Weekly birding round-up: 28 Mar - 03 Apr 2018
Here in Shetland there’s a folklore tradition known as ‘the borrowing days’ – these are the three days from March 29th into the start of April. Legend has it that the weather on these three days will determine the weather to come in the coming months of May, June and July. It’s about as scientific as consulting Punxsutawney Phil, the legendary rodent star of Groundhog Day, but without the actual groundhog.
So, this past week… good news for this summer in Shetland, as we’ve had days and days of mostly unbroken sunshine. It’s been ace. Not so great in the rest of the country, with wind, rain and yet more snow. Sorry about that. If the borrowing days are to be believed you’re in for a repeat of the infamous barbecue summer of 2009.
But what did all this mean in the here and now for the changing of the guard from winter birds to spring migration? Grab a cuppa – it’s time for the weekly Rarity Round Up.
Regular readers in these parts will know that myself and my erstwhile colleague Mark Golley view Hooded Mergansers with a certain, jaded, cynicism. It’s hard, after all, to give credence to records of a highly ornamental and relatively commonplace-in-captivity quacker when they turn up in unflattering circumstances – particularly in instances when they have captive brethren pootling around a farmyard duckpond in the very near vicinity.
(Chilham (Kent), that means you…)
Then again, there’s definitely a feel-good factor to an American duck turning up on a remote island in the early throes of spring. Well, mostly. This warm bonhomie didn’t, randomly, apply to the drake Wood Duck found on Shetland on 16th April – 21st June 2009, but it certainly did to the drake Hooded Merganser that lingered on Unst on 15th April – 2nd May 2005. I know, that doesn’t seem particularly consistent to me either, but what the heck – basically, the bar’s not set particularly high nowadays for Hooded Mergansers, so it’s down to the individual birder’s morality to choose one that feels ‘right’.
One that definitely does feel pukka was found this week on St.Kilda (Western Isles) – a smart drake present on Hirta on 29th-3rd. Not the first for the Western Isles, nor remotely accessible, but a stunning and unexpected find this week for those out there on the western frontier.
Much less contentious all round are scoters – unlikely to be bothering captive duck-fanciers any time soon, though frankly anyone who’s seen the drake American White-winged Scoter off Musselburgh (Lothian) this week might justifiably wonder why ever not, as it’s an absolute belter – a gorgeous, dapper black and white beastie.
Still present throughout this week, this was to provide a welcome Easter distraction for those birders prepared to do the long miles to Edinburgh.
For birders based in the south of England, the female alpestris/hoyti/pratincola Horned Lark in Surrey at Staines reservoir may have proved a more convenient and less relationship-jeopardising option over the Easter weekend. Still present on 3rd, her stay now extends into another month – though surely she’ll be moving on shortly?
Our rare seabirds this week were, once more, all about the divers. Starting in Cornwall with the rarer of the two Gavia options, the adult Pacific Diver was still to be seen in Gerrans Bay on 29th-31st, while in Co.Cork the adult bird was again off Crookhaven quay on 2nd.
Moving onto the heftier banana bills, Portsoy (Aberdeenshire) once again hosted the lion’s share of White-billed Diver sightings this week, with one bird noted off there on 31st, at least half a dozen there the following day, and a single bird seen there again on 2nd-3rd. Elsewhere, sightings came in more or less daily: one was off Barra (Western Isles) on 28th-29th, while Lewis claimed one on 28th and two the following day; one was seen on 28th from Corsewall Point (Dumfries & Galloway), with an English sighting the following day off the Farne Islands (Northumberland); and on 1st single birds were seen off Yell (Shetland) and Cullen (Moray).
The first sign of spring being in the air came this week in the form of some variety from the usual procession of wintering egrets we’ve become accustomed to lately – an adult Night Heron was found on 31st at Aldeburgh (Suffolk), and seen again there on 3rd.
