The Moltoni's warbler is a very rare bird in the UK and few records have been recorded as i) it has only been a separate species since the start of the year (but can be claimed retrospectively) and ii) it is difficult to differentiate from the Subalpine Warbler of which it was a subspecies.
This bird was caught and ringed at the Fair Isle Bird Obs (FIBO) and recognised as a Moltoni's - and samples sent to Edinburgh for DNA test to confirm the ID. FIBO are well aware of the species having seen one in May last year. I was there at the time and recorded the bird as Subalpine warbler. Subsequently FIBO sent a DNA sample off and found it was a Moltoni's. I only found this out this year so my Subalpine tick of last year was actually a Moltoni's. This years bird was therefore my second Moltoni's tick. Not many in the UK can claim that! Am I the only one hoping this years birds DNA comes back as a Subalpine? Certainly not the 3 birders who chartered a plane from North Yorks to fly to Fair Isle for 2 hrs to get the Moltoni's tick at a cost of £3000.