A little bird told me

After years of decline, the Dartford warbler has returned to the area of old Kent where it was discovered 250 years ago, reviving a feud over its name, finds Russell Higham

- Russell Higham

A CENTURIES-OLD grudge over ornithological provenance still ruffles feathers at an unlikely venue. The Furze Wren, a pub in Bexleyheath, on the outskirts of south-east London, takes its moniker from the old country nickname for the Dartford warbler. First recorded 250 years ago by Kentish-born naturalist John Latham, this plucky little bird-Sylvia undata was actually discovered in nearby Bexley. Two were shot on the heath there in April 1773 and presented to Dr Latham, who named them after the place where he was practising medicine at that time: Dartford. The misnomer has been a source of vexation to the birdwatchers (and the beer drinkers) of the warbler's true 'manor' of Bexley ever since.

In the past few decades, however, this mixup was the least of the little bird's problems. Ralph Todd, a Bexley birdwatcher and resident for nearly 50 years (his home is around the corner from Latham Road), runs a local RSPB group. He explains that, regardless of which borough the warbler should rightfully be named after, its heathland habitat has lost ground to London's creeping sprawl, so the bird has not been much of a regular at either location for decades-until recently, that is.

The only place you could see it was the Dorset, Surrey or West Sussex heathlands,' notes Mr Todd. 'But, this winter, we've had several sightings within the borough.'