Meanwhile, Cattle Egrets were still omnipresent this week, with reports of some 30 birds in all, largely from the usual places – the peak count being 10 birds again in Cornwall near Helford on 31st, while one in Ireland at Tomhaggard (Co.Wexford) on 30th-2nd served as a reminder that it’s not all about apparently settled birds in England – they’re moving around the region, and spreading their wings further afield too.
Some 70 Great White Egrets were logged again this week, a modest drop on the preceding week’s 90 birds, and comprised predominantly singletons but with some small groups here and there too. Peak count this week once more came from Somerset where, at Greylake RSPB on 31st, four birds were noted again.
No great change this week in the numbers Spoonbills, with some 60 birds once again noted across the region, but once more with a bias to the south of England and East Anglia. That said, one of the highest confirmed tallies of the week came from Cleveland where, on 30th, half a dozen were seen in flight over Saltholme RSPB; on 3rd six were seen in Poole Harbour (Dorset) off Shipstal Point, while on 1st eight birds were reported on the Isle of Wight at Newton NNR.
A number of by now quite familiar faces head up this week’s Glossy Ibises, starting in England where the single birds remained at Minsmere RSPB (Suffolk) until 2nd and Lydney (Gloucestershire) until 2nd, with another seen in Cornwall at Landulph on 3rd; and in Ireland, where one of the recent duo remained at East Coast NR (Co.Wicklow) until 30th, and one was again on Garretstown Marsh (Co.Cork) on 30th-31st. Other Irish sightings came on 31st from Cahore Marsh (Co.Wexford) and Ballinspittle (Co.Cork); while in Scotland, on Tiree (Argyll & Bute), a bird first noted on 25th remained there this week until 30th.
The first-winter Common Crane remained on Orkney at Deerness this week until 1st, while other wanderers were noted in England – on 31st a trio passed over Barnby and other sites in Suffolk, and a duo were noted from Kilnsea (East Yorkshire); and on 1st one was seen flying over Carburton (Nottinghamshire), while three were present on Thorne Moors NNR (South Yorkshire). Two birds were noted near Yaxley (Cambridgeshire) on 2nd.
Speaking of wanderers, either from near or afar, White Storks once more exercised birders this week with several sightings that might, or might not, relate to wild birds. A ringed individual remained at Baston Fen (Lincolnshire) as the week began on 28th, while one was seen that day also over Ramsey (Cambridgeshire). On 29th one was seen at various sites in Suffolk, not least near Hollesley Marshes RSPB where, in an act of supreme irony given the species’ propensity for hopping the wire, it briefly chose to land on the nearby prison’s chimney… On 31st one was seen in London over Chingford; and on 1st a ringed individual was seen from Stevenage (Hertfordshire) and Broom (Bedfordshire).
Three Cackling Geese reported amongst 2,000 Barnacle Geese at Ballintemple (Co.Sligo) on 30th mean that, once again, we can start our paddle through the week’s interesting honkers and quackers with the Goose Formerly Known As Canada.
It was Snow Geese, however, that dominated the goose side of things this week, with seven birds in all noted – possibly a weekly record, if anyone was counting, though whether we should include the two white morphs at Powderham (Devon) again on 31st is a moot point – one of the more startling news reports this week was of 93(!) Snow Geese on the south side of Farmoor reservoir (Oxfordshire), which if accurate rather calls into question any of their kind in the south of England. (Random question – if that was a flock of 93 Hooded Mergansers would any of their kind ever be deemed free of the risk of escape from captivity? Discuss…)
Birds seen in more traditional northerly stations were a white duo at Loch of Strathbeg RSPB (Aberdeenshire) on 28th; the white morph again on Berneray (Western Isles) on 29th-31st; and on 1st a white bird on Orkney at Loch of Skaill, and an intermediate morph in Moray at Coltfield, this latter bird hanging out with the Pink-footed Geese also the following day.
Making a change on recent weeks, we only had two Black Brants reported this week – one again on Walney Island (Cumbria) on 28th-1st, and one at Kilnsea (East Yorkshire) once more on 28th-29th.
Just one drake American Wigeon remained of the wintering birds, this being the bird still at Rutland Water (Leicestershire) on 31st.
