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Weekly birding round-up: 15 - 21 Feb 2022

Not one, not two, but three named storms this past week. But for all the weather was wild, the birding was rather more subdued – at least, insofar as new arrivals were concerned. Then again, we’d expect nothing other really at this time of year, and we’ve been fairly spoiled of late – and, were you able to get out birding this past week, much of that recent rare largesse remained available in Britain and Ireland alike.

 

It’s way too soon to be talking in terms of contenders for bird of the year but, with undeniable good looks, a prolonged stay, a confiding nature and accessibility all on its side, the American Robin in Eastbourne (East Sussex) will certainly be ticking boxes for some at this early stage in the year.

Present throughout this week, a stay amply assisted by a feast of berries on offer, it was proving considerably less trying to see than the here-today, gone-tomorrow, and invariably viewed-from-a-sea-of-mud Belted Kingfisher in Lancashire – the latter a bird that some have truly suffered in order to see, with some racking up multiple dips before finally connecting or, in the case of some tortured souls, writing it off altogether as a bad lot. The obliging American Robin is a welcome reminder it doesn’t have to be that way, and you don’t let your history decide your future – sometimes rare birds just give themselves up. Sometimes it’s just easy, and none the worse for that.

As ever, we’ll see how long it sticks around, but it’s still sitting pretty there at the time of writing on 21st, having endured some bad weather in the meantime.

 

If a Nearctic passerine settled in southeastern English suburbia seems a bit outlandish, pause a moment and consider the Double-crested Cormorant in Co.Leitrim at Doon Lough.

We’ve discussed Co.Leitrim before in these quarters – it’s one of the counties that, shamefully, many of us British birders would probably struggle to stick a pin in with any accuracy if confronted with an unannotated map of Ireland. If one speculated where Ireland’s next Double-crested Cormorant was going to be found, it wouldn’t, with the greatest of respect to Co.Leitrim, have been there. Let alone on what the fortunate finder, Robert Vaughan, aptly described as a small inland mountain lake.

But there it is, and there the bird is in a non-coastal location, still present at the time of writing on 21st, and looking good and settled. And while it’s still readily finding fish, why would it move on?

While the wind was whipping up the surface of Eglwys Nunydd reservoir in Glamorgan this past week, the wintering Pacific Diver was taking it all in its stride, and remained there until 19th.

White-billed Divers were seen in Shetland this week off Gloup at the north end of Yell on 18th again, and miles to the south on 19th in Colgrave Sound. A further bird was found on 19th off Kinnaird Head (Aberdeenshire).

On 17th, single Little Auks were seen off Whalsay (Shetland) and Troon (Ayrshire); and another was found on 18th in Bay of Carness (Orkney).

A handful of storm-blown skuas were logged in the wake of Storm Eunice – on 19th, duos of Pomarine Skuas were seen from Shoalstone Point (Devon), Eastbourne (East Sussex), and at sea off Colonsay (Argyll & Bute); two more were seen in Devon on 20th off Berry Head, and one again from Shoalstone Point on 21st; and, on 19th, a Long-tailed Skua was noted from Pendeen (Cornwall).

Finally, a sighting of a Leach’s Petrel on 21st at Stert Point (Somerset) was short-lived, as the unfortunate bird was destined to end up inside a Peregrine.

While numbers were a little down on what we’ve become accustomed to, week in, week out, of late, it clearly takes more than a spell of feisty weather to dislodge a party of Glossy Ibises - amongst the 65 or so birds noted widely across Britain and Ireland in recent days, some fair flocks remained tucked in. Up on Orkney, nine birds were still present on Westray on 15th-19th, while in Cornwall nine birds were again seen at Chapel Amble on 17th and again on Amble Marshes on 21st; and the largest flock of all were still present on the Isle of Wight at Brading Marsh RSPB on 15th-21st, where 11 birds remained.

Seen simultaneously on several days this week, our wintering quartet of Red-breasted Geese were still going strong. We kick off on Islay (Argyll & Bute), where the bird last reported on 27th January was once more seen there on 17th-20th. Moving to the English east coast, in Lincolnshire, the Gibraltar Point NNR individual was still present in the area on 15th-21st; the mobile Norfolk bird continued to bounce between Cley and Blakeney Freshmarsh on 15th-21st; and, in Essex, one was still hanging around the South Fambridge area on 16th-20th.

In Scotland, the adult Ross’s Goose was still near Bardowie (Clyde) on 15th.

In Moray, three white morph Snow Geese remained around Windyridge on 18th and 21st, and Loch Spynie on 20th; on 19th, single birds were seen in Orkney at Marwick and on North Uist (Western Isles). English birds were seen again at Marshside RSPB (Lancashire) on 15th-17th and near Birkdale on 21st, and Slimbridge WWT (Gloucestershire) still on 17th, where three birds remained. In Ireland, one was still hanging on at Lissadell (Co.Sligo) on 15th-19th.

Black Brants were initially recorded this week at Kilnsea (east Yorkshire) again on 16th, and Reculver (Kent) again on 19th; and then, on 20th, a spate of sightings came from Skeffling (East Yorkshire) again, and South Fambridge (Essex), where two birds were seen.

In Co.Dublin, a possible Grey-bellied Brant was seen at Kilbarrack still on 15th, with two in Dublin on 17th, and one still on 21st; one more at Annagassan (Co.Louth) on 19th; and a final possible bird in Co.Wicklow at Greystones on 21st.

Moving next to The Goose Formerly Known As Canada, a single interior Todd’s Canada Goose was present on Lewis (Western Isles) on 15th-18th; a possible bird was seen in Northumberland at Lesbury on 17th; two probable birds remained at Doonbeg (Co.Clare) on 15th; and a possible bird was seen flying past Tarbat Ness (Highland) with Pink-footed Geese on 20th. Hutchinsii Richardson’s Cackling Geese were still to be seen on Islay (Argyll & Bute) on 19th, and in Co.Sligo at Lissadell on 15th and Ballintemple on 17th-19th. Numbers of Cackling Geese on North Uist (Western Isles) peaked with three birds present on 16th, with at least two still present on the island on 18th-19th; one remained at Doonbeg (Co.Clare) on 15th also.

Both of our drake Baikal Teals remained on offer this week, albeit the East Yorkshire bird was somewhat intermittent in its sightings – seen again at Swine Moor on 16th, 19th, and 21st. The Greylake RSPB (Somerset) individual was noted there on 15th-21st.

In Ireland, the drake Black Duck was once more seen on Cross Lough (Co.Mayo) on 19th.

Co.Clare supplied sightings of drake American Wigeon on Lough Cleggan on 18th and Ballyallia Lake on 19th; the English bird remained at Idle Valley NR (Nottinghamshire) on 15th-20th, while the drake in Northumberland was seen again at Big Waters NR on 21st; and the Scottish bird at Crook of Baldoon RSPB (Dumfries & Galloway) on 15th-19th.

Green-winged Teals made it into double figures again this week, with 11 birds recorded. Irish individuals were seen on 17th at Cahore Marsh (Co.Wexford) again; on 19th-21st at Kinsale Marsh (Co.Cork); and on 19th at East Coast NR (Co.Wicklow) still. Scottish birds remained at Tain (Highland) on 15th-18th; Inganess (Orkney) on 16th-19th; Loch of Hillwell (Shetland) on 17th-21st; on the Ythan estuary (Aberdeenshire) on 19th; in the Western Isles on North Uist on 16th-19th and Barra on 17th; and near Ladybank (Fife) on 21st. In England, one remained in Priory CP (Bedfordshire) on 16th.

Around 40 Ring-necked Ducks were logged across Britain and Ireland this week – surely more a reflection of the challenging conditions than a general clear out just yet. Of these, the highest aggregation was still the half dozen birds in Glamorgan at Margram Opencast on 17th, closely followed by five birds present on Lough Yganavan (Co.Kerry) on 21st.

