Migrant Magic

A quick update to keep you going. Early morning walks around several local sites brought a series of warbler sightings. These are all distance shots, and the quality is not good, but I was pleased just to see the variety.

This chap is a Grasshopper Warbler -  quite often heard, but can be hard to find. As the name suggests, they sounds remarkably like grasshoppers, just at a lower pitch.

Just as loud, and sounding like a bunch of arguing children, Sedge Warblers can be found scolding away in reed beds. Sedge have a bright eyebrow stripe.

 The warbler is called a Whitethroat - can you see why!  These will often be found at the highest point of bushes and trees, while their smaller cousins, the Lesser Whitethroat, is a lot harder to spot, usually skulking around lower bushes and brambles.

 A slightly better shot of a Blackcap - I find these a real challenge to find; they seem very nervous at this time of year.

Moving on from the Warblers, the Whinchat has also been passing through, often sitting, as here, on fences.

Also passing through are Yellow Wagtails, usually found in paddocks, following around behind horses. These beautifully marked birds come in a variety of forms that help the expert identify where they originated. Beyond my capability, but a pleasure to see nonetheless.

The final migrant comes without a photo, though an excellent one can be found here, a Night Heron that has been found locally. A secretive bird, it has brought a fine collection of local birders trying to get a glimpse of it, and a chance to swap storeies and make contacts while waiting for it to fly in from it's daytime roost.