If Carlsberg did Twitching...

 Sulphur-bellied Warbler, 8th June 2021

Megas come in various forms - some are long-anticipated firsts, some are historic blockers and others were never on the radar. This was one of the latter, despite there being a single recent Western Palearctic record.

The preceding few days had finally gone 'rare', as late spring can often do.  First a singing River Warbler in Somerset made me realise that I hadn't seen one since 1995 (in Wigan of all places), and before that 1989 (Norfolk). Tempting, but too many commitments to make it for now. Then a couple of days later a spanking breeding adult Red-necked Stint found by old friend Alan Curry on his Northumberland patch. My only UK and only breeding plumage bird was in 1986, so I was keen to see this bird but again couldn't initially go. It's third day was 7th June, so I decided to head up late morning to catch the afternoon tide if it was still present, so was a bit miffed when the early morning news was negative. Drat. Ah well, plenty of work to do right now and so the office beckoned.

At 10.38 on Tuesday 8th June, Birdguides sleuth Sam Viles posted an intriguing photo of an apparent singing Dusky Warbler taken on Lundy earlier in the day on the Mega-chasers group. It was maybe over-exposed, but certainly looked odd. The photo was on Twitter too, and the collective social media ID gurus quickly corrected the identification. It really was the UK's first Sulphur-bellied Warbler. This of course induced wholescale Whatsapp meltdown and my usual pointless and half-hearted attempt at personal restraint. I was, however, fully committed to taking Callum to his first footy training the next day, so resigned myself to the best possible option of Thursday, requiring an unlikely 3 day stay of a mega amongst megas. Hmffff. they'll [sic] be another, as they say. But of course I kept an eye on the relentless messages, most of which were hoping someone else would sort their logistics for them. I will admit to doing little aside from pencilling a place on a Thursday boat, until Andy Lawson posted he was going that evening and prompting me to question how. Dan Pointon saw my message and, most kindly, called to offer me a place on their boat at 6pm. Game on. 

No time to linger, the long drive to Ilfracombe commenced immediately, with only moderate faffing whilst Malc and I tried (failingly) to coordinate travel. We would have to each go separately. I even left £200 cash in the ATM in my panic to get on the road (hopefully this will be returned, otherwise a very expensive trip). I was parked in the quayside carpark at 5.15pm and joined the small band of gathering birders. After the predictable jostling for spaces it all worked out fine and three boats set sail. Two other boatloads had left earlier and were already on the island.

Our boat was a fast rib. Fun and rapid, ideal. We embarked at 6 precisely and arrived on the island just before 7 (it's taken me 2.5 hours before now!). The crew were friendly and helpful, but entirely nonplussed when we vehemently declined to pause for a pod of close by Common Dolphins. We sped on across the flat calm sea in the sunshine. Razorbills and Guillemots were on the water, with a couple of Puffins. Numerous Manx Shearwaters cruised alongside the boat looking stunning in the evening light. But of course our focus was on the rock looming out in front of us.

We disembarked to be met by a few familiar faces, all smiles and full of optimism for our chances. The climb from the key up to Millcombe Valley isn't too far, but it's relentlessly steep. My recent fitness regime paid dividends and my own speed and stamina I surprised me. It's fair to say most birders need to be a fair bit fitter, and I'm usually one of them! 

I'd last visited Lundy in October 2018 for an ill-fated Green Warbler dip in the same place and that  miserable trip was on my mind as we romped up the hill to Millcombe House. The bird had been showing until about 10 minutes before we got there but disappeared in to some pines. The sun was dropping and the valley falling in to shade, it seemed more likely to have moved further down.

After about 15 anxious minutes, it was picked up in a sycamore about 25m away. It showed well enough for around a minute, but at this distance it was little more than a dull phyllosc with a bright super - distinctive but hardly crippling. Then it was lost. SULPHUR-BELLIED WARBLER OML (557), albeit not exactly satisfying views at this stage. 

Another 15 minutes of nothing, so we spread out. I headed further down the valley to the sunlit trees where a Chiffchaff continued to sing. It was well in to the evening and birds were still active, but time was against us as we had to be back at the quay for 8.30pm.

Thankfully the SBW appeared in some close trees and for the next 15 minutes was on show, albeit often flittingly through the tree tops. It eventually dropped down to ground level for a couple of minutes and the views were much better as we looked down on it. Still not the point blank views enjoyed by others, but nice enough and all features visible. Whilst a relatively non descript bird, it was unlike any familiar phyllosc species - dull brownish upperparts contrasting strongly with a bold yellow supercilium which was brightest in front of the eye. I was expecting a more robust, Radde's warbler-like bird but it was more chiffchaff like in structure than I had anticipated and I could see why the finders had initially tentatively identified it as a Dusky. The yellow (sulphur!) underparts were striking when lit as the bird was in the trees, but in duller light not so much. 

Sulphur-Bellied Warbler, Lundy 8th June.
Both photos by Ash Howe (@Ashley_Howe1990)

The better views were a massive relief, and we made our way back to the quay on time. The return boat trip was fun and relaxed, more seabirds but mostly tonking along at speed with the skipper clearly enjoying himself by overtaking the other birders rib and then doing doughnuts. We were back in Ilfracombe in 50 minutes, all smiles. 

Just five boats had made it, carrying 42 birders in all. With negative news the next day, this bird could be set to be a major blocker for years to come. However I really do feel for the dippers, we've all been there and will be again, and it's not a good place to be.

I drove the couple of hours to the RSPB Ham Walls reserve in the Somerset levels to sleep in the car; it would have been too rude to drive right past that River Warbler.