Back in the early days, when i had my first Spring as a birder, I learnt from another birder that he had seen a Garden Warbler in a regenerating piece of forest. I was eager to add another tick to my growing list. I checked up a few guides quickly, and noted the similarity between the Garden Warbler and the Blackcap. Since I was unsure about the song, I decided to concentrate on the head, therefore eliminating any confusion with the female Blackcap.
I arrived on site, and soon heard a Blackcap, which didn't seem like a Blackcap. I then spent the next 60 minutes tracking down a little brown bird hopping deep in the bushes, never standing still, and constantly evading me. I got increasingly frustrated as I observed the little shakes of the leaves and branches, and the flash of the bird flying of deep into another bush, while never getting a view of it. The fact that it wasn't the only bird skulking in the bushes made it worse.
Finally, after an hour of valiant combat, I see the bird flit across to the edge of a bush in the distance. I bring my binoculars to my weary eyes, focused it and... a leaf was strategically placed right in front of the warbler's head!!!!
I gave up.
When I got back, listened to some recordings and looked at the Bird guides, I confirmed my new tick of a Garden Warbler from what I observed and heard. However, the image of that headless warbler is forever etched in my brain. The year after I got really good views of a Garden Warbler (albeit it was not as exciting as the first time I saw it), which made up for all the rubbish glimpses of Garden Warbler I had after my first sighting.
It was my first "tracking a bird" episode, and there will be many more times like it, each as annoying as the previous, but in hindsight really amusing.
Antony Wainwright wrote:
Hi Dave and Paul
Yes, the Garden Warbler arrived on the course on 1st June and I've heard it singing every day all day long but have been too busy at work to track it down. However, it alighted atop of a willow this afternoon giving great views.
Paul, did I meet you at Rumworth to see the Brent Goose?
It could have been me: I had a bike with me and a hard time seeing the goose, though luckily somebody was there to help me find it!
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Target birds: Golden Plover, Little Owl, Common Crossbill.
Yes, the Garden Warbler arrived on the course on 1st June and I've heard it singing every day all day long but have been too busy at work to track it down. However, it alighted atop of a willow this afternoon giving great views.
Paul, did I meet you at Rumworth to see the Brent Goose?
I can relate to your experience Paul, especially with one which myself and Anthony Wainwright have heard for over a week at Turton Golf Course. I finally got a view of it today singing from the top of a tree, after only hearing it in another half a dozen trees before that. I know what you mean by having to follow it around before finally getting a view of it. A couple of hours later I heard two calling.
We have had a Blackcap singing in the same area so we wanted an actual sighting to confirm it.
I have been needing the Garden Warbler "first tick" for some time, and today I used my UK Birds app to ID the song, of which there were several examples during my morning especially in the woods around the railway crossing to Croxden's.
I know the redoubtable Chris Packham says we shouldn't attribute human feelings to wildlife, but I became convinced the little blighter I was trying to see was playing with me! Up the track ..... down the track ..... up the track ..... down the track for about half an hour!
Far from getting even a record photo, it was as much as I could do to get a couple of glimpses. The song was a perfect match with the recording on the app, so I was utterly convinced I had the right bird. But the brown package disappearing off into the undergrowth could have been anything!
I'm sure we all know the scenario.
Anyway I am convinced that photons of light that had reflected off the body of a Garden Warbler today impinged for the first time on my retina.
Tick!
Loved the song.
Would have liked a wee bit more time on the visual!!
