31st December 2019
My first Salop YELLOW–BROWED WARBLER today at Shifinal STW was hard work in bad light. However, by far this knocks out all the YBW I see all over the shop every autumn back home on Scilly! This is possibly only the forth county record.
A YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER was found two days ago at Shifinal Sewage Treatment works by Paul Hopwood only ten minute drive up road from my parents house in Trench! I dipped out on an individual that was only heard at Ironbridge last month but the Shifinal bird I felt positive about. OK, I didn’t see it yesterday morning in four hours searching but I didn’t give up and today it payed off. I had no idea where the warbler was seen in the area of the sewage works but I stuck to the path that bordered most of the perimeter fence. The observer who found it did say that it was with Long-tailed Tits and on arrival I could hear a small group but not a sniff of it. It was an hour later when a very large tit flock moved through on the south side of the works. There were some 30 Long-tailed, 20 Blue and smaller numbers of Coal Tit with Goldcrests, Treecreepers and Nuthatches latching on and 2 Raven flew over. How was I goin to find the bloody thing with this lot? But I did!! First I picked up a single Chiffchaff and close by was the YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER!! Get in there!! I followed it for a few minutes before it disappeared with the tits. I thought I would hang around for them to return but I didn’t have to as the YBW was feeding high up in the trees a little further down the path. For the next ten minutes, my neck was aching from looking up at the warbler. It was hanging out with the Chiffchaff but then I lost them both. Half an hour later, the tit flock came through and so did the YBW. Great stuff!! In both days that i was at the works, I was kinda of surprised that there was only one birder looking as well and he didn’t see it. However, the YBW was seen again shortly after I left by someone else.
The YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER kept most of it’s time feeding above me. It doesn’t help with the poor light and when you’ve still got the same setting on your SLR from the day before. Might try again tomorrow as it’s meant to be a brighter day. This is the first Salop tick I’ve had since last winter when I got the Ellesmere Cattle Egret and I can’t count the Dartford Warbler from two week ago at Bury Ditches as I only heard it.
This Chiffchaff was never far from the YBW
A long time since I’ve seen a Willow Tit but I got this individual very briefly yesterday while looking for the YBW.
If only the sun was out like yesterday when I took this Goldcrest.
This Fox had no idea of my presence as you can see. Despite so many dog walkers, I observed two Fox on and off in the area yesterday.
Before I saw the YBW, I had the adult Yellow-legged Gull at Middle Pool but there was no sign of yesterdays Pink-footed Goose.
Then after I had seen the YBW, the Yellow-legged Gull was back at Trench Pool just before dark.
And yesterday, it was at Hortonwood. It looks like this adult is wintering in the area as it has been around at these three sights for nearly a month now.
Where there was also this adult Scandinavian Herring Gull.
And then later on that day, it was at the Trench Pool at the pre-roost.
The 24th was the last time that the advanced 2nd winter CaspianxYellow-legged Gull hybrid was seen and again for the second time, it caught me out thinking it was a Caspian Gull! All photos were taken by Tibor Herdics who I met for the first time at Prisorlee lake.
We also got 2 Yellow-legged Gull, including this 2nd winter (top) and 1st winter. Also the 1st winter Caspian Gull was still present
Also, this 4th winter Yellow-legged Gull was at Prisorlee Lake, 21st.
This Buzzard was enjoying the sun over a week ago at Kynersley where there were also 2 Raven. Both pics by Jo.
I also took advantage of the sun at the time and took photos of other gulls including Herring and Lesser black-backed Gulls.
This Great Crested Grebe flew close by while taking the pics of the gulls
SCILLYSPIDER 2 