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Aquatic warbler? (1 Viewer)

Peter_Perfect

Well-known member
While at dungeness yesterday 19th, at the hide two up from the visitor centre. I saw this light to mid brown bird eating the soft fruit and then into the small tree near to the left. The most striking thing were on top of it's head were these very distinct very dark brown stripes. What was distinctive was that they were very wide not many of them, and covered most of the head.
 
Hi Peter... did you mean to post this in this forum (UK Rarity Gallery), as there's no picture... or are you intending to upload one?

Sorry, I'm confused LOL.

If you're wanting help with confirming the ID, do you want me to move this to the ID Forum?
 
It would be unlikely for an aquatic warbler to be eating fruit, as it's an insect-eater. Also, even if it was a warbler, have you ruled out the far-commoner Sedge Warbler?
 
I am not familiar with the Sedge warbler, but that was my first guess. But the distinct wide head stripes did not seem to tie up. But if it's eating habit is incorrect then back to Sedge warbler. Thanks for the information. Although my Collins bird guide shows the thin head stripes and the aquatic with the thick head stripes. The Collins picture shows to me the bird I saw much closer matches the Aquatic.
 
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If it was an Aquatic Warbler, I'd have expected the most striking feature would have been the white stripes rather than the brown ones between them. Are you sure it was a warbler rather than (say) a finch or bunting?
 
Been through the Buntings in the Collins bird guide, none match what I saw. The picture on p291 showing the adult summer plumage (the plumage was very striking, nothing vague) this looks like the bird I saw. From the hide it was about 12ft away and I mainly saw the head and back. Again I repeat the stripes were few and very wide covering most of the head.
 
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I'm not sure if Wrynecks ever eat fruit (they're really big on ants), but they have a (broadly) similar head pattern. And are more likely to fly up into trees.
 
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The truth is that most (the few) people who have seen Aquatic Warbler in western Europe have seen (or handled during ringing) many hundreds, if not thousands of Sedge Warblers before seeing one.

If one doesn't know Sedge very well, then the chances are even less;)
 
The truth is that most (the few) people who have seen Aquatic Warbler in western Europe have seen (or handled during ringing) many hundreds, if not thousands of Sedge Warblers before seeing one.

If one doesn't know Sedge very well, then the chances are even less;)

... if not non-existent! A well-known and frequent pitfall for the unwary/inexperienced in autumn. Pushing for Aquatic in this case, based on a comparison with Collins is pure folly!
 
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