Humes Warbler - South Gare

[sidwemn]

taken in "less than perfect light" this evening. Not heard to call, but showed jet black legs, black bill but with some colour to the lower mandible. mottles ear coverts and note the greyish crown with darker sides.

Martyn

[StewH]

Did anyone hear the bird call?

Interesting looking bird... the mottled ear coverts, which you're right to point out is actually a pro yellow-browed feature.

Stew

[Col D]

Hi Stew

Having seen more than my fair share of Yellow-broweds in Cleveland (96 and counting!) I have seen them display all nature of pro Hume's features so I appreciate that it is difficult to clinch a Hume's without the call. I saw the bird today and it certainly felt like a Hume's - right coloured bare parts, drab tones to head and nape, dirty cast to flanks etc (it just looked like a grubby version of a Yellow-browed). According to the sightings page, Graeme Megson heard it call and thought it sounded more like a Hume's than Yellow-browed.

Hope this helps

Cheers

Col

[sidwemn]

The Hume's Warbler showed superbly well today in the bomb hole. I've attached my best shots together with tighter crops below.

Cheers

Martyn

[sidwemn]

I've included the following shot, not the best but it was taken in the shade so shows the true colouration better than those above that were in direct, warm sunlight.

Cheers

Martyn

[Keith Ryan]

Absolutely superb shots Martyn, as near to perfect as you can get.

[sidwemn]

Thanks Keith. Apparently you got a few good shots yourself, but you can't put them on the website 

Martyn

[Keith Ryan]

Not when I've seen yours!!

[Megsonmen]

I missed this on my local patch!

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3949473/Topless-shoot-is-a-rare-sighting.html

... and the Sun's photo is a yellow-browed and not a Hume's - poor editing!

Graham

[Keith Ryan]

Thanks Keith. Apparently you got a few good shots yourself, but you can't put them on the website 

Martyn

Everyone's seen them now Martyn.