Just over half a dozen Green-winged Teals were logged this week. We start on 28th at Keyhaven (Hampshire), where one was found and remained until 3rd – potentially not the rarest bird at Keyhaven this week by quite some margin… North Uist (Western Isles) hosted two birds at Balranald RSPB on 29th-30th, with on Loch Sandary still on 30th-31st. One was again at Kilnsea (East Yorkshire) on 31st and again on 3rd, while on 1st-3rd one was noted in at Ballycarry (Co.Antrim). On 3rd one was seen in Co.Kerry off Blennerville.
Sour times in Somerset on April Fool’s Day when a report of a Baikal Teal at Portishead (Somerset), rather predictably, turned out to be a hoax… Yawn.
In Highland, the drake Black Duck was again seen at Strontian on 1st.
The drake Lesser Scaup was once more at Dozmary Pool (Cornwall) on 30th-31st, while another putative drake was seen in Co.Armagh at Lough Neagh on 29th-2nd, with its identity being confirmed on 2nd. The drake Ferruginous Duck was once more noted in Powys at Llan Bwch-llyn Lake on 30th-3rd, while a female was seen on 1st in Co.Armagh at Oxford Island NNR.
Numbers of Ring-necked Ducks remained relatively high, with double figures again noted this week. We’ll start in Scotland where, on Benbecula (western Isles), the drake was still on Coot Loch on 28th; another drake in Edinburgh on Figgate Park Pond (Lothian) on 28th may also account for the sighting on 1st-2nd at Blackford Pond, while on 29th one was again noted on Duddingstone Loch; and on 29th-30th the Highland drake was still present on Loch Shiel. In Lincolnshire a drake was once more at Bagmoor on 28th-30th, with a further sighting on 1st from Far Ings NR. Drakes also remained at Ouse Washes RSPB (Cambridgeshire) on 30th and Beesands Ley (Devon) on 30th-2nd; and the female in Wales remained at the National Wetlands Centre WWT (Carmarthenshire) on 29th-3rd. On 3rd the drake was still to be found at Ashton’s Callows NR (Co.Tipperary).
The female King Eider was still present in Co.Cork at Toormore on 30th-31st.
Good numbers of Surf Scoter were still available this week, starting in Cornwall where, at Lower Porthpean, the wintering trio were once more seen on 31st-3rd; and in Wales, two were again off Old Colwyn (Conwy) on 29th-30th. Scottish sightings came from Musselburgh (Lothian) daily, with two in Gullane Bay on 29th; the drake off Taransay (Western Isles) once more on 30th; the drake again seen from Ruddons Point (Fife) on 1st; and, in Shetland, the drake logged once more in the Bluemull Sound on 31st. In Ireland, the drake was again in Co.Meath at Ben Head on 30th, with a drake that day also in Co.Clare at Gleninagh Quay and, on 31st, off Coolsiva Quay; and two were seen from Balbriggan (Co.Dublin) on 31st-1st again, with four off there on 3rd.
Finally, both of our recent honorary waterbirds, the Pied-billed Grebes at Spiggie (Shetland) and Loch Feorlin (Argyll & Bute), were seen again this week – the former on 29th-2nd still, and the latter once more on 1st.
Once again this week we tip our hats to a Long-billed Dowitcher for enlivening what would, otherwise, have been very slim pickings indeed – this time not the Kentish adult bird, but instead the first-winter seen once more in Ireland at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) on 30th-2nd.
Meanwhile the Grey Phalarope was still to be seen from Low Newton-by-the-Sea (Northumberland) on 28th-1st; with one seen from Spurn (East Yorkshire) on 2nd.
Potentially trumping all of these was the probable Pacific Golden Plover seen on 2nd at Slains (Aberdeenshire) before inconsiderately flying off.
Top of the class this week goes, naturally, to the first-winter American Herring Gull still being seen, intermittently, in Co.Clare at Kilkee between 30th-1st.
