Weekly round-up: 09 - 15 Oct 2013
Light but strengthening westerly winds on 9th marked the beginning of a dramatic period of weather. A slowly-departing Low pressure and an advancing High pressure squeezed the isobars between them and gave very strong northerly gales down North Sea coasts on 10th. Then, as the Low continued to lurk over or around East Anglia for several days, a period of easterly and northeasterly winds ensued, strongest across East Anglia and then Yorkshire, the precise situation shifting slightly each day as the Low centre moved around.
The result of all this was a sudden but entirely predictable shift of attention away from the Northern Isles and the Far West to the east coast, particularly Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, East Anglia and Kent. Although there were no real headline-grabbing mega-rarities to be twitched, this was a period of classic east coast October birding, beginning with some quality seawatching and then shifting into passerine mode with big numbers of common migrants and a long list of traditional late autumn scarcities, notably Great Grey Shrikes and Pallas’s and Yellow-browed Warblers. For those fortunate to be free from 11th, this was October birding at its best, with Redwings, Robins, Goldcrests and Blackcaps everywhere, and the prospect of richer pickings always just around the corner.
Many of the week’s rarest birds were, however, left over from the week before and so convey little of this excitement, whilst, perversely, the best new bird of the week had nothing to do with the main narrative either. This was a lovely black-faced adult Sora found on Tresco, Scilly on 9th and then showing well until 14th. This is the 16th for Britain, the 6th for Scilly and the second for Tresco and its arrival date is bang on target - all the Scilly birds have arrived between 23rd September and 19th October.
Also on Scilly, the highly elusive Grey-cheeked Thrush on St. Mary’s first seen last week was seen again from 12th to 14th but remained difficult to see. Elsewhere, new Grey-cheeked Thrushes were on Barra, Western Isles on 10th and Fair Isle, Shetland on 11th. The Barra bird represents only the third for the Western Isles, after previous records in 1965 and 1989, whilst the Fair Isle bird is the seventh for Shetland but only the fourth for the magic isle.
Other new birds on Shetland included the autumn’s second Daurian Shrike on Foula on 10th to at least 12th and second Pechora Pipit at Toab on the same dates. The best bird on the English east coast was another Daurian Shrike, this time at Flamborough, Yorkshire.
Perhaps the most surprising find of the week came right at the very end - yet another Northern Harrier at (where else?) Tacumshin, Wexford. Remarkably, this is becoming a near-annual bird at this truly remarkable vagrant trap and this bird looks the part yet again with a very strong dark hood, plain underparts with restricted flank streaking and the requisite under-primary pattern.
Although the east coast arrivals delivered no outstanding rarity, there were nevertheless signs of something brewing in the finch department. Mealy Redpolls were reported all down the east coast from 11th as poor conditions drove some to ground. Amongst them was a Coues’s Arctic Redpoll at Margate, Kent. More Mealies arrived next day but the return of poor weather to the east coast on 13th grounded more birds and amongst them more Coues’s Arctic Redpolls were found, firstly at Blakeney Point, Norfolk and then shortly afterwards came reports from Warham and Wells, also both Norfolk, and Saltfleetby, Lincolnshire. Further birds were confirmed on 14th at Winterton, Norfolk and on Fair Isle, and on 15th Arctic Redpolls (not specified to form) were on North Ronaldsay, Orkney and Foula, Shetland. The last significant invasion of these delighful little finches was as long ago as 1995, since when they have been rather rare, and somewhat surprisingly, overtaken by Hornemann’s Arctic Redpolls. It will be interesting to see whether this coming winter brings with it another irruption. Similarly grounded birds on the east coast in 1990 and 1995 were the vanguard of significant invasions in both of the following winters so the omens look promising.
