That amazing weekend (Part 2) Patch YBW!

19/10/14

Having found a Penduline Tit in Norfolk the previous day, to say I was on a high is an understatement. I'm barely used to finding unusual birds in my own county, never mind a bird that is a national rarity. But, being tired from the long day that we had just endured I took the decision for a lie in, and as I finally decided to wake up, I walked out of the room and heard what I thought was a rather 'familiar' call. Being in Worcester however, I continued on with my morning routine.

It wasn't much longer and I was out on patch though, and as I was walking up the street I heard the same call again...

Surely not..

Then it went quiet..

Could have been me mishearing a Coal Tit I suppose, which are plentiful in the wood.

I waited around for 15 minutes. Nothing.

I was actually walking away, when I heard it again! "Psweet" and again "Psweet" and again "Psweet".

Agh!! YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER!

I literally sprinted to the small line of tree's the call was coming from, but no mistaking it. I had a Yellow-Brow on patch!!

And then there it was! Feeding in the low branches or a sycamore, at eye height, a superb, crisp looking gem of a bird! Yellows and greens, buffs and whites... Such a classy bird! And it was on the patch! If I could feel any more elated I was surely feeling it now! Self finding Penduline Tit and Yellow-Browed Warbler on the patch in the space of less than 18 hours! Phenomenal! 

Gaining permission to allow a few birder into the site,  I grabbed the phone,and sent out the message about the birds presence, and people started arriving..

Vern was the first on site, and our luck was in. We followed the sound of it incessantly calling, and there it was. Sitting in the tree-tops surrounded in bright orange autumnal colours! Absolutely stunning. And even better, it remained motionless there for about 20 seconds as Vern 'papped' it and as I grabbed some ropey record shots!

Birders came and went, and all went away happy.. Eventually.. As the bird became more elusive it got harder to see, and it went quiet, with no sign whatsoever after about 2, but it certainly gave me a perfect ending to a weekend I will never forget!

Oh, and if anyone is wondering that call that first attracted my attention in my groggy 'just woken up' phase during the morning, have a listen to this. The sound of 'The East'.

MB