The first Whitethroat of the year has been seen in Kerry, on 20th April (see below). Following record numbers last year, we are hoping that this colourful warbler will become a regular feature of the Kerry landscape, so if you hear a fast, scratchy warble anywhere in the Kingdom this spring and summer, check for Whitethroat. The only other similar song is that of the Blackcap which, though similar in tone, is a good deal slower, and Blackcaps favour more wooded terrain whereas the Whitethroat is more of an 'open country' species, usually seen in and around open scrub and young woodland or well-developed hedgerow.
The final map of Whitethroat distribution for 2013. In most recent years there have been fewer than 5 records annually. There were 28 in 2013.
Whitethroat, near Brosna, 20th April 2014 (Davey Farrar).
Please let us know if you see or hear one this summer and we will map them, as we did last year. See a post on the 2013 occurrences Whitethroat on this page HERE.
