A promising day that started slowly but eventually delivered. At Skaw all I could find was a Grey Wagtail. NorthDale proved quiet too with just a Lesser Whitethroat seen. A circuit around Norwick proved better with a Merlin, 5 Ruff, 2 Swifts, a Whinchat, a Chiffchaff, 5 Willow Warblers, the Blackcap, a Garden Warbler, the Barred Warbler, a Redwing and 2 Common Rosefinches although sadly I found the Great Spotted Woodpecker dead. I'd just come into phone signal at the top of the burn at Valyie when I heard from Dante that he'd found a Citrine Wagtail in Baltasound... when I literally heard what sounded like a Citrine Wagtail overhead! It swept downslope towards the mires with my flight views including its clean breast! I scrambled down the slope and found the Wagtail on a small pool in the wet field below Leawart. It moved to a puddle, then onto the road and then to the old shed base. I managed a recording of a single call but failed to obtain any images before I heard it calling again heading away into the distance. I enlisted the help of Dante and we soon again found it in the wet fields below Valyie where we obtained some images and Dante managed a decent recording of several calls as it flew off high south. We then attempted to find a third Citrine Wagtail but bumped into a Warbler appearing a uniform pale sandy/milky-tea colour in flight... more flight views proved the order of the day by which time on repeatedly seeing its rounded taile we were confident it was an Acro... before Dante eventually saw and photographed it on the ground and heard it call confirming its identity as a Blyth's Reed Warbler. It continued to prove elusive although I finally obtained a few views of it perched.
Citrine Wagtail at Norwick
Interestingly showing a poor ear-covert surround albeit other characters proved compelling as did its call.
Sonogram of the calls from Dante's recording of the Citrine Wagtail
Sonogram of the calls from Paul Kelly's recording of a Citrine Wagtail at Tacumshin on 27/8.
Blyth's Reed Warbler at the Brewery Marsh
Blyth's Reed Warbler at the Brewery Marsh (Dante Shepherd)
Marsh Warbler at Haroldswick 2nd October 2021
Interesting to compare and contrast
