After reading the
local bird reports on the internet over the weekend I noticed that a
Grasshopper Warbler had been 'found' not too far from me ,and as the weather
forecast looked not to bad for this
morning, I decided to go on a 'gropper' search!
It was quite pleasant as I left home at 9.30am, 9 degrees C, sunshine, some blue sky....buuut... some dark clouds were lurking here and there in the sky! When I arrived at the reservoir car park the sun had all but gone being replaced by a brisk cold wind. After a short walk I arrived at the reed beds were the bird had been sighted and almost immediately I could hear the sounds of both Reed and Sedge Warbler
I got a few glimpses of the Reed Warbler as it swiftly relocated to different areas of the reeds. And then, coming from the base of an Willow bush, the unmistakable reeling song of a Grasshopper Warbler. It was quite difficult to spot him at first and even more difficult to get good pictures, I had to manually focus through the reeds that were constantly being blown about in the wind.
As you can see the pictures are massively cropped and poorly
focused but I'm quite pleased that I managed to find, and photograph without
too much hassle, the bird that I'd set as my target for the morning. (the images on the video are a little
better!!)
And yes ...the black clouds won, it got cold, it rained. I
got cold, I got wet...... happy cold and wet though!
It's amazing to think
that a few short weeks ago this little bird, singing his heart out in a bush in
the Buckinghamshire countryside, was enjoying the warm sunshine of West Africa!
And finally, Keith, this one is for you.....???
9 comments:
Well done with the Grasshopper Warbler Trevor, and great video.
It has one of the most amazing calls I've ever heard.
Glad you got to see a Sedge too lol
Woweeeee. you filmed the "Gropper" really beautiful. It's amazing what you do holding camcorder, b....y marvelous Trevor.
Fantastic film of a bird i've never heard of. Thanks for sharing it with us trevor.
Peter
Thanks Keith, It's a pity I couldn't get a clearer view for the pics.
And I only got a fleeting view of that Sedge W...lol....[;o)
My first Gropper of the year thanks for sharing it..
I have this weekend off work and have already heard but not seen Reed Warblers. Just checked last years diary and the 24th of April 2011 was the day I heard and saw my first Cuckoo... it was a bit warmer though.
Thank you Bob, glad you liked it!...[;o)
Thanks Peter. Glad you enjoyed the video, you just need to find a gropper 'in the flesh' now, it's an amazing song to hear!...[;o)
Thanks Andrew, happy to share. Good luck at the weekend with your warbler search,you never know you might get to see a gropper!!
I've not heard a Cuckoo yet this year...[;o)
I would be very pleased with those Gropper shots Trevor, very nice. There is no mistaking the call is there.
There has been quite a few reports at Portland Bird Obs about Groppers arriving , so hopefully we should see a few.
Your not winding Keith up again are you. tut! tut!.
Thanks Roy, I would have liked the shots to be a bit cleaner and in focus, but you have to take your chance...
Yeh, the call is certainly different!
Hope you get one on your patch soon, and me!...winding Keith up?..I wouldn't think of it!...lol...[;o)
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