Siberian Gem!

Yellow-browed Warbler - photo by David Hutchinson

After a very quiet vismig session at Potwells early this morning I headed back to the car at Redwell Wood Farm.  Vismig can be very hit and miss and given my good run of birds recently I wasn't too disheartened by the lack of passage over head.

As I walked along the track past the overgrown ponds I noticed quite a few Chiffchaffs active in the willows with one singing.  With the recent influx of Yellow-browed Warblers into the country I thought nothing could be lost by playing its "tswee" call.  I played a couple of calls but no response however, as I turned to walk on I suddenly heard two quiet and unmistakable calls!  I knew immediately I had a Yellow-browed Warbler!

A few Yellow-browed Warbler calls just discernible above the roar of the M25 traffic!

I played the call a few more times and straight away a little bird appeared in the willow at the edge of the track calling on and off.  I got some great views of this tiny Siberian visitor with its yellow brow that combines with it yellow wing-bars to give a striped first impression.

​Always on the move the bird flitted out of sight and I had to leave to get on with work but not before I noted two smart Bramblings sitting in the bushes by the bird feeder.  Together with the warblers they gave the impression of a little fall of migrants - perhaps thanks to the heavy low cloud that rained a bit earlier.

A rather blurry photo of the 2 Bramblings this morning

I put the news out and others found it later in the morning and into the afternoon, calling well and occasionally showing.  Local birder and photographer, David Hutchinson, managed to get a great shot of it which is a lovely record of the moment.  A Firecrest was also found with it so definitely some new arrivals today.

Even more pleasing is that the Yellow-browed Warbler takes me to #148 for my Five Miles From Home List and is also a new bird for my 2024 British Year List.  It becomes the 3rd Yellow-browed Warbler I have found in Herts, the first being at Tyttenhanger in Jan 2019 and the second, a very special bird, being the 100th species for my garden in Oct 2020!  I think they are probably one of my favourite birds to find and this year seems to be a good one to go looking.