Other finches were on the menu too. Though this year’s memorable influx of Two-barred Crossbills has long been over, an influx of its chunkier cousin, Parrot Crossbill , now looks to be potentially on the cards. After stories of higher than normal numbers on the move in Denmark recently, it came as no great surprise that they featured in this week’s easterly conditions. Most showy were four at Shoeburyness, Essex on 12th to 14th but candidates were also reported in Kent, Norfolk and Yorkshire. It remains to be seen whether the Essex birds represent the beginnings of an influx or whether, as with so many promised irruptions, it all just fades away to nothing. Clearly, though, it is worth looking out for any large-looking, heavy-headed and heavy-billed crossbills with loud, ringing, slightly deep-sounding calls. Any such birds can be quite arresting though excellent settled views, photographs or sonograms are really required to prove their identity.
Other leftovers from last week were the Isabelline Wheatear still at Martin’s Haven, Pembrokeshire to 10th, the Eastern Olivaceous Warbler still at Hoswick, Shetland to 11th and the Buff-bellied Pipit still on Foula, Shetland to 15th.
Seabirds were suddenly much more in evidence this week, thanks to the northerly blast on 10th and a still strong northeasterly flow on subsequent days. A forestaste was provided on 9th with a scatter of Sabine’s Gulls and Leach’s Petrels in Northern Ireland and Northwest England. Particularly notable were fifty Pomarine Skuas off Arranmore, Donegal. Attention soon shifted to North Sea coasts, however, where the species mix was typical for the second week of October, highlight species being Leach’s Petrels, Sabine’s Gulls and Long-tailed Skuas . All appeared in small numbers at the usual seawatch locations on North Sea coasts. Rarer species were largely absent but a Great Shearwater passed Flamborough, Yorkshire on 10th.
The odd Little Auk was seen, the highest count being ten off North Ronaldsay, Orkney on 12th. The most notable records perhaps involved Blue Fulmars , with an excellent 31 past Flamborough and 22 past the Farne Islands, Northumberland on 11th, 29 past North Ronaldsay next day and 21 from Fair Isle, Shetland on 15th.
The vagrant wildfowl headlines continued to be grabbed by the trio of Blue-winged Teals still at Boultham Mere, Lincolnshire to 11th with the other bird, at Frankfield Loch, Clyde, still present to 15th. Other dabbling ducks included the Black Duck still at Sruhill Lough, Mayo to at least 9th, Green-winged Teals at Titchwell, Norfolk on 10th to 12th and Martin Mere, Lancashire on 14th and a trio of American Wigeons - at Udale Bay, Highland, near Macroom, Cork and on Sanday, Orkney.
Diving ducks were represented by Lesser Scaups still at Pennington Flash, Greater Manchester and Cardiff Bay, Glamorgan and Ring-necked Ducks at Loch Leodasay North Uist , Meikle Loch, Aberdeenshire, Dernesh Lake, Donegal, The Mullet, Mayo, Slapton Ley, Devon and two at Eyebrook Reservoir, Leicestershire. A Northern Eider was at Malin Head, Donegal on 12th and, more unusually, a Smew was on Sanday, Orkney on 11th.
Geese demonstrated the usual West-East split. In the former, Nearctic birds included Snow Geese at Loch Watten, Highland on 9th, Carrahane, Kerry to 10th, Tarland, Aberdeenshire on 11th to 12th, Gorebridge, Lothian on 12th and Loch of Strathbeg, Aberdeenshire on 13th. Two Richardson’s Canada Geese were on Islay, Argyll on 9th with at least one present thereafter and a small Canada was also at Malin Head, Donegal on 13th. From the east, the Red-breasted Goose was again in Hampshire with Black Brants at South Swale, Kent and Kilnsea, Yorkshire on 12th.
The Pied-billed Grebe remained at Achill Island, Mayo.
Glossy Ibises remained obvious with over twenty birds in a dozen counties, again most still in the West but singles were at Wickford, Essex and Dungeness, Kent on 10th and Sandwich Bay, also Kent, on 15th.
