Common Yellowthroat

Common Yellowthroat, Rhiwderin, Gwent. Photo by Nathan Casburn

News broke whilst I was at work on Thursday of a common yellowthroat which had been found in Rhiwderin, Gwent. My boss still needed this species for the UK and so plans were quickly drawn together for a twitch the following day. We left Cheshire at 06.30 and arrived at about 09.00, the bird had been seen briefly but was being elusive. Within a few minutes Fred had "pished" the bird out to the spot where we were stood and we got our first brief glimpses. After a short while the bird gave itself up and we got prolonged scope views as it fed actively in the grass verge of hedgerow. What a cracker and my 2nd yank lifer of 2012, who would have thought it! Congratulations to who ever had taken the time to organising access and arranging parking - top job!