Blyth's Reed Warbler showing well between 13.45-14.20 in the separate bramble patch just 20m through the gate. Still present when I left at 14.20.
Steven Nelson said
Wed Feb 13 1:34 PM, 2019
Blyths Reed Warbler showed clearly at 13.05 and a few fleeting glimpses upto 13.30 near the metal gate in its favourite bramble patch. 4th time lucky for me!
Also 1 Green Sandpiper
Steve Collins said
Wed Feb 13 11:31 AM, 2019
Blyth's Reed Warbler showing in brambles by gate at the end of the path alongside the railings. 11.15.
colin davies said
Tue Feb 12 6:45 PM, 2019
An early morning visit produced the following highlights:
Black redstart 1 1st winter / female
Mediterranean gull 1 adult with virtually complete black hood
Green sandpiper 1
Oystercatcher 4 on the sewage works
Shelduck 2 flew over
Willow tit 1
Tufted duck 13 (10 males, 3 females)
Chiffchaff 1 singing
Predictably no sign of the Blyth's reed warbler today. The black redstart was on the roof of large a green silo right at the back of the sewage works, near the building that looks like a house. Through the telescope I could see that there were lots of flies on and around the top of the roof and the bird was picking these off with a few pied wagtails. Unfortunately it's so far into the sewage works that when it drops down it's just impossible to pick up because it's lost amongst all of the machinery and pipe work. I managed to get Ray Banks onto the bird but I'm not sure how many other people saw it because I had to leave. Ten days ago it was performing well on the perimeter fence, so hopefully there is a chance that it will become easier in the coming days.
-- Edited by colin davies on Tuesday 12th of February 2019 06:46:54 PM
Mark Jarrett said
Tue Feb 12 4:39 PM, 2019
No show up until 15.30. By then it was a bit cooler and the sun had gone in. May give it another go on Thursday. Felt sorry for the guy from Nottingham who was on visit number five without seeing it.
JOHN TYMON said
Tue Feb 12 1:59 PM, 2019
No show up to 12.30 pm of the Blyth's Reed Warbler today.
colin davies said
Tue Feb 12 11:22 AM, 2019
Black redstart again on green silo with ridges on roof in middle of sewage works.
Andy Isherwood said
Mon Feb 11 7:45 PM, 2019
This week's forecast looks good for it to show most days apart from maybe tomorrow. Saturday even looks promising at this stage!
Rob Creek said
Mon Feb 11 7:29 PM, 2019
As we joked about over weekend Colin, the Blyths Reed Warbler was true to form and didnt show until today, a Monday again, typical! I bet its a no show again at weekend.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 11th of February 2019 08:19:53 PM
Andy Isherwood said
Mon Feb 11 6:18 PM, 2019
Just to add a bit more info on exact location. The bird was feeding up and down the bramble covered fenceline between pits 16a and 16b and the water treatment works. May have roosted in the obvious bramble patch between the 2 small trees between the 2 pits.
colin davies said
Mon Feb 11 5:55 PM, 2019
An amazing performance by the Blyth's reed warbler today, after six days of no-show. Just shows what a bit of sun and no wind can do. Highlights for me today:
Blyth's reed warbler 1
Chiffchaff 1
Peregrine 1
Raven 1
Green sandpiper 1
Willow tit 1
Tree sparrow 5
Mute swan 6
There's a video of the Blyth's reed warbler on my blog where you can hear it call, if anybody is interested, follow the link in my signature below.
Blyths reed warbler still showing, feeding actively at 4.20pm
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Feb 11 3:44 PM, 2019
Blyth’s Reed Warbler still showing well mid-afternoon.
Info thanks to Mark Rigby
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Feb 11 9:05 AM, 2019
Blyth’s Reed Warbler showing well this morning, around the usual location.
Info thanks to Andy Makin
colin davies said
Sun Feb 10 1:11 PM, 2019
Highlights from this morning, 10:00 - 12:15:
Mediterranean gull 1 ad sum
Little egret 1
Green sandpiper 3
Grey partridge 4
Willow tit 1
Yellowhammer 4
Tree sparrow 10
Bullfinch 15
Teal 50
Shoveler 30
Tufted duck 7
I only spent 30 minutes looking for the Blyth's reed warbler today, but again no sign while I was there.
John Rayner said
Sun Feb 10 10:47 AM, 2019
I know that a link to this forum has been posted nationally, so birders from further afield may well be coming on here for information. If so it will be useful for them to read that there has not been a decent, multi-observer sighting since Monday 4th Feb.
