2 DUSKY WARBLERS!

DUSKY WARBLER Nu 1 - at Lower Moors

  Before I went to work, I had a quick look at Porth Hellick first thing this morning. Everything seemed to be calling including the DUSKY WARBLER and 2 Siberian Chiffchaff. The Dusky showed well near the hides, but was very mobile and before I knew it, I could hear it at the other end towards Higher Moors.

The start to a very warm day

DUSKY WARBLER Nu 2 - calling and being very mobile

  At work I was told I could finish early. So at 11.00, I teamed up with 925 at Lower Moors. He had already seen the WILSON'S SNIPE in front of the hides. There were 2 Yellow-browed Warbler calling above our heads and as we walked past the Shooters Pool 'That was the NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH?' I whispered.  I have not heard or seen it for well over a month, but I was sure it was it that I heard. It called again and that was enough to make us rush to the screen. We waited patiently for it to come out and after 15 minutes we gave up and made our way into the Black and White Wood. As soon as we set foot in the wood, I shouted 'Siberian Chiffchaff' It was singing nearby and we found it feeding on the edge in the sun. It continued to sing and call on and off in the time we observed it. There was a slight increase in Chiffchaff and as I put my bins up to look at a phyllosc in the crap light 'This looks like a DUSKY WARBLER?' And just as I finished saying it, it called. That was great news, because the bird that I found at Porth Hellick yesterday, in the back of my mind I was thinking like everyone else, that it could of been this individual that we were watching now. Like the Porth Hellick Dusky, this proved to be mobile but less vocal bird. After a few minutes we lost it and came across another Yellow-browed Warbler and a calling Siberian Chiffchaff instead. The 'sibe' was feeding with an identical twin. We left them and crossed to the otherside. Here we heard Siberian Chiffchaff number 4. It too was feeding with what looked like another  good candidate for 'tristis'. There was also a single Swallow enjoying the warm weather. Returning to Shooters Pool and we came across the Dusky Warbler again. At Rose Hill we pished out our forth Yellow-browed Warbler and while this one was in view another was calling behind us.

Singing Siberian Chiffchaff at Lower Moors

1 of the 5 Yellow-browed Warblers at Lower Moors 925

This Swallow been knocking around for a few days now

  There was a 1st winter Mediterranean Gull and 2 Black Redstart at Porthloo. I thought it would be a good idea to check Porth Hellick, just to make sure that the Dusky Warbler is a different bird to the Lower Moors long stayer. Higgo and I had been there for 5 minutes and in the next half an hour, we heard it calling on and off. Before this I got yet another Yellow-browed Warbler at Holy Vale.

Immature Black Redstart at Porthloo 925 took all top pics

Yellow-browed Warbler atr Holy Vale

I'm not very keen on U2, but this one in my opinion, is one of their best.'Ground Beneath Her Feet' is one of U2's under-rated songs, although it was written by Salman Rushdie. They both worked on it together for the movie 'Million Dollar Hotel'