Weekly birding round-up: 19 - 25 Apr 2022
The week just gone promised so much with those easterlies kissing Britain but, alas, it was maybe just too little too early in the spring proceedings. We got the predicted Calandra Lark but, when we say ‘we’, that’s in a western European context. Alas, it didn’t make it across the North Sea to us…
But that’s not to say we didn’t get some tasty migrant action. Granted, no outrageous new headline birds, but it was a good time to be out birding, and new birds were coming in all the time. Waders were on the move, as were Little Gulls, and nobody’s day was ever made worse by bumping into them on their local patch.
While the week just gone may not have been characterised by a stand-out new rarity of substance – our prediction from last week having got no closer to Britain or Ireland than the Netherlands – we could at least draw considerable solace from the lingering presence of the prior week’s classiest of acts – Scilly’s first ever Crag Martin.
Still present on Bryher as the week got under way on 19th, it was set to remain tazzing around the isle until 21st, to the delight of local and visiting birders alike. Granted, the nailed on bird at Kingsdown in Kent in the closing days of autumn 2020 may have scratched the Crag Martin itch for many a British birder, but there’s something about seeing one of these southern European staples in the warmth of spring. All the sweeter when it’s present in the lush surroundings of a birding mecca like Scilly.
Hopefully set to become a weekly fixture here for the foreseeable, the adult Black-browed Albatross was settling into something approaching the routine it followed last year – present for much of a given week, with the occasional day or two long foray a-wandering away at sea somewhere. Sure enough, this week it went AWOL on 20th-21st and again on 24th, but was otherwise seen daily at Bempton Cliffs RSPB (East Yorkshire).
Scotland continued to boast good tallies of White-billed Divers, with Moray and Aberdeenshire still very much to the fore. The week’s peak counts came from Portsoy (Aberdeenshire), where seven birds were logged on 19th, five on the following day, three still on 24th, and two on 25th. Moray, meanwhile, supplied at least five off Portnockie on 20th and three there on 25th, with at least three seen from Cullen still on 19th-20th, and a single bird seen from Roseisle on 21st-22nd. Single birds were seen further north in Shetland – one still in South Nesting Bay on 20th, and one off Unst still on the same day – and in Orkney, where one was again seen on 24th from Papa Westray.
Just one Pomarine Skua had been seen, from Dungeness (Kent) on 21st, as we went into the weekend. On 24th, watchers on the Isle of Wight logged three – two from Ventnor and one from St Catherine’s Point – while two were seen from Selsey Bill (West Sussex). On 25th, one was noted off Beachy Head (East Sussex), and two more from Dungeness.
A Great Shearwater, however, was in the North Sea on 22nd, seen from Kingsbarns (Fife).
Before we move onto the host of Glossy Ibises that continue to show no signs of wanting to abandon Britain and Ireland any time soon, we’ve some other newly arrived long-legged beasties to get through this week – a small burst of Purple Herons.
One remained, as the week started, at Stodmarsh NNR (Kent) on 20th and was seen again there on 23rd-24th, while presumably the prior week’s individual on the Somerset Levels was that seen at Shapwick Heath NNR again on 20th also. New birds were noted on 20th at Minster Marshes (Kent) and Marazion Marsh RSPB (Cornwall), with another possible bird seen that day over Fareham (Hampshire). A first-summer flew in off the sea on St Mary’s (Scilly) on 23rd and was still present on 24th. Finally, on 25th one was discovered in East Sussex near Exceat.
At least 40 Glossy Ibises were seen this week, with small flocks lingering on the Somerset Levels – a peak count of seven birds being seen at Ham Wall RSPB on 19th – and elsewhere besides. Norfolk enjoyed a quartet at Welney WWT on 20th-21st and 23rd, and Potter Heigham Marshes on 22nd; and Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) three again on 21st. How many will we have by the end of the spring, and later still in the summer?
Finally, a Spotted Crake was logged at Letham Pools (Fife) on 20th.
For the most part, numbers of honkers and quackers were finally beginning to contract somewhat after a bumper few months of late. Nonetheless, there was still plenty of colour and variety in the news.
Not least in Scotland, where a Lesser White-fronted Goose was seen on 22nd-23rd at Udale Bay (Highland) – greeted, as they ought to be, with initial excitement, it then transpired to be the presumed escaped bird seen in Norfolk, Yorkshire and Lancashire between November 2019 and February 2022.
Norfolk, meanwhile, held onto the faithful Red-breasted Goose at Blakeney on 19th-25th.
A white Snow Goose was again in Lancashire at Marshside RSPB on 19th-20th.
East Yorkshire got our only Black Brant, a bird seen at Kilnsea on 23rd-25th.
Just one of The Goose Formerly Known As Canada was seen this week – an interior Todd’s Canada Goose at Marshside RSPB on 22nd-23rd.
In Co.Wexford, the drake Blue-winged Teal was still at Tacumshin on 21st, while in Cambridgeshire the female remained a more daily fixture at Berry Fen on 19th-23rd.
A handful of Green-winged Teals were logged this week – birds still at Druridge Pools NR (Northumberland) on 19th-20th; at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) on 19th-24th still; and in Devon at Black Hole Marsh still on 25th. A probable drake was found on 24th at Morton Bagot (Warwickshire).
Drake American Wigeons remained in Scotland in recent days at Loch Spynie (Moray) still on 19th-20th and Crook of Baldoon RSPB (Dumfries & Galloway) again on 19th. Northumberland supplied sightings of another drake – present at East Chevington NWT on 19th, and Cresswell Pond NWT on 21st-25th.
Numbers of Ring-necked Ducks were down this week, but that was all relative. Some 30 birds still represents a strong British and Irish showing on the cusp of May. Peak count this week were three again noted on Tiree (Argyll & Bute) on 20th.
The recently found pair of Lesser Scaups in Staffordshire at Tucklesholme Quarry SWT continued to show well there 19th-21st; while the drake was still present in Somerset at Chew Valley Lake on 19th-23rd. Have all the recent Scottish birds done a bunk?
Two of Scotland’s recent King Eiders hadn’t left the building just yet. The drake was still present at Loch Fleet (Highland) on 20th-23rd, while the first-winter drake remained off Musselburgh (Lothian) on 20th-25th.
Three Surf Scoters also hung on at Lothian’s Musselburgh on 20th-22nd, with two still there on 23rd-25th, and two seen from nearby Seton Sands on 20th. One was still off Roseisle (Moray) on 20th while, at the opposite end of the country, the first-winter female remained off Tresco (Scilly) on 19th-25th.
Providing rarer fare again this week, Northumberland once more hosted the drake Black Scoter off