Gropper in the open at last

Having heard Grasshopper Warbler at the ‘wrong end’ of the local reserve (for the first time ever), and in a restricted patch of vegetation, I went back the following morning and tried to pin it down. After an hour of frustration and nothing but brief flight views, it eventually popped up onto the barbed-wire fence right in front of me just as I was about to give up and go home. Brilliant! I got some very pleasing shots of this extremely elusive and shy species, some of my best ever, I think. Later on, in the evening, at the far end, I had nice views of my first Garden Warblers of the year, as well as Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Linnet etc. Not a bad few days’ birding, and an excellent start to the month of May.