Yellow-browed Warbler.

New Laithe Farm, Newton, Lancs, UK.

The third ELOC record.

7th-12th October 2005.

by Mark Breaks.

Above: The only photograph obtained of the bird. The supercillium can be made out both above the bill and at the nape.

At 12.00hrs on Friday 7th October 2005, after arriving back from a morning’s birding at Stocks Reservoir, I was putting my sightings onto the computer, when I heard a bird calling from outside. Seconds later I realised that the call was a high-pitched ‘tsoeest’! - After seeing and hearing several YBW's at Spurn the day before, I thought it sounded like this species but could not believe it!

 I decided to get my binoculars and opened the kitchen window so as not to flush any birds in the garden. Yes!, it was still calling loudly, then after a few seconds a small Warbler dropped into the hedge at the bottom of the garden. Seeing two wing bars and a prominent yellow supercilium I was happy that it was indeed a Yellow-browed Warbler!! Then suddenly it flew back up into wood at the side of the house.
 
After extensive searching around the garden, wood and hedgerows it called just twice again in the garden at 14.30hrs, being heard by John Metcalfe (JM), Tony Cooper and Myself, followed by a brief sighting at 16.15hrs on the edge of a garden Sycamore by Barry James, JM and I.
 
The last sighting on the first day was by Gary Woodburn at 17.40hrs, with a tit flock around the yard before flying over the house and back into the wood.

Saturday 8^th October dawned with heavy rain. I was sheltering in the barn porch watching the few Goldcrests moving around the yard with Peter Grice (PG) but no sign of the YBW. Suddenly at 10.50hrs I heard it call from the Sycamores behind the house. After standing in the rain it called again and showed very briefly in the treetops. At 11.30hrs we spotted a warbler in a Larch tree which turned out to be the YBW. Luckily the bird stayed just long enough to allow my parents and PG to see it before returning to the wood. The next sighting was once Bill Aspin had arrived. Whilst stood in the garden we heard it call twice where we managed to get good but brief views as it worked its way down the side of the garden before flying back into the Sycamores. After this sighting the rain finally eased but the YBW was only heard once again, at 16.05hrs.

A dry morning on Sunday 9th Oct meant better searching conditions and whilst in the garden the YBW was heard to call from the yard at 09.15hrs, where it was seen chasing a Chiffchaff that had been present for two weeks, before once again flying overhead back into the Sycamores. As observer coverage intensified more good birds were noted; 6 Common Crossbill flew over, followed shortly by the first Dunlin for the farm which was seen on the Grey Phalarope pools. The YBW showed a few times up to 13.45hrs but was always frustratingly brief. With the wind increasing this was the final sighting of the day.

Monday 10th Oct was my first day back at University, with both Mum and Dad busy at work. A short watch on a calm morning produced the YBW in the yard, where it was seen challenging the Chiffchaff once again before feeding in bushes along the lane. I had to leave for Uni at 08.10hrs. Local birders reported the YBW three times before the last sighting at 14.00hrs.

On Oct 11th, the YBW called again at 09.20hrs and was seen six times throughout the day, either in the yard or Sycamores, but views were always very brief. The final sighting of the day was at 16.15hrs. 

Another rainy morning on Wednesday 12th Oct revealed the YBW present for its sixth day, with it showing more frequently around the yard, sheep building and the garden allowing me to get the poor record shot at the top of the article (Yes that is it!!!), but then it disappeared into the wood at 13.00hrs. Today was by far the most active day for the Warbler thus far.

After the first clear night since Saturday we were greeted with sunshine on Thursday 13th Oct. We soon realised that the Chiffchaff and Goldcrests were still present in the yard and garden, but the hours dragged on with no sight or sound of the YBW in perfect feeding conditions. The bird was assumed to have departed overnight.

Many birders were extremely pleased to get the YBW on their East Lancs list, but the elusive nature of the bird meant that some people left disappointed.

This constitutes the third record for the ELOC recording area, following previous records at Fence on 8th Nov 1993 and at Nelson on 28th Oct 1995.

Mark Breaks (Nov 2005).

Above: In the absence of a decent record shot of the bird, this is one of the several Yellow-browed Warblers seen at Spurn, East Yorkshire, on 6th Oct, the day before I found the New Laithe Farm individual.