Western/Eastern Bonelli's Warbler

Last weekend I was in Hanko Bird Observatory. On late Saturday morning I was having a little nap when the ringer Jarmo Ruoho came to me and said if I can take a look at an odd Phylloscopus he had caught. I was still a little asleep but I was wake enough to understand that we are looking at Bonelli's Warbler.
We ringed the bird and tried to decide which species we really have here. We didn't have any other literature than Svensson so it was hard. And still today I don't know which one this bird is.
After checking two articles I now know more about separating them but this bird fits clearly to neither of them. The overall colour is better for bonelli but still some data of wing formula is maybe better for orientalis.


The bird has rather plain face and light legs and bill.
Supercilium shows a trace of yellow. This all is better
for bonelli. Primary projection looks maybe a bit
long for bonelli.


There is no strong emargination in p6 but you can see
a hint of it still. Does it always have to be very strong in
bonelli? As I looked at my old photos of orientalis from
Eilat, I saw similar pattern of p6 in many birds.
p2=p6.


Pattern of the underwing. Maybe better for bonelli?


The colour of uppertail coverts.

I think this bird may be bonelli but I can't be sure. If somebody has any comments, I'm very happy to hear. You can send your comments in my email rvaisane81(at)gmail.com.
What ever it is, t's a mega here in Finland. There are two previous records of bonelli and three of orientalis in Finland.