That's 6 days including today and the weather on some of those days has been reasonably warm with plenty of insects flying.
If you go by dates when photos have been posted (here or nationally) there have been 6 good-sighting days: 20th, 22nd, 26th and 28th Jan, 1st and 4th Feb. So the current gap is the longest so far without a multi-observer sighting.
Cheers John
colin davies said
Sun Feb 10 9:19 AM, 2019
Rob Creek wrote:
.................
Just one other observation, we noted that the Blyths RW was reported on the info services towards the end of the week as still present but nothing was on the forum. Presumably a non-member of the forum with the sighting.
There have been three or four sightings of the bird reported on the info services but not on this forum since last Monday which have been described as brief and in some cases have been well away from the areas in which the bird is normally seen. I know that at least two of these sightings referred to poorly seen chiffchaffs, the others I don't know anything about and may well have been the Blyths reed warbler. All I can say for sure is that I have spent several hours on site everyday since Monday 4th and neither I nor anybody I have spoken to has seen the bird. Personally I believe that the bird is still there, but it's hard to know how accurate some of the more recent sightings are since I don't know who reported them or what kind of view they had. The trouble is, in this past week I've spoken to birders who have travelled from Surrey and Suffolk to see this bird based on sightings reported to the bird info services. It's a long way for a poorly seen chiffchaff.......
-- Edited by colin davies on Sunday 10th of February 2019 09:20:24 AM
Rob Creek said
Sat Feb 9 5:08 PM, 2019
Saturday 9th Feb
Lunchtime / early afternoon visit. Nice to see Colin Davies later on and another birder sorry I didnt get your name but I know you read the forum.
- No sign of the Blyths Reed Warbler in almost 2 hours, well not a definitive sighting anyway, a few quick flights in the bramble patch of Lbj but with Dunnock and Robin around...thats what its likely to be. - c45 Pied Wagtail - 3 Grey Wagtail - 4 Meadow Pipit - 3 Linnet - 1 Green Sandpiper over - Chiffchaff heard but not seen
Just one other observation, we noted that the Blyths RW was reported on the info services towards the end of the week as still present but nothing was on the forum. Presumably a non-member of the forum with the sighting.
ray banks said
Sat Feb 9 4:17 PM, 2019
Highlights from today, 10.00 - 15.15
Grey Partridge 2
Goosander 8 (5 males, 3 females)
Tufted Duck 6 ( 5 males 1 female)
Willow Tit 4
Mediterranean Gull ad sum, (found by Colin Davies)
Lesser Redpoll 4
Chiffchaff 1
Tree Sparrow 4+
Sparrowhawk 1 (Male)
colin davies said
Fri Feb 8 8:57 PM, 2019
Highlights from today, 13:30 - 15:30:
Little egret 1
Willow tit 2
Tufted duck 9 (6 males, 3 females)
Goosander 2 (male & female)
Mike Cooper said
Thu Feb 7 5:16 PM, 2019
No sign between 14:00-16:00 in sunny spells but cold blustery wind
Chiffchaff down perimeter flence in dead brambles behind large concrete silos
-- Edited by Mike Cooper on Friday 8th of February 2019 08:43:38 AM
colin davies said
Thu Feb 7 5:16 PM, 2019
Highlights today included:
Little egret 1
Chiffchaff 1
Goosander 2 male & female
Tufted duck 6 males
No sign of Blyth's reed warbler for me today.
Ian McKerchar said
Wed Feb 6 5:43 PM, 2019
colin davies wrote:
Thanks Ian, the habitat looks good for the species.
Proving beeeding this year would be nice!
colin davies said
Wed Feb 6 5:04 PM, 2019
Thanks Ian, the habitat looks good for the species.
Ian McKerchar said
Wed Feb 6 4:50 PM, 2019
The Cetti’s Warbler is almost certainly the resident bird which goes unrecorded for long periods Colin (not least because so few people visit the site anyway) but I heard It sporadically during 2018 since its first discovery in October 2017.
colin davies said
Wed Feb 6 4:41 PM, 2019
Again no sign of Blyth's reed warbler for me 9:15 - 15:00. However I did have an exceptional day at Hope Carr and recorded 58 species, bringing my total for the year at the site to 78. With Ray Banks.
Highlights today included:
Cetti's warbler 1 singing (I'm told that this is only the 2nd record for the reserve).
