Warbling

 After yesterday's long distance efforts I decided to stay more local this morning once I'd realised that the weather wasn't going to be quite as dreadful as first impressions suggested. So it was that Alan Shorrock and I headed over to Duston in Northampton where a Dartford Warbler has taken up at least temporary residence in weedy fields near the canal. Sunshine and showers were the order of the day accompanied by a strong and gusty wind.

Stonechat and Song Thrush

We parked in the Sixfields Reservoir car park where a passing birder told us that a brief look at the warbler site had failed to produce any sightings though he did stress that he hadn't spent much time there. Before we set off however we watched a Chiffchaff or two feeding in vegetation next to the stream.  Moving on to the rarer warbler on today's menu we crossed the river and canal and then began to scan the field from where the bird had last been reported. I picked out the pair of Stonechats which the Dartford has been associating with, they were quite distant and keeping low. When the male flew up on to a loftier perch Alan found the warbler close by, we got a decent though short view before it dropped down into cover. Over the next half an hour or so we were treated to several more brief views of the Dartford as it moved between cover, no chance of taking a pic but great to see nonetheless. Having dipped on a previous one at East Carlton it was good to add this one to my county list.

                                                             Goosanders and Redpoll

The arrival of a squally shower persuaded us to return to the car where Alan enjoyed a spot of lunch. I scanned the nearby reservoir and found a pair of distant Goosanders, there was not much else of interest on the water. After this I went back to the car from where I began trying to take pictures of at least three Chiffchaffs feeding in the bushes next to the watery channel nearby. I didn't realise at the time but one of the birds appears to have been a Siberian tristis type. Its washed out plumage lacking in any yellow tones contrasted with that of its more ordinary neighbours, I just wish that I'd spent more time watching them through the bins as I don't see this subspecies very often. Alan noticed a couple of Redpolls dropping down to feed on some Rosebay Willowherb seeds and we spent a bit more time watching them before heading off back to Corby.

Two "normal" Chiffchaffs and a tristis type.