Thursday, 26th

Common Sandpipers at both the lake and The Flash this morning - perhaps the same bird (none yesterday)

Close to where I had the 'Marsh Warbler' there was another slight puzzle this morning. It sounded like a 'Blackcap with a difference' with an extended song with lots more variety than usual and many notes recalling Garden Warbler, Song Thrush and Blackbird. It was clearly NOT the bird from earlier but I was curious. It was always singing well above head-height (Acros tend to be below head-height) and never had the rhythm of an Acro but the long and flowing song was very strange (and very loud). In the end the bird gave itself up and proved to be what I thought - a 'Blackcap with a difference' - lots of testosterone? It proved my 'rule of thumb' - if you are not sure whether it is a Blackcap or a Garden Warbler it is a Blackcap

(Ed Wilson)

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Tuesday, 24th

Thanks for all the helpful comments on the warbler yesterday: will consider them all carefully but initial reaction is that it is probably best 'left' as a mystery. The glimpse I got of it would have put it in the log as a Reed Warbler had the song not been very different. As for mimicking other birds the only I really noted was the begging of juvenile Great Tits! But there were lots of calls / songs all jumbled up. The rhythm of the song was much faster than any Reed I have ever heard - Sedge speed or even faster. And I hear the local Reed Warblers every day and have heard nothing like it.

I did consider Icterine: heard these in Poland a few weeks back too and they all had a characteristic flourish at the end of the song. And were much greyer toned than this bird

But ...

Meanwhile back to more prosaic things.

First returning Common Sandpiper at the lake today. Also the first Black-headed Gull for some time - autumn starts here!

(Ed Wilson)

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Monday, 23rd

Unlikely as it seems I am pretty convinced about this on the basis of the song alone

I was walking along the W end path at c.06:15 when a strange song caught my attention: there had been young Reed Warblers flitting about the area away from the reeds and it sound 'Acro-like'. But it was far too fast and I then assumed it was a Sedge Warbler (especially after my bird in the town centre last week). But the sound was all wrong with what seemed more like Garden Warbler tones, though with the characteristic Acro dynamics

The bird was singing from a small patch of bushes growing in the fence at the W end of the yacht compound and I had the choice of a close view directly in to the bright sun; or going the 'other side' and trying to see between the yachts at some distance. I decided to stay where I was and in response to gentle pishing I got a good-enough glimpse to confirm it was a
Reed / Marsh and not Sedge Warbler and certainly an Acro

The song continued to puzzle and included all manner of oddities, sounding at times like juvenile Great Tit begging, all while singing at full volume

I decided that the best thing would be to try and record the bird so I dashed back to the car for my digital tape recorder. When I returned the bird was not singing and pishing produced only a Wren and a pair of Bullfinches!

Revisited the area twice more for some 15 minutes on each occasion without success: was not too surprised as it was a small and rather unlikely spot for the bird to stay in

Worth rechecking - but I went all around the lake twice without hearing anything untoward

Only my second-ever UK Marsh Warbler - the last was as long ago as when they bred in Worcestershire! But familiar with the birds abroad as recently as May in Poland where I heard maybe 20

I really cannot see what else it might have been: I am not that confident to say it WAS a Marsh Warbler song, only that I have no idea what else it could have been and it fits the general pattern of song

(Ed Wilson)

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Friday, 20th

At Priorslee Lake a drake Ruddy Duck was my 92nd species of the year here this morning - there were birds at the Flash earlier in the year

At the lake the amount of song is fast reducing but Reed and Garden Warblers, Blackcap and Chiffchaff are still singing away. Lots of juvenile tits with young Coal and Willow seen

Only gulls this week have been a few Lesser Black-backs flying over - we should get the first Black-heads back this next week

(Ed Wilson)

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Monday, 16th

First-day back from (another) trip abroad produced a fine summer-plumage Spotted Redshank that in the half-light of Monday morning at 04:45 had me scratching my head about godwit sp. until it flew off calling at 05:05 - I only usually see these in winter plumage and this lone, long-billed bird quite confused me! My 91st species for the year at the lake

(Ed Wilson)