Also present in numbers were Great White Egrets , recorded from over a dozen counties with seven at Dungeness, Kent again the highest count. Almost all were in southern England but a single reached as far north as Rockcliffe, Cumbria whilst another was at Lough Swilly, Donegal. Other rare herons included Night Herons at Frampton, Gloucestershire on 9th and Mevagissey, Cornwall on 12th, a Cattle Egret at Sheppey, Kent all week and Purple Herons still on St. Mary’s, Scilly to at least 13th and at Horsey, Norfolk on 15th. Finally, a White Stork was at Woodgate, Sussex on 10th.
The adult female Black-winged Stilt on the Hayle Estuary, Cornwall, still present to 10th, was again the most notable wader of the week and once again two species - American Golden Plover and Pectoral Sandpiper - dominated the wader headlines though now in somewhat reduced numbers.
American Golden Plovers were at St. Levan, Cornwall and Sanday, Orkney on 9th, Lough Foyle, Derry and The Mullet, Mayo still to 14th and Rahasane Turlough and the Butt of Lewis on 11th.
Seven Pectoral Sandpipers were seen in seven counties - at Besthorpe, Nottinghamshire, Frampton, Lincolnshire, Rutland Water, Leicestershire, Martin Mere, Lancashire, Tacumshin, Wexford, Harris, Western Isles and Abberton, Essex.
Other American waders included White-rumped Sandpipers at Inishbofin, Galway on 9th, Salthouse, Norfolk on 10th, Virkie and Grutness, Shetland on 11th, The Mullet, Mayo and Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire on 14th and the Bann Estuary, Derry on 15th. A Wilson’s Phalarope was at Sand, Shetland on 10th to 15th whilst Baird’s Sandpipers were at Slimbridge, Gloucestershire on 9th and 10th, Ballycotton, Cork on the same dates and at Black Rock Strand, Kerry on 10th to 14th. Another new arrival was a Buff-breasted Sandpiper on Fair Isle, Shetland on 9th and 10th.
To complete the Nearctic wader line-up, Long-billed Dowitchers were at Rhaslas Pond, Glamorgan all week and the long-stayer was still at Keyhaven, Hampshire, whilst Lesser Yellowlegs were also still at Cliffe, Kent to at least 12th and the National Wetlands Centre, Camarthenshire to at least 10th .
Dotterels represented the only Palearctic wader interest, with singles at Fair Isle, Shetland on 9th to 15th, Scotney Gravel Pits and Rye Harbour, Sussex on 9th to 12th and South Stack, Anglesey on 10th.
Singles of Black Kite at Dungeness, Kent on 10th and Red-footed Falcon at Bawdsey and Shingle Street, Suffolk on 12th were the raptor highlights. Despite the easterly conditions, only four Rough-legged Buzzards were noted - at St. Margaret’s at Cliffe and Sandwich Bay, Kent on 12th, at Blakeney, Norfolk on 14th and at Minsmere, Suffolk and the Cot Valley, Cornwall on 15th.
The best gulls of the week were again the Laughing Gull on Sanday, Orkney and the wandering Azorean Yellow-legged Gull , seen again at Grafham Water, Cambridgeshire on 12th. In Devon, the Bonaparte’s Gull made a reappearance at Teignmouth on 13th to 15th. Otherwise, only about five Glaucous and three Iceland Gulls were discovered and Ring-billed Gulls were at Portrush, Antrim on 9th, Shanagarry, Cork on 11th and two at Black Rock Strand, Kerry, also on 11th. Also in Ireland, the Forster’s Tern was at Rogerstown, Dublin on 14th.
Passerines totally dominated the week’s proceedings and attempting a summary of perhaps the busiest period of the year is something of a challenge. Nevertheless, the following hopefully gives a flavour of the scarce and rare bird highlights though, in truth, the spectacle of all the common migrants will probably linger as long in the memory.