Water rail 1
Willow tit 3
Raven 2
Peregrine 2
Chiffchaff 1
Goosander 2 males
Lesser redpoll 1 stunning male
Little grebe 1
Meadow pipit 25
Oystercatcher 1 flew over
Shoveler 30
Teal 80
Tree sparrow 10
colin davies said
Tue Feb 5 2:52 PM, 2019
No sign of Blyth's reed warbler today for me 9:00 - 14:20. However I did see:
Woodcock 1
Pink-footed geese 120 over west
Peregrine 1 adult
Green sandpiper 1
Chiffchaff 4 (two near or in the Blyth's reed warblers favourite bramble, one in the sewage works half way along the solar panels and a fourth at the extreme western corner of the sewage works perimeter fence).
Shoveler 20
Teal 80
Tree sparrow 10
One of the chiffchaffs was singing. Again no sign of any water pipit which seem more elusive than the Blyth's reed warbler.
colin davies said
Mon Feb 4 3:55 PM, 2019
As well as very good views of the Blyth's reed warbler today, I also saw:
Little egret 1
Green sandpiper 1
Peregrine 1 adult
Shoveler 20
Siskin 1 male
Goosander 6
With Ray Banks
-- Edited by colin davies on Monday 4th of February 2019 03:55:52 PM
Blyth’s Reed Warbler showing very well and highly active around 1:45 in the brambles by the small sycamores (and also in the trees too).
Continued to show very well until 2:35.
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Feb 4 1:50 PM, 2019
Blyth’s Reed Warbler showing very well and highly active around 1:45 in the brambles by the small sycamores (and also in the trees too).
Ian McKerchar said
Mon Feb 4 1:49 PM, 2019
Blyth’s Reed Warbler showing very well and highly active around 1:45 in the brambles by the small sycamores (and also in the trees too).
Rob Creek said
Sun Feb 3 11:25 PM, 2019
Sunday 3rd Feb
Called in briefly mid afternoon.
No sign of Blyths Reed Warbler or Black Redstart for me but of note... - 1 Green Sandpiper flew over calling - 20/25 Linnet - 1 Steve Burke - 1 Craig Higson
ray banks said
Sun Feb 3 5:55 PM, 2019
Blyth's Reed Warbler not seen by me, but it was seen briefly this morning, but I did see:
Black Redstart on the perimeter fence and in the sewage works compound.
Little Egret, flying over
Pererine 1
Kingfisher 1
Fieldfare 2
Tree Sparrow 10+
Plus the usual stuff
colin davies said
Sun Feb 3 3:38 PM, 2019
A great day at Hope Carr, I didn't see the Blyth's reed warbler today it was far too brief a view for me to get anywhere near it, but I did see:
Black redstart 1 1st winter / female
Little egret 1 flew over
Kingfisher 1
Peregrine 2
Green sandpiper 1
Shoveler 20
Teal 50
Plus the usuals
-- Edited by colin davies on Monday 4th of February 2019 07:13:17 AM
No sign of Blyths Reed Warbler by the time we'd left at 14.00.
Andy Isherwood said
Sat Feb 2 12:28 PM, 2019
No sign of Blyths Reed warbler today by 12pm. Birds seen included Chiffchaff, Peregrine and Green Sandpiper. Black Redstart also reported by another birder in the water treatment area.
colin davies said
Fri Feb 1 6:12 PM, 2019
Rob Creek wrote:
Reported on BirdGuides as showing well late afternoon Colin.
After I'd left! Still, I have seen it well on three occasions so I'm not too upset. I'm just glad its survived the freezing temperatures and it now becomes the first ever blyths reed warbler in February in the UK (and possibly Europe??).
Rob Creek said
Fri Feb 1 5:45 PM, 2019
Reported on BirdGuides as showing well late afternoon Colin.
colin davies said
Fri Feb 1 4:47 PM, 2019
52 species recorded today by me, including:
Green sandpiper 1
Willow tit 3
Bullfinch 15
Fieldfare 10
Goldcrest 6
Goosander 4
Grey wagtail 5
Lesser redpoll 1
Little grebe 1
Pied wagtail 30
Redwing 20
Shoveler 20
Siskin 1
Tree sparrow 10
Yellowhammer 2
That's now 68 species I've managed to record at Hope Carr in the past two weeks. No sign of the Blyth's reed warbler for me today, though apparently it was seen briefly whilst I was elsewhere on the site.
