MEGA patch bird starts the day!

After forcing myself to get up and out at 6.30am following a late night, I walked to my car where I had to get a Camera battery. At 6.40am as I was standing on the beach and opposite the house I could hear a distinctive thin and reedy "chirrup" type call note. It was emanating from the top of the bushes beside the car and it was a call I knew I had heard before and certainly not a common bird on my patch. My thoughts were of Greenish Warbler, but I couldn't locate it, until it flew to a tree in my neighbours front garden where it was visible on a bare branch. As it flew to the tree, I noted the very small size ( seemingly smaller than the abundant Chiffchaffs) and was struck by the clean and obvious eyestripe and pale underparts. It stayed only for a few seconds before flying over my garage into my back garden! As I ran through the house I grabbed my phone and found the call of Greenish Warbler. It was a perfect match - and was still calling from the Sycamore Tree in the garden. Virginia came out with me and heard the distinctive call and saw the bird as it then headed inland over the next garden and towards the fields. It was a blinding GREENISH WARBLER - not a new Kent bird for me, but certainly a great new bird for my patch! We searched for another hour but couldn't re-find it before having to head out for work. We did find over 80 Chiffchaffs, 26 Blackcaps, 2 Grey Wagtails, and a small arrival of Blackbirds and Song Thrushes. Fortunately this is a bird I have seen and heard many times on my travels and particularly in Autumn and Winter.