Fine views of Fair Isle Locustella

I popped into Blindwells, East Lothian, for the first time this evening. Just a quick 10 minute stroll but long enough to hear my first couple of reeling Grasshopper Warblers of the year. I must get out into the local patch over the next few days as this is a species that should be around, especially this year when so many seem to have been reported.

The last Grasshopper Warbler that I saw was on Fair Isle last October. It managed to briefly resemble both of its rarer relatives Lanceolated and Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler when it was seen initially, the former in this view which hides most of the bird's bulk, and the latter in flight as its tail was soaked so looked much darker than a Gropper's tail would normally. Ah well, I'll just have to find that pair on my local patch as well...

Here is a shot of the morphing warbler and a couple of other fine views of Fair Isle.