American Yellow Warbler: This was one of the most sensational birding days I have experienced. After having to wait over Christmas and Boxing day in order to go down for the yellow warbler I wasn't expecting much. As time went on the bird became more elusive and appeared to change it routine.
For the first couple of days the bird was doing a circuit, favouring some mature alder trees on the opposite side of a ditch that backs onto a sewage works. When the bird appears in these trees it would often forage for prolonged periods. I left at 3am, picking Kris Wade and Paul Baker up enroute and arrived at New Hythe which was shrouded in thick fog.
Eurasian Scops Owl: We didn't have to wait long before the warbler reappeared and put on the best show it ha done over the whole time it had been here. Kris and I were relieved to say the least, and thrilled to have seen it at such close close quarters.
Earlier in the day an unexpected report of a scops owl was spread through grapevine. Having seen the 2017 durham bird I didn't give it much thought but when we left New Hythe we decided to give it a go as Kris needed it.
It was only an hour away and again once we arrived at Broadstairs, near Ramsgate we were greeted with thick fog once again.
