12th November 2019
I found this HUME’S WARBLER this afternoon at Newford Duckpond and it proved hard to get as it was pretty mobile. Photo by Martin Goodey
It was pretty late morning, 11.30, when we decided to get out in the biting northerlies. However, in the sun on the sheltered side, there were still 3 Black Redstart at Little Porth with another 3 birds at Porthloo where there was also a Merlin. Nearly two later we reached Newford Duckpond and I thought I caught what sounded like a Hume’s Warbler call in the Sallows to my right as we approached the pond. But nothing after ten minutes and we sat down for a bite to eat next to the ducks. The Yellow-browed Warbler was very vocal and elusive and I managed to see the Siberian Chiffchaff. It was not until nearly an hour later that I could hear that call again that I heard when we first arrived at the pond. I walked over to where I thought it was with the recorder on. I couldn’t see the warbler but I caught it on the machine when it called a few times. Eventually I got a glimpse of the bird as it moved through fast through the back of the sallows and it appeared a grayish overcast on the upperparts but that’s all I could get as it was all too brief being chased off by a Goldcrest. I put the news out, HUME’S WARBLER, with the recording, and with in minutes Martin Goodey and Scott Read turned up followed by others. Martin relocated the warbler as I was on the mobile to Ren. I don’t mean I was sat or standing on my mobile. I was chatting to him on the mobile. Yes, we had a discussion about how folks shout at each other on soaps on TV and always look miserable. Not that I watch the rubbish. Then he went on to how Spurs were not doin so well in the league. That’s when I got miserable and put the mobile down. So, after pulling myself together, the hume’s had disappeared again only to be refound by call but no one could get a good view of it as it fed in the same bush with the Yellow-browed Warbler at times. I have no idea how Martin got the record shots that he did as I just had big twigs in the way or the butt end of the bird but I’m so pleased that he did.
Ren also got the Dusky and Yellow-browed Warbler and a Mistle Thrush on the Porth Hellick loop trail earlier on with 2 Swallow at Holy vale
The 3 Black Redstart were still at Little Porth with another 3 at Porthloo including this individual
Raven
Why couldn’t the Hume’s Warbler show like this Goldcrest in the sun?
Or this Chiffchaff?
And in all the time I was at Newford, this was the best I could get of anythin on the Yellow-browed Warbler
Iwas fortunate enough to also find the 2005 Hume’s Warbler at the Dump Clump. Most of us caught up with that individual as it stuck around for five days and showed a lot better than todays bird.
SCILLYSPIDER 2 