Lanceolated Warbler – Kennaby and Fair Isle Bird Observatory, Fair Isle, Shetland, 12th October 2015
Thursday the 12th October involved a very full days birding on Fair Isle, and then came the finale...... .
After some twelve miles of tramping, which had included falling down in Da Water (and so stinking of bog water) I arrived back at the Obs and had just removed my offending boots, when I was surprised by Susannah Parnaby bursting into the boot room and saying she was rounding everyone up to take the minibus to Kennaby where there was a probable Lanceolated Warbler.
As I was going to go to my room upstairs to ensure my room-mate Keith Morton was aware, I volunteered to help be rounding up other people upstairs. I did this as best as I could and then returned to the boot room and put my boots back on.
Meanwhile, with commendable speed Susannah Parnaby rounded up everyone and everything she could (including Grace and Freya, nets, poles, etc.!) and we departed for Kennaby, Susannah driving and using her mobile to contact various people, Grace and Freya sitting in the footwell of the sliding door of the mini-bus, etc. .... .
It was nearly dark. We arrived and joined the assembled crowd, in the large enclosed allotment-type garden of the croft. We were briefed by Dave Parnaby and Deryk Shaw. We were informed that there was indeed a Lanceolated Warbler in the croft garden, and that there was also a Blackcap, a Goldcrest and a Robin..... .
The strategy proposed was to flush the bird so that it then could be located and coaxed into the net that had subsequently arrived.
The bird was quickly relocated and the warden / ex-warden combo erected the net. Meanwhile we surveyed the area and a newly arrived female guest at the Obs commented that she had just seen it flying towards the lean-to greenhouse.
Ken Shaw and I both got on it as it seemingly scuttled (mouse-like, there was a clue there!) along a white window ledge. Ken moved to check it out and it had seemingly dropped into a very small adjacent bush. Ken then flushed it and it flew towards me and despite it being very dark I was convinced it was ‘the bird’. As was Ken. He alerted the wardens and the bird was coaxed around to the right side of the net, and then without too much trouble, into the net.
And it was indeed a Lancie.
It was tiny, olive, streaked, round-winged and round-tailed. Complete Locustella delight!! After being paraded to the assembled crowd it was taken back to the Obs (as were we!) where it was ringed and processed and the displayed to the assembled crowd again before being released.
My mate Andy Carroll was a very relieved man as such (as was I!); I'd omitted to knock on Andy's room door (because I was unaware where all the rooms where!) and so he was less than happy at being left behind and potentially dipping Lanceolated Warbler until the bird was brought back to the Obs for all to see whilst being processed and before being released. Phew!!
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