TWO BARRED WARBLER-ST ALDHELM'S HEAD-DORSET

News came out this afternoon that an Arctic warbler that had been present since sunday in Dorset had been re-identified as a Two Barred warbler.This was a good grip back for me as I should have gone to see the one in 2006 at Filey in North Yorkshire but the species was only a subspecies of Greenish warbler then,how i've regretted that decision over the years!.Anyway after christmas the British ornithologists union will adopt the International Ornithological Congress list and Two Barred warbler will be elevated to full specific status,CLICK ON LINK.

I was on nights when the news came out so thankfully I got an early dart the next morning at 7.00am and started the long journey south getting news off my mate Dan pointon that the bird was still present as I reached Stafford on the M6.The traffic wasn't to bad on the way down and I arrived on site just before midday.

I was absolutely shattered on arrival but walked down to the quarry where I got brief views of the bird.I got myself in position and just waited instead of joining the scrum as the bird was doing a circuit with two Chiffchaffs.It didn't take long before the bird showed really well in a sycamore tree.

The bird was constantly on the move flitting around at the tops of the trees and was joined by a Firecrest at one point.

TWO BARRED WARBLER

After I had gained good views of the bird I left the melee of birders in deep mud tripping over scopes and shouting where is it!

BIRDERS ON SITE

THERE ARE FOUR PREVIOUS RECORDS OF TWO BARRED WARBLER:

2006-Filey,North Yorkshire-16th to 18th October.

2003-Samson Hill,Bryher,Isles Of Scilly-27th to 28th September.

1996- Holkham Meals,Norfolk-15th to 16th October.

1987-Gugh,first-winter,Isles Of Scilly-22nd to 27th October.