Keep looking Ian and co; - you may or may not find a yellow-browed but your efforts would be justly rewarded if you managed to turn up a rare thrush; stranger things have happened in birding.
I'm sure a dusky thrush would be well received and a fitting milestone for your 140!
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Having found my second Yellow Browed of the autumn up here in S.W Scotland yesterday there's still a good chance one is still knocking about Gt. M/c somewhere,don't give up yet !!!
Sycamores are attractive to many insectivorous species as they usually have lots and lots of aphids on them Bill. So, there is a link but not restricted to Yellow-browed warblers.
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No one on their death bed ever said they wished they'd spent more time at work. http://bitsnbirds.blogspot.co.uk
I can't remember where I recently read it but it was somewhere on the 'net, that someone was hinting that there was strong association between sightings of vagrant Yellow-browed Warblers in the UK and Sycamore trees. Maybe there is something in this suggestion? Maybe not? I certainly don't know. Maybe these particular trees attract and hold the type of invertebrates that they prefer to feed on? Maybe this is a load of nonsense or maybe I look a bit dim for suggesting it, if this is common knowledge amongst experienced Yellow-browed Warbler hunters?
Yep. Very loud. We have feeders up at the back of the office and it backs on to the hedgerow, so theres always birds around. Because it was quite warm most of the windows were open otherwise it would have gone unheard.
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That was me Tim. It was south of Victoria park, on the cycleway, about 100m south of where Knutsford Rd crosses the path. I was in a meeting in a building adjacent to it and it was calling away for a few minutes.
Bet you wished you could've left the meeting Craig! Must've been quite loud
That was me Tim. It was south of Victoria park, on the cycleway, about 100m south of where Knutsford Rd crosses the path. I was in a meeting in a building adjacent to it and it was calling away for a few minutes.
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No one on their death bed ever said they wished they'd spent more time at work. http://bitsnbirds.blogspot.co.uk
One was reported calling in Victoria Park, Warrington today. I've been cycling about keeping an ear and eye out the last few days (when not fruitlessly waiting for Spotted Crake at Burton Mere Wetlands) but no luck so far...You feel they are coming there are so many on both East and West coasts and now reports inland. My first and only Yellow-browed Warbler was in Nottingham - not found by me but not twitched either! I was visiting the park round the corner from my cousin's house and bumped into a twitch! Ah pre-internet birding!
Thanks a lot for sharing this detail. I found a post from Rob for the Hobson Moor bird, must have been a brilliant bird to see from the description.
I have no idea where to come by a County Bird Report to be honest. Are they for sale? I would certainly be interested if so. Are there any libraries with copies?
Any chance you could elaborate on the 10th record Ian please? Also to be honest the 9th, as the thread for Wigan Flashes whizzes by October 2007 without mentioning YBW and gets straight onto some Firecrests found at Scotman's in November instead (!)
As I only started birding a couple of years ago I find this older stuff fascinating, especially when you meet local birders who have been going for years, and cheerfully tell you about these amazing birds in places I wouldn't have thought of.
Thanks in advance
Hi Simon,
On Oct 6th 2012 one was trapped in a mist net at Scotman's Flash by an experienced ringer. As such it was an in-hand only sighting and was sadly not seen again after its release.
There were two records on the same date in 2007 (October 15th) - one at Cow Lane, Hollingworth and one with a flock of Goldcrest and Long-tailed Tit at Scotman's Flash. Not sure if you have access to the 2007 county bird report Simon but there are excellent articles on pages 105 -107 written by the respective finders of these two birds, Robert Adderley and Dave Broome.
Hope this is of some help.
Best wishes,
Bill.
-- Edited by Bill Myerscough on Wednesday 7th of October 2015 05:11:41 PM
Any chance you could elaborate on the 10th record Ian please? Also to be honest the 9th, as the thread for Wigan Flashes whizzes by October 2007 without mentioning YBW and gets straight onto some Firecrests found at Scotman's in November instead (!)
As I only started birding a couple of years ago I find this older stuff fascinating, especially when you meet local birders who have been going for years, and cheerfully tell you about these amazing birds in places I wouldn't have thought of.
I was only thinking earlier about the possibility or probability more like of Yellow-browed Warbler in GM due to this massive influx.
One has to be out there somewhere, I remember my first was in Burnley not too far away and wondered how many records GM actually has of the species....If any?
Over to you Ian!
A near miss yesterday, as a Yellow-Browed Warbler was ringed yesterday only a short distance outside Gtr Mcr, see the Two in a Bush blog (link from Manchester Birding homepage)
I'm no expert but they often associate with Goldcrests and lingering Chiffchaffs too. I think it makes sense to keep an eye on any groups of these and/or tit flocks in a reasonable location.
As there is still a lot of foliage on the trees at the mo the best way to locate a Yellow-browed is by call which is quite distinctive,and as most birds(not all) tend to be quite vocal they can be easy to find if calling.I'd suggest that anyone who doesn't know the call log on to Xeno-Canto web site and try and learn the call, there must be a few about in GMC,good luck
The weather helped them arrive, but then hasn't helped inland counties by continuing to be too good. We need some to get blown about a bit so they can't just track down the coasts, and that may be coming this week. Has anyone checked former 'hotspots' like Ladybrook Valley in Bramhall, and Bredbury above Goyt Farm Valley? Come on, we've got to find one this time round!! Never mind if we don't though, the Pallas's will be here soon!!
Don't know Sid, but as you say theres been a couple on the Wirral, a couple in Lancs and some in N. Wales. Guess its just a case of getting out and getting lucky.
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I know they're not exactly an uncommon vagrant these days, but has anybody seen the spread of sightings down the east coast and across towards the south west? Its quite incredible. I'm amazed we haven't had one in GM yet to be honest.
Craig, I was wondering if it is the un-seasonal weather that has helped with the numbers. The closest we've had were a couple reported on the Wirral at the end of last month.
I know they're not exactly an uncommon vagrant these days, but has anybody seen the spread of sightings down the east coast and across towards the south west? Its quite incredible. I'm amazed we haven't had one in GM yet to be honest.
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No one on their death bed ever said they wished they'd spent more time at work. http://bitsnbirds.blogspot.co.uk
for suggesting it, if this is common knowledge amongst experienced Yellow-browed Warbler hunters? 
