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.
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| 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.
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