-- Edited by colin davies on Friday 1st of February 2019 07:42:01 PM
JOHN TYMON said
Thu Jan 31 7:19 PM, 2019
No show up to 12 pm of the Blyth's Reed Warbler again today.
JOHN TYMON said
Tue Jan 29 12:22 PM, 2019
No show up to 12 pm of the Blyth's Reed Warbler today.
David Shallcross said
Mon Jan 28 11:04 PM, 2019
The elusive and very mobile Blyth's Reed Warbler, looking in good shape and finding plenty to eat, this one has found a spiders summer labour its egg sac
-- Edited by David Shallcross on Monday 28th of January 2019 11:06:34 PM
I've seen the Blyth's reed warbler on three different days now and todays show was easily the best of the lot for me. At about 10am I heard it calling and then saw it at close range about 50m down the track along the perimeter fence of the sewage works but it flew almost immediately. About 5 minutes later it was picked up again in the usual spot by the gate and showed very well for a few minutes and then on and off all day, though it seemed more elusive in the afternoon. In the photos you can see it with what looks like a spider egg sac which I guess forms a staple part of its diet especially when temperatures are sub-zero and invertebrates are inactive. In the afternoon it was briefly flycatching in the same location.
The warbler was just part of a decent days birding at the site. 47 species for me today, including green sandpiper, tree sparrows and willow tits.
-- Edited by colin davies on Monday 28th of January 2019 08:43:02 PM
What a difference a day makes - after yesterday's windswept three hours peering into the brambles on the works side of the mound the Blyth’s Reed Warbler was seen a couple of times in this afternoon's sunshine. As Paul says it was in the brambles along the edge of the pond around the corner from the mound area.
Paul Wilson said
Mon Jan 28 4:30 PM, 2019
Blyth's Reed Warbler showing well from about 12.00 until 1.30 in brambles along edge of pond around the corner from the mound area. Keeping well down, it moved from the far right of the pond almost back to the mound on the left (as viewed over the pond). Glimpses of it were brief but regular. These photos were taken from near the large stone near the right hand side of the pond.
Blyth's Reed Warbler showing well between 13.45-14.20 in the separate bramble patch just 20m through the gate. Still present when I left at 14.20.
Also 1 Green Sandpiper
An early morning visit produced the following highlights:
Black redstart 1 1st winter / female
Mediterranean gull 1 adult with virtually complete black hood
Green sandpiper 1
Oystercatcher 4 on the sewage works
Shelduck 2 flew over
Willow tit 1
Tufted duck 13 (10 males, 3 females)
Chiffchaff 1 singing
Predictably no sign of the Blyth's reed warbler today. The black redstart was on the roof of large a green silo right at the back of the sewage works, near the building that looks like a house. Through the telescope I could see that there were lots of flies on and around the top of the roof and the bird was picking these off with a few pied wagtails. Unfortunately it's so far into the sewage works that when it drops down it's just impossible to pick up because it's lost amongst all of the machinery and pipe work. I managed to get Ray Banks onto the bird but I'm not sure how many other people saw it because I had to leave. Ten days ago it was performing well on the perimeter fence, so hopefully there is a chance that it will become easier in the coming days.
-- Edited by colin davies on Tuesday 12th of February 2019 06:46:54 PM
No show up to 12.30 pm of the Blyth's Reed Warbler today.
Black redstart again on green silo with ridges on roof in middle of sewage works.
As we joked about over weekend Colin, the Blyths Reed Warbler was true to form and didnt show until today, a Monday again, typical! I bet its a no show again at weekend.
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 11th of February 2019 08:19:53 PM
An amazing performance by the Blyth's reed warbler today, after six days of no-show. Just shows what a bit of sun and no wind can do. Highlights for me today:
Blyth's reed warbler 1
Chiffchaff 1
Peregrine 1
Raven 1
Green sandpiper 1
Willow tit 1
Tree sparrow 5
Mute swan 6
There's a video of the Blyth's reed warbler on my blog where you can hear it call, if anybody is interested, follow the link in my signature below.
Blyth’s Reed Warbler still showing well mid-afternoon.
Info thanks to Mark Rigby
Blyth’s Reed Warbler showing well this morning, around the usual location.
Info thanks to Andy Makin
Highlights from this morning, 10:00 - 12:15:
Mediterranean gull 1 ad sum
Little egret 1
Green sandpiper 3
Grey partridge 4
Willow tit 1
Yellowhammer 4
Tree sparrow 10
Bullfinch 15
Teal 50
Shoveler 30
Tufted duck 7
I only spent 30 minutes looking for the Blyth's reed warbler today, but again no sign while I was there.
