Another nice shot from Kiersten today. Our first Melodious Warbler of the year, snapped just outside the village. Warblers can be frustratingly elusive…that one really good view is often far too brief. Nice to get a decent look for a change!
One of the Hippolais warblers, the Melodious Warbler replaces the confusingly similar Icterine Warbler in SW Europe. Both species are basically green and yellow members of a generally greyer and paler genus: happily enough down here in the Alpujarras we’re far enough south to comfortably clear the furthest reaches of the latter species’ range and identification ought to be a little more straightforward.
The pale yellow of the throat and breast can often appear more buff-white and the upperparts can often have a brownish hue. Note the rather big, dark eye set in the pale face and the sharp, dagger-like insectivore’s beak typical of the group.
The Melodious Warbler prefers light woodland, scrub, orchards and stands of bramble and bushes between scattered trees…so the distinctive mix of habitat around Lanjaron provides this species with all the conditions it needs. Hopefully we’ll continue to see them through the summer, before they return once more to wintering grounds in west Africa. Keep checking our reports as the month progresses…as ever we’ll keep you up to date with all the news!
