May 10th 2010

Mid-afternoon at Coombe Abbey Country Park after the news was released nationally that a Marsh Warbler was present. The bird had been located the previous evening on Linley Bank in a closed part of the park so once viewing issues had been sorted the staff spent the morning creating temporary access to the area before allowing us wallies in. After a short wait it started singing with a varied repertoire with some convincing calls of Blackbird among the many species it was imitating. It occasionally showed as it moved from the reed bed to a small willow tree before returning giving brief views.
I like the others present were convinced it was a Marsh Warbler due to its vocabulary and colder tones compared to a Reed Warbler and I have never heard Reed Warbler that good at mimicry but doubt has been cast on this bird and having read about the 2006 Reed Warbler at Frodsham and how similar sounding it was to this bird then I need to go back again - It’s the only way to learn.
Also present were 7 hobbies and I managed to see 5 of them as they hunted insects over the other side of the lake among the many Swifts.

Richard