Dusky Warbler - Phylloscopus fuscatus
On Tuesday 6 November 1990 Hans Gebuis found a skulking ground-walking phylloscopus on the Maasvlakte ZH which he tentatively identified as a Radde's Warbler P schwarzi. He warned other birders and till 8 Thursday 8 November everybody who could spare some time was able to see this difficult bird and all agreed it was a Radde's Warbler. I had cursory views of the bird on 8 November and thought it was a Radde's too. However, when the photographs were published in Dutch Birding, Killian Mullarney suggested the possibility of this warbler being a Dusky Warbler P fuscatus instead of a Radde's Warbler. The pictures indeed show a Dusky Warbler and at that time we did not believe it could be a two-bird story. In retrospect, this could very well be the case.
6 November 1990, Maasvlakte ZH; © Hans Gebuis.
6 November 1990, Maasvlakte ZH; © Hans Gebuis.
First it was accepted as the 5th Radde's Warbler for the Netherlands, but after the well-founded criticsm of Killian Mullarney the record was reviewed and accepted as a Dusky Warbler. In retrospect it became the 12th record of Dusky Warbler for the Netherlands. Two other birds in 1990 were seen on Terschelling between 7 and 9 November and one at Meijendel, Wassenaar ZH between 29 November and 4 December 1990. I was able to see the last one on 1 and 4 December.
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