EASTERN BONELLI'S WARBLER at Dungeness - 25th May 2025 - Rarity finder

Discovery of 

Eastern Bonelli's Warbler 

at Dungeness, 25th May 2025

During one of my regular patrols/ censuses of the Dungeness Bird Observatory Recording Area, (at around 0940), I was alerted to an unusual song at the southern end of the DBO "trapping area".  At a distance, I first thought it might just be an odd sounding Lesser Whitethroat, but as I got closer the more it reminded me more of Bonelli's or even a Wood Warbler.  

Although, at first, it remained hidden from view, the bird continued to sing at regular intervals, allowing me to track it along the outskirts of a tree line.  I began recording the song and tried (through the intermittent phone signal), to send it to DBO assistant warden Jacob Spinks to get his input from internet searches.  Finally, after 5-10 minutes I glimpsed the bird and recognised it as a Bonelli's type.  

It showed for about a minute whilst exploring some of the less foliated branches, and that's when I managed to grab the images and video shown here.  I did this whilst simultaneously trying to contact some local birders on the 2-way radio.  

    "David (Walker), Martin (Casemore), John (Young)... Bonelli's in the southern trapping area".  

Martin came back almost immediately with "Come again?" But I couldn't reply as I was busy taking shots and a brief video.

Once relatively satisfied with the photos captured, I repeated the message.  Dungeness Bird Observatory warden David Walker responded that he was on his way.

Having had recent experience of P. Bonelli in Spain (Mar-Apr, 2025), it slowly dawned on me that it didn't sound like the Western species I had first assumed it would be.  On listening to examples of both species on the Collins Bird Guide app I realised that it did in fact match EASTERN BONELLI’S WARBLER (Phylloscopus Orientalis).

DBO warden David Walker arrived, and together we followed the bird as it completed a small loop of the area, during which time the bird gave up nothing more than the occasional glimpse, although on several occasions, we did hear the diagnostic chip call.

After about ten minutes without managing any further photos, we had followed the bird back to the original spot, where Industrious local birder Martin Casemore, joined us.  We then made further audio recordings.  The bird had been singing regularly since discovery, and after once again checking the songs of both Bonelli and Orientalis we all agreed on the identification.

At some point, in between dead spots in the phone signal, Jacob Spinks had responded to opine that the call sounded more like Orientalis than Bonellis.

I hadn't realised (until Martin mentioned the fact), that this would be the first record for Kent.

A short time later I left Martin and David keeping tabs on the bird and headed back towards the Bird Observatory and a phone signal.  Jacob had already managed to get the news out by this point.  

Back at the Observatory, I uploaded my best photo and the video to Twitter, to elicit further confirmation/ opinion.  With restored internet access, I listened to more examples of both Bonelli's Warbler species on xeno-canto and ebird and any remaining doubt receded.

At this point, I received a message from Kent birder Andrew Lawson asking for an audio recording of the bird, which I sent him.  He forwarded it to someone, who also agreed with the identification. 

Link to the recording at: xeno-canto:  

After about an hour, I returned to the trapping area expecting to find birders with full SD Cards, instead discovering 20-30 people searching for the temporarily missing bird, and not a single satisfactory photo amongst them.  It was soon heard again, back at the original spot, and although elusive, favoured that area for the rest of the afternoon.

Dungeness Bird Observatory warden David Walker opened several mist nets in the hope of catching and ringing the bird, but it proved difficult, as more and more people arrived in the trapping area as the afternoon progressed.  At one point the bird was seen to pass just over the top of a net.

Photos would continue to be difficult to capture.  I had been lucky.  There had only been a very short period where it had showed well enough to capture the media seen here.

After a short while taking in the scene, and with everyone focused on the EBW, I went for a walk in the hope of locating a Western Bonelli's Warbler, or some other interesting lost migrant.  No such luck.

Hundreds of birders came and went throughout the day.  I returned again in the evening, but it had become even harder to see.  Most of those gathered, many who had traveled long distances, seemed disappointed with the views or lack of.

There was no sign of the bird the following day.