Warbler Fest

What a busy week, have been having to juggle university commitments and birding a lot this week, but it has thankfully worked well. On Saturday the 20^th I decided I would go and see the Eastern Olivaceous Warbler in Fife, I saw the bird at Flamborough Head on the 1^st of September 2010. However I did not see this bird well at all and I had said to myself that if another turned up I would go and see it. Therefore when a bird turned up in Fife and was showing well I could not resist, the bird performed very well with tail pumping seen and the bird constantly ‘tacking’. Whilst there we were informed a Radde’s Warbler had been found some 100 yards away, after an anxious and fairly long wait the Radde’s Warbler showed well with great views allowing to see the apricot underparts and broad and obvious supercilium. On the way out I also stopped to see the Red-breasted Flycatcher which performed really well and was another great bird to see.

 (Eastern Olivaceous Warbler - copyright Mike Thrower)

(Eastern Olivaceous Warbler - copyright Mike Thrower)

Monday started well when a Pallas’s Warbler was trapped and ringed at Whitburn Coastal Park, some minutes later I was standing at the ringing hut at Whitburn and was soon presented with a stunning Pallas’s Warbler. This is the first one I have ever seen in Durham, I also heard Brambling going over but I did not see it. Later on in the day a Red-breasted Flycatcher was trapped and ringed, this was a bird I had not previously seen in the hand and was an absolute pleasure to see. I did see the Pallas’s Warbler in the field sometime after its release briefly as it flitted around with some Goldcrests, was a bonus to see it in the field as I managed to get cracking views of that lemon yellow rump flashing about as it moved around the sycamores.

(Pallas's Warbler - copyright Andrew Kinghorn)

(Pallas's Warbler - copyright Andrew Kinghorn)

(Red-breasted Flycatcher - copyright Andrew Kinghorn)

(Red-breasted Flycatcher - copyright Andrew Kinghorn)

Tuesday saw a Dusky Warbler trapped and ringed, later on in the day a Rustic Bunting was seen briefly but then not found later on in the day. At the coastal park a Ring Ouzel was also trapped, was great to see this species up close and personal after having seen it many times in the past over in the Durham dales. I haven’t actually seen many coastal Ring Ouzels so this was a welcome treat to see up so close.

 (Dusky Warbler - copyright Andrew Kinghorn)

(Dusky Warbler - copyright Andrew Kinghorn)

(Ring Ouzel - copyright Andrew Kinghorn)

(Ring Ouzel - copyright Andrew Kinghorn)

Wednesday was generally not very productive with only brief views of the Dusky Warbler but little else except a Jack Snipe and a Common Snipe. However some new Chiffchaffs were fresh in and hanging around with the tit flock. Today (Thursday) I had good views in the field of the Dusky Warbler and also heard the bird ‘tacking’ as it went about its business. I also had a very good view of my first and only Black Redstart of the year in the Souter Lighthouse garden. A Barred Warbler was nearby but I did not see it, apparently around feeding on elderberries across the road from the lighthouse.

Until next time, Foghorn out!