The Ogden Twitch.
The excitement started at lunchtime when eagle eyed Denise S rang NK to say she had found and photographed a Yellow-Browed Warbler at Ogden in amongst a flock of Long Tailed Tits and Goldcrests along with a Chiffchaff.
Nigel put the word out and the search was on to relocate the bird. PJWS briefly saw the bird but no one else managed to get a sighting.
It was late afternoon by the time I could get to the site and birders were still looking. By 1700hrs there was just DS, NK, DJS and myself left so we decided to take a gamble and check the opposite bank of the reservoir where the sun was on the willows and a known place for evening tit flocks.
After checking out several flitting birds there it was with a Chiffchaff flitting about in the Willows just above the water. At one point it was within 3m of us but nearly impossible to photograph in the foliage, if anyone wants any photos of willow leaves and branches Denise and me have hundreds.
It was amazing to see such a bird so close and I dont think Ive ever heard so many swear words in such a short time before.
Finally we ran out of light so had to call it a day, who would have thought it, a YELLOW BROWED WARBLER at Ogden.
Many thanks to the NK, for keeping me informed and spending most of the day searching and to DJS for keeping the word passed around and a special mammoth thank you to the finder Denise for using her skill to find and i.d. the bird, getting the word out fast and for sticking at it the rest of the day until it was re located ,and especially for getting me a lifer.
See Queensburybirder site for Denises pics.
Other birds present
1 Peregrine
1 Kestrel
1 Chiffchaff
sev Goldcrests, tits etc
1 Cormorant and a Heron.
1 Gt Spotted Woodpecer
House Martins and Swallows
BS