Monday 29 August 2022

Paddyfield Warbler in Cornwall

 A first winter Paddyfiled Warbler was trapped at Nanjizal on 29th August 2022. There are seven previous records of this rare acrocephalus warbler, the last being in 2016, when two were trapped at Nanjizal. Nationally, there are 119 accepted records in the UK with another five in Ireland. Birdlife International designate the species as of "Least Concern".

Nanjizal, Aug 2022, Image courtesy Reuben Veal and K Wilson

Cornwall records:

2022: Nanjizal, juv, 29th Aug, trapped.

2020: *

2016: Nanjizal, juv, 7th Sep. trapped.

2016: Nanjizal, juv. 20th Oct. trapped.

2014: Nanjizal, juv. 31st Aug. trapped.

2012: Church Cove, Lizard, adult, 8th-13th Oct.

2004: Brew Pool, Sennen, 14th Oct.

2001: Cot Valley, 15th Nov.

1996: Long Rock Pool: 16th Nov-27th Dec, trapped.

The 1996 bird eventually succumbed to cold weather, along with the Sedge Warbler it associated with (the then latest Cornwall date for Sedge Warbler). The Paddyfield Warbler record was the latest UK record at the time.  It was trapped and ringed on the 16th Nov. A full detailed report of this first record for Cornwall appears in Birds in Cornwall 1996 by D S Flumm.

The species breeds from the Black Sea, Ukraine, Southern Russia and eastwards towards Kazakhstan and the Indian sub-Continent.  It winters in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan.

* 2020: A Paddyfield Warbler seen at Porthgwarra 22nd Sep 2020 is still to be submitted.

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