Could it be a Dartford Warbler?

[sheilan]

A few days ago a strange bird perched in a tree at the back of my allotment. It was behind foliage but the head was a bluish grey and it sported a punk rocker hairstyle. (sorry but that is what it reminded us of)
It was gone in a flash before the camera could be trained on it.
The only bird I can find that seems similar to this is the Dartford Warbler but this seems to be far out of its area as I am in North Nottinghamshire and my allotment backs onto Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve which has been undergoing work over the last few years to restore it to its old acid heathland status
Could this be possible or is there another bird that would fit the bill better?

[nigel_b]

I'd very much doubt it is a Dartie. A long way out of the usual range. There're plenty of other birds with a similar silhouette but I'm not an expert on those. One'll be along shortly.

[FUDGEY]

Possibly a Whitethroat?

[Adam Cheeseman]

Any impression of how big it was?

[htcdude]

Sounds like a Whitethroat to me too.

Nige

[nigel_b]

Just to add a little more detail. Like many people this is a specialist bird for me. I'm no expert by any means but when I first started taking bird watching seriously this was always the elusive species.

Gradually I tuned in to where they live and how they behave and its rare now not to spot one while we are in the correct habitat. They live predominantly in and around gorse on heathland with heather and probably sandy soil, probably (although not exclusively) low-lying and roughly south of the M4 corridor.

Now there are always exceptions but down on the south coast we are at the northern extremity of their range. We have lost large numbers this year due to the lying snow. The RSPB Arne website has some details as to why but basically their food supply (insects, spiders etc) disappears with snow cover and unlike other species they do not have an alternative food source to fall back on in these hard times.

I'm thinking, unless you have an extensive, sunny, sheltered gorse and heather heathland its not going to be a darty.

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by sheilan

A few days ago a strange bird perched in a tree at the back of my allotment. It was behind foliage but the head was a bluish grey and it sported a punk rocker hairstyle. (sorry but that is what it reminded us of)
It was gone in a flash before the camera could be trained on it.
<~SNIP~>
Could this be possible or is there another bird that would fit the bill better?

The description is a little brief to allow more than guesses about what the bird may have been I'm afraid.
The details that you have given might fit a number of different species including Common Whitethroat, Dunnock, Chaffinch and Linnet, as well as Dartford Warbler, and all of these would be more likely in your area. The fact that you say the bird was seen in a "tree" may be a point against Dartford Warbler, which is a species that generally prefers to stay in very low vegetation (unless it was low down in a small tree?).

Originally Posted by nigel_b

I'm thinking, unless you have an extensive, sunny, sheltered gorse and heather heathland its not going to be a darty.

You do say that there are exceptions in the post that the above quote has been taken from, and it is worth remembering that any Dartford Warbler seen outside of the "usual" area is likely to be one of these exceptions. The sort of habitat that you describe is the typical breeding habitat for Dartford Warblers in the UK, it is a very scarce habitat in some areas though (which may be the reason why they remain a scarce winter/passage visitor in Essex).
Dartford Warbler can't be ruled out because of the habitat - but several other species are probably far more likely (remember that the "punk rock" hairstyle can potentially be shown by other species).

[nigel_b]

I'm a walker and a runner and work most of the day outdoors. In all the time I spend out and about I've never, ever seen a darty anywhere but on heathland. Not on the farmland next to the heath, not in the reed beds next to the heath, in the woodland next to the heath or on the meadows and pastures next to the heath. I think there are 22 pairs here this year, and they will all be on the heath.

To the original poster, as I said at first I very much doubt it would be a darty. One might have travelled 200 miles north somehow so it could never be ruled out, but I think its unlikely.

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by nigel_b

I'm a walker and a runner and work most of the day outdoors. In all the time I spend out and about I've never, ever seen a darty anywhere but on heathland. Not on the farmland next to the heath, not in the reed beds next to the heath, in the woodland next to the heath or on the meadows and pastures next to the heath. I think there are 22 pairs here this year, and they will all be on the heath.

To the original poster, as I said at first I very much doubt it would be a darty. One might have travelled 200 miles north somehow so it could never be ruled out, but I think its unlikely.

It is definitely far more likely that it was not a Dartford Warbler - and as I said there are more likely common species that cannot be ruled out from the description.

As for the habitat, I would not expect you to see Dartford Warblers in other habitats next to heathland - if a preferred habitat is nearby most birds tend to use it. However, if there is no heathland nearby then Dartford Warblers can be seen in other habitats (I have seen them in coastal scrub, rough grassland, and open marshland/reedbed edge).

[sheilan]

Thank you so much for all your replies.
I know it wasn't a dunnock as they are common around here, and it did not have a white throat.
It was a small bird, but not quite as small as a wren. However it did have a long tail which was momentarily held upright similar to a wren. There was a distinctive blue tinge to the head.
The trees are young native trees which I planted as very young sapplings 4 years ago and even the Rowen and hazel have not yet reached much above 6ft (2 metres) These were planted to fill in the gaps in the mixed hedgrow along the set aside area of a very small area of farmland. (2 small fields)
We are mainly acid heathland, sandy soil, with lots of gorse and growing amounts of heather as large areas around here are restored to their original historic condition.
Less than 5 mins walk as the crow flies, is Sherwood Heath. A 22 hectare lowland heathland which is managed as a nature reserve. Both Sherwood Heath and Sherwood Forest are known for their bio diversity of fauna and flora. Unimproved acid grassland and low lying heathland are historic and distinctive semi-natural features of this area.
I know this is very far north for this bird as everything I read suggests Norfolk to be its most northerly habitat. I just wondered that in view of the harsh winter if one of these birds may have strayed out of its normal habitat.