This Whitethroat is giving a passable impression of a Lesser Whitethroat amongst its usual song. This bird was found originally in 2014 by Roger Hicks in a similar area but wasn't really pinned down until last week when he relocated it.
I haven't yet look up how frequent mimickry is in Common Whitethroat, but this bird not only includes Lesser Whitethroat song in its own, but also Swallow, Common Tern and several other common species (although a devil to catch on video!). It joins a select group of species I've heard give copies of similar species songs - Firecrests that sounds like Goldecrests, and Willow Warblers that sound like Chiffchaffs - both of which I have now come across several times.
Very interesting to see/hear this, Steve. I hadn't come across mimicry in Common Whitethroats. I've had a couple of a mixed singing Willow Warblers locally this spring (mimicking Chiffchaff) though - did eventually manage a recording but they are little tinkers, lol.
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