On a Bridleway Part 2! (Oh! and a special Warbler!)

Melodious Warbler

An early morning start had me parking up on a bridleway that runs towards Mercote Farm and walking a few hundred yards to where a Melodious Warbler had been found several days ago. A pleasant walk with no one else about. The song of the Warbler was heard so I must be in the right place, confirmed by the trampled bank of the "twitchers" who had to see the bird as soon as it was reported!

I must be in the right place!

The Melodious Warbler was showing well between excursions into the thicker vegetation, singing constantly, and taking great exception to a family of Blue Tits, that ventured into its tree! They were soon shown off! An absolute pleasure to see and hear and is competed with the noise of the nearby recycling centre. Not another birder was seen until I met a group of three on my way back to the car. Of course, the Warbler was a life tick for me! Part 1 of my morning can be seen HERE

Melodious Warbler

On a Bridleway! (Part 1)

Poppy

Bridleways provide superb and usually ancient routes allowing wildlife and plant life corridors of life, which are often missed by their users. I'm sure that the more recent users of this particular bridleway had more on their minds than "taken for granted" nature!

Poppy

Digitalis (Foxglove)

"The morning after the night before!"

I wonder what might be around here and I wonder who trampled the bank?

A Dunnock perhaps?

Robin, Dunnock and Oh! Spotted Flycatcher!

Spotted Flycatcher

My intentions this morning were simple, obtain images of common birds! With the initial threat of thundery rain abating quickly, I was off in search of my objectives. I was not to be disappointed and Robin and Dunnock were soon in my lens!

Robin

Dunnock

Then a small bird with a familiar flight routine took my attention. Fliiting in and out of the bushes, it was my first Spotted Flycatcher of the year and was soon joined by a second bird, both catching some of the many insects. Of course, I had to spend an hour enjoying these rapidly declining summer visitors.

Spotted Flycatcher