I am becoming obsessed with the Cetti’s Warbler–Cettia cetti. Their appeal centres around their elusive habits, and I am enjoying learning their “MO”. In previous years and earlier this season I hardly caught sight of one but I am “in-tune” to their activities and learning more and more about individuals and their territories, and with every visit to the marsh and that is daily at the moment I learn more. Now I can spot them with little trouble and it is only going to be a matter of time before I get a good photo. Today’s efforts are improving but still can’t get that really close shot which I want. It isn’t necessarily the case that they keep low and creep through the undergrowth, in fact they are quite happy perched in a hawthorn tree for example. The male is a very smart bird with a rusty coloured back and a contrasting “whiteish” front. Females are less bright and quite dull in truth. It is a rare, rare bird in the UK with only around 700 males, so compare that with the Chiffchaff where there is an estimated summer population of almost 1.000.000. This will give you an idea of the true rarety of this species which was first recorded in Britain as late as 1961. In Devon the last full census in 1996 indicated that there were as few as 88 breeding males in the county of Devon.
This picture is perhaps typical of a Cetti’s, just not quite in full view. But the next picture proves that they do show themselve’s from time to time. I guess the second to be a hen, as you can see she is much less colourful than the first. I have a plan to get a better shot or two. I plan to position

myself on a high bank overlooking the brambles and bushes which seems to be the focus of one particular male’s patch. With a 1000m lens attached to the camera I should be able to get a better image with absolutely no disturbance to the bird whatsoever. So watch this space as they say.
Today I took a glorious photo of a Greenfinch Carduelus chloris So with a the correct equipment, the ideal light and a large slice of luck this may be a Cett’s on the next post.
Our weather has taken a turn for the worse.
April is a month of showers as Disney told us but it is getting in the way of my photographic expeds of late.