2 SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF

SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF at Newford Duckpond

  Mid-morning and the rain had stopped. The fields at Telegraph held one of the Lesser Redpoll, 25+Linnet and a single Woodcock. By the time I arrived at Newford Duckpond and immediately I could hear 2 YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER. Lots of Chiffchaff were feeding in the sun and included good canidates for 2 SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF. I needed to hear both birds call and after a few minutes, one of them gave themselves away by the thin high pitched sad Bullfinch type call. In the half an hour that I was there, I did not hear the other bird. However, as it looked identical, in plumage and features, to the Siberian Chiffchaff it was feeding with, then I would be confident in believing that it too was a Siberian Chiffchaff.

Lesser Redpoll feeding with Linnet at Telegraph

SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF

Probable SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF What do you think?

  Later, I was at Porth Hellick/Higher Moors and I could hear 2 FIRECREST and a YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER. There were over 25 Chiffchaff in the area and as I was just about to enter Holy Vale, I heard a SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF call three times in Sallows nearby. Although it was quite vocal, it took me a good 30 minutes to locate it. Once found it showed well briefly, but disappeared into the ivy covered trees where I lost it.

Martin trapped this Mottled Umber in his garden, Holy Vale. It was a new one for both of us

2 FIRECREST were at Porth Hellick

Female Blackcap at Holy Vale

  A look for the DUSKY WARBLER at Lower Moors, found it feeding with a Willow Warbler. 2 YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER showed well, also 10+Chiffchaff, 4 Swallow were overhead and there was another Willow Warbler at Rose Hill.

There were 2 Willow Warbler at Lower Moors

Cold looking Chiffchaff

This immature male Sparrowhawk put up over 40 Linnet and 20 Chaffinch at Rose Hill

Van the Man singing 'Streets of Arklow' His early stuff was his best work, in my opinion. Listen to the album 'Astral Weeks'