Sardinian Warbler – Stratton, near Bude, Cornwall, 11^th March 1990

Pete Ewer and his old friend Bill and I journeyed through North Devon from the A30(T) into the very edge of North Cornwall. The A3072 delivered us to Stratton, and once we had parked up we quickly located the scene of the twitch in what was a North Cornish village.

I missed its first showing so I went off to find it myself. And I did! I had a private audience with it as I looked over a gate. It may have been brief views but they were good ones; they were the best ones I had during the time we were there. It was sunning itself in the sheltered top of bush in gardens adjacent to a secluded close.

Basically, it was a sylvia warbler of broadly similar size, shape and appearance to Blackcap. It had grey upper-parts and slightly lighter grey under-parts, and an extensive black ‘cap’ which extended below the eye. It had a red eye-ring.

Subsequently, I've not seen any others, which is perhaps a bit remiss, especially as there have been a couple of relatively easy ones I could have taken in for my Scottish list...... .

Sardinian Warbler, Stratton, near Bude, North Cornwall, March 1990 (photograph credited to Peter Ewer).