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Here is a few video clips of the Siberian Chiffchaff at Barrow sewage works taken by Steve James over the last few days!

So the wise old men thinks it's only a possible?... What are you talking about Dave?...well I talking about the probable Siberian Chiffchaff at Barrow! From the confirmed various features seen in the field , I am able to tick off several pointers to tristis in the BBRC guidelines: Absence of olive in the crown and mantle - check Absence of yellow away from the underwing - check Presence of a grey-brown or pale brown hue in the upperparts - check Presence of warm buff in the supercilium and ear coverts - check Presence of buff at the breast-sides/flanks - check Small dark bill and black looking legs - check The only thing against it at present is that the bird hasn't called yet! However reading a lot of literature via the web I have noted that a majority of the reported Sibe Chiffchaff in the country this winter have been silent . Also has anybody thought about the sex of bird? This bird might be a female bird so is it going to sing?! So in conclusion if...

Here is a few more record shots of the Sibe Chiffy at Barrow sewage works from yesterday!

Here's a couple of video clips shot by Steve James of the Siberian Chiffchaff at Barrow sewage works yesterday.

Here is a few photos of the Siberian Chiffchaff at Barrow sewage works last week by Steve James and Colin Green.

Here is a few photos of the pale Chiffchaff at Barrow sewage works I took on the 27th February 2013. "Sibe Chiffchaff" anyone?!?...                  

Over the weekend myself, Steve James and Colin Green have spent quite a bit of time at Barrow sewage works to try and photo a pale Chiffchaff which show characteristics of Siberian Chiffchaff . Although this bird has been elusive at times and for some strange reason hasn't yet responded to my recordings of tristis ,  abietinus  or collybita calls, I feel this bird is probably a Siberian Chiffchaff !?! See what you think with the photos below?...    

Following on from Martin Garner's  recent excellent article about Siberian Chiffchaffs . http://birdingfrontiers.com/2013/03/05/siberian-chiffchaff/  I have spoke to a few people about a pale Chiffchaff which has wintered at Barrow upon Soar sewage works . Personally I don't think it is a Siberian Chiffchaff but a very interesting bird which possible needs further study on! Please see the photos below of the said bird and thanks to Steve James for informing me of the bird.  

After finishing work yesterday afternoon I nipped down to Watermead CP South to check out the gulls. In the car park I saw the regular colour ringed Norwegian birds JAN4 and J2KT and a ringed bird which was most likely the bird from Denmark?! After taking a few photos of the gulls I then drove over to Swithland Reservoir to see if the reported Whooper Swans were still around? With luck on my side stopping by the stone wall on Kinchley Lane, I saw the 11 Whooper Swans briefly on the water and then the group started honking and then took off! The group circled the reservoir a couple of times and then flew off in a north-east direction. With camera in hand I took a few shots of the Whoopers flying around the reservoir before disappearing over Buddon Wood. With the Whoopers gone I checked the female Velvet Scoter was still in the middle of reservoir, it was!... After these sightings I decided not to push my luck and called it a day on the birding front!... ...

 Arriving at Collafirth just before 9.00am and cutting a long story short we finally connected with the bird briefly in Greenbae plantation around 10.30am when Steve James picked it up calling in the pines. However before the other birders on-site included Colin Green could connect, the Grozzer flew off towards the Forsta farm when being flushed by a  Peregrine.  After the initial panic of the Grozzer flying off it was picked up again in the Forsta plantation 30 minutes later and as you can see below the bird showed down to 10 feet away!!     More to follow soon...               

As most birders will know a 1st winter male Pine Grosbeak has been resident on Shetland for the last few months. So myself, Colin Green and Steve James decided to twitch the bird last week. We travelling up to Aberdeen on the Thursday and got the ferry in the evening. Leaving Aberdeen harbour the first unexpected wildlife sighting we saw came in the form of 20+ Bottlenose Dolphins feeding just off the breakwater. Maybe this was a good omen for the trip!?.. Colin Green larking around! Aberdeen harbour   Docking at Lerwick at around 7.30am the next morning, we were on the road just after 8.15am and onward to Collafirth were the Pine Grosbeak had been resident for the last few weeks.   More to follow soon!...