Pale-legged Leaf Warbler: This bird is huge, the second British record after the he first, a morbid bird found on St Anges, Scilly in November 2016. But, due to some family commitments I and to wait a full day before mobilising and jumping in the car with Iggo, Paul Baker and Steve T.
Remarkable record this being the second confirmed record for Britain and even more remarkable that I managed to get any photos of it. A shy species that usually forages for insects on the forest floor, sometimes climbing up low shrubs and vines to glean prey making even seeing the bird very difficult.
Pale-legged warblers resembles Arctic warblers but with dark greyish crown contrasting with olive-greenish mantle and pale greyish pink legs and feet. They are indistinguishable from the very similar looking Sakhalin Leaf Warbler visually (or oftentimes even in hand), and in the field it can only be told apart by its call (~6Khz instead of ~5Khz) or characteristic song.
Hopefully this is a sign of things to come as its not even November yet. What else is out there waiting to be found? Or what next will be blown on to our shores?
