Shropshire Birder: Kelling - Western Bonelli's Warbler

The biggest challenge facing me was not the bird - to get parked!! With 60+ folk on site, I couldn't believe my luck as someone drove out opposite the tea shop. Would it still be showing?? Answer no! It hadn't been seen for at least the last hour so I settled by the roadside where quite a few locals were watching the Cypress tree it favoured (always suss what the locals are doing!)

A Hawfinch (264) showed briefly and I was to see (presumably the same bird) anothyer two times dring the afternoon!

Another 90 minutes passed and virtually everyone had moved on! I thought I'd go round to the lane and check out the Cypress a little closer? The last birder left and then 5 mins later.... amazingly... the Western Bonelli's Warbler (265) showed!! It flitted through the branches 2/3 up the tree and I managed to get a couple of decent record shots through the branches, wow what a moment! No mistaking with the white underparts and greenish yellow coverts, wing feathers...

Next problem was getting the news out (no signal with EE here!!) Luckily Steve Gantlett came up the track moments later, took one look at the camera back and fired the news out. A big gallery soon convened but other than hearing it down the lane, it never showed for the next couple of hours.....

I went back to the Shrike - the light was terrible so gave up on that! Dashed over to Walsey Hills for a Barred Warbler which had just departed but got news that the Bonelli's was back!! I returned to reclaim the same parking spot!!!

It was still showing on and off and everyone looked to be heading for serious neck strain!!

I avoided an upward vantage spot and waiting for glimpses of the warbler amongst the foliage. The light was going by now but more record shots followed.....