(Very) Likeable Leaf Warbler

With the long run easterly winds and reports of eastern vagrant birds turning up recently, across the country, Darren Coombs, Rob Jones and I decided to try our luck at an isolated wooded area on Baglan Dunes, this afternoon . On approaching the wood, which is right next to the Wales Coast Path, we split up to cover more ground. But not too far apart, in case two of us missed what the other one sees! Or even worse, one of us not seeing what the other two see!!

It wasn't long before we'd all homed in on a small flock of Tits moving through the bushes. Long-tailed Tits and Blue Tits mainly, but maybe something else in with them? As we regrouped Darren described a bird, which he'd seen very briefly, as a small Phyllosc with a bold supercillium. We all knew what it might be. We waited along what seemed to be the most sheltered stretch of the wood hoping for the bird to show. It did; a very smart Yellow-browed Warbler! Excellent, but no sooner had it shown itself it was gone again. We hoped that it would again return to the same sheltered stretch so waited some more.

After 40 minutes or so our patience was rewarded with some delightful views of this stunning little warbler, which is not much bigger than a Goldcrest. It was particularly active and caught numerous flies while flitting through the bushes, and occasionally it would sit right out in the open and give mesmerising views.