Barred for life

About time I had my wings clipped! University will put an end to that when I go on the 20th of this month. However I am enjoying my last few weeks of birding. With plans to try and obtain some better views of the EOW than just a quick flash by I went back to Flamborough Head with The Finch and young Kieran who hadn’t seen one before. On arrival it became clear it had done a runner, inconsiderate little brown job. However we were soon happy with news the Barred Warbler and Common Rosefinch had been present. It wasn’t long until one of my blog followers and a friend from BirdForum Rob introduced himself and said who he was. Nice to meet you mate!

Out hopes were dampened when we were told the Rosefinch stayed only a while before flying off! However everyone started looking up on the hill at the Barred Warbler, I couldn’t find it on the thick undergrowth with directions like “next to the white flowers” and “in the undergrowth”. However it took flight and flew over the path to the other side on a more open area of undergrowth and bushes. When I think about it I was taken back by the size of the bird, it was really big for a warbler. I managed some scope views of the Barred Warbler down low in the tree and it was quite a distinctive bird. We gained some height and it took flight again and we saw it in flight and I picked it up clambering about in the bushes in the distance briefly before it disappeared. We then decided to do a bit sea watching with Fulmar being the highlight, no kidding!

Me and Kieran then decided we would look for the Barred Warbler one last time. We waited a bit and I caught site of a large chunky warbler flying into a tree on the thick undergrowth of the hill. I shouted out to alert others of where it flew, after people having difficulty to locate the tree from my good directions the warbler flew out behind right out in to the open eventually and people said it was a Garden Warbler. However it looked large, broad tailed which also appeared to have a greyish tone to it, and didn’t look slim like that of a Garden Warbler and I have seen a few Garden Warblers before. It was just too big; it showed its face again and the chaps beside me who said it was just a Garden Warbler said it was big and seemed as though they where also in agreement with us two young lads it was actually the Barred Warbler that we were looking at. It was a tricky one as light was bad and we couldn’t see the tell tail bars on flanks or on the tail but it seemed to be we came to the agreement it was the Barred Warbler. From here we left shortly after and headed back to Ryhope back home in the hope of getting the Lapland Buntings. We arrived at about 4:30 and where soon watching the Lapland Buntings. I had some simply fantastic views of these 6 Lapland Bunting through both the scope and the bins of these fantastic little birds.

(Lapland Bunting - © Derek Charlton)

(Lapland Bunting - © Derek Charlton)

2 lifers with Barred Warbler and Lapland Bunting. Here’s to these strong easterly winds + rain on Tuesday!

Until next time, Foghorn out!