Melodious Warbler

Saturday 13/06 was, quite frankly a complete washout of a day! I was due to play cricket over at Stoke Bruerne, however after lingering around a short while the match was duly called off.

I was now at a loose end, so with a whole afternoon to myself, I decided it was an ideal opportunity to attempt to see the singing Melodious Warbler in nearby Warwickshire, what would be a lifer for me. The forecast suggested while it would still be pretty murky, the rain may well relent, so I headed off down the M1 and then across past Coventry.

I parked up close to Marsh Lane Nature Reserve and headed off down the track to the area the bird had been holding territory. Now at this point, I assumed while I may well hear it, my chances of getting decent views were probably slim, resigning myself to 'typical flitty warbler views'.  

On arrival, these predictions were thrown out the window, as the bird was immediately in virtually full view and singing it's head off!! My first Melodious Warbler!

I spent the next hour or so watching it, almost constantly in view and in song. It had a clear little circuit with favorite perches from which to sing from. He was also pretty aggressive to any intruders into his territory, with one recently fledged and rather clueless Great Tit getting the full Melodious rath!