Sibe Chiff

An afternoon visit to the patch, catching what was probably the best weather of the weekend, hardly any wind, cold but bright.After a quick look around the plantation, which held the a few goldcrests, robins, wrens and the like, I set off for the bushes, hoping for a Hume's or Pallas' warbler. 

goldcrest

Just north of the second clump of trees at Druridge, there are few sparse willow and alder bushes, which are always worth checking, which I did today. I was almost past them when I spotted a warbler out the corner of my eye. I retraced my steps for better light and got onto a chiffchaff, a very grey looking bird, almost off-white on the underparts, with only some buff in the flanks. It looked every inch a classic tristis chiff. It was showing well in the afternoon sunshine and gave a few calls - tristis it was. I gave DE a call and a few other birders called into see it, although it was much more skulking later on.

I think this is only my third Siberian chiff for the patch. It scores me some extra points for the PWC comp as well.

Elsewhere, there was collybita chiff nearby and a few groups of feeding finches in the bushes, making the most of the good alder crop.

Twelve whooper swans flew south and there were at least a dozen pied wags on the beach.

Whooper swans headed south