Sunday, October 14, 2012

It isn't too often that Bardsey feels like Southeast Asia. But today you could be forgiven for thinking it might be (as long as you ignore the hail stones). A new Yellow-browed Warbler, a flyover Richard's Pipit, a brief re-sighting of the Citrine Wagtail and a Radde's Warbler at Nant, all helped to take the mind off the chill. The Radde's Warbler was the fifth for Bardsey and the first since 30 October 2006.

The only other Bardsey records were on 29 October 1987, 18 October 1990, 29 October 2006 and most recently on 30 October 2006. Radde was an apothecary but also an explorer and naturalist. He discovered one of these stunning, lumpy phylloscs in a kitchen garden in central Asia. It was on 22 September 1856 but it wasn't until 1863 that he formally described it and named it after himself. (c) Richard Brown

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