#lesser whitethroat

[michaelnordeman]

Lesser Whitethroat/ärtsångare. Värmland, Sweden (14 June 2020).

[tomodachibirb]

Lesser Whitethroat (Sylvia Curruca), from a banding. Jerusalem bird observatory (JBO). 20.10.25

[besidethepath]

Bird Nerd Conversation:

What does a Lesser Whitethroat look like? – Similar to a Common Whitethroat. – ??? – The Common Whitethroat looks similar to the Lesser Whitethroat. – Sigh …

[longingforrotkehlchen]

Meet Klappi. I met Klappi last weekend in Berlin, and it was one of the most remarkable encounters I've ever had.

I noticed Klappi calling from some bushes 3-4 meters away near a channel. I was excited because I was watching a very cute little whitethroat as the sun was setting. But what Klappi did next was beyond my imagination.

Our little friend decided that it had had enough of whatever it was having and took off... but it could only land on the water! And a millenary question arose: Can passerines swim?

The answer is: YES. Klappi soon realized that what it did was a bad idea and started to swim back to the shore. I was confused, because the first thing I pictured in my mind was Klappi struggling not to drown. However, that thought turned into hope right away. Hope that it could figure out a way out. Maybe it did that for fun (not). Also, some twigs went all the way to the water surface. Unfortunately, Klappi couldn't think that far. It reached the concrete edge of the channel, grabbed onto it, and flapped its little wings trying to climb up. Obviously, it was impossible for such a small bird. So I had to intervene.

I stung my leg on some nettles, got inside the bush and reached for Klappi. Our friend was quickly saved. Carefully, I opened the palm of my hand so it would be set free, but Klappi was going nowhere. It just stayed there. Loafing, all sleepy, comfortable and gemütlich.

It was very cute, but I kept telling Klappi humans are not its friends and it should go. It started to move, but only to perch on my arm and stay there for like 10 minutes, again like it was the nicest place it could find.

Klappi wouldn't leave. So I just put it back into the bushes, a bit hidden from the passers-by. It started to call again, but it stayed there as we left. I just hope the little guy learnt a lesson that day and could go on with its little birdie life.

Klappi looked healthy, and I had the honour to check its droppings did too. It was definitely being fed, but no adult was seen or heard during the encounter. I guess this was simply a matter of learning how to fly going very wrong.

I just hope it's doing fine.

This was a special post with a special story about a special little bird.

[bjekkergauken]

[thats-a-nice-nest]

Lesser Whitethroat (Curruca curruca)

© Pierandrea Brichetti

[birdwatcher-sketches]

Lesser Whitethroat (Curruca curruca)

© Andy Butler

[dansnaturepictures]

15/05/21-Martin Down: Blog 2 of 2-The wildlife (Lesser Whitethroat, Small Copper, Common Blue, Small Blue, Cantharis rustica, Skylarks and more)

I liked seeing an oxeye daisy that has grown in the garden always a flower I look forward to seeing out in the wild so it was interesting to see one in the back garden and it was my first of the year which was great before we went out today. I photographed it tonight which I tweeted on Dans_Pictures.

We arrived at Martin Down in a shower and walked along the hedge line at the Sillens Lane car park to try and see if we could see a Lesser Whitethroat a bird this a great place for we saw them here the last two years as they had been reported. It was nice to see lots of speedwell flowers along this path and all the way on the way a great afternoon for flowers they really were there in such abundance. I took the first picture in this photoset of one which I was pleased with.

I had a list of eight butterfly species I wanted to look for which we needed to see for the first time this year today. In the rain we knew it would be difficult but as the sun emerged after the shower finished it was pretty warm and the grass came to life. Lots of flies and little insects were suddenly on the wing which altered me to look for butterflies which excited me. Orange Tip, Brimstone and Grizzled and Dingy Skipper emerged and we got some great views of these. The bright brown skippers that we had seen here so well three weeks ago for the first time in 2021 in a boom time for us for seeing butterflies this year were very nice to see some precious moments spent with them today and we saw them in the higher bits the other side on our circular walk too. I managed the second and seventh pictures in this photoset of these. 

