3rd July 2025 - morning, RSPB Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk

A most exciting encounter with a Grasshopper Warbler. He (it may be a she, my knowledge is not there yet to distinguish between the two) hopped up out of the reeds several metres in front of me and positioned himself on a fence post. I did not need binoculars to marvel at those delicate head stripes. My best sighting of one in the history of my birding journey. Splendid. Somewhere behind me, a Cetti’s Warbler was vying for my attention for in this moment, all eyes were on the Grasshopper.

Today was very much a feast for the ears. It was the Battle of the ‘Pews’ as my still developing ears tried to distinguish between the pews/pings of the Bearded Tit and the tweeks of the Reed Bunting, both of which I’ve seen regularly in the same stretch of reedbed along Lackford Run at the Reserve.

The Reed Bunting sounds to me like a creature who’s trying to say the words ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ repeatedly and slowly going insane while he does so.

I have also observed that the Cetti’s Warbler sometimes begins his call with an extra few notes that I personally hear as… ‘Hey Chiffchaff! I’m a Cetti’s Warbler’ - both variations never fail to make me smile.

A rather blurry photograph (my apologies) of a Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus)