Arctic Warbler - Phylloscopus borealis
On Sunday September 28th 1997 Frank Dröge and Edwin van Domburg (who tragically died in 2001) were birding on the Maasvlakte, near Rotterdam. In the afternoon they found a bright-coloured Phylloscopus with two wingbars and a long bright supercilium. The bird's call reminded them of a Yellowhammer, so they tried to warn other birders, because they believed they had discovered an Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis! Almost 40 birders (including myself!) made it till dark and had a very good opportunity to observe this beautiful bird. I had seen an Arctic Warbler after its release in 1991, but in the Netherlands we do not count birds immediately after its release.
28 September 1997, Maasvlakte, Rotterdam ZH; © Frank Dröge.
9 September 1991, Santpoort-Zuid, Bloemendaal NH; © Arnoud van den Berg.
The bird I couldn't count, but very interesting to see one of your favourite birdspecies in the hand at close range!
The bird was gone the next day. It was accepted as the ninth record for the Netherlands and the first twitchable, although almost the complete birding scene was either on Texel or Vlieland (both are islands!). All records fall between the beginning of September till the first half of October (cf Dutch Birding 20 (5): 259 & 266, 1997 and van den Berg & Bosman 2001). However, one was found as a lighthouse victim on November 2nd 1935 (cf Ardea 25: 63-64, 1936). A record of a bird in 1996 is accepted as the second Two-barred Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus (trochiloides) plumbeitarsus for the Netherlands!
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