This Rarity is a Spirited Little Blyth-ter

I've been waiting to use that title for three weeks now, ever since the rare Blyth's Reed Warbler was first sighted at Hope Carr Nature Reserve in Greater Manchester. Blyth Spirit - geddit?

The day after it was found by Phil Rhodes I was messaged by Simon Warford who was asking me if I could go and take a photograph of the bird.  As the reserve is only fifteen minutes from where I live, it wasn't a problem and so I was soon on my way.

This began a saga of four visits each lasting over three hours trying to find the little blyth-ter.  The weather was generally awful on most of my previous visits, ranging from rain, sleet and then proper snow, but this didn't deter me or the 50 or so birders who turned up on one of the days.

Over the next few days the weather slowly improved and eventually some photos started to appear, some of them very good. It's a very tricky bird to see, never mind photograph as it skulks around the bramble patches looking for food.  I was starting to give up of hope of even seeing it though.

It wasn't until my fifth visit earlier today that I actually connected with the bird and luckily managed some decent photos as well.  I happened to be doing some volunteer work around the corner at a school in Lowton, and as it was bright and sunny, I just called in on the off chance on my way home - so glad I did.

Lifer, Year and Greater Manchester tick all in one, with photos to boot - Things are looking up!

If you'd like to read a short report about how the bird was found and its ID confirmed by sonogram, head over to Simon Warford's report on the Leigh Ornithological Society main website here:

http://www.leighos.org.uk/2019/02/blyths-reed-warbler-hope-carr-nr.html

UPDATE:

Simon messaged me today to say that BirdWatch, the magazine from BirdGuides would possibly like to use one of my photos in an article he has written for them. Well that would be good, wouldn't it?