104 : European Reed Warbler

Eurpean Reed Warbler - Acrocephalus scirpaceous

It took me half an hour of patient stalking along a big reed bed to get this photo. These warblers will show themselves when singing but for the most part they will tumble and flit from stem to stem. The top of a reed will shake, you can here the faintest chur and straining to see through vegetation you might catch the odd site of the bird as it makes its way cautiously through the bed.

Every so often a bird will break cover and fly down the edge of the bed only to dart in a quickly disapear. Its cat and mouse with a camera. Then, if you're patient, and only if you are lucky a single male will shin up a reed stem in full view to crank out its song and attract a mate.

I have to admit that when I started this site one of my first throughts was - How on earth am I going to get picture of warblers. With some patience and a bit of skill has to be the answer - possibly some luck.

European Reed Warbler, Acrocephalus scirpaceous
Pivot Fields Dubai
19 April 2012