photographed at Pleinmont [PLE] on 14/10/2004 Photo: © Mark Lawlor (visit site)

Blyth's Reed Warbler breeds in temperate Asia and easternmost Europe and migrate to winter in India and Sri Lanka. It is a rare vagrant to western Europe but breeds in Finland, Sweden and the Baltic States.

A bird was trapped and ringed at Trinity Cottages, Pleinmont on 14th October 2004 – the first record of this eastern species for the Channel Islands and the mid-October date is typical of eastern vagrants. The species is very difficult to differentiate from Reed Warbler in the field but luckily not so difficult in the hand. Upon release, it disappeared into the dense undergrowth and was not seen again.