Bradford Ornithological Group
Grasshopper Warbler locustella naevia
 
Sightings 1987 to 2008
 

 

 

Grasshopper Warbler by Ian Hargreaves
Scarce passage visitor/ occasional breeder
2003

A “reeling” bird was heard at Stockbridge from 18th April until 2nd August. 2 birds were present on 5 dates, the last being as late as 28th July. A possible juvenile was seen on 29th June.

The only other “reeling” bird was at Elland Gravel Pits from 26th April until 3rd July.
2005

As a species whose presence in the area is erratic, it is unfortunate that, of five birds reported, only three were backed up by a description.

The substantiated records came from Doe Park Reservoir, where a bird was seen on 19th June, and a clearly different one was heard singing in another part of the site from 8th to 13th August. Elsewhere, another singing bird was present at Stockbridge Nature Reserve on at least 1st May.
2006
 As in 2005, not all the claims made for this species were verified by the required description, and the only accepted record is of a bird heard, and seen briefly, on the edge of Baildon Moor on 24th and 26th April .
2007

Most of the recent sightings have originated in or near Airedale, as have this year’s.

A singing bird was heard near Sandbeds on 22nd April, and on 3rd May another, initially located by its song, was subsequently well-seen near Bradup.
2008
 Individuals were seen or heard at Stockbridge between 23rd April and 13th May, and Timble Ings from 3rd to 25th July, with two birds there on the 22nd. In the south of the area, one was on Ovenden Moor on 8th July.
2009
 Whilst recorded from only one location, Snaygill, there was a bonus as successful breeding took place, the first to be substantiated for at least 12 years.
2010
 What was perhaps a significant increase in records cannot be fully documented as, unfortunately, most of them were unverified. As it is, descriptions were accepted for a pair at Snaygill between 25th April and 10th June, a migrant there on 18th September, at least two at Thornton Moor during 7th May and 19th June, and one on Soil Hill on 1st and 2nd May. For the second year running there was successful breeding at Snaygill, and for the first time at Thornton Moor.