On 21 April 2021, Johanna van Dillen-Staal found a warbler, which she tentatively identied as a Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata at the dunes of Falga, between Julianadorp (NH) and Den Helder (NH), c 1 km south of the location where she found the Long-tailed Shrike - Lanius schach on 31 October 2011. The warbler flew away in northwestern direction in a terrain off-limits for the general public. At 10:20 the record was shared in several whatsapp groups, so I decided to take a look as a Dartford Warbler is also a very good bird in the Netherlands (14 accepted records till 2020). At that particular location I was joined by Heleen and Charles Martens and we started searching with Johanna from 11:35 onwards. At 12:15 a bird came flying from the north and perched in the bushes in front of us at the original location. We immediately saw it was a Marmora's Warbler Sylvia sarda and after a minute or so the bird flew over our heads in eastern direction and out of sight. We warned other birders and within hours the crowd grew. At 15:20 the bird was found again c 200 meters east from the original spot at camping Hoeve Ons Lust (which is now off-limits for birders the coming days!). There everybody could connect with the bird till darkness fell.
The first (original!) picture ever of this warbler in the Netherlands! 21 April 2021, Julianadorp NH; © Jan van der Laan.
Note the lack of contrast between the throat and cheeks. 21 April 2021, Julianadorp NH; © Jan van der Laan.
Note blackish lores; 21 April 2021, Julianadorp NH; © Jan van der Laan.
21 April 2021, Julianadorp NH; © Jan van der Laan.
21 April 2021, Julianadorp NH; © Jan van der Laan.
The flanks have a slight brownish tint; 21 April 2021, Julianadorp NH; © Jan van der Laan.
White outer web on t6 stops half-way; 21 April 2021, Julianadorp NH; © Jan van der Laan.
Valley where the bird was discovered. The bird came flying from the top right (1) to the base of the bush in the middle (2); then it perched on the bush on the right (3), where I took the above pictures.
Finally it flew towards us in eastern direction; 21 April 2021, Julianadorp NH; © Jan van der Laan.
We lost it, but we thought it could be flown towards this camping. Indeed, the bird was rediscovered behind the building on the left; 21 April 2021, Julianadorp NH; © Jan van der Laan.
It was accepted as the first record for the Netherlands. There was already one record in Belgium at Heist between 3 and 12 May 1997. There are two records in Denmark, on 12 June 2005 and on 4 June 2015 both at Skagen and seven records in the UK, 15 May to 24 July 1982 at Midhope Moor, 8-9 June 1992 at Spurn, 23-27 May 1993 at St Abb's Head, 12-18 May 2001 at Scolt Head, 29 May 2001 at Sizewell, 3-15 June 2010 at Blorenge and 14 May 2018 at Baliasta, Shetland.
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