We had just arrived at the caravan at Buckton at 10pm on Thursday evening (Oct 22nd) when the amazing news broke of an Eastern Crowned Warbler in Trow Quarry, Co Durham. A long predicted 'first for Britain' which had been gradually getting closer in recent years with a one day record in Holland the most recent of the 4 previous Western Paleartic records.
GERMANY (Heligoland on 4 October 1843)
NORWAY (trapped and ringed at Jaeren, Rogaland, on 30 September 2002)
FINLAND (at Harrbada, Kokkola, on 23 October 2004
THE NETHERLANDS (at Katwijk aan Zee, Zuid-Holland, on 5 October 2007)
NORWAY (trapped and ringed at Jaeren, Rogaland, on 30 September 2002)
FINLAND (at Harrbada, Kokkola, on 23 October 2004
THE NETHERLANDS (at Katwijk aan Zee, Zuid-Holland, on 5 October 2007)
I decided to play it cool, and put the Buckton nets up regardless. Just after 8am the following morning news came through that it was still present, this and a Firecrest flirting with the nets made my mind up - head north ! We arrived just after mid day and joined the 400 other observers all surrounding a few clumped sycamores and elders in the bottom of a small quarry some 200 metres from the sea. The warbler was top draw, being almost vireo like in appearance and every bit rare ! We enjoyed good views through the scope from the upper deck of the quarry, watching the bird at eye level. It was sharing the trees with a fellow Siberian traveller, a Yellow-browned Warbler - thank god for Sycamores! The journey back to Buckton was full of anticipation with news of a Bluetail at Bempton and Dusky Warbler at Flamborough. Thank god for east winds!
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