Starting the passerine section with Wryneck is straightforward. This week saw a marked reduction in records after last week’s influx. Only around half a dozen were seen, all in the Southwest or Ireland. Other tree-loving species were also logged on the east coast, however, with a good scatter of Northern Great Spotted Woodpeckers and Northern Treecreepers , only obvious by turning up at normally woodpecker and treecreeper-free locations.
Wrynecks were this week almost outnumbered by Red-throated Pipits . Seven of these now rather rare pipits were logged - on Out Skerries, Shetland still on 9th and new arrivals at Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire, Spurn, Yorkshire, Mizen Head, Cork and Fair Isle on 12th (the latter staying to 15th), Flamborough, Yorkshire on 13th and St. Mary’s, Scilly on 15th. A few Tree Pipits were seen this week but Olive-backed Pipits were about too - at Aith, Shetland on 9th and Fair Isle on 12th and 13th (with two there on 14th) and then, following the easterlies further south, new discoveries at Donna Nook, Lincolnshire and Holland Haven, Essex on 12th, Flamborough, Yorkshire on 14th and the Farne Islands, Northumberland, Saltholme, Cleveland and North Ronaldsay, Orkney on 15th.
Richard’s Pipits were a bit more obvious this week after a slow start to their autumn. Around thirty were logged at traditional locations between Shetland and Scilly but birds at Holme Pierrepont, Nottinghamshire and Sutton Bridge, Lincolnshire were less typical locations. Short-toed Larks were well scattered though didn’t feature on the east coast. Singles were on St. Agnes, Scilly, at Ballycotton and Cape Clear, both Cork, Portland, Dorset and Foula and Fair Isle, both Shetland.
The most interesting wagtail of the week is clearly the candidate Eastern Yellow Wagtail on Tory Island, Donegal on 15th. With its wholly grey-and-white plumage, white undertail coverts and a totally non-Citrine Wagtail face pattern, this bird certainly seems to tick the right boxes. Given the date and weather conditions, an eastern origin seems overwhelmingly likely.
Turning to flycatchers and chats, Red-breasted Flycatchers were again around in some numbers, totalling almost forty. Shetland had around half a dozen and the far-flung bird at Butt of Lewis, Western Isles remained to 9th, the others being scattered at mainly east coast locations, though Scilly and Lundy had a couple apiece. This week might have provided a good opportunity for Britain’s next Taiga Flycatcher but sadly, this prize remained unclaimed.
Bluethroats were on North Ronaldsay, Orkney on 9th to 11th, on St. Mary’s, Scilly to at least 11th, at Whitburn, Durham on 12th, and on the Isle of May, Fife and at Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire and Holme, Norfolk on 13th, the latter still there next day. A final bird was at Filey on 15th. Bluethroats are never common in October and it is worth speculating on where such late autumn birds might have come from. Might they be from populations further east than Scandinavia and could they therefore involve the Russian form pallidogularis?
Despite the weather, Siberian Stonechats remained rather rare, indeed this is today something of an old-fashioned rarity. Only two were recorded, on Bressay, Shetland on 12th and at Wells, Norfolk on 14th and 15th, the latter being far from the palest end of the spectrum and sporting a very deep ginger rump. Confident labelling of any Siberian Stonechat in the field to form (maurus or stejnegeri) seems an elusive goal but at least we can (and should) note their appearance. Certainly the Norfolk bird would not look out of place in East Asia so its origin may well lie in that direction.
By contrast, Red-flanked Bluetail , the new kid on the block, put in the now expected appearances at the beginning of what should now be the peak time for this beautiful species. Singles were found at Crail, Fife and near Happisburgh, Norfolk on 13th and both were still present next day when new individuals were at Warham, Norfolk and Sizewell, Suffolk, the latter remaining to 15th. The 13th also saw the discovery of a Pied Wheatear - another traditional October rare chat - on Bardsey, Gwynedd though, sadly, it was promptly taken by a Sparrowhawk.
