The news of a Dartford warbler on Hampstead Heath meant I set off to see if I could see this rare visitor to London. Despite the name, Dartford Warblers in the south-east of England are restricted to the Surrey Heathlands, where they breed, although there is a wider dispersion in the winter months. Places like Richmond Park on the edge of London occasionally get wintering birds, but to find one so close to central London is very rare. I believe this was only the second ever record for Hampstead Heath.
Knowing the area the bird had been seen in, I was lucky to find another birder who had already seen it and was able quickly to put me onto the area where it had been seen a short while before. They are shy and elusive birds most of the time and spend their time in the thickets and undergrowth, occasionally appearing on the top of the vegetation.
The bird was quite vocal and could be heard calling and on one occasion giving a bit of song. Over 45 minutes I saw it fly twice and perch in vegetation twice, but unfortunately not for long enough to get any pictures. This picture is the nearest match I could find to how the bird looked.
Around its small patch of vegetation were lots of walkers and dogs, all oblivious to it’s presence. A strange place to find a Dartford Warbler, but a welcome visitor to inner London all the same.
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