Weekly birding round-up: 25 - 31 Jan 2022
Well, that was the last week of January… a week in which we took a battering from a quick one-two of intense storms, back to back, as first Malik and then Corrie came barrelling into us, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. They may not have heralded any outrageous new birds on these shores, but that’s not to say there weren’t some settled rarities of substance for British and Irish birders to continue to enjoy.
Surprising literally nobody, really, this week saw the reappearance of the male Belted Kingfisher in Lancashire at Roach Bridge on the River Darwen intermittently on 29th-31st.
Last seen for sure there on 6th, it appeared heavy rain and rising water had driven it away, but with such a network of freshwater in the area, it was unlikely to have gone far. It seemed like only a matter of time before it was stumbled across elsewhere or, as it proved this week, back in its favoured haunts around Roach Bridge.
Bound to be popular once more, we’ll see how long it sticks around this time. Further inclement weather is almost a given, given the time of year, so it may yet be driven away by changing water levels. Time, then, for anyone who hasn’t bothered thus far to make the effort…
The unprecedented trio of wintering American Coots all remained in Ireland this week, giving further succour to anyone checking their local Coot flocks on the offchance…
Co.Kerry held onto both its birds, at Lough Gill still on 28th-29th, and Lough Yganavan still on 29th; while the Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) individual was again seen there on 25th.
If Irish birders had an embarrassment of American Coot riches, British birders could draw considerable consolation from the continuing presence of both recent drake Baikal Teals, one of which at least was proving fairly amenable.
This was the Somerset bird, still present at Greylake RSPB on 25th-31st. The East Yorkshire drake was made of flightier stuff altogether, and bounced between Swine Moor and Tophill Low NR – being seen at the former site on 25th and again on 27th, and the latter site on 26th and 28th.
Glamorgan is enjoying a good winter, what with the settled male Cirl Bunting near Marcross, and the Pacific Diver at Eglwys Nunydd reservoir. There’s many a county out there that would be happy with either bird, let alone both. This week, the Pacific Diver remained a steady presence on 25th-31st while, in Co.Cork, its Irish counterpart was still present at Crookhaven on 26th.
In Shetland, the recent White-billed Diver was seen again off Unst on 30th; and the Stag Rocks (Northumberland) bird was once more noted from there on 28th.
A Little Auk was seen at sea off Arisaig (Highland) on 26th, and another on 30th in Ballyholme Bay (Co.Down).
Finally, on 29th a Pomarine Skua was reported from Frinton-on-Sea (Essex); another was seen from Swanpool (Cornwall) on 30th.
We remained knee deep in Glossy Ibises in both Britain and Ireland for another week although, with a mere 90 or so birds noted across the region, numbers were somewhat down on recent weeks. But still. Ninety is a lot of Glossy Ibises in anybody’s book.
Some appreciable flocks remained settled here and there, of which the 11 birds still present on the Isle of Wight at Brading Marsh RSPB on 28th were the largest collection; followed by a peak count of nine in Cornwall at Chapel Amble on 30th, and eight in Devon at Exminster Marshes on 28th. Quartets were seen in Ireland at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) on 25th-30th, Cahore Marsh (Co.Wexford) on 29th, and Garretstown (Co.Cork) on 29th; preceded by five in Co.Cork at Lough Aderra on 25th still.
By way of a little variety, while the Knepp Estate’s introduced birds continue to muddy the waters like a recently released Beaver in a swollen tributary, the un-ringed White Stork was still present at Sandwich (Kent) this week. Un-ringed… could it be, whisper it, actually wild? On the plus side, it’s not wearing any leg bling. But really, these days, who knows what to make of their provenance, let alone the case for releasing them into the wild in southern England…
This has been an excellent winter for Red-breasted Geese, and there were birds widely spread across Britain again this week. Starting on the English east coast, in Essex sightings came from South Woodham Ferrers on 25th-27th, Wallasea Island RSPB again on 28th, and at Blue House Farm EWT on 28th-31st. The recent Lincolnshire bird relocated to Gibraltar Point NNR on 27th-31st; and, in Scotland, the Islay (Argyll & Bute) bird was still present on 26th-29th.
Staying in Scotland a moment, the adult Ross’s Goose was still to be seen north of Glasgow (Clyde) at Millichen on 25th, but not thereafter until 30th-31st when it was present there once more.
In Moray, three white morph Snow Geese were logged at Loch Spynie on 26th and Windyridge on 27th; three birds remained at Slimbridge WWT (Gloucestershire) on 28th; and single birds were still present on North Uist (Western Isles) on 29th, at Lissadell (Co.Sligo) on 28th-30th, and on 30th on Orkney at Birsay (and down at Twatt the following day) and at Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB (Cheshire).
Sightings of a pair of Black Brants in Essex came from South Woodham Ferrers on 26th-28th and Blue House Farm EWT on 28th; in Dorset on 29th single birds were logged off Wyke Regis and in Poole Harbour; and one was again seen at Snettisham RSPB (Norfolk) on 30th. On 31st, two were present in Ireland at Lurgangreen (Co.Louth).
The possible Grey-bellied Brant was still in Highland at Tornagrain on 25th-29th; another bird was seen in Co.Dublin at Donaghmede on 28th.
Onto The Goose Formerly Known As Canada, and starting with interior Todd’s Canada Geese, working north to south we kick off in Argyll & Bute where records came this week from Campbeltown on 26th and Tiree again on 27th; and in Lancashire, one was seen at Marshside RSPB again on 25th and Banks Marsh NNR again on 29th-30th. Another was still present at Cross Lough (Co.Mayo) on 25th.
Cross Lough also gave us a hutchinsii Richardson’s Cackling Goose on 25th; further birds being noted in recent days at Lissadell (Co.Sligo) still on 28th-30th, where two birds remained; Hesketh Out Marsh RSPB (Lancashire) still on 26th; and on Islay (Argyll & Bute) still on 26th-27th.
Moving onto the quackers, the drake White-winged Scoter was still present off Fisherrow (Lothian) on 25th-30th.
Nine Surf Scoters were recorded this week, with duos amongst them logged off Musselburgh (Lothian) on 25th still, and Laytown (Co.Meath) on 29th.
The two recent drake King Eiders in Shetland off Unst had added a third bird to their number on 30th. Not that Shetland birders need telling, but checking those Eider flocks can be productive at this time of year, if the sea is only calm enough to make sense of the tightly packed, constantly moving birds… In Highland, the drake was again seen from Nairn on 30th-31st.
Three widely spread American Wigeons were noted this week. In Scotland, the drake was still present at Crook of Baldoon RSPB (Dumfries & Galloway) on 27th-30th; the English bird remained at Idle Valley NR (Nottinghamshire) on 25th-31st; and another was seen in Ireland at Ballyallia Lake (Co.Clare) on 25th.
Another strong showing this week of Green-winged Teals saw 15 birds logged across Britain and Ireland, of which almost half were in Ireland.
Numbers of Ring-necked Ducks nudged 50 birds this week. It feels like this winter is the one to find your own on your local freshwater body. Lough Gara (Co.Sligo) alone held nine birds on 28th still, overshadowing former Cornish stronghold Dozmary Pool which managed a mere(!) four birds only on 28th still.
Lesser Scaups were also still prominent in the news – not least on Islay (Argyll & Bute), where three birds remained on Loch Skerrols on 28th. Single birds remained on South Uist (Western Isles) on 29th, Auchincross (Ayrshire) still on 26th-31st, on Tresco (Scilly) still on 25th-30th, and at Abbotsbury (Dorset) again on 31st; and on 30th a female was found in Co.Cork at Ballinacarriga Lough.
On 30th-31st the drake Ferruginous Duck was still present at Thorpe Park (Surrey), and the female again on 30th at Aqualate Mere (Staffordshire).
Returning to the fold again this week, our long-staying honorary waterfowl, the adult Pied-billed Grebe, was again seen on Loch Feorlin (Argyll & Bute) on 29th.
The shorebirds section starts, as ever lately, with the adult White-tailed Lapwing still present in Lincolnshire in the East Halton Skitter area on 25th and 29th-31st, and showing well at times.
Showing much better today,in decent light,the White-tailed Lapwing continues its stay,phonescoped with the usual set up Swarovski ATX85 and Samsung S10. @SwarovskiOptik @Lincsbirding pic.twitter.com/dwxJAE8vvQ
— Steve Routledge (@SteveRoutledge8) January 30, 2022
Co.Cork’s Semipalmated Plover remained at Crookhaven on 31st.
In Somerset, the German colour-ringed Kentish Plover was still to be seen at Burnham-on-Sea on 25th-28th.
Three Lesser Yellowlegs were again seen this week – one regularly at Minsmere RSPB (Suffolk) on 25th-30th, another at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) still on 25th-29th, and the final bird again at Rahasane Turlough (Co.Galway) on 30th.
A Grey Phalarope was seen passing Embo (Highland) on 29th and, on 31st, two more were off Cley (Norfolk).
Two adult Bonaparte’s Gulls checked in this week on 29th at, respectively, Cardiff Bay (Glamorgan) and Pettycur Sands (Fife). More in the weeks to come, surely…
Moving onto Ring-billed Gulls, 11 birds were seen this week, of which seven records came from Ireland – at Rosscarbery (Co.Cork) on 25th, where two birds were seen; at Blackrock (Co.Louth) still on 25th-30th; at Tralee Bay Wetlands Centre (Co.Kerry) still on 29th; at Nimmo’s Pier (Co.Galway) still on 26th; and back in Co.Cork where two birds were seen on 30th at Lough Mahon. Scottish individuals remained at Strathclyde Loch (Clyde) on 25th-29th and Holyrood Park on 25th-30th; and English birds at Hayle (Cornwall) still on 26th-30th, and Blashford Lakes HWT (Hampshire) on 27th-30th still.
Numbers of both white-wingers stayed pretty constant, with some 50 apiece of both Glaucous Gulls and Iceland Gulls noted nationwide. Of both species the peak counts came from Killybegs (Co.Donegal) where six and four individuals of each, respectively, were noted on 28th.
The recent juvenile Kumlien’s Gull remained on Barra (Western Isles) on 25th-31st, and an adult was seen at Blennerville (Co.Kerry) on 27th. On 31st, the third-winter bird was once more seen in the pig fields at Heydon (Cambridgeshire).
Finally, an adult Sabine’s Gull was seen from North Foreland (Kent) on 31st.
Best of the raptors again this week was the juvenile Northern Harrier, still present in Ireland at Lough Boora Parklands (Co.Offaly) on 29th-30th.
Rough-legged Buzzards remained a bit of an elusive enigma this week – a possible bird was seen at Dilham (Norfolk) on 25th, while an unconfirmed report of a further probable bird came from Shiplake (Oxfordshire) on 29th.
Predictably, given both the time of the year and the weather of late, passerine news was fairly thin on the ground this week. Cream of the crop, for another week, was the American Buff-bellied Pipit still present in Devon at Prawle Point on 26th-29th…
…while both recent Richard’s Pipits remained in North Yorkshire at Filey on 25th-26th and at Loddon Valley (Hampshire) still on 25th.
Meanwhile, Co.Durham’s popular wintering Red-flanked Bluetail remained at Bowlees on 25th-31st.
Both recent Hume’s Warblers remained available – one still at Bockhill Farm Wood (Kent) on 25th-30th, and the other still present at Eastbourne (East Sussex) on 25th-30th.
Four Yellow-browed Warblers were still lingering in recent days – one in Ireland at Dungarvan (Co.Waterford) again on 29th; and English individuals still present at Milton CP (Cambridgeshire) on 25th-31st, at St Austell (Cornwall) on 25th-30th, and in Hampshire at Hook-with-Warsash on 25th-31st.
In Oxfordshire, the Pallas’s Warbler remained at Abingdon sewage works on 25th-28th.
Just one Dusky Warbler was noted lately, this being the Kentish individual at Fordwich on 27th-30th still.
The three Penduline Tits were still settled at Weston Airfield (Somerset) until 31st.
In Warwickshire, at Bulkington, the Hoopoe was still to be seen on 26th-29th.
Norfolk’s Short-toed Lark was still present at West Runton on 28th.
In a generally very quiet winter for the species, six Great Grey Shrikes were again seen this week – at Backwater reservoir (Angus) again on 30th; at Wistow (North Yorkshire) on 25th-30th still; near Killington reservoir (Cumbria) still on 25th-26th; near Comberton (Cambridgeshire) still on 25th-31st; in Hampshire at Backley Bottom again on 30th; and in Denbighshire at Llyn Brenig on 27th still.
A handful of Waxwings were noted in recent days – single birds at Cottenham (Cambridgeshire) on 26th, Gosforth (Northumberland) on 26th, Leeds (West Yorkshire) on 27th, and Aviemore (Highland) on 30th – and two birds at Cliffe Castle CP (West Yorkshire) on 27th.
The juvenile Rose-coloured Starling remained at Lower Boscaswell (Cornwall) on 25th-31st.
The tiniest hint of spring colour came this week in the form of two Serins - one, on 25th-30th, at Axmouth (Devon); and the other on 27th-31st inland at Maple Cross (Hertfordshire).
Finally, the wintering Little Bunting remained at Upper College Farm (London) on 25th-29th, and a new Cornish bird was present at Goss Moor on 30th.
Another pretty slimline overseas news section begins this week in Spain, where news was mainly all about Sociable Lapwings - on the Ebro Delta at La Tancada still on 24th-29th (first seen there on 14th); at La Puebla del Rio on 26th-29th still; and on 29th at Evora.
24.1.2022 Vanellus gregarius 1 ind La Nòria, Amposta, Delta de l’Ebre (Ricard Gutiérrez). Already found on 14.1.2022 but record kept unreleased, so 14.1 1st record and observation (D.Bigas pers.comm.). Seen at least until 30.1 (many observers). Video Sergi Sales. pic.twitter.com/ujLEbz5pIQ
— Rare Birds in Spain (@rarebirdspain) January 30, 2022
In Belgium, the first-winter Ross’s Gull remained at Nieuwpoort on 28th-31st.
Holland’s Western Swamphen remained at Het Nieuwe Waterschap on 25th-27th, while the resident Pygmy Cormorant was still at Utrecht on 25th-30th.
Finally, further afield, a Great Blue Heron was present on Terceira in the Azores on 29th.
There can’t be many weeks in the year that, historically, are as quiet as the first week of February for rare birds as a whole. It sits firmly in the late winter doldrums.
Which isn’t to say, however, that there aren’t one or two historic records of epic rarities, some recent and some from the very distant mists of time. In a winter where Ireland has already landed one monster, and alas expired, Rallid, the dead American Purple Gallinule picked up dead at Carne Golf Links (Co.Mayo) on 2nd February 2014 certainly catches the eye…
While the Pallas’s Sandgrouse shot on 4th February 1889 at Fingringhoe (Essex) takes us into what’s nowadays unthinkable territory. The influxes of the 19th and early 20th century feel weird with a capital We by contemporary standards – thousands of birds, including appreciable flocks, turned up in Britain over the decades, and there were even accounts of clutches of eggs and young birds found at the time. Four birds in the 1960s kept the flame of hope flickering; two together on the Isle of May (Fife) in 1975 suggested multiple birds were still possible; but since then all we’ve had was the well-twitched individual on Shetland in spring 1990 – a bird that has lifelong blocker written all over it.
Anyway, we digress. The coming week certainly isn’t going to feature a sandgrouse. More likely is a gull of some description. Could the recent powerful northwesterlies have swept us something from the high Arctic? Something like a tasty Ross’s or Ivory Gull? Failing that, the coming week features 11 historic records of Bonaparte’s Gull, and that doesn’t feel like too much of a leap of faith for a nice self-found bird for someone in the days to come…
Jon Dunn
2 February 2022
Many thanks to all this week's contributors for your photos and videos
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