A first winter female Dartford Warbler was present at the southern end of Westmoor this morning.  This is my third record of this species on the moor -  all in December or January.  The moor has no typical habitat and is at least 20 miles distant from any extensive heath.  This one was feeding in the very top of sedge plants presumably as the sun was warming the foliage and stimulating insect activity.

I’m visiting my local patch, West Moor, once or twice a week at the moment.  In recent weeks, while I have been waiting for flooding to bring in the ducks, I’ve been concentrating on looking for warblers in the trees and scrub along the droves.  I was hoping for Yellow-browed or Pallas’ Warbler.  However, twice in the last two weeks, I’ve found a 1st winter male Dartford Warbler.  These are like hen’s teeth in lowland Somerset.  There’s no heath or gorse on West Moor and only a few patches of bramble so it’s marginal habitat.  It looks happy enough if a little shy, so I haven’t pursued it for a photo.  Also one Great Egret (formerly very scarce but this is the third 2020 record), lots of wintering Stonechat and Fieldfare.  And a brief but close views of a dog otter from Pitt Bridge - another scarce beast here.