thanks for your comments. If this is accepted by the Finnish Raritees commitee as a wild bird, which I think is indeed possible, then it would be the first record for WP. Outside Africa there are records at least from Yemen and Oman.
Regards
Harry
Hi Harry !
I definately support the possibility of a wild origin.
As Silas mentions, the two species associates frequently in the savannah biome south of Sahel. As Abdim´s Stork is a intra-african migrant with annual (west) south-north long-distance movements, then we have to ask the question (since we can´t prove the opposite unless tagged): why not ?
In the Western Albertine Rift, there is massive north-south and to a lesser extent south-north migration (i have had migration of 30.000+ south in 4 days in October and 15.000+ due north in late March-April in western Uganda) which is annual (but rarely there are birders to count them). Some of those will move north and then west but the psssibility of one moving north with White Storks are perfectly possible.
By the way, if one draws a line due north from say northern Tanzania one (bird) will end up in - Finland !
Whatever happens, Harry - great observation ! Congs.
Lars
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