Yellow-browed Warbler photographed at Marais Nord/Vale Marais [NOR] on 28/3/2012 Photo: © Mark Lawlor (visit site)

This tiny leaf warbler breeds in Asia east from the Urals to China and in winter migrates to southeast Asia. It is prone to vagrancy and many tens or hundreds of records are received in western Europe in September and October.

Since the first record of a bird trapped at the Dell Nursery in November 1975, Yellow-browed Warblers have been recorded in 21 out of the 24 years to 2002, averaging just over one record per year. In Sark, Yellow-browed Warblers were regularly recorded at La Fougeraie and 21 were ringed between 1977 and 1986, averaging just over two records per year. Six were caught in 1986.

Yellow-browed Warblers are autumn migrants and mostly occur in October, with a few birds in September and November. There are two records in September, the earliest is of which was a bird at St Saviour's Church on 13-14 September 1979. Passage takes place throughout October with a peak in the fourth week of the month. This large 'spike' in the graph may be due to observer effort which tends to be greatest towards the end of the month.

The records are from scattered locations across the island and come from both coastal and inland sites. The Vaux de Monel, Trinity Cottages, the Marais Nord and Silbe Nature Reserve are the areas with the most records but birds have been recorded at widespread locations including Herm, the Dell Nursery (Le Foulon), the Reservoir, Fauxquets Valley, the Vale Pond, Moulin de Haut and Les Landes. Most of these sites are in either wooded areas or areas with standing or running water.