That's 6 days including today and the weather on some of those days has been reasonably warm with plenty of insects flying.
If you go by dates when photos have been posted (here or nationally) there have been 6 good-sighting days: 20th, 22nd, 26th and 28th Jan, 1st and 4th Feb. So the current gap is the longest so far without a multi-observer sighting.
Cheers John
There have been three or four sightings of the bird reported on the info services but not on this forum since last Monday which have been described as brief and in some cases have been well away from the areas in which the bird is normally seen. I know that at least two of these sightings referred to poorly seen chiffchaffs, the others I don't know anything about and may well have been the Blyths reed warbler. All I can say for sure is that I have spent several hours on site everyday since Monday 4th and neither I nor anybody I have spoken to has seen the bird. Personally I believe that the bird is still there, but it's hard to know how accurate some of the more recent sightings are since I don't know who reported them or what kind of view they had. The trouble is, in this past week I've spoken to birders who have travelled from Surrey and Suffolk to see this bird based on sightings reported to the bird info services. It's a long way for a poorly seen chiffchaff.......
-- Edited by colin davies on Sunday 10th of February 2019 09:20:24 AM
Lunchtime / early afternoon visit.
Nice to see Colin Davies later on and another birder sorry I didnt get your name but I know you read the forum.
- No sign of the Blyths Reed Warbler in almost 2 hours, well not a definitive sighting anyway, a few quick flights in the bramble patch of Lbj but with Dunnock and Robin around...thats what its likely to be.
- c45 Pied Wagtail
- 3 Grey Wagtail
- 4 Meadow Pipit
- 3 Linnet
- 1 Green Sandpiper over
- Chiffchaff heard but not seen
Just one other observation, we noted that the Blyths RW was reported on the info services towards the end of the week as still present but nothing was on the forum. Presumably a non-member of the forum with the sighting.
Highlights from today, 10.00 - 15.15
Grey Partridge 2
Goosander 8 (5 males, 3 females)
Tufted Duck 6 ( 5 males 1 female)
Willow Tit 4
Mediterranean Gull ad sum, (found by Colin Davies)
Lesser Redpoll 4
Chiffchaff 1
Tree Sparrow 4+
Sparrowhawk 1 (Male)
Highlights from today, 13:30 - 15:30:
Little egret 1
Willow tit 2
Tufted duck 9 (6 males, 3 females)
Goosander 2 (male & female)
Chiffchaff down perimeter flence in dead brambles behind large concrete silos
-- Edited by Mike Cooper on Friday 8th of February 2019 08:43:38 AM
Highlights today included:
Little egret 1
Chiffchaff 1
Goosander 2 male & female
Tufted duck 6 males
No sign of Blyth's reed warbler for me today.
Proving beeeding this year would be nice!
Thanks Ian, the habitat looks good for the species.
The Cetti’s Warbler is almost certainly the resident bird which goes unrecorded for long periods Colin (not least because so few people visit the site anyway) but I heard It sporadically during 2018 since its first discovery in October 2017.
Again no sign of Blyth's reed warbler for me 9:15 - 15:00. However I did have an exceptional day at Hope Carr and recorded 58 species, bringing my total for the year at the site to 78. With Ray Banks.
Highlights today included:
Cetti's warbler 1 singing (I'm told that this is only the 2nd record for the reserve).
Water rail 1
Willow tit 3
Raven 2
Peregrine 2
Chiffchaff 1
Goosander 2 males
Lesser redpoll 1 stunning male
Little grebe 1
Meadow pipit 25
Oystercatcher 1 flew over
Shoveler 30
Teal 80
Tree sparrow 10
No sign of Blyth's reed warbler today for me 9:00 - 14:20. However I did see:
Woodcock 1
Pink-footed geese 120 over west
Peregrine 1 adult
Green sandpiper 1
Chiffchaff 4 (two near or in the Blyth's reed warblers favourite bramble, one in the sewage works half way along the solar panels and a fourth at the extreme western corner of the sewage works perimeter fence).
Shoveler 20
Teal 80
Tree sparrow 10
One of the chiffchaffs was singing. Again no sign of any water pipit which seem more elusive than the Blyth's reed warbler.
As well as very good views of the Blyth's reed warbler today, I also saw:
Little egret 1
Green sandpiper 1
Peregrine 1 adult
Shoveler 20
Siskin 1 male
Goosander 6
With Ray Banks
-- Edited by colin davies on Monday 4th of February 2019 03:55:52 PM
Continued to show very well until 2:35.
