Grasshopper Warbler

I took a spin out to Howth earlier today to see what if any chats and warblers were to be had.  I'd spent a couple of hours on Clougherhead yesterday and although I had plenty of sonechat and wheatear etc, I couldn't get a view of the very noisy grasshopper warblers which were present and calling in at least two locations on the head.

I opted for Howth as its only 20 minutes from Ashbourne and it can be very good this time of year for getting your first yearly sightings of various summer visitors.  The weather today was mild with intermittent downpours of hail and rain!  I parked up and headed for the headland right after one of the downpours, the break in the rain had all manner of smalls out and signing as is often the case on days like these, stonchat, dunnock, wren, wheatear, whitethroat and even a pair of bullfinches.

I took the cliff path for about about five minutes and cut inland just about were you come to the second seabird colony on the cliffs (the one after Balscaddan Bay).  I had only walked up and in for about two minutes when I first heard the unmistakable long reeling notes of the grasshopper warbler. 



Grasshopper Warbler, Howth Head

It didn't take too long to spot the owner of the call as he moved about a small hollow from bramble to bush and back and forth.  Also present within sight and earshot were wheatear, stonchat and whitethroat.  Its amazing to stand there listening to the gropper call, it really can project its voice a great distance, and it appeared to bounce of the rocks and come from more than one direction at times.

Grasshopper Warbler in full song

I spent about 30 minutes (and one very heavy hail shower) in the hollow before moving on.  There wasn't much else to see and after yest another downpour I headed for the shelter of the car and on out of Howth to the Bull.