Warbler's Haven

Subalpine Warbler

Recently I've been catching up with a handful of reasonably 'common' vagrants/overshoots that I've previously had bad luck with. I didn't think the male Subalpine Warbler at Holland Haven would be on the cards today, on account of it only being seen briefly yesterday, but it came through on the pager again this morning and I convinced Phil to go. My Subalpine Warbler 'horror' story involves what must have totalled the best part of ten hours walking up and down a track on Scilly over two days, only to turn a corner and be greeted by a couple of birders who told me I'd just walked right by it and flushed it! Fortunately, this bird gave itself up. It showed (albeit in short and irregular bursts) by the car park almost as soon as we got there. Ian 'Eagle' was already on site.

Yesterday Phil and I enjoyed splendid views of one Banstead Woods' juvenile Hobbies while a parent watched a bit more distantly. Hoping for a Spot Fly any day now.

juvenile Hobby - Banstead Woods

Britain Life List: 312

Bad Essex spell broken

After having a recent Essex dip rate of 100% it was nice to get two lifers today in the form of the last two regular American peeps that I needed. Phil could not believe his misfortune however when I rang him up telling him I had a day off college today and asking whether he'd like to head up to Essex; he had been planning to go up there himself and overtake me on my British list!

Baird's Sandpiper

Leaving at 6.50am we arrived at Holland Haven Country Park at about 9.45am. Upon entering the hide we were told that our quarry had just walked out of view. It took about an hour to get a conclusive view of the BAIRD'S SANDPIPER, after having inconclusive views only of its head for a long time. The bird was quite distinctive, being quite buff overall and having a very noticeable scaly pattern on the mantle and a long wing projection as well as quite a different profile to other calidrids. A Garganey, a Mediterranean Gull and a couple of Cetti's Warblers and Yellow Wagtails were also noted. Happy, we left for our next target.

Garganey

After making a second attempt at asking for an RFI, RBA finally obliged and the news on our next bird was positive. In high spirits, he headed to Abberton Reservoir, one of my favourite birding sites. After checking in at the visitor centre we made our way to the Roy King hide where six or seven Little Stints were on view, one of which turned out to be the SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, being noticeably stockier and greyer than the other birds and lacking any braces or rufous tones. Two new peeps in one day in one county, excellent! Also my third yank wader at Abberton in three visits!

Below are three awful phone-scoped images of the Semi-p Sand, the latter two show contrast with Little Stint best (Semi-p is far left and Little Stint is far right on both):



A good day, thanks to Phil (and my school/college) for allowing me to spoil your own gripping opportunity!