Sunday 24 September 2017

GREENISH WARBLER @ Martin's Haven - thank you fate

A Greenish Warbler this evening (1820-1845 when everything seemed to go to roost) in the valley at Martin's Haven, frequenting the east facing steep bank behind the toilet block (on the Deer Park side), mainly in gorse, loosely associating with a Willow Warbler.  Called a couple of times - very like a Pied Wagtail.  Best shots I could manage below, but shows key features separating it from the similar Arctic Warbler (including supercilium meeting above the eye and flaring behind it, short wing bar, darker legs).  Seems as if this is the first record for mainland Wales, the others all having been on Skoholm, Skomer, & Bardsey...

One of the photos below shows me looking down from a cattle trodden path and Brian Southern looking up, just to highlight where it was frequenting.

A brief story of the find - I'd been busy since 5am this morning organising the Pembrokeshire Half Marathon & 10k in Dale.  Finally getting home mid afternoon, shattered, I realised I'd left something in Dale.  So instead of the much needed nap, I headed back down to Dale (after some food and a cuppa).  After retrieving said item, and knowing what was happening on Skokholm, I opted for Martin's Haven for half an hour to see what might be in the valley, or up on the Deer Park.

Whilst looking into Sash's Willows (not a euphamism!) Brian appeared, and we pished, watched & waited with nothing better than a Goldcrest.  Brian mentioned he'd had a pipit at West Hook Farm that looked quite black & white, which instantly had me thinking of Red-throated, so we agreed that Brian would walk back in that direction and I would join him after a quick walk up to the lookout to catch the sun over Skomer.  After going through the Deer Park wall, I decided to have a quick check in the lower valley behind the toilet block and the first bird I saw was....happy days!