Irish Ring-billed Gulls, meanwhile, were starting to get a bit thin on the ground: Co.Kerry accounted for sightings of adult birds at Tralee Bay Wetlands Centre again on 28th-3rd and Blennerville on 1st-2nd; an adult was logged in Dublin (Co.Dublin) on 30th and again on 2nd; and two birds – an adult and a second-summer – were at Cuskinny Marsh (Co.Cork) on 31st. The two recent English regulars were once more reported as the week wore on – at Blashford Lakes HWT (Hampshire) on 31st, and the first-winter again at Newquay (Cornwall) on 1st.
Numbers of white-wingers remained more or less unchanged again this week, comprising around 100 Glaucous Gulls, with a peak count of 13 birds on North Uist at Rubh’ Arnal on 1st, and some 200 Iceland Gulls, with a peak count of the latter of 17 birds again on North Uist on 1st. Kumlien’s Gulls meanwhile were somewhat diminished this week, with just the following birds noted – the juvenile again on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 30th-2nd; the adult again at Greencastle (Co.Donegal) on 31st; a second-winter bird reported from Highland at Thurso on 30th-31st; a juvenile at Grafham Water (Cambridgeshire) on 1st; and the third-winter individual still at Blennerville (Co.Kerry) on 2nd. On 3rd an adult was in Newquay (Cornwall), while the second-winter was again seen on South Uist (Western Isles) that day at Ardvule.
A Rough-legged Buzzard was reported over Nor Marsh and Motney Hill RSPB (Kent) on 1st; but this was, of course, far from the most intriguing Buteo seen this week... That particular honour going, of course, to the putative Long-legged Buzzard seen heading ESE over Keyhaven shortly after midday on 2nd. A pale morph adult, this represented a big buzzard call – one that would, if proven, of course represent a first record for Britain.
They’ve got close-ish in the past, with sightings in the past three years from Belgium and Holland. Where once the naysayers would’ve had us believe that the English Channel represented an insurmountable psychological barrier for large raptors, now, several Short-toed Eagles to the good, we know a little better.
On this occasion, unlike many a past recent claim of Booted Eagle or Eleonora’s Falcon, we’ve got photos too. While not the sharpest images in the world – Alan Lewis, understandably, blasted away with the camera as the bird flew by – one can immediately see why the bird caught his attention, as the rufous orangey tones on the otherwise pale underparts are so striking. Have you ever seen a Common Buzzard looking like that? No, me neither.
Predictably, these were grainy photos that would elicit some JFK grassy knoll-style online analysis and punditry. Broadly speaking, that coalesced into two initial camps – those who felt it looked pretty good for Long-legged - and those who felt the photos didn’t exclude a pale Common Buzzard, particularly on the basis of the apparently broad trailing edge to the underwing and the Common Buzzard-esque isolated comma carpal marking. Matters appeared to take a further turn for the unusually rufous, pale Common Buzzard later on when sharper images of the bird in question – or a second pale, gingery bird, if we’re opting for the two bird-theory – taken on 30th at Hinton St George (Somerset) emerged online. So, for now, a close call… but surely, eventually, one of these handsome birds will unequivocally make it to Britain.
Last, but not least before we move onto the passerines, a female Snowy Owl was seen on 30th in Wales at St.David’s Head (Pembrokeshire), and again there on 3rd, while the first-winter female was once more seen on Tresco (Scilly) in the early morning of 3rd.
Without much by way of helpful winds from the continent, we’ve fairly slim pickings still where unusual passerines are concerned this week – which we’ll kick off with a new Penduline Tit, found singing at Lowestoft (Suffolk) as the week drew to a close on 2nd. We’ve already been treated to the long-staying bird in Gloucestershire this year – it’s early days yet to see whether this latest individual will remain true to his new territory for any length of time, but he was still present and in song on 3rd.
Staying with Suffolk a while longer, the male Bluethroat was still present at Landguard NR on 2nd-3rd, while on 1st-3rd in Northumberland another dazzling male was at Newbiggin-by-the-Sea and, on 3rd, another was found singing in Lincolnshire at East Halton, with a further bird found in the evening that day on Flamborough (East Yorkshire).
