Thursday, October 8, 2015

Yellow-browed Warbler influx.

On the 21st September 2015 whilst birding on Fair Isle I was witness to, at the time, a record fall of Yellow-browed Warblers when at least 53 were counted by the warden and his assistants. This record has already been surpassed as a count of 76 was recorded a week later. I was birding with a team from the BTO and we saw in excess of thirty birds during the day. According to the BTO web site this autumn promises to be one of the best ever for them. 'Breeding from the Urals east across Siberia, Yellow-browed Warbler records in Britain and Ireland have been increasing steadily in recent years. The reason for the increase is still unknown, with reverse migration and range expansion all proposed as potential factors.'
Yorkshire, Shetland, Lancashire, Isles of Scilly, County Wexford, Merseyside, Glamorgan, Orkney, Aberdeenshire, Dorset, Lincolnshire, Cornwall, Fife, Cleveland, Norfolk, Gwynedd, Northumberland, Sussex, Conwy, Kent, Angus, Lothian and County Durham are all reporting YBWs today according to RBA! Now has got to be the time to get out and find your own YBW.

Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus. In Angelica, Fair Isle 2015

Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus. In Angelica, Fair Isle 2015

Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus. In Angelica, Fair Isle 2015

Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus. In Angelica, Fair Isle 2015

Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus.

Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus.

1 comment:

  1. The warbler looks really amusing. Lucky you were to catch such a moment, Andy. I'm so delighted to see these shots! I always try to take a good photo, but it seems that the bird goes away every time I press the button..
    Jane
    My page - http://www.writers-house.com/

    ReplyDelete