Hume’s Leaf Warbler (Phylloscopus humei), a mega in Barcelona

It is not happening every day that a mega is found out in a big city. But this just what it was happening the past 5th November, when a Hume’s Leaf Warbler (Phylloscopus humei) was located in Montjuïc, a gardened hill inside Barcelona and known as the Olympic Hill in the city as it is here were the 1992 Olympic Stadium is located. The bird was first located calling in a Oak patch in the Southern slope of the hill by Manolo García. It was first located by callings and after that it was found out. The bird allowed wonderful views for – days, until 9th November, when it was seen for the last time.

The bird was many associated to a small flock of Goldcrests (Regulus regulus) moving in a Oak (Quercus cerrioides sp.) with no undergrowth. The warbler showed also a big preference for an isolated Robinia (Robinia pseudoacacia) that was visited several times. This sight is arriving soon after a large amount of Yellow-browned Warbler sights not only in Catalonia but also in the rest of Western Europe. In fact, it is already the third autum recording high Yellow-browned Warbler datas and thus, improving the chances for a Hume’s to appear, mainly because of a improvement of the local birdwatchers in telling apart both species. What it is even more interesting is this Hume’s is the second for this patch since another individual was located some yards away in early May by the same birder!!!