Looking into the vast clump of vegetation I was delighted to spot as well as Common Whitethroats which we are having such a good year for the much darker grey plumage of a Lesser Whitethroat. It was just the one very quickly but it was amazing to get a binocular view of it. I was so thrilled to see this bird with the browner backed Common Whitethroat there always good to see but nice for comparison too. This was such a fantastic bird to see, only my fourth ever sighting of one and I am happy that the rich and wild Martin Down has become a place we have a great regular chance to see them year on year. It was such a precious and valuable bird to see again one of my birds of the year. It takes my bird year list to 154 which I am so thrilled with. A top sighting today. Walking on and we got another quick sighting of a bright warm coloured butterfly and as it settled in the grass I was very pleased to see it was my first Small Copper of the year, one I had been focusing my attentions on trying to see at Lakeside and elsewhere a lot lately so it was really good to see it. I have gone a whole year without seeing these butterflies before so this quick sighting too was a relief. I took the third, fourth and fifth pictures in this photoset of a nice bush, dandelions and cowslips as we walked on.

As we got to the higher areas before going into another and heavier shower it was nice to see some Skylarks and alongside the skippers, and a great little beetle which I’ve been able to have identified thanks to kind Twitter friends and a useful guide is Cantharis rustica soldier beetle we did think it was a soldier beetle when we saw it. I took the sixth picture in this photoset of it. I don’t recall seeing one before a tenth addition to my list of beetles seen in my life and second this month. I saw one or two snails out in the weather here as well. I also heard a very welcome Cuckoo a fifth place I’ve heard them on my 10 year anniversary year of seeing them now. And special every time. I was also surprised but happy in the shower to see a Common Blue butterfly fly across the path and into the grass. My first of the year of this too and for a second spring running I saw my first not in the sunshine. Always a good one to see to let you know the year has really entered the peak spring days for butterflies. I saw a new flower for me which I took the eighth picture in this photoset of the kidney vetch too. 

Skylarks and now bright male Stonechats were entertaining us as the shower cleared and then the sun emerged again. We got some cracking views of a Skylark flying right over head which I took the ninth picture in this photoset of a really close and great view and we saw a fair few more going down the path in the sun and three together with two having a bit of an aerial battle which was interesting I’d not seen that before. We heard their most beautiful of songs so loudly too and I was so in aw of just listening to and taking in that beauty that wall of sound you so often get here. As I am increasingly doing this year I took a voice recording on my phone to remember this beautiful sound by. 

Walking along the path close to bordering farmer’s fields alongside the thick vegetation going back to the car park where the greater stitchwort carpeted it we saw a dainty butterfly flitting in the vegetation. It landed for ages and we saw it was a lovely Small Blue butterfly another key target today it was a special view again I enjoyed seeing it. I took the record shot in the tenth and final picture in this photoset today. A key butterfly for that mid-late spring period and such a strong one for here again it was my first of the year taking my butterfly year list to 19 which grows very well. I feel we have done well lately for sneaking butterfly sightings into weekends that are have had showery days so it’s quite efficient to build up my butterfly year list to a nice place despite the changeable weather. We saw a Holly Blue well a bit further along after not seeing them for a while marking eight butterfly species seen toddy which I am happy with especially for a changeable weather day as they can depend on the sun. On the way back to the car it was really good to see a Yellowhammer so well with great bright colours and see Buzzard, Fallow Deer really well and donkey on the way home via the New Forest. A very good Saturday for me, I hope you all had a good one.

Wildlife Sightings Summary: My first Lesser Whitethroat of the year, my first Small Copper, Common Blue and Small Blue of the year, one of my favourite butterflies the Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Brimstone, Grizzled Skipper, Dingy Skipper, Yellowhammer, Skylark, Whitethroat, Stonechat, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Rook well here again, Raven, Cantharis rustica solider beetle and other insects.,