Lesser Scaups continued their remarkable British presence this winter, with at least 14 birds noted in recent days. Four remained on Islay (Argyll & Bute) on 15th; three at Woodend Loch (Clyde) still on 15th-19th, with two still present there on 20th; and numbers present on South Uist (Western Isles) rose to three birds on 19th-21st. Scotland also gave us single birds in Ayrshire still at Loch of the Lowes on 15th and Auchincross Loch on 16th-19th; and on Benbecula still on 19th. English birds remained on Tresco (Scilly) on 17th, and at Abbotsbury (Dorset) on 18th-21st; while a further possible bird was seen at Chew Valley Lake (Somerset) on 19th.

The week began with the recent drake Ferruginous Duck still on Allen Pit (Oxfordshire) on 15th; and, on 17th, a further drake turned up in Ireland at Ballysaggart Lough (Co.Tyrone), a county first.

In Lothian, the drake White-winged Scoter was once more seen off Musselburgh on 19th; the drake Black Scoter was still present in Northumberland on 15th at Cocklawburn Beach.

Churning seas meant lower numbers of Surf Scoters recorded than of late – two were again seen from Musselburgh (Lothian) on 19th, with one in Gosford Bay on 19th; one remained off Tresco (Scilly) on 17th-21st; and one was still off Pentewan (Cornwall) on 20th-21st.

In Highland, the drake King Eider remained off Nairn on 15th-21st, and a first-winter drake was seen from Seafield (Lothian) on 20th-21st, but the week’s honours for the species firmly went to Shetland, where three drakes were present in Bluemull Sound still on 19th – three confirmed birds, but it’s suspected a fourth bird may be present in the area this winter too – an unprecedented wintering gathering of this most attractive duck.

Finally, honorary waterfowl – the American Coot was still to be seen at Lady’s Island Lake (Co.Wexford) on 15th-20th, while the Lough Yganavan (Co.Kerry) individual was once more seen there on 21st; and the male Pied-billed Grebe was still present on Loch Feorlin (Argyll & Bute) on 18th.

What they lacked in terms of volume, the shorebirds more than made up for in terms of rarity again this past week, with a top drawer bird apiece for Britain and Ireland alike.

In Lincolnshire, the White-tailed Lapwing clung grimly on in the East Halton Skitter area on 15th-21st.

Right in the teeth of the storm, in Co.Cork the Semipalmated Plover was still present at Crookhaven on 19th.

In Somerset, the German-ringed Kentish Plover was again seen from Burnham-on-Sea on 19th.

A Dotterel was seen on 21st at Thornham (Norfolk) with the local flock of Golden Plovers.

Absent for a while, the Spotted Sandpiper was once more seen in Glamorgan at Eglwys Nunydd reservoir on 17th.

Finally, in Suffolk the Lesser Yellowlegs remained at Minsmere RSPB on 15th-21st.

The week began with the adult Ross’s Gull still present at Kinnaird Head (Aberdeenshire) on 15th-16th, though it wasn’t seen thereafter until 21st, when it reappeared off there. Another bird, a first-winter, was found in Co.Galway at Mutton Island on 19th.

The adult Bonaparte’s Gull in Cardiff Bay (Glamorgan) continued to be seen there this week on 15th-19th. Another possible bird was seen in Dorset at Longham Lakes on 18th.

Numbers of Ring-billed Gulls took a tumble, with a mere seven birds logged this week. Three – two adults and a first-winter – were again seen in Co.Kerry at Tralee Bay Wetlands Centre on 17th, with one adult and two first-winters there again on 21st; and single birds were seen again at Holyrood Park (Lothian) on 19th-21st, at Blashford Lakes HWT (Hampshire) still on 19th, and on the Hayle estuary (Cornwall) again on 20th.

Taken as a whole, numbers of white-wingers remained fairly static, with some 40 Glaucous Gulls and 70 Iceland Gulls logged over the course of the week. That said, one site was to dominate sightings of both species – the irrepressible Killybegs (Co.Donegal), which peaked with tallies on 18th of six of the former and seven of the latter species.

However, we did well again for Kumlien’s Gulls, with some familiar faces augmented by a handful of new birds. The regular Cambridgeshire bird was once more seen, on 16th at Dernford Farm reservoir, and on 18th at Smithey Fen; the juvenile remained on Barra (Western Isles) on 17th-19th; and the adult was still present on Omey Island (Co.Galway) on 15th. Fresh adults were seen on Papa Westray (Orkney) on 16th, at Newlyn (Cornwall) on 19th-21st, on Westray (Orkney) on 20th, and at Quendale (Shetland) on 21st.

