I don't know why but Garden Warblers have been one of my main bogey birds ever since I started birding. I've been told I've seen them as they flit past as well hearing their wonderful song, but I've never nailed one down until today. It was all down to my friend Dave Wilson who had been told of one singing and perching quite well in a favourite tree at Pennington Flash. So off we went early this morning to find it and, as if by magic, there it was! Well, for a short while anyway, until a dog walker inadvertently flushed it.
Dave had actually heard the bird quite a long way and as soon as he pointed it out I'd latched on to it's song. I've probably heard this song countless times in the past, but without seeing the bird, I've not recognised it for what it was. Some say it's a bit like a Blackcap, but Dave disagrees and says it's quite different when you listen carefully. Apparently Blackcaps sing a snippet of Dvořák's New World Symphony at the end of their song. Trust Dave to hear that!
Anyway, Dave was going to a meeting of the Young Birders Club (which I coudn't make due to a prior appointment) so off he went leaving me to try for some better shots, as my initial attempts were only record shots. I stayed around two hours during which time the bird came and went a few times, but I managed something fairly decent on it's last visit to the favourite tree. I can now tick one of the remaining two birds in my child's bird book which I've been keeping since I started. Just need a Storm Petrel now.
