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Message: <blockquote data-quote="HH75" data-source="post: 1334832" data-attributes="member: 61">Without wishing to cast any aspersions on the veracity, or otherwise, of such a claim, may I point out that many reports in the popular birding press are just that...reports. These magazines fulfil a valuable role in providing a timely summary of what has been reported, but, in publishing reports while they are still recent news, it is not possible to investigate further.  I don't know how things work with county recorders in Britain, but I would imagine that they would seek some sort of description or photos if faced with a potential claim of a wintering Reed Warbler, or some other such species? If so, then I would imagine that the relevant county reports would be the place to look for any winter records, though I also acknowledge that it is possible that a genuine bird would be seen by someone not in the habit of submitting their records also, and thus 'disappear' into the ether of claims and reports.   I have never heard of a Reed Warbler overwintering myself...I have heard of late autumn/early winter sightings of passage birds...but acknowledge that, perhaps, one did overwinter. Know that 1-2 Whitethroats overwintered near Bantry in the mid 70s, for example, but I only know that as the record appeared in the relevant bird report.</blockquote>