In Ireland the juvenile Northern Harrier was still present in Co.Offaly at Lough Boora Parklands on 17th-21st.

Pick of the not-so-recent rare passerines this week was the Lancashire Belted Kingfisher, seen again on the River Darwen at Roach Bridge on 15th, but not thereafter. With the northwest having taken another soaking in recent days, we’ll see if it reappears there when water levels subside. And in the meantime, it must be somewhere out there…

In Co.Durham, the wintering Red-flanked Bluetail remained at Bowlees on 15th-20th.

The Eastbourne (East Sussex) Hume’s Warblerwas seen regularly between 15th-20th; it took until 19th for the Bockhill Farm Wood (Kent) bird to be logged again, a week after it had last been reported from there.

In Cornwall, the Yellow-browed Warbler remained in St Austell on 17th, and another remained on 20th at Crackington Haven; the Devon bird was still present in a Plymouth garden on 16th; the Cambridgeshire bird was still to be seen at Milton CP on 17th; and the recent Weston-super-Mare (Somerset) bird remained on 20th.

A Dusky Warbler was heard only on 17th at Old Purley Chase golf club (Warwickshire).

In Somerset, the three recent Penduline Tits remained at Weston Airfield on 17th, with all three birds seen again there on 21st also.

The West Runton (Norfolk) Short-toed Lark was seen again there on 16th.

Once more this week, just two Great Grey Shrikes were logged – one still in Denbighshire at Llyn Brenig on 15th, and another on the Isle of Wight near Little Atherfield on 17th.

A Hoopoe was seen in Co.Down at Kircubbin on 16th-17th; and one remained in Cambridgeshire at Duxford on 18th.

In Highland, the recent quartet of Waxwings were still present at Nethy Bridge on 16th-21st; a further trio were also seen in Highland on 18th-21st in Nairn; and Highland racked up seven birds in Aviemore on 19th. Two remained in Elgin (Moray) on 20th.

Cornwall’s wintering Rose-coloured Starling was still present at Lower Boscaswell on 16th-21st; and another was seen this week at Grangemouth (Forth) on 17th-18th.

Finally, in East Sussex the Little Bunting was still present at Poundgate on 15th-21st.

Starting the overseas news relatively close to home, the recent Song Sparrow remained on the Dutch/Belgian border this week at Emmadorp on 16th-21st. Further into Holland, the Western Swamphen remained at Het Nieuwe Waterschap on 19th still, and the resident Pygmy Cormorant was still at Utrecht on 17th.

In Denmark, the White-headed Duck remained at Selsø Sø on 16th.

In Sweden, the wintering male Siberian Rubythroat was still present at Vargön on 16th also.

Keeping it Scandinavian a while longer, in Norway the third-winter Glaucous-winged Gull was seen at Verdalsora on 14th-19th.

In Spain this week a Sociable Lapwing remained at L’Embut on 16th, and Spain’s first confirmed White-tailed Lapwing, found but not identified some days earlier, was present at Món Natura-La Tancada lagoon on 20th-21st.

In the Canary Islands, the Semipalmated Plover was still present on Tenerife on 16th-21st.

And lastly, much closer to the Americas, out on the Azores the Belted Kingfisher remained on Terceira on 15th-17th, with a Least Sandpiper also seen on there on 16th, and a Great Blue Heron present on Pico on 15th.

So here we go into the final week of February, and the weather forecast for Britain and Ireland looks like an absolute blast for the days to come…

A blast in the sense of a succession of yet more screaming westerlies, interspersed with some icy blasts straight out of the High Arctic. While predicting the headline birds is something (ha!) of an imprecise science, we can safely say we’re going to get a LOT of weather this coming week.

With three recent Ross’s Gulls in Britain and Ireland in the past fortnight, and seven historic records for the week to come, another feels like a distinct possibility. But for sheer variety, I still fancy a nice confiding Ivory Gull…

Jon Dunn

22nd February 2022

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

 

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