Blyth’s Reed Warbler showing very well and highly active around 1:45 in the brambles by the small sycamores (and also in the trees too).
Blyth’s Reed Warbler showing very well and highly active around 1:45 in the brambles by the small sycamores (and also in the trees too).
Called in briefly mid afternoon.
No sign of Blyths Reed Warbler or Black Redstart for me but of note...
- 1 Green Sandpiper flew over calling
- 20/25 Linnet
- 1 Steve Burke
- 1 Craig Higson
Blyth's Reed Warbler not seen by me, but it was seen briefly this morning, but I did see:
Black Redstart on the perimeter fence and in the sewage works compound.
Little Egret, flying over
Pererine 1
Kingfisher 1
Fieldfare 2
Tree Sparrow 10+
Plus the usual stuff
A great day at Hope Carr, I didn't see the Blyth's reed warbler today it was far too brief a view for me to get anywhere near it, but I did see:
Black redstart 1 1st winter / female
Little egret 1 flew over
Kingfisher 1
Peregrine 2
Green sandpiper 1
Shoveler 20
Teal 50
Plus the usuals
-- Edited by colin davies on Monday 4th of February 2019 07:13:17 AM
Blyth’s Reed Warbler showed briefly at the usual location at 11:15
Info thanks to John Tymon
Black redstart showing briefly in sewage works compound this morning.
-- Edited by colin davies on Sunday 3rd of February 2019 11:03:30 PM
Some i.D. pictures of the Blyth’s Reed Warbler at Hope Carr NR I hope they help to confirm the species is present in the area.
No sign of Blyths Reed Warbler by the time we'd left at 14.00.
After I'd left! Still, I have seen it well on three occasions so I'm not too upset. I'm just glad its survived the freezing temperatures and it now becomes the first ever blyths reed warbler in February in the UK (and possibly Europe??).
52 species recorded today by me, including:
Green sandpiper 1
Willow tit 3
Bullfinch 15
Fieldfare 10
Goldcrest 6
Goosander 4
Grey wagtail 5
Lesser redpoll 1
Little grebe 1
Pied wagtail 30
Redwing 20
Shoveler 20
Siskin 1
Tree sparrow 10
Yellowhammer 2
That's now 68 species I've managed to record at Hope Carr in the past two weeks. No sign of the Blyth's reed warbler for me today, though apparently it was seen briefly whilst I was elsewhere on the site.
-- Edited by colin davies on Friday 1st of February 2019 07:42:01 PM
No show up to 12 pm of the Blyth's Reed Warbler again today.
No show up to 12 pm of the Blyth's Reed Warbler today.
The elusive and very mobile Blyth's Reed Warbler, looking in good shape and finding plenty to eat, this one has found a spiders summer labour its egg sac
-- Edited by David Shallcross on Monday 28th of January 2019 11:06:34 PM
I've seen the Blyth's reed warbler on three different days now and todays show was easily the best of the lot for me. At about 10am I heard it calling and then saw it at close range about 50m down the track along the perimeter fence of the sewage works but it flew almost immediately. About 5 minutes later it was picked up again in the usual spot by the gate and showed very well for a few minutes and then on and off all day, though it seemed more elusive in the afternoon. In the photos you can see it with what looks like a spider egg sac which I guess forms a staple part of its diet especially when temperatures are sub-zero and invertebrates are inactive. In the afternoon it was briefly flycatching in the same location.
The warbler was just part of a decent days birding at the site. 47 species for me today, including green sandpiper, tree sparrows and willow tits.
-- Edited by colin davies on Monday 28th of January 2019 08:43:02 PM
What a difference a day makes - after yesterday's windswept three hours peering into the brambles on the works side of the mound the Blyth’s Reed Warbler was seen a couple of times in this afternoon's sunshine. As Paul says it was in the brambles along the edge of the pond around the corner from the mound area.
Blyth's Reed Warbler showing well from about 12.00 until 1.30 in brambles along edge of pond around the corner from the mound area. Keeping well down, it moved from the far right of the pond almost back to the mound on the left (as viewed over the pond). Glimpses of it were brief but regular. These photos were taken from near the large stone near the right hand side of the pond.
Blyth's Reed Warbler still showing by early afternoon.
Blyth’s Reed Warbler showing very well this morning, in the usual brambles.
Info thanks to Pete Berry