A Hoopoe was seen on 3rd in Cornwall near Lizard village.
If spring wasn’t exactly roaring like a lion yet, winter wasn’t entirely firing on all cylinders either this week. Numbers of Waxwings were frankly dismal, with the settled duo at Longbenton (Northumberland) reduced to one bird there by 1st; and one seen at Whiteness Head (Highland) on 28th, with three that day also at Eccleshall (South Yorkshire). And that was it.
Great Grey Shrikes were still a late winter fixture, albeit in reduced numbers in the general absence of sightings from Gloucestershire this week. In Dorset, one of the recent two birds was seen again at Morden Bog NNR on 28th-1st; the Cropwell Bishop (Nottinghamshire) individual was still present until 30th, while the Prestwick Carr (Northumberland) bird lingered until 1st; the Baulking (Oxfordshire) bird was again seen on 31st-2nd, while in Berkshire one was still at West Ilsley on 1st. The recent Welsh individual was seen again in the Clocaenog Forest (Denbighshire) on 30th, while on 21st in Scotland one was seen at Innerhadden (Perth & Kinross). On 3rd one was found at Bempton Cliffs RSPB (East Yorkshire), and one was noted at Hawling (Gloucestershire) again.
In Norfolk four probable Parrot Crossbills were seen at Horsford Common on 30th, while at least four exilipes Arctic Redpolls were identified at Felthorpe on 31st, with three still present there on 1st-2nd and at least two still on 3rd. The settled Arctic Redpoll remained at Hazlewood Common (Suffolk) until 3rd, and in Moray one remained at Wood of Ordiequish on 31st.
A Serin was noted on 3rd in Co.Wicklow in a garden at Greystones.
The unseasonal Common Rosefinch was seen again in Devon this week in a Plymstock garden on 31st.
Finally, the Walthamstow Little Bunting was reported daily until 3rd.
Both recent Pygmy Cormorants remained on the near continent this week – in Belgium one was still at Parc Domaine du val Duchesse on 29th-1st, while in France one remained at Drome on 28th still.
Germany scored a Dusky Thrush at Mecklenburg on 1st.
In Spain, two birds from recent weeks reared their heads once more – the adult Thayer’s Gull was again seen in Galicia at Lago fish pond on 31st, while the Steppe Grey Shrike was once more noted in Girona at Serra de Daro on 28th-29th. On the Canary Islands a White-crowned Black Wheatear was seen on Lanzarote on 30th; and the recent Dwarf Bittern was still finding Fuerteventura to its liking on 2nd.
Sticking with islands, Cyprus appeared to be the place to be this week, with a glut of good birds seen, most notably what appears to be a form ocularis East Siberian Wagtail on 28th-2nd at Akrotiri, with a Blyth’s Pipit present on the island on 28th for its 16th day at Mandria.
The Lesser Flamingo remained north of Eilat (Israel) on 28th.
A wadi northeast of Oudane (Mauritania) hosted three Golden Nightjars and five African Grey Woodpeckers on 28th. In Egypt, on 30th, a Wahlberg’s Eagle was seen near Ras Ghareb.
So, early April. A lot’s hinging on just which way the wind may blow, and whether it will open the door for some drift from Europe. Given a waft of something from a southerly or south-easterly direction and we could be on for a Black Stork or a Black-winged Stilt.
Nearctic waders blown over here in the past autumn will be on the move too, and past records suggest almost anything is possible from a relatively commonplace Long-billed Dowitcher through to a more rarefied Western Sandpiper. The moral of this being to keep checking those shorebirds in the coming week.
And then there’s the usual roll-call of southern European warblers that could, with a helping hand from the weather, make it here. Subalpine, Sardinian, maybe a nice Western Bonelli’s… All are possible.
But so much hinges on the weather now. Failing all of the above and it may yet be another cold wet week and another rare ducky… It’s been quite a while since our last Canvasback, and the past week sports a record from Essex in early April 1999 at Abberton reservoir. Maybe time we had another?
Jom Dunn
04 April 2018
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