Willow warbler

Willow warbler, Scout Scar, Cumbria

I went for a quick walk on Scout Scar after work. The idea as last time was to photograph the two rockrose species growing side by side. Although it was less windy today, it looks like I've left it a little late and the hoary rockrose has nearly finished flowering.

There were a couple of willow warblers singing their little hearts out, so I opted instead for one of them as a bird I've not blipped before. I always eagerly await the return of these birds in the Spring from their winter quarters in Africa. I usually hear the sweet song of my first one in the second week of April, and within a day or two of that anywhere with a few bushes and trees seems to be alive with them. There is a period of a few week then when they all sing, but after that as breeding and nesting gets underway, the males become quieter. Then there appears to be a resurgence about now.

The willow warblers on Arnside Knott above our house don't seem to stay around in any numbers. Like all the other ground nesting species, they seem to be struggling there. The Knott is so heavily used for dog walking, it's difficult not to make the connection. It may be no coincidence that the woodcocks that used to breed there when we first moved here, and which would rode along the wood edge and sometimes directly over our house, have been missing these last two years.

Anyway, the willow warbler remains a numerous species in Cumbria, said to be the most common of the summer visitors. And they are clearly retaining a hold on Scout Scar which is also a popular recreational area.

You can hear the song of the willow warbler here.