Weekly birding round-up: 26 Oct - 1 Nov 2021
We closed a rather quiet preceding week’s round up with the wistful, hopeful exhortation that there was time yet for something extraordinary to make landfall in October. But did anyone really expect it to be quite as momentous as this week’s star bird? One of the truly immense blockers of yesteryear was set to fall.
Moreover, this was during a week that, for much of Britain, was characterised by torrential, ceaseless rain – the sort of weather that one would gladly swap for whatever alternative Orkney had to offer, under the circumstances. And what circumstances they were…
Varied Thrush. Do we need to say anything else other than that? As the man of the moment said, no words.
And yet, words there will be.
I mean, there are mythical birds on the British list, and then there’s Varied Thrush. Sure, there are birders out there who saw the aberrantly-plumaged grey ghost that haunted the lush depths of Nanquidno (Cornwall) back in November 1982, but for the vast majority of us, the species existed only on the vintage pages of old copies of British Birds, in the more recent compilation of past glories that was Birds New to Britain and, quite frankly, in our wilder dreams.
Varied Thrush was the stuff of sheer, unbridled fantasy. Not helped by the species having undergone a significant population decline in the meantime – the past forty years haven’t been kind to their kind as a whole, with habitat loss in their breeding range in the Pacific Northwest of North America implicated as a significant cause for concern. With just one subsequent Western Palearctic record in the intervening period, on Iceland in May 2004, there was little grounds for hope that another British bird would be forthcoming any time soon, if ever.
And we’ve all played that game, at some point when we’ve been out birding, of fantasising about finding something extraordinary. Thing is, we all know that the odds of doing so are ridiculously long, and we temper our wild, longing dreams with logic, and aim a little lower. Something achievable. Maybe an American warbler, if we’re really lucky and the Fates smile upon us.
Just sometimes though, dreams do come true. I’m guessing David Roche may never entirely recover from the find of a lifetime on Papa Westray this week on 27th. His tweet announcing what had just happened finished, magnificently, “No words" and yet… there will be words spoken and written about this bird for years to come. Hyperbole? Nope. Just look at that thing…
Because not only was this the find of a lifetime, it would prove to be perhaps the twitch of a lifetime for a good few folk this week, as David’s Varied Thrush stayed faithful to its corner of the island until dusk on 1st. Achingly rare, stunningly beautiful, at times delightfully confiding, and above all, obligingly settled…
Said by the homeowner to have been present for a few days beforehand – perhaps even a couple of weeks – the bird remaining throughout the weekend just gone was a blessing of the highest order. How long it continues to stay is the burning question – the temptation will be growing unbearable this week for some who’ve resisted hitherto. It seems quite content there for now, finding plenty of worms in the short Orcadian turf…
We’ve already seen Long-toed Stint unblocked this year, but that always felt like it would, eventually, be in the post. Varied Thrush belonged to a different class of blocker entirely. It was up there in the stratospheric league of the likes of Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and, a little more recently, Red-breasted Nuthatch, and Golden-winged Warbler. Would there ever be another? Until this week, surely not. And now?
Move over, Northern Mockingbird. 2021 just got real.
Upland Sandpipers are funny things – and that’s not speaking of their comedy googly eyes and thin pencil necks. I’m thinking behaviourally, where they maddeningly inconsistent as vagrant birds. I remember my first, on St Mary’s (Scilly) back in the halcyon days of 1993 – a preposterously fearless bird that walked confidently right up to us at one point. Scilly veterans regaled us that evening with tales of prior birds so tame they’d even take worms from the mouths of birders laid prone on the turf on which they were foraging – tales which, once the ick of the thought of a worm in one’s mouth was swallowed, bore testament to the endearingly bombproof character of some wayward Upland Sandpipers.
And then there are other Upland Sandpipers, the ones that use those immense limpid black eyes to keep strict tabs on everything that’s going on around them, like an incredibly sensitive radar system, ready to fling the bird into nervous flight the moment any potential threat approaches within a couple of hundred metres. Scilly seems to get the former, confiding kind – and Shetland seems to get the latter, skittish variety.
Not that Shetland’s enjoyed many prior birds. Scilly can boast 15 of Britain’s prior 47 accepted records; and Shetland a mere seven. There they spread their favours widely, ‘widely’ being the operative word – all of Shetland’s past records owe themselves to the archipelago’s outer limits. Fair Isle’s had a couple; Foula three; and Unst and Fetlar one apiece. The latter two birds were Shetland’s most recent Upland Sands, and neither was hanging around being confiding – the most recent, on Fetlar, was a one-day bird on 30th September 2017, while the Unst individual managed a mere two days, touring the island on 6th-7th October 2006.
To this nervous roster can be added another bird this week – one that spent the afternoon of 30th spanging about the field system around Haroldswick on Unst until dusk, but wasn’t seen again thereafter. This was one for strictly for locally-based birders and only if they were prepared to be quick out of the blocks heading up to Unst…
Speaking of birds that appear to have got away, news emerging this week on 29th of an Eyebrowed Thrush photographed by a non-birder amongst Redwings feeding in a Rowan tree on 28th at Kincraig would have been a body blow for Highland birders – there was no further sign of Highland’s first Eyebrowed Thrush there on the day the news broke.
Never mind a county first – away from island settings, Eyebrowed Thrushes are distinctly rare beasts and, since the glory days of Scilly some decades back, decidedly hard to come by for any of us. And with many a birder driving through the Highlands en route to a date with Varied Thrush destiny this weekend, the thought of a mouth-watering thrush double would have been on more than one or two minds as the weekend dawned. But no. While the week’s rarest thrush was steadfast on Orkney, the Highland bird appeared to have moved on.
Step forward Pete Stronach and Dave Pullan in the morning of 1st, out for a stroll in Kincraig…
Game on, and with news of this brilliant re-find, at least one car-load of birders, homeward-bound from Orkney an hour south past Kincraig on 1st did a rapid U-turn and headed back deep into the Highlands.
As always at this juncture in the late autumn – or can we now start to call it early winter? – when a Pacific Diver returns to overwinter in British or Irish waters, we marvel at the event – not so many years ago the species was an unthinkable prospect here, but now, with regular annual British and Irish birds, there’s no excuse for anyone so inclined in either country to not have a firm inky tick next to the species on their lists. This week, one was again present in Co.Cork at Crookhaven on 31st.
Records of White-billed Diver calmed down significantly compared with the prior week. In recent days, sightings came from Norfolk, off Cley on 26th, and Winterton again on 28th and 29th; and from Strumble Head (Pembrokeshire), where one was seen on 1st.
Numbers of Little Auks were down too, with a mere 60 or so logged over the course of the week. Three quarters of those were from one site alone – Fife Ness (Fife) regularly topping the daily tallies, with a peak count of 24 birds seen from there on 30th.
Some 40 Pomarine Skuas were noted nationwide, with Devon the best county from which to see them – the week’s highest tally being half a dozen seen from Berry Head on 28th, equalled by a half dozen on 31st from the same vantage point. Just three Long-tailed Skuas were seen this week on 29th – one from Lancing (West Sussex), another from Lewis (Western Isles), and a final bird from Collieston (Aberdeenshire) on 31st.
Balearic Shearwater numbers were modest, with a mere 35 birds logged across the week, predominantly in the English southwest. Of these, nine off Portland (Dorset) on 29th were the highest count. Two Great Shearwaters were noted from Ballycotton (Co.Cork) on 31st, while one was seen lingering off Bamburgh (Northumberland) on 1st.
Finally, Leach’s Petrels were similarly subdued – on 26th, single birds were seen from South Uist (Western Isles) and the RV Celtic Explorer at sea a couple of miles off The Burren (Co.Clare); on 29th one was noted from Pendeen (Cornwall); and on 31st a final bird was seen from Severn Beach (Gloucestershire).
Glossy Ibises were, as we’ve come to expect in these quarters, present in appreciable numbers in Britain and Ireland too once more this past week, with around 30 birds again logged in recent days. The highest count was again at Berry Fen (Cambridgeshire), where six birds remained on 26th-31st; but these were chased close by a quartet in Co.Cork at Timoleague on 30th. Ireland as a whole was doing well for them this week, with a further five individuals noted nationwide, including two at Bunmahon (Co.Waterford) on 29th-30th.
Starting the honkers and quackers again this week with The Goose Formerly Known As Canada, we’ll kick off with interior Todd’s Canada Geese - one was once again seen in Northumberland at Budle Bay on 26th, with an additional bird noted on Tiree (Argyll & Bute) on 28th still, and one in Merseyside near Rainford on 31st.
Elsewhere in Argyll & Bute, on Islay a hutchinsii Richardson’s Cackling Goose was seen on 26th and again on 30th-31st.
Staying on Islay, the Red-breasted Goose was once more noted at Loch Gruinart RSPB on 30th.
Three white Snow Geese were still to be seen at Loch Spynie (Moray) on 28th-1st, while the white bird remained in Merseyside around Lunt on 26th-27th, and another was seen on 1st on South Uist (Western Isles).
At least one, and perhaps as many as three Black Brant were haunting The Fleet in Dorset this week – single birds were seen in Butterstreet Cove on 27th and at Ferrybridge on 29th-30th, while three were reported from the former site on 28th. At the eastern side of the county, one was again seen in Poole Harbour this week, in Wareham Channel on 26th. Further afield, one was seen on the shores of Strangford Lough (Co.Down) on 1st.
And so to the quackers, and we’ve got to start in Ireland at Termoncarragh Lough (Co.Mayo) where it was all going on this week… Specifically, on 28th when, in addition to the lingering drake Black Duck still present that day, a Blue-winged Teal and two American Wigeons were seen.
Elsewhere, American Wigeons were noted at Frampton Marsh RSPB (Lincolnshire) still on 26th-28th and again on 1st; on Islay (Argyll & Bute) on 28th-31st; at Marston Vale Millennium CP (Bedfordshire) on 29th-1st, a welcome county first record; and at Lough Beg (Co.Derry), where a possible bird was seen on 29th.
Numbers of Green-winged Teals were mounting this week, with double figures reached nationwide. All were single birds bar two seen on South Uist (Western Isles) on 27th at Loch Bee – these being one still present on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 26th-31st; one at North Cave Wetlands YWT (East Yorkshire) on 26th-1st still; one still at Blennerville (Co.Kerry) on 28th; one present at Hallington reservoirs (Northumberland) on 26th-28th; one on Barra (Western Isles) on 26th-31st; one still at Kilcoole (Co.Wicklow) on 28th; a bird at Marston sewage works (Lincolnshire) on 30th; on 31st individuals near Nanpean (Cornwall), and at East Coast NR (Co.Wicklow); and on 1st a bird at Kinsale Marsh (Co.Cork), with a further report fromm Udale Bay (Highland) that day too.
The female Ferruginous Duck remained this week at Belvide reservoir (Staffordshire) on 26th-1st, while a drake was seen at Welney WWT (Norfolk) on 30th.
Both recent Lesser Scaups were again logged in recent days, these being the drake in Somerset still at Chew Valley Lake on 26th-31st, and the juvenile still present in Scilly on Tresco on 26th-1st. One of the week’s more remarkable records concerned three birds seen briefly on the River Tamar (Cornwall) off Kingsmill Lake on 29th before flying off, not to be relocated subsequently.
Numbers of Ring-necked Ducks were picking up again this week, with some 25 birds noted across Britain and Ireland. Amongst the many single birds were some multiples – in Cornwall, the four drakes remained at Dozmary Pool still on 26th-28th; two were seen at Siblyback Lake (Cornwall) on 27th and 31st; two remained on Tiree (Argyll & Bute) on 28th-29th; two were present on Monalty Lough (Co.Monaghan) on 1st; and three drakes were seen on Lough Neagh (Co.Armagh) on 29th.
Pick of the seaducks was, indubitably, the return of the drake White-winged Scoter to the chilly waters off Musselburgh (Lothian) on 26th, and again on 30th-1st, sharing the site with two Surf Scoters on 30th and three in the area on 31st. Overall, around a dozen Surf Scoters were seen nationally, with a further Scottish duo noted off Harris (Western Isles) on 29th.
Finally, while the drake King Eider remained in Spey Bay (Moray) on 27th and a further Moray sighting came on 31st from Hopeman Point, a new drake was found in the sheltered voe at Wadbister (Shetland) on 28th-1st, and Musselburgh (Lothian) struck again with a first-winter drake seen from there on 31st.
One has to question when the White-tailed Lapwing is going to move on from Blacktoft Sands RSPB (East Yorkshire) – someday soon, surely? But for now, this week, it was still present there throughout on 26th-1st.
While we’ve become similarly accustomed to regular reports of the Semipalmated Plover still present in Co.Cork at Crookhaven in recent weeks – and it was still there this week on 28th-30th – Ireland scored a second individual this week, found on 28th at Blackrock (Co.Kerry).
The adult American Golden Plover remained in Co.Kerry at Carrahane Strand still on 27th but, overall, numbers of them were contracting this week – other single birds being logged at Steart WWT (Somerset) still on 27th-1st, and in Cornwall at Polgigga and near St Just on 30th, and at Crows-an-Wra on 31st-1st. Back in Ireland, four were reported from Ballycotton (Co.Cork) on 30th.
A handful of late Dotterel were found this week – three in Co.Wicklow at Blackhill on 28th, and one in the Deben estuary area of Suffolk on 30th-1st.
Numbers of Pectoral Sandpipers fell well down into single figures in recent days – single birds being noted only at Frampton Marsh RSPB (Lincolnshire) still on 26th-1st, Port Meadow (Oxfordshire) still on 26th-30th, Bowling Green Marsh RSPB (Devon) on 27th, at Balmore Pond (Clyde) still on 26th-1st, and at Banks Marsh NNR (Lancashire) briefly on 31st.
A juvenile White-rumped Sandpiper was found on 28th at Bannow Bay (Co.Wexford).
On St Mary’s (Scilly), the juvenile Spotted Sandpiper was still present on 27th-1st.
While the Long-billed Dowitcher remained this week at Lough Beg (Co.Derry) on 29th, another was seen on Islay (Argyll & Bute) on 29th-30th.
Ireland accounted for all of the week’s Lesser Yellowlegs - one present on 30th at Ballycotton (Co.Cork) and another, also on 30th, was at Rahasane Turlough (Co.Galway); while one remained at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) on 30th.
Significant local news came late in the week for Northumberland birders, with a Wilson’s Phalarope found near Lucker at Newstead Flash – while far from a first for the county, being the ninth record to date, it was however the first for some time, the last record dating back to August 2008.
Finally, Grey Phalaropes climbed into low double figures this week, with some 18 birds noted nationwide. One lingered on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 28th-31st, but the remainder were generally more transitory – birds seen from points from Fetlar and Yell (Shetland) in the north to The Lizard (Cornwall) in the south. Three passing Strumble Head (Pembrokeshire) on 1st were the highest single site tally.
Mirroring the drop in Grey Phalarope numbers, just four Sabine’s Gulls were noted in recent days – one seen from Rame Head (Cornwall) on 27th; another from Frinton-on-Sea (Essex) on 29th; and on 31st, single birds off St Ives (Cornwall) and Eastbourne (East Sussex).
An adult Bonaparte’s Gull was seen in Co.Cork at Owenahincha on 28th; while on 1st, another was seen in Northumberland at Stag Rocks.
The adult Ring-billed Gull remained at Blackrock (Co.Louth) on 28th-31st, while another was seen in Co.Kerry at Blennerville on 29th-30th.
Numbers of both white-wingers were rather subdued again this week, though with a spell of northerlies coming up in the week ahead that’s surely set to change. But for now, Glaucous Gulls were logged at Coleraine (Co.Derry) on 29th still; on 28th on North Uist (Western Isles); on 29th at Dunnet Bay (Highland); on 30th in Shetland at Pool of Virkie, Tingwall, and on Unst; on 31st at Spey Bay (Moray); and on 1st in Shetland from Unst, and at Boddam and Grutness, the latter site holding two birds. Iceland Gulls, meanwhile, were noted at Scarborough (North Yorkshire) on 27th, and in Northumberland at Budle Bay on 26th and Newbiggin on 28th.
Very peaceful times indeed where raptors of note were concerned this week – the only glimmer of excitement coming with the report of a probable dark morph Gyr at dusk at Cardiff Bay (Glamorgan) on 30th.
Out on St Kilda (Western Isles), the stalwart female Snowy Owl was still present on 27th.
While the week’s biggest passerine news was owned, emphatically, by Scotland, that’s not to say there weren’t one or two other notable birds found elsewhere in recent days. Perhaps pick of the bunch was in Suffolk, where the county’s sixth Isabelline Wheatear was seen briefly on beach at Minsmere RSPB on 29th – alas, not to be seen there latterly in the day, with a late Northern Wheatear present offering scant consolation.
Rather more obliging, a couple more American Buff-bellied Pipits were unearthed this week on 30th – one on The Lizard (Cornwall), and the other at Ring Strand (Co.Cork), the former bird remaining present on 31st.
Other scarce pipits this week were an Olive-backed Pipit on St Mary’s (Scilly) on 28th-1st, with a further possible on Lundy (Devon) on 28th; and Richard’s Pipits on St Martin’s on 26th and St Mary’s (Scilly) on 27th-31st, North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 30th with two there on 31st, and at Llanon (Ceredigion) on 30th.
A couple of possible Eastern Yellow Wagtails teased their observers this week – one on 26th over Breydon Water (Norfolk), and the other on Islay (Argyll & Bute) on 28th.
In Shetland, the Red-flanked Bluetail remained at Voe on 26th-27th, with another found a few miles away at Swining on 27th.
A Bluethroat was in the south of Shetland Mainland at Toab on 28th.
An eastern stonechat sp was found on Yell (Shetland) on 1st – an identity to resolve in the coming days…
On Scilly, Red-breasted Flycatchers were seen on St Mary’s on 26th-28th, and St Martin’s on 29th-30th; while another – or a Taiga Flycatcher - was present at the other end of the country in Orkney on Westray on 26th-27th.
Back on Shetland to start the warblers, the Western Bonelli’s Warbler remained at Tresta on 28th, while the Hume’s Warbler was at Boddam still on 27th-28th.
Nationally some 40 Yellow-browed Warblers were, like a persistent hangover, a lingering reminder of what might have been had the autumn only turned out otherwise.
An effervescent antidote came to Unst (Shetland) on 31st-1st in the always gorgeous form of a Pallas’s Warbler; another was found on 1st on Isle of May (Fife).
In Cleveland, the Arctic Warbler clung on to Hartlepool Headland on 26th-30th, with another found on St Mary’s (Scilly) on 1st.
A Radde’s Warbler was fresh in on the Isle of May (Fife) on 31st-1st, and was followed by another at Sullom (Shetland) on 1st.
Further new arrivals came in the form of a couple of subalpine warbler sp this week – one present at Landguard NR (Suffolk) on 28th followed, on 29th-30th, by one thought probably to be a Western Subalpine Warbler on St Mary’s (Scilly).
Elsewhere in the southwest, a Marsh Warbler was trapped and ringed at Nanjizal Valley (Cornwall) on 26th; and a Barred Warbler was present at Dawlish Warren NNR (Devon) on 30th-31st. Another Barred Warbler was found on Shetland at Catfirth on 1st.
A Blyth’s Reed Warbler was seen briefly on 1st on Papa Westray (Orkney).
Cornwall retained its recent Brown Shrike at Pendeen on 26th-30th; late Red-backed Shrikes were found in Wales at Llanon (Ceredigion) on 30th, and in Scotland on Mull at Aron Castle (Argyll & Bute) on 31st-1st.
A Great Grey Shrike was present at Waxham (Norfolk) on 26th-1st; another was found in the traditional winter quarters of the New Forest (Hampshire) at Backley Bottom (Hampshire) on 27th-1st.
Bryher (Scilly) attracted a late Wryneck on 26th-29th.
Hoopoes proved relatively numerous, given the time of year – starting on Scilly, one remained on Bryher on 26th-30th, while one was seen on St Mary’s on 30th from the Scillonian, and once again from dry land on 31st; other lingering birds were in Dorset near Upton at Slough Lane allotments on 26th-30th, and Warwick (Warwickshire) on 26th-1st; and further new sightings came from Brechfa Forest (Carmarthenshire) on 27th, Mizen Head (Co.Cork) on 28th, Harris (Western Isles) on 30th, Helpston (Cambridgeshire) where a bird still present on 30th had been there for the preceding eleven days also, and finally in Surbiton (London) on 1st.
A Short-toed Lark was found in Norfolk at West Runton on 29th-1st, while another probable was reported from North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 30th.
A handful of Rose-coloured Starlings were noted this week – one still present in Paignton (Devon) on 26th-30th; one in Kent at Hythe still on 28th; one seen on St Mary’s (Scilly) on 29th-30th; and one more probable in Lincolnshire at Saltfleetby Theddlethorpe NNR on 27th.
Our only Common Rosefinch this week was one again on Portland (Dorset) on 28th.
Shetland and Orkney continued to hold a few hornemanni Arctic Redpolls lately – in Shetland, one on Unst still at Northdale on 26th; another at Sound on the outskirts of Lerwick on 26th-27th; and one up at Brae on 1st; and one more on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 28th.
A Serin was present on Tresco (Scilly) on 27th.
Also present on Scilly, a Little Bunting was seen on St Mary’s on 26th and 30th. Another was still to be seen on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 26th; while one or possibly two were present on Fair Isle (Shetland) on 28th.
We’ll start the overseas news this week with a couple of national firsts which, in WP Top Trumps, surely beat a ninth record for the Azores… more of which shortly, though.
So, to Israel first where, on 31st, the country’s first ever Black-faced Bunting was trapped and ringed at Heffer Valley ringing station.
And then, closer to home, in Belgium on 31st-1st, the country’s first Western Swamphen was brightening up Het Vinne.
Meanwhile in neighbouring Holland this week, the first Dutch Eastern Olivaceous Warbler remained settled at Nieuwvliet-Bad on 26th-31st, while the resident Pygmy Cormorant remained around Utrecht on 26th-1st, and a Black-winged Kite was seen at Maashorst on 27th.
In France, Ouessant’s remarkable run of form showed no sign of easing off, with a Brown Shrike on there on 31st-1st.
Purple Swamphen, Porphyrio porphyrio photographed at Het Vinne, Zoutleeuw, Flemish Brabant, by Erwin Collaerts - the 1st record for Belgium pic.twitter.com/JwPtpWgpyX
— Tarsiger (@TarsigerTeam) October 31, 2021
This was preceded by another Brown Shrike on 30th, this one found in Sweden on Öland.
Spreading our wings wider and moving back further afield, a japonicus Asian Buff-bellied Pipit was noted flying over Turkey’s Kizilirmak Delta on 30th.
In Morocco, a moribund Yellow-billed Cuckoo was a remarkable find at Khnifiss Lagoon on 31st.
And then to the Azores… where, on 30th, the ninth Least Bittern for the archipelago was taken into care on Flores.
Meanwhile, Terceira held onto Solitary Sandpiper and Great Blue Heron on 27th, and Snowy Egret and Belted Kingfisher on 27th-29th; while, on Pico on 31st, another Great Blue Heron was seen.
Which brings us finally for this week to Corvo where, on 28th, cream of the crop was a Dickcissel; with a supporting cast of Northern Parula on 26th, American Coot and Northern Harrier on 27th-28th and, on 1st, a Great Blue Heron and an egretta American Great White Egret.
Without wishing to tempt Fate, we couldn’t possibly be in for an upset in coming days like the one Orkney enjoyed last week. Could we?
Well, on paper, we might yet enjoy another roll of the year’s dice. History tells us the first week of November could yet serve up something pretty damn good…
Receding into the mists of time somewhat nowadays, Britain’s first American Purple Gallinule was picked up dying in a gutter on St Mary’s (Scilly) on 7th November 1958… while Britain’s first Snowy Egret was identified in Argyll & Bute at Balvicar on 5th November 2001.
And if you like your firsts for Britain from a different point of the compass entirely, there’s the not insignificant matter of our one and only Long-tailed Shrike, identified on South Uist (Western Isles) on 3rd November 2000.
Which is all very well and good but, given the coming week appears to be somewhat dominated by northerlies, may all be rather moot. While Gyrs and white-winged gulls might be in the offing, there’s one passerine that the first week of November often heralds, and it’s one that seems able to slip in come what may weather-wise. That is, of course, Desert Wheatear - a good call for anyone working a coastal patch at this time of year.
Jon Dunn
3 Nov 2021
Many thanks to all this week's contributors for your photos and videos
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