River Warbler – Ham Wall (5th June 2021)
I came across this on one of the web sites I visit, have to say I have not heard of a River Warbler before!
A rare visitor to the UK with on average just one record a year with this bird being a first for Somerset. Typically breeding across central and southern Europe to southwest Siberia and northwest Kazakhstan, it is a rather nondescript brown warbler. Dark with a plain brown back, faintly streaked breast, and pale belly.
Usually very shy or skulky and hard to spot, other than when singing. Found in dense low bushes often near marshes. The song is a sharp, continuous, and almost machinelike “dzi-dzi-dzi-dzi-dzi-dz.”
Photograph on eBird on this link, although have not tried it myself yet, https://ebird.org/species/eurwar2?siteLanguage=en_GB
The river warbler has been seen singing regularly on a pile of brash on the grass path side of the canal near the turning to the Avalon Hide.
Please adhere to guidance on social distancing and hygiene and be considerate of each other to ensure that everyone can view the bird safely, as well as being able to pass along the path.