Much less expected in October was the Thrush Nightingale trapped at Portland, Dorset on 9th and still present next day. This species is aways rare in autumn (though doubtless overlooked due to its skulking nature). This is, of course, a good bird for Dorset, only its fourth, though three have been at Portland.
Turning to warblers, Blyth’s Reed Warblers were on Unst, Shetland to 10th with others at Sumburgh and Fair Isle on 11th, the latter remaining to 14th, and a final bird on North Ronaldsay, Orkney on 15th. Equally common (or rare) were Marsh Warblers. Shetland again dominated proceedings with birds on Unst on 11th and Bressay on 12th but Scilly struck back with one on Tresco on 12th.
Barred Warblers were only in small numbers, as expected given the calendar. They were reported at Garinish, Cork on 10th, Skateraw, Lothian and Kilnsea, Yorkshire on 13th and 14th and Hunstanton and Salthouse, both Norfolk, Spurn, Yorkshire (two) and Sandwick, Shetland on 14th. Could these too have come from somewhere further away than eastern Europe and, if so, could the race merzbacheri be involved? As befits the season, there were only two Icterine Warblers - at Donna Nook, Lincolnshire on 11th and Saltfleetby, also Lincolnshire, on 13th. Also worth a mention is the typical October scatter of supiciously brown-looking Lesser Whitethroats , many doubtless referrable to the once again fashionable blythi, though halimodendri is an alternative option for any paler, sandier-looking bird.
Warblers recorded in single figures only were the long-staying male Sardinian Warbler still at St. Abbs, Borders all week and, much better, a Paddyfield Warbler on Unst on 12th.
As is traditional in October, Phylloscopus warblers dominated the headlines though none of the top drawer super-rarities appeared. Yellow-browed Warblers continued to proliferate, not just birds in the West and Southwest, filtering through from the earlier avalanche in the North, but also new direct arrivals on the English east coast. Rarer cousins also made an appearance of course. The first of everybody’s favourite - Pallas’s Warbler - reached Spurn (where there were two) and Inner Farne, Northumberland on 10th. Then, after a day’s pause, came a much more concerted arrival on 12th with nine found, all on the east coast south of Yorkshire, and Norfolk doing best with five. Next day, eleven more made landfall, again all south of Yorkshire apart from one at Crail, Fife, with around ten more on 14th and a few still arriving on 15th.
Amongst the rarer leaf warblers, Radde’s Warblers continued their poor showing. Despite outstanding conditions on the east coast, only four were unearthed, and two of these weren’t even on the east coast. The first was at Brighton, Sussex on 12th with others at Buckton, Yorkshire, Chapel St. Leonards, Lincolnshire and, most unusually, inland in Hampshire, at Andover, on 13th to 15th. This latter record is, perhaps not surprisingly, only the second for Hampshire, after the first at Sherborne St. John on the rather remarkable date of 7th December 2005.
By contrast, Dusky Warblers were much more prominent, though their tacking calls had to compete with the racket from all the Blackcaps. The autumn’s first was at Hayling Island, Hampshire on 10th and thereafter new birds were found at Flamborough, Yorkshire, Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire and West Runton, Norfolk on 12th, Kilnsea, Yorkshire and Fair Isle on 13th and Saltfleetby, Lincolnshire, Weybourne, Norfolk, Spurn, Bempton and Flamborough (again) on 14th. Further birds reached Fair Isle and Filey on 15th. With Dusky Warbler already well in the lead, the gap between these two traditional rivals now looks set to widen yet further before the autumn is over.
The Arctic Warbler was still at Loch of Voe, Shetland on 13th whilst, at the other end of the country, last week’s bird remained on St. Mary’s, Scilly to 10th. Finally, balance was restored by a new bird on Fair Isle on 14th. Three Western Bonelli’s Warblers were also lingerers - at St. Levan, Cornwall to 9th, Burray, Orkney to 14th and Whalsay, Shetland to 15th - but a new bird was at Hartlepool, Cleveland on 13th and 14th. An equally good east coast Phylloscopus (and much rarer than most) was a late Wood Warbler at Wells, Norfolk on 14th and 15th.
