With Greenish Warbler being a
predominately east coast bird that rarely makes it across to the north west, I
was still yet to see this charming autumn migrant despite many visits to Spurn
and other east coast localities during September. Therefore, when an individual
in Cleveland developed a pattern of showing well in a small patch of trees
during the week and on in to the weekend, it provided the perfect opportunity
to finally catch up with this much needed autumn warbler.
With Alex only having previously seen very brief views of a Greenish Warbler before a number of years ago, he decided to drive the 2 ½ hour journey to take us up to the north east, the very real prospect of the adult Franklin’s Gull in Northumberland making a reappearance during the day firmly at the back of his mind!
With Alex only having previously seen very brief views of a Greenish Warbler before a number of years ago, he decided to drive the 2 ½ hour journey to take us up to the north east, the very real prospect of the adult Franklin’s Gull in Northumberland making a reappearance during the day firmly at the back of his mind!
Arriving at Saltburn and
heading east along the cliff top path beside the Ship Inn pub, we were soon
looking straight in to the dell that the Greenish had been favouring, the bird immediately
on show in the small Sycamore saplings directly below and giving absolutely
amazing views as it flitted between the leaves.
Similar in size and structure to an Arctic Warbler or Chiffchaff, we could clearly see the single white wingbar on the wings along with the broad white supercilium, differing from the often similar Arctics by having it extending through on to the forehead.
Watching this spritely individual for well over an hour, it appeared to stick to just the one tree filled hollow, not venturing out of this area during our time there and working its way back and forth between the bushes.
Similar in size and structure to an Arctic Warbler or Chiffchaff, we could clearly see the single white wingbar on the wings along with the broad white supercilium, differing from the often similar Arctics by having it extending through on to the forehead.
Watching this spritely individual for well over an hour, it appeared to stick to just the one tree filled hollow, not venturing out of this area during our time there and working its way back and forth between the bushes.
The small section of bushes in the dell the Greenish Warbler was favouring |
The beautiful views from Saltburn! |
Not giving up and spotting a
mass of gulls congregating in a ploughed field, all dive-bombing the freshly
turned soil behind the tractor in the search for unearthed invertebrates, we
trawled through the numerous Black-headed and Common Gulls in the hope of
spotting the Franklin’s.
The picturesque evening light over Whittle Dene Reservoirs |
Immediately, the 10 or so
gathered birders, me and Alex included, legged it down the path, rushing over
the fence and setting up our scopes on the opposite field, faces flushed and
hearts pumping furiously.
Squinting through the scope, finally
we had our prize – one smart looking winter plumaged Franklin’s Gull happily
strutting along the clods of earth and picking at any morsels disturbed in the
soil.
Much smaller than I had
expected and with the head pattern much more subtle than I had imagined,
zooming in revealed a number of diagnostic features to confirm the ID. The
thick white crescent shapes above and below the eye were clear to see, as was
the slightly darker mantle and blackish bill. The head pattern was also a
giveaway from the Black-headed Gulls, being much more extensive and forming a
large dark black patch behind the eye and up on to the head.
With the Derbyshire bird in
2010 being before my time and with all subsequent Franklin’s Gulls in recent years being just a touch too far away in Hampshire and Essex, it was great to
finally catch up with this Yankee rarity.
Not being a huge fan of gulls
personally (they all look the same!) I had to admit that I did especially enjoy
the Franklin’s – the thrill of the bird being there against the odds when it looked
like we would dip (as well as the relief that we wouldn’t have to shell out for
a hotel to stay over and try again the next day) made it, along with the
Laughing Gull at New Brighton, one of the more memorable gull twitches!
Alex's Franklin's Gull video
Having scored with both our
targets, we headed back to Cheshire happy and content, having secured great
views of both birds after what was hopefully the start of a promising and
fruitful autumn.
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