A Barred Surprise!

After rain overnight on Friday, there was an air of expectation yesterday morning that something tasty might have arrived. It didn't take much to find it either, as Lana and I walked up the boardwalk there it was, sat in the sticks in full view, a BARRED WARBLER! It didn't stay there for long unfortunately and went crashing off into the dock where it spent most of the day, occasionally visiting the Elders in the veg patch where I managed to grab a distant picture! These large Sylvia warblers breed right across Central Europe and Central Asia and turn up in fairly good numbers in the East Coast around this time of year. Records are almost always first winter birds migrating south to Eastern Africa for the winter; spring records and adults are extremely rare. The bird gets its name from the heavy barring that adult males have across the breast, somewhat similar to a Sparrowhawk or Peregrine. There was some very faint barring visible on this bird (perhaps not in this poor photo though).

Skulking, always skulking! Typical Barred Warbler behaviour

Later that evening there was some sad news, a Barred Warbler had been found dead by the sticks where we had first seen our bird this morning. However, 30 minutes later another one was found, alive and well. It seems then that two came in overnight and unfortunately, one didn't make it.

Also around was this lovely Whinchat, although it was the only one remaining. The Pied Flycatcher was still around, as were the other common migrants.

Gorgeous bird! Whinchat.

On the Farnes our information centre is somewhat akin to a giant insect trap, and this handy extra feature means that other species are enticed in as well, and this morning I was kept company by this little chap as he flicked around gorging himself on flies.

Sharing my workplace with a Goldcrest.... Could be worse?