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Weekly birding round-up: 23 - 29 Nov 2021

 

On 7th November 2021 Christian Cederroth summarised an influx of Brünnich's Guillemots to Sweden where following two on 22nd October at least 10 were recorded in early November, especially remarkable given there had only been 40 previous records in the country. East coast seawatchers were already primed but with the weather this week dominated by a dramatic low pressure system - named Storm Arwen - that moved south into the North Sea on 26th and 27th bringing gale force northerly winds to the east coast a unique opportunity arose to see Brünnich's Guillemot on the east coast.

The first to be found was before the storm, in Holkham Bay, Norfolk before relocating to Wells Harbour where over a period of over two hours the health of the bird deteriorated and when handled it soon died. Remarkably this will be the first accepted record of Brünnich's Guillemot for Norfolk although strong claims of birds passing Cley on 12th November 2007 and 4th December 2009 may be reviewed in time. Later on 26th a Brünnich's Guillemot flew east past St Agnes Head, Cornwall; an unexpected location. The 27th may simply have proved too windy for would be birders to locate further individuals although one was suspected at Kinghorn, Fife.

On 28th lighter winds allowed seabirds to relocate north along the coast and at 09:05 a Brünnich's Guillemot flew north past Hartlepool Headland, Cleveland, with perhaps the same later passing Whitburn, County Durham at 11:25, and in Northumberland Tynemouth at 11:35, Cullercoats at 11:45, St Mary's Island at 11:55, Newbiggin at 12:14, Snab Point at 12:16, and finally Low Hauxley at 12:30. A second bird passed north at Whitby, North Yorkshire at 09:47. Back in County Durham a probable at Sunderland at 11:15 was followed by one on the sea at Hendon between 11:54-12:05 with perhaps this bird flying north past Whitburn at 12:35. The fourth Brünnich's Guillemot of the day flew north at Whitburn at 12:02 (the second of three at this site) and was suspected to have passed Tynemouth, Northumberland at 12:10. Finally further birds were suspected at Hendon, County Durham at 14:00 and off Fife Ness, Fife mid afternoon.

On 29th one flew north past Whitburn, County Durham at 08:22 with presumably the same individual passing Cullercoats, Northumberland at 09:08 and then suspected on the sea there at 11:15. In Aberdeenshire a probable Brünnich's Guillemot flew north at Inverbervie at 08:40 and perhaps the same bird was confirmed at Collieston at 11:50. At 12:56 one was on the sea at Torness, Lothian.

To add context to these sightings of the 47 accepted records of Brünnich's Guillemot in Britain 26 have been dead when found. Of the other 21 three have been located offshore, and three have been in breeding colonies of Guillemots. Of the remainder six have been on the Shetland Isles and only five have occurred along the mainland coast of the North Sea:

• Musselburgh, Lothian 27th March 1993
• Seafield, Lothian 6th February 1994
• Girdle Ness, Aberdeenshire 7th November 2007
• Filey, North Yorkshire 3rd December 2013
• Anstruther, Fife 25th-29th Setember 2016 then died

Yet in this influx eight were recorded along the mainland coast of the North Sea in four days! And prior to this week there had only been three live Brünnich's Guillemots in England ever.

 

The Belted Kingfisher discovered in Lancashire near Brockholes on the River Ribble at Red Scar Wood on 8th November by George Shannon and seen again in the exact same place on 14th November was finally pinned down this week. Eddie Williamson had persevered with his search for the bird and made numerous visits to the mouth of Tunbrook before he relocated the bird on 25th after which it remained until 29th.

Access difficulties hampered the search throughout and the bird continued to prove frustratingly elusive to most but showed well on occasion. This is the fifth record of Belted Kingfisher in Britain with a further five in Ireland, and previous wintering records here have lingered until 21st March, 25th April, and into June, whilst three of the others had their stays cut short by being shot, so everyone should have plenty of opportunities to see this magnificent bird before it departs.

 

Long-awaited news broadcast this week was the addition of Ross's Goose to the British List based on an adult that was discovered with Pink-footed Geese at Plex Moss, Lancashire on 5th December 1970 and then returned to winter in the area for the next three consecutive winters.

A Ross's Goose discovered this winter with Pink-footed Geese at Montrose Basin, Angus on 20th-23rd October relocated to Fail, Ayrshire on 4th-8th November and this week appeared at nearby Hunterston on 28th. Utilising a combination of previous records published in BBRC reports and sightings broadcast by Rare Bird Alert this is perhaps the nineteenth vagrant Ross's Goose to have occurred in Britain and the fifteenth to accompany Pink-footed Geese here (although with individuals presumably returning in consecutive winters and visiting multiple counties such a total can only ever be a best guess). As yet there are no records of Ross's Goose in Ireland.

Ross's Goose is not uncommon in captivity and escapes are not unusual in Britain and so as is the case with most wildfowl each individual can only be judged on its own merit.

 

As well as the record-breaking influx of Brünnich's Guillemots Storm Arwen brought a good selection of seabirds along the east coast.

White-billed Divers were recorded on 28th when one flew north past Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire at 08:18 and was then later logged in North Yorkshire passing Long Nab at 09:32 and Saltwick Nab at 10:06, with perhaps the same later off Whitburn, County Durham at 14:24. Also on 28th in Northumberland after singles were suspected passing St Mary's Island, Cullercoats, and Cullernose Point during the morning, one was clinched from Annstead Point, Seahouses, and in Aberdeenshire one moved north at Girdle Ness. On 29th a White-billed Diver flew east past Saltburn, Cleveland.

Little Auks were recorded every day with a total of 596 bird days and a peak of 320 on 28th. Fife Ness, Fife proved the best site with 53 logged there on 27th, 73 on 28th, and 41 on 29th, and notable elsewhere was four singles in Ireland, and the popular individual in Weymouth, Dorset until 24th. A total of 23 sightings of Pomarine Skua was less than expected given the conditions but included on 27th five passing Sutton-on-Sea, Lincolnshire, and an adult off Little Ormes Head, Conwy.

Tubenoses included 10 Leach's Petrels logged between 26th and 28th including on 27th three passing St Ives Island, Cornwall, and one inland at Rutland Water, Leicestershire, there was 15 Sooty Shearwater bird days, and a Great Shearwater off Boulmer and Stag Rocks on 28th was presumably the bird that has been lingering along the Northumberland coast since at least 12th October (and possibly since 16th September).

Seawatchers between Kent and Fife logged 44 Red-necked Grebe bird days during the week including in Norfolk six together in Holkham Bay on 24th, and six passing Cley on 28th. Away from the east coast five were logged including two at Abberton Reservoir, Essex.

 

A Night Heron flew over Landguard, Suffolk at dawn on 25th, and 10 Glossy Ibises were scattered around Britain with a further two in Ireland; at Tacumshin, County Wexford on 23rd-24th, and at Ballycotton, County Cork on 25th.

 

Rare geese comprised a Red-breasted Goose still with Green;and Barnacles on Islay, Argyll on 24th, with one still with Dark-bellied Brent Geese on Dengie Marshes, Essex on 25th, and five Cackling Geese - all of which were presumably all Richardson's Cackling Geese : three on North Uist, Western Isles on 23rd, one still with Barnacles on Islay, Argyll on 27th, and another new in County Sligo at Ballintemple on 29th; perhaps one of those present earlier this winter on Islay or else the bird that was in County Mayo in October and November.

Two adult white morph Snow Geese were still with Pink-footed Geese: one in Merseyside at Hightown at 23rd, and the other at Skinflats, Forth until 28th, with another on the Western Isles on North Uist on 28th. Three Black Brants three were recorded accompanying Dark-bellied Brent Geese, one each in Dorset, Kent, and Norfolk, and Todd's Canada Geese were in Argyll (2), Norfolk, and the Shetland Isles. Just 30 Taiga Bean Geese were located on the Slamannan Plateau, Forth on 26th, well down on the 140 present there on 15th October, and only two Tundra Bean Geese were reported: in Lothian and Shetland.

Diving ducks included 10 Lesser Scaups comprising a record-breaking five together on Loch Skerrols, Islay, Argyll from 23rd, two females on Beesands Ley, Devon, and a female on South Uist, Western Isles all from 23rd when the male was still on Lough Sheelin, County Cavan, and on the Isles of Scilly the first-winter male was present on Tresco throughout. Sixteen Lesser Scaups have been recorded since 24th October. A total of 29 Ring-necked Duck included still seven together at Dozmary Pool, Cornwall on 25th and seemingly returning birds in at least Argyll, Devon, Glamorgan, Moray, Oxfordshire, and Surrey. A Ferruginous Duck in Surrey at Thorpe Park on 25th-26th will have been the same as that at Staines Reservoir on 22nd although it is not known whether this bird has been confirmed as unringed. This is especially pertinent here as during 2017-2019 the Thames Basin was frequented by multiple Ferruginous Ducks released as part of the German reintroduction scheme. A total of 18 Smew is the best showing for this week since 2018.

In Moray the adult male King Eider remained at Hopeman, Moray until 25th and was accompanied by a first-winter male on 24th. Of nine Surf Scoters the most notable was a new juvenile at Broad Haven, Pembrokeshire on 23rd-28th.

Dabbling ducks included American Wigeons in Clyde at Lochwinnoch on 23rd, and in Bedfordshire the male was still at Marston Vale on 24th, five male Green-winged Teals were logged, most notably new birds in Somerset at Chew Valley Lake on 23rd-28th and in Lancashire at Conder Green on 26th-27th, whilst a male Garganey at Yeovil, Somerset on 25th is a returning winterer back for its third winter.

 

An adult Long-toed Stint , presumably the well-watched individual present at Swillington Ings, West Yorkshire on 8th-15th October, made a surprise reappearance 106 miles to the north northwest at Rockcliffe Marsh, Cumbria on 23rd-24th although by the time access had been arranged for all but the few the bird had left. Previously in France a Long-toed Stint wintered at La Turballe, Loire-Atlantique between 1st November 2011 and 26th January 2012 so there is hope that the current bird will return.

The first-winter Killdeer remained in Argyll on Tiree at Balevullin until 23rd, and the Semipalmated Plover was still at Crookhaven, County Cork until at least 27th, having apparently been present there for nearly five months already. The Spotted Sandpiper was still on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly on 28th having first been seen there on 13th October it is surely now set to winter there.

The White-tailed Lapwing remained at Blacktoft Sands, East Yorkshire throughout, where it was found on 26th August. At this time White-tailed Lapwings should be in the Middle East or northwest India, however of the ten records in the Netherlands nine occurred between 26th April and 19th August, with a peak in June, but one was in winter, at Zaanstad between 21st February and 8th March 1998.

Two Lesser Yellowlegs were recorded in Ireland with a juvenile still at Tacumshin, County Wexford on 25th, and in County Clare a new bird at Lough Atedaun on 24th. A late Pectoral Sandpiper visited Hurworth Burn Reservoir, County Durham on 23rd, and a Wood Sandpiper was still at Pitsford Reservoir, Northamptonshire on 28th. American Golden Plovers were in Cornwall on the Hayle Estuary until 25th, around Ballycotton, County Cork until 28th, and at Towton, North Yorkshire on 28th.

Twenty Grey Phalaropes included inland birds at Covenham Reservoir, Lincolnshire on 27th-29th, and at Middleton Lakes, Staffordshire on 28th.

 

These are increasingly sad times for Ring-billed Gull with just one reported - the returning adult still at Blackrock, County Louth on 23rd - where it has been visiting since at least September 2015 - yet two separate hybrid Ring-billed x Lesser Black-backed Gull were reported: in Pembrokeshire and Staffordshire. A third-winter Kumlien's Gull was still in Cambridgeshire at Heydon throughout and is believed to be the same individual as that present in the county last winter between 21st November 2020 and 25th April 2021. A total of 34 Iceland Gulls included a second-winter in Weymouth, Dorset from 25th that seems likely to be a returning bird, and another second-winter in Buckinghamshire commuting between Beaconsfield and Little

Marlow throughout. Forty Glaucous Gulls was well up from just 12 last week with the northerly winds responsible for this increase.

The age-old adult Forster's Tern remained in Galway Bay, County Galway throughout; where it was first seen 18 years ago.

 

The Snowy Owl remained on St Kilda, Western Isles throughout.

 

A Isabelline Shrike species at Marloes, Pembrokeshire on 28th-29th was an unexpected find. Some photographs of this first-winter individual show a noticeably warm crown contrasting with the rest of the upperparts and in this regard it is similar to a first-winter Isabelline Shrike species present on Foula, Shetland Isles in September and October 2017 that DNA analysis showed to be 99.7% identical to a previously sampled Red-backed Shrike and therefore distinct from Daurian Shrike (and so arguably was a Turkestan Shrike). However, lighting plays a significant role in the appearance of Isabelline Shrikes and other photographs of the current bird lent a different appearance. The Collins Bird Guide states of Turkestan Shrike 'many first-years exhibit a confusing mix of characters and are difficult to separate from Isabelline (Daurian) Shrike' and it seem unwise to identify the current bird. Six Great Grey Shrikes included two different birds in Cambridgeshire, at Comberton and the Ouse Washes, and in Derbyshire a bird at Bonsall Moor previously wintered in the same spot from 21st November 2020 until 6th April 2021.

At least 12 Shorelarks comprised up to six together in Holkham Bay, Norfolk, up to five in Suffolk between Hollesley and Slaughden, and most notably one inland at Blithfield Reservoir on 28th-29th; the latter only the eighth record for Staffordshire. This is not a Waxwing winter and although 26 flew south over Refouble Moor, Highland on 24th, the only other record was of one in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands on 28th. A Rose-coloured Starling was still at Pendeen, Cornwall on 29th.

A Hume's Warbler at Benacre, Suffolk on 25th-29th was the third of the autumn in Britain, but following an impoverished autumn for Yellow-browed Warblers just two were located this week, both on the Isles of Scilly. A Pallas's Warbler remained in Weymouth, Dorset until 28th, and another was at South Foreland Valley, Kent on 24th-26th. Seven Dusky Warblers included new birds in Cornwall, Norfolk, North Yorkshire, and Suffolk, the latter inland at Lakenheath Fen on 25th, and two were on Tresco, Isles of Scilly on 29th. A Blyth's Reed Warbler in All Saints Park, Manchester on 29th mirrored the only previous Greater Manchester record at Hope Carr on 20th January-25th February 2019 by, most atypically, being present in winter.

Two Isabelline Wheatears were notable with one at Cley, Norfolk on 23rd-24th followed by another in Lothian at East Linton on 24th-29th; the latter the first for Lothian and only the ninth for Scotland. Interestingly the Cley bird favoured the exact same area of habitat as the previous Isabelline Wheatear there, that present on 10th-26th November 2019. A male Desert Wheatear in West Yorkshire at Keighley Moor on 25th was particularly unexpected whilst in Devon a male at Start Point on 29th was only 11 miles from the female that reappeared at Thurlestone on the same day (after having earlier been noted there between 9th and 12th November). These brought the total for the autumn so far to four birds.

A Red-flanked Bluetail, the eleventh of the autumn, remained on Blakeney Point, Norfolk until 23rd, and a male Eastern Stonechat species was reported on the Shetland Isles at Lerwick, Mainland on 25th.

Finches included a Hornemann's Arctic Redpoll on the Shetland Isles again at Brae, Mainland on 27th, and at least one Serin at Marloes, Pembrokeshire on 29th.

Buntings included a late Rustic Bunting at Hartlepool, Cleveland on 24th - the twelfth of the autumn but the first since 13th October - and 19 Lapland Buntings most notably one in Leicestershire at Grimston (where it had been present since 4th November), one in County Kerry at Kilshannig on 25th, and six together at Bempton Cliffs, East Yorkshire on 24th..

 

In Europe the highlight of the week was yet another Caspian Plover in the Netherlands at Eemspolder, Groningen on 29th whilst the Eastern Olivaceous Warbler remained in Zealand at Nieuwvliet-Bad on 27th, and a Pygmy Cormorant was still at Utrecht on 28th. Nearby, in Belgium a Spotted Eagle was in East Flanders at Wachtebeke from 26th, and a Pygmy Cormorant was at Brussels on 25th. In Sweden the male Siberian Rubythroat was still in Vastra Gotalands lan at Vargon whilst in Norway a Brown Shrike was in Rogaland at Karmoy on 23rd. In Poland a Pacific Diver at Koszewo, West Pomerania on 23rd-26th, and on the Azores three Snowy Egrets, three Semipalmated Plovers, and two American Great White Egrets were all recorded.

 

Autumn 2021 saw a total of 20 Nearctic landbirds of six species located between 25th September and 5th November and it's not too late for further birds to be discovered. Historically during this coming week there has been an impressive roll call of such birds:

• White-throated Sparrow - Duncrue Street Marsh, County Antrim from 1st December 1984
• Black-and-white Warbler - How Hill, Norfolk from 3rd December 1985
• Slate-coloured Junco - Portland, Dorset from 3rd December 1989
• Baltimore Oriole - Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex from 2nd December 1992
• White-throated Sparrow - Willingham, Lincolnshire from 5th December 1993
• Cliff Swallow - Tresco, Isles of Scilly from 4th December 1995

Further rarities in this week in history are Killdeer (Carrigeengoure, County Cork, 1938), Eyebrowed Thrush (St Agnes, Isles of Scilly, 1964), Upland Sandpiper (Sandbach Flashes, Cheshire, 1983), American Coot (Loch of Clickimin, Shetland Isles 2004), Spanish Sparrow (Calshot, Hampshire 2012), and Baikal Teal (Crossens Outer Marsh, Merseyside, 2013), along with three Dusky Thrushes, five each of Ivory Gull and Black Duck, eight Hume's Warblers, 11 Desert Wheatears, and 12 Gyrs.

 

Chris Batty
30 Nov 2021

Many thanks to all this week's contributors for your photos and videos

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