Sunday 26 January 2014

Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler twitch

By early afternoon I could stand it no longer. Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler would be not only a West Mids tick, but a British tick too.

The sun came out, I got some of the furniture moving done and paint bought from B & Q for the decorating due to start next week (not by me of course, Dave the decorator will be coming to our aid). Time to head for Coleshill.

The actual destination was Hams Hall, and I joined a small crowd hoping to see the bird.


After about 15 minutes it duly obliged. Unfortunately I had made the tactical error of leaving my scope behind, so the views were sufficient only to confirm that I was looking at a Yellow-browed Warbler, though a dullish plumaged one.

On the other hand the call was very interesting. It was definitely Yellow-browed-like, but seemed slower, more deliberate, lacking the upward inflection of the second syllable. It reminded me of a slurred Pied Wagtail call. They are reputed to make a Sparrow-like call too, but I didn't hear that while I was there.

Sadly it never came close enough, nor remained still enough for me to get a shot of it. When I got home it was straight to the bird videos and I was relieved to hear the call notes in the Paul Doherty Warbler video was spot on for the calls I heard.

This was my 435th British tick (but my first since 2008), and my West Mids list stands at 293. I know you don't care, but it keeps me smug  content.

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