When news came through this afternoon that a Marmora's warbler had been found off the slopes of the Blorenge near Blaenavon (yes! Blaenavon) I couldn't believe what I was hearing. So before the factory hooter had finished I was off. On arrival there were already a gathering of about 50 birders from all over the UK and by the time I left at 7.45pm numbers had swelled to well over 100. But what about the bird? Well, it showed reasonably well in a hawthorn close to the road but moved around within bracken and was a bit illusive. This apparently is the sixth UK record and to the best of my knowledge the first for Wales.
During protracted periods of warbler 'no show' other birds provided a welcome in the hillsides. Whinchat, stonechat, tree pipit, reed bunting, yellowhammer and a fly over hobby kept the cameras and long lenses ticking over.
Photo thanks to Google images.
Wow. And nice to see a shot of the head of the valley in the evening sun.
ReplyDeleteOrcas up here last week - watched them for about an hour. And a manx shearwater in Scapa Flow was a good record for this time of year up here. Lots of spring squill looking gorgeous on the cliffs.