The UK's 2nd confirmed Pale-legged Leaf Warbler.

Pale-legged Leaf Warbler is a 'skulky' phylloscopus warbler that usually winters in South East Asia. Following several UK records of Eastern-crowned Warbler (see here for details of our twitch for the 1st UK record back in 2009!) Pale-legged Leaf Warbler was on every rarity hunters radar. Roll on 21st October 2016 when a dead phylosc warbler found on St Agnes, Isles of Scilly, was positively identified as this species and a first for the UK. A previous record at Portland,  Dorset on 22nd October 2012 couldn't be positively identified to species level as Sakhalin Leaf Warbler couldn't be ruled out. For a write up of the 1st accepted UK record see the British Birds article here. Imagine being casually handed a dead first for Britain as happened to Laurence. I think I'd be trying to give it the kiss of life! 

As a trainee ringer and avid birder in the 70's I bought (and still have) Kenneth Williamsons warbler Identification for Ringers. This was a three volume publication with volume 2 dedicated to phylloscopus warblers. Along with my 2nd edition of  'Svensson'  I read them avidly absorbing the information. One of those phylloscs  I read about was Pale-legged Leaf Warbler. I dreamed about pulling one of these rare leaf warblers out of a mist net at Wicken Fen! 

Roll on Wednesday 26th September 2024 when a skulking phyllosc was discovered at Bempton cliffs RSPB and initially thought to be an Arctic Warbler. And relax.............A few days later it was re-identified as a possible Eastern-crowned Warbler. I was still distinctly chilled...........

By Friday night birding WhatsApp groups were humming with the mind boggling news that the bird had been sound recorded and positively identified as the UK's 1st LIVE Pale-legged Leaf Warbler. Cue my phone entering rapid melt down mode as firstly Fred then Steve offered lifts (thanks guys) and the WhatsApp chatter was full of people arranging to meet up enroute or in the car park at Bempton! 

My problem was that I had two airport runs to do Saturday for family members & I couldn't really let them down. Declining the lifts I did what I usually do in these situations. Sulk. With the bird being present since Wednesday and it being a Friday night surely it would do the famous 'Friday night bunk' as a lot of rarities tend to do just before the twitching masses arrive on a Saturday morning. But no, this particular bird hadn't read the rarities rule book during its long flight and resolutely remained in its preferred patch of scrub in the RSPB car park. Plans were made and when Jan messaged me later in the day to say she'd boarded her flight back from Spain I casually asked if she'd anything planned Sunday as I was off to Bempton. I got back from Fair Isle after 8 days awayin the early hours of Tuesday morning - just a few hours before she and her sister went to Valencia so we'd seen each other very briefly. Feeling a bit guilty my guilt was assuaged when it turned out her sister had locked herself out of the house and her husband was away working for the weekend so she spent the night at ours. As her husband wasn't due back until 10 pm Sunday night it meant my presence was superfluous as they kept each other company whilst I woke early Sunday morning to the news the bird had stayed yet another night and was still present. 

A quick breakfast and I was off. Arriving around 11 am I saw Paul Baker who pointed out where the bird had last been seen. Following  nervous wait the guy next to me picked up in the bottom of a bramble about 10 m deep int o the scrub. For the next few hours it played peek - a -boo with us, occasionally giving away its presence by calling a high pitched  call reminiscent of a squeaky bike. I managed to record it calling in the video below where you can here a single call near the beginning of the 5 second video! 

Despite good views over several hours I wasn't quick enough with the camera to get any photos. Luckily Steve managed some on the Saturday and had let me use his. Cheers mate.

Pale-legged Leaf Warbler @Steve Williams

What really stood out in the field was the bronzy wing patch, reminiscent of of a Bonelli's Warbler,  and the dark crown (without the central crown stripe of Eastern-crowned Warbler. The pale legs also stood out being a very pale pink and unlike any other commoner species of phylloscopus warbler. It was great to catch up with friends Vicky & Paul Wren at Bempton. I first met them on Tiree where we'd met up whilst twitching a Northern Parula in 2010! (see  here). We'd subsequently on other far flung islands - including  Lewis for Wilson's Warbler (here ) and Fair Isle so it was nice to have a chat before I left for home. 

Arriving home in torrential rain I grabbed a quick shower and took Jan and her sister out for a hastily arranged diner at a local restaurant! 

A big thank you to all the staff and volunteers at Bempton Cliffs RSPB who made this twitch possible.

Fair Isle 2024. Final days and a pot of gold for our efforts.

After two days of typically dreich Fair Isle weather our penultimate day dawned breezy but thankfully clear. Determined to get our out and find something as well as the need to walk off Hollies superb meals we set off with our packed lunches and startd the routine of checking all available cover. It was obvious there'd been a movement of Yellow-browed Warblers overnight as they were literally in every garden and ditch we looked at.  There were also some large dark looking 'rostrata' type Redpolls. So different i nsize and structure to our more familiar Lesser (formerly) Redpoll.

Heading north and reaching the plantation there were two unringed birds there so we messaged the Obs staff and Luke arrived with the rings and colour rings. Staying to help I left Jase to walk on and arranged to meet him at the Obs construction site. 

We caught the two Yellow-browed Warblers and whilst we were ringing them three more literally dropped out the sky into the plantation and we walked them into the plantation heligoland. Jason had found more at the gully and in the Obs garden. Its incredible to think of how far these small Siberian 'sprites' have travelled to get here. With so many Yelllow-browed Warblers arriving from the east the feeling was there was something else rare lurking in the ditches and along the dykes.

Birds were definitely moving and taking advantage of the fine weather. It was a regualr raptor fest with Deryk finding a Black Kite soaring over Burkle and eventually heading out to see and lost to site (it ended up being se nat North Ron bird Obs). Luke found a cream headed Marsh Harrier which we picked up as it flew north along the eastern cliffs and Sparrowhawk, Peregrine, Kestrel and Merlin were all seen within the space of an hour.

Heading back south from the Obs we found a few more Yellow-browed Warblers as well as Garden Warblers, Blackcaps and Willow Warblers. Stopping at Lower Leogh to check out the Siberia nStonechat and Common Rosefinch we ended up back at The Haa and Walli Burn. The Lapland Buntings that had been frequenting the area were along the burn and several Lesser Whitehroats showed well in the garden.

We were viewing from different sides and I couldn't see Jason but heard his shout of 'Golden Oriole'. Apparently it had been sat with his back to him on a stick and it ws only when he lifted his binoculars that he realised what it was. The bird flew past me and landed briefly on a washing line support before disappearing up the side of the house. Despite searching all the nearby areas we couldn't refind it but on returning to The Haa it exploded past me and did its disappearing act again only fot Deryk to message  to say it had flown past Burkle.  Although there have been a number of records (55) of Golden Oriole on Fair Isle this was only the 9th Autumn record.

Deciding to head north to Quoy and look for it there we drew a blank and sat on one of the benches strategically placed by Elizabeth & Nick at Schoolton to allow birders to sit and view their garden. Suddenly the Golden Oriole was flying towards us and perched up on some incongruous looking tropical vegetation before flying to the croft garden. 

As we watched it  Luke made an appearance, running up the hill in his shorts and wellies, followed by Dougie Barr. Pointing out where the bird was perched up  they both saw it before it again flew off and ended up in the back garden before flying off again and landing on a wall outside the conservatory of Houll where, following a phonecall from Luke, Eileen managed to see it from her window. The bird then flew and landed on a post in the middle of a field where it sat long enough for a few others to catch up with it. A lifer for Luke and we were happy to return the favour for the help he'd given us during our stay.

Returning back to Burkle Deryk informed us it was unlikely any planes would be flying the next day because of forecast low cloud and rain. We were due to leave on the last flight out of Fair Isle in time to catch the 18.45 Sumburgh to Edinburgh flight. The Fair Isle ferry, THe Good Shepherd, was go9ng and making a special trip so we decided to book on that instead. Sure enough Monday morning dawned with a phone call from AirTask saying there would only be one Fair Isle flight and we'd have to be ready by 08.00. Deciding the ferry was still the better option and would give us the chance of seeing a few more species. Deryk took our bags to North Haven in the pickup and Jason & wendered our way leisurely north saying goodbye to Alex and some of the locals as we went.

There were only three of us on The Good Shepherd and Jase & I spent the whole trip  on the rear deck seawatching picking up Sooty Shearwater for the trip list as well as a Fair Isle tick. A message from Jonny saying 'give me a wave I'm at Wyvi Burn' had me waving like a lunatic to a lone figure stood on top of the cliffs as we sailed past.

Leaving Fair Isle with the new Obs building visible to the right

Waving to Jonny Fisk. Thanks Jonny.

Fulmar accompanying us off the island

Sooty Shearwater

After  pleasant journey we arrived at Grutness, said our goodbyes to Deryk and left our luggage in the waiting room to walk up to the famous Grutness garden where we spent an hour in forecast rain watching a lovely little foirst winter Red-breasted Flycatcher. A totally different looking bird to the stunning adult male I'd seen recently at Spurn - see here

This was to be the last bird of pur trip. Meeting Dennis Morrison at Grutness he kindly gave us and our bags a lift to Sumburgh airport where we had several hours wait for our flight. An uneventful journey had me arriving home at 1 am tuesday morning and falling asleep already making plans to return to Fair Isle. Hopefully we'll see the dream team of Alex, Luke and Jonny there next year..

A great trip with the obvious avian  highlights being Tennessee Warbler, Ortolan, Lapland & Little Buntings, Arctic Warbler, Yellow-browed Warblers, Golden Oriole, Pectoral Sandpiper, Wryneck and Barred Warbler! 

                                                        Above: Barred Warbler, Burkle

Fair Isle 2024. Little Bunting and Yellow-browed Warblers

The fine days came to an abrupt end later in our week on Fair isle with low cloud and sea mist! It's still the only time I can recall spending a week on Fair Isle, or Shetland, without having to wear waterproofs though. A shame as the easterly winds held so much promise but the birds couldn't see Fair isle due to the poor visibility.

A Little Bunting had been trapped and ringed in the plantation heligoland trap and was touring the island. It had been colour ringed as part of a project to see if these birds are overwintering in the UK at other sites following the discovery of a wintering flock of 8 in Cornwall last year. We eventually bumped into it as it fed along the track leading to Pund. Interestingly the metal BTO ring was initially more visible than the colour rings and it took a bit of viewing and lots of photos before we confirmed the colour ring combination. This is possibly the first colour ringed Little Bunting from the current scheme to be photographed in the UK!

Commoner migrants were few and far between with only a handful of Garden Warblers, Lesser Whitethroats, Willow Warblers, Whinchats and Chiffchaffs being seen. Yellow-browed Warblers started arriving in droves through.

Whinchat

Fair Isle, like many bird observatories, are taking part in the colour ringing project for Yellow-browed Warblers and I was lucky enough to be able to ring several of these little Siberian gems. 

The aims of the project are as follows:

The project aims to increase the number of Yellow-browed Warblers being ringed in the UK and subsequently increase the recovery rate through the use of colour rings in order to answer some of the following questions:
• To learn more about the trajectory of Yellow-browed Warbler movements within Europe throughout the autumn and into the winter months.
• To investigate whether there is a subsequent southbound movement after birds initially follow a western trajectory, reaching the westernmost limits of Europe e.g., Shetland, Western Isles, Cornwall
• To identify whether YBWs arriving in the UK in autumn are wintering further south in Europe.
• To identify migration stopover duration.
• To identify winter site usage, with increased potential to identify winter site fidelity.
The colour-marking scheme will consist of a colour ring combination using a BTO metal ring on the right tarsus along with three additional colour rings (one above the BTO on right tarsus and two on the left tarsus). Initially seven different colours will be used (Red, Orange, Blue, Green, Yellow, Purple and White) and rotated to every available position, including that above the metal ring. This does not cause duplication with either of the two current existing Yellow-browed Warbler colour ring projects in Europe (both in France).

More details can be found here

Green over metal right leg and red over green left leg. Ringed in Deryks garden at Burkle.

Each contributing ringing location to the scheme will use a different colour 'marker' ring over the BTO metal ring.  Fair Isle uses green. These rings are surprisingly easy to see in the field for such a small bird. Each ring is fixed close with the tiniest dab oof superglue applied on the tip of a needle.

A few days after ringing 'my' bird' was still present in Deryks garden at Burkle happily feeding on crane flies. This in part shows the benefit of colour ringing. If the bird had just a metal ring we wouldn't have been able to positively identify it and may have assumed it was one of the many birds that had been ringed over the island during the week.

Fair Isle is a real community and everyone pulls together to help each other. One of the highlights of the week was being invited to the birthday party organised for Alex at the community hall and
to meet everyone over a few drinks and some food.

Redpoll at the school

Fair Isle 2024. Wrynecks & Sibe Stonechats

As usual we were up for an early breakfast, whilst looking into the garden at Burkle to see what new migrants had appeared overnight, before heading off with rucksacks laden with food & drink, cameras & binoculars for a day in the field. 

The Tennessee Warbler was still doing the circuit of its favoured crofts and there were a few other migrants around to keep up our interest with Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Pied & Spotted Flycatchers present in small numbers. Numbers are surprisingly and depressingly low though. The Pec Sand we found on our 1st day was still around and the wader contingent included Lapwing, Ruff & a single Black-tailed Godwit as well as the ‘resident’ waders. 

We’d walked the length of Hill Dyke (where we recorded two flyover Lapland Buntings) & were heading across to Pund, where there’s a nice nettle bed, when news came through that Nina had found a Wryneck there. Sure enough we found this cryptically coloured member of the woodpecker family feeding along a fence line before it flew in the direction of Chalet. 

Next to flash up on the news group was a Siberian Stonechat, just along the road at Field, so we meandered up to take a look. Unfortunately it was always quite distant but Rob & Alex got good enough photos for it to be identified as ‘maurus’ as opposed to ‘stejnegers’. Another good bird and almost annual here. 

Walking back south & exploring every little bit of habitat we found ourselves at the crofts on the SE end of the island where our 1st Yellow-browed Warbler of the trip popped up from a Rosa bed and flew onto a dead seed head of Angelica. Several had been seen across Fair Isle but this was our first. 

Heading down Walli Burn towards The Haa we split up to look into the garden from different angles - only for me to have, presumably the same Wryneck, fly up onto the gable end of the garage & then onto a nearby pile of wood & plastic barrels. 

Bumping into Luke he told us a Lapland Bunting was favouring the area round the old stone sheep cru just across from where we were lazing in the sun at Meoness.

Another good day and another 20+ km covered!

Fair Isle 2024. Two birds in the hand....

Ortolan Buntings have become pretty scarce birds in the UK and even more so on Fair Isle! One had been found the day before we arrived and was still around that day. After seeing the Tennessee Warbler we decided to head towards 'the plantation' where it had been last reported. Unfortunately there was no sign. Roll on Tuesday morning when, after paying homage to the Tennessee Warbler again and slowly heading north, following various ditches and dykes, a message came through that Alex had caught the Ortolan in the plantation heligoland trap. We could see it from where we were stood on the hillside opposite so hurried down to view this beautifully marked bunting that, sadly, is still getting hunted as a delicacy in France and whose numbers have drastically declined. It says a lot that I saw Cretzchmars Bunting on Fair Isle before Ortolan! See here for details of that bird.

Discussing the ageing and sexing of Ortolan Bunting at the plantation ringing hut. Left to right: Matt Wilmott, me, Alex Penn (acting warden FIBO), Jase

What a cracking start to what would turn out to be another magical day. With the arrival of Nina & Rob the conversation was interrupted by Rob yelling 'Turtle Dove' and we all watched as this other over-hunted migrant flew past and landed in the heather opposite. Chatting away we discovered that Dougie Barr (FIBO Chairman) had offered us all a tour around the soon to be completed new Bird Observatory so Rob rang him and suggested as we were almost there now would be a good time for us all to meet him for a guided tour. Dougie agreed to meet us and we set off only for Rob and Nina to find a wing-barred phylosc in the Obs garden which was either an Arctic or Greenish Warbler. No sooner had we finished our tour then Luke rang to say the warbler had been caught in one of the standardised mist net sites and was an Arctic Warbler! A 10 m walk and we were admiring our 2nd rare bird of the day in the hand.

Incredible. 

The rest of the day was spent hunting for new birds in the crofts and along the dykes and ditches as you have to do when on Fair Isle before returning to our accommodation at Burkle where Holly had kindly invited the Obs guys along wit hRob & Nina for dinner and a chance to do the daily log all together. After a few beers and a fabulous meal log was called and a happy bunch of birders retired to bed dreaming of what the next few days would bring.