Saturday 2 November 2013

Marsh Lane - Dusky Warbler

With news of a Dusky Warbler breaking at Marsh lane the previous afternoon, knowing it would have been a pointless mission that day, I decided to wait for news this morning! It was still there but 'elusive'!  Lifers are lifers however and this bird was simply too close to ignore!

The motorway was incident free and I joined a veritable throng of West Midlands birders -  eyes glued on the perimeter hedgerow..... It didn't take long to get decent views either as it fed in either of two pollarded willows. A supercilium to be proud of!!

Getting images was another mater, poor light, wind and a thoroughly elusive or skulking bird steadfastly sticking the the rear of the hedge line didn't help. I locked onto it on a few locations but foliage or something always got in the way (or it flitted out of view!)

Here's my one and only awful blurry record shot (good old manual focus) but it does show the fine bill those skinny legs and well defined supercilium.... A cracking find indeed and an unbelievable lifer number 15 for the year!



Twitching can be great 'fun' with - adrenaline pumping with the uncertainty of a bird like this! I'd have to say however, 5 hours plus of skulk, a soaking, strong winds followed by a complete disappearance after 12.15 - it will be low down on the list of memorable birds! Good to meet up with a lot of birding friends again as well though. Shropshire was well represented with an additional four shire birders ticked present!