CETTI'S WARBLER at Tacumshin

The CETTI'S WARBLER at Lingstown yesterday

Having noticed, around 3pm yesterday that it had become perfectly still, Idecided to visit Lingstown, Tacumshin in the hope of hearing the Cetti'sWarbler that was discovered there early last Saturday morning by Richard Bonser, Alan Clewes and Lee Gregory, while they were looking for the North American Hen Harrier. Instead of going to the car park at Lingstown, where Saturday's bird had been heard, I stopped a couple of hundred metres before the end of the road (just beyond the prominent white 'Parks and Heritage'sign on the right) where there are several big willow bushes at the edge of the reedbed. This has always struck me as an ideal spot for Cetti's Warbler and it can be a good place to look for Chiffchaff in the winter months.

Within about a minute of getting out of the car (at 15.50 hrs), I heard a single distinctive "stipp" call of a Cetti's Warbler coming from the reedbed/willows quite close to me. I waited quietly until it called again, a minute or so later. I then phoned some local birders, two of whom were not too far away and indicated they would come directly. The bird continued to call every minute or two, which enabled me to follow its movements, but apart from one glimpse of it in flight, very low, it did not emerge into view.

Tony Murray was the first to arrive and he didn't have to wait long for some calls. I was curious to know if playing a recording would attract the bird into the open, but in case it worked only the once I thought it best not to try it until Dave Daly arrived, about twenty minutes later. I played the call first; there was no obvious response, and apart from a split-second view it did not show. A few minutes later I played a snatch of song. Still no visual or vocal response, though at least it did not stop calling! When we walked twenty yards further along the road the bird suddenly flew out and promptly disappeared into the centre of a willow. A few seconds later it emerged, but the view was fleeting. Still, any view of a Cetti's is a bonus! The light was almost gone now, but the bird continued to call occasionally.

Where the bird was yesterday evening is around 3-400 yards from where Saturday's bird was heard. In all probability it is the same individual, but given BO'M's account of Cetti's Warblers at Fleetwood, Lincolnshire, it is quite possible more than one bird is present in the area. (Killian Mullarney)