Now normally I try and make a point of sticking to Norfolk, or at a stretch East Anglia. However, the discovery of Britain's first Eastern Crowned Warbler in County Durham seriously weakened my resolve - a stripy warbler sheltering from a blustery wind on a drizzly October morning on the east coast sounded so ideal, especially being such a dream vagrant! Although I did not really expect it to still be there today I knew I would kick myself if it was and so, having secured a lift, it was with some trepidation that I set off north with Andy Wilkinson, Penny Clarke and Ray Roche at 03:30 hrs. On arrival at Trow Quarry and indeed throughout the morning the rain wasn't as heavy as expected, but after 20 minutes from first light with no sign I was getting just a little edgy. Thankfully the shout soon went up that the bird was still present in this small patch of Sycamore, Ash and Elder trees just 50 yards from the coast, and soon I had clapped eyes on Britain's first EASTERN CROWNED WARBLER. Quickly I had managed several decent looks at it through bins but it took longer to get it in the scope. After a couple of hours however I managed superb scope views as it perched out in the open in the bare twigs of one of the elders and then in top of one of the smaller Sycamores, before even more views were obtained as it flew into a smaller patch of cover even closer to the coast. The birds appearance would change remarkably in the light, although undoubtedly the most striking features were the 'capped' appearance and striking supercilium, the rather faded wing bars, the crown-stripe, the ivy-green upperparts and the clean white underparts with a yellowish wash to the undertail coverts. Also, the structure of the bird was notably robust. It really was a cracker, a very smart bird indeed. A single, rather vocal, Yellow-browed Warbler was also present in the quarry and it regularly and rather aggressively chased the Easter Crowned Warbler around until it moved to the other patch of scrub. With the weather worsening the decision was made to head straight back to Norfolk. A fantastic day, a particular thanks to Andy for driving and for the excellent company provided by Andy, Penny and Ray.
The site where the Eastern Crowned Warbler roosted overnight and showed well during the morning.
The lower part of the crowd looking into this small patch of trees.
The small group of trees the bird frequented during the afternoon, with the assembled crowd.
Their have been 4 previous Western Paleartic records:
GERMANY (Heligoland on 4 October 1843)
NORWAY (trapped and ringed at Jaeren, Rogaland, on 30 September 2002)
FINLAND (at Harrbada, Kokkola, on 23 October 2004
THE NETHERLANDS (at Katwijk aan Zee, Zuid-Holland, on 5 October 2007)
