Cetti’s Warbler, Cettia cetti

Local status: Rare visitor but small population becoming established in the LDV

A recent UK colonist, there is plenty of habitat available for this species in the York area, should the Yorkshire population continue to grow. Despite a series of harsh winters in the early 2010s, Cetti’s Warblers are colonising new wetlands in east and south Yorkshire, and it is surely only a matter of time before a pair breeds in the York area. As might be expected, most records are from Wheldrake Ings with a number of the birds being found in ringers’ mist nets. The first evidence of breeding came in 2018 & was fully established in the area from 2020.

Cetti's Warbler
© Duncan Bye
Cetti’s Warbler © Duncan Bye

Records prior to 2020:
2019: Castle Howard Lake, 28th December. one
2019: Coates Lock, near Bielby, 28th December. one
2019: East Cottingwith and Melbourne (Pocklington Canal), November and December. one or two
2019: Wheldrake Ings, 23rd October. one
2019: Bank Island, 15th October. 1st-winter bird was caught and ringed
2019: Thornton Lock (Pocklington Canal), 14th October. one
2019: Wheldrake Ings, 17th September. 1st-year female was caught and ringed & one heard on 18th
2019: Bubwith, 5th June. one
2019: East Cottingwith, 28th May. one
2018: North Duffield Carrs, 3rd July.one recently fledged juvenile which is the first evidence of breeding in the Club area.
2018: Thornton, 15th June. one
2018: Castle Howard Lake, 7th January. one
2017: Wheldrake Ings, 26th September. one
2017: Stamford Bridge, 15th July. one
2017: Castle Howard, 26th June. one
2017: East Cottingwith, 13th April. one
2017: Canal Head, Pocklington, 9th April. one
2016: North Duffield Carrs, 3rd June.one
2016: Pocklington Canal, East Cottingwith, 29th February, one
2016: Pocklington Canal, Melbourne, 6th January to 22nd February, one
2015: Wheldrake Ings, 21st November to 20th December at least. Two.
2015: Wheldrake Ings, 7th November. Trapped and ringed.
2015: Wheldrake Ings, 31st October. Trapped and ringed.
2014: Wheldrake Ings, 22nd October. Trapped and ringed.
2013: Wheldrake Ings, 5th to 9th October.
2010: Wheldrake Ings, 1st to 2nd July. Trapped and ringed.
2009: Wheldrake Ings, 6th January. Trapped and ringed.
2006: Wheldrake Ings, 7th January to 26th March.

Unsubstantiated Records:
2009: Wheldrake Ings, 13th November. (Birdguides).
1997: Wheldrake Ings, 12th December. No description submitted.
1992: Thornton Ellers, 1st April. Not published by YNU.