Apart from Phylloscopus warblers, the other dominant scarcity in this week’s rush of birds was the always dramatic and exciting Great Grey Shrike , most of which were in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire or East Anglia. An early bird was still on Fair Isle on 9th, on which date another was at Cunningsburgh, also Shetland. The next was an early returner to a traditional wintering site at Hampton Ridge, Hampshire from 10th. Foula logged another on 10th, as did Spurn and Denwick, Northumberland on 11th but the full hit of birds came on 12th with around thirty recorded and about another twenty-five next day, including an astonishing count of at least twelve at Spurn. Arrivals continued on 14th with around another dozen logged and further new birds on 15th. By contrast, Red-backed Shrikes were few, with only five on offer - two on Shetland, two in Ireland one on Scilly.
Up to four Two-barred Crossbills were still being seen intermittently at Lynford Arboretum, Norfolk all week and last week’s female near Dorking, Surrey was still present to 10th. Finally, a new bird (a male) was found at Hemsted Forest, Kent on 13th and was still present to 15th.
At the other end of the country, a new Hornemann’s Arctic Redpoll was at Sandness, Shetland on 11th and then, as if aware of the challenge from their Scandinavian cousins, 13th produced three more, all in traditional locations - at the Butt of Lewis, Western Isles and, on Shetland, at Quendale and Mid Yell, the latter still present on 14th.
From the opposite point of the compass, that other pale-rumped finch, Serin , popped up at Christchurch Harbour, Dorset on 12th. Ending the finches roundup with the dullest of the group, the unassuming Common Rosefinch managed only five records - at Cape Clear, Cork, on 9th, Dursey Island, also Cork, on 10th to 12th, Foula, Shetland on 11th to 12th, Nanquidno, Cornwall on 11th and finally at the amusingly-named Porth Joke, also Cornwall, on 15th.
As for buntings, Little Buntings grabbed the headlines, with up to two birds on Fair Isle and Foula and singles on the Farne Islands, Northumberland, at Seaham, Durham, Easington and Grimston (both Yorkshire) and St.Mary’s, Scilly. Spurn did best, however, with no fewer than three on 13th - an exceptional count for an east coast locality and a nice tally to go alongside their impressive Great Grey Shrike total.
Rustic Buntings were, as ever, much rarer. In a poor autumn for this species, only three were noted, a lingerer on Fetlar, Shetland to 9th and then new arrivals at Warham, Norfolk and Flamborough, Yorkshire on 11th, the latter remaining to 15th. To complete the buntings line-up, a lonely Ortolan Bunting was at Pegwell Bay, Kent on 10th.
The passerine roundup is completed with eight Rose-coloured Starlings , a Black-bellied Dipper and two Hoopoes . The long-staying Rosy Starling was still at Caister, Norfolk on 15th but the others were all at more far-flung locations - Marazion and The Lizard, both Cornwall, Yelland, Devon, St. Agnes and Bryher, Scilly, Tory Island, Donegal and the Butt of Lewis, Western Isles. The Black-bellied Dipper was on Unst, Shetland on 11th to 12th and the Hoopoes at Chidham Point, Sussex on 12th and the Farne Islands, Northumberland on 15th.
Next week the wind swings rapidly into the west and then into the south. The character of next week’s birds therefore looks likely to be very different. The east coast migrants will fade away and the early pulses of Scandinavian irrupters will be extinguished for the time being, perhaps to be replaced by more southern fare. Pallid Swifts and Red-rumped Swallows look likely bets and could Scilly, pretty quiet to date, pull out a real surprise?
Andy Stoddart
16 October 2013
