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The 'acredula' [northern] Willow Warbler was an amazing bird. It looked grey-and-white in life and seemed a touch bigger than the three WWs around at same time. It has just the faintest of yellow washes on throat. One shot is of the bird alone; the other is the same image but Photoshoped alongside one of the WWs.
Northern Willow Warbler, P.t.acredula, Inishbofin, 19th September. This subspecies breeds from northern Scandinavia east to western Siberia and is a scarce migrant in Ireland. Interestingly, this individual arrived on Inishbofin at the same time as a Lesser Whitethroat that showed the features of 'Siberian' Lesser Whitethroat, Sylvia curruca blythi. Compared to west European Willow Warblers, 'Northern' Willow Warblers are paler and almost lack any olive or yellow tint. Some can appear sandy-coloured or, as with this bird, grey and white (with the mere hint of yellow on the throat). The best illustrations available are by Lars Jonsson in Birds of Europe, page 453.
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