When a warden is distracted from sniffing a target, the anger level towards that target will still increase if in range.
Steps to Reproduce:
Load a new world
Obtain some snowballs
Summon a warden
Summon a valid target for the warden
Once the warden begins to sniff for the target, throw a snowball to distract it
Listen for the "Warden notices" sound
Expected Result:
The warden would continue its path without noticing the target
Observed Result:
The warden will continue its current path, but its anger at the target increases if in sniffing range
Can confirm. This can be better reproduced with a mob whilst distracting the warden in creative.