In 2012 we had two male Marsh Warblers on the reserve. This is a very rare breeder in the UK and the tiny, occasional, population here is right at the edge of their European range. We put the news out last year so that visitors could see and enjoy listening to this wonderful songster but unfortnately their behaviour was far from exemplary and the habitat was trampled by people trying to get closer and take pictures.
So, when two males were discovered in early June on the reserve we took the decision not to circulate the news. After two weeks of amazing singing during which time there was good evidence that both birds had attracted mates, they went silent and we would like to think that breeding was at least attempted. There were so many small birds in the area they were using that sorting out flitting Whitethroats, Reed, Marsh and Sedge Warblers from each other became nigh on impossible!
The list of birds that this particular male was able to mimic was amazing....
I am sure there were others that I will add later...
So keep your eyes open this late summer and autumn for there may be a few young Marsh Warblers out there amongst the commoner fayre!
8-8-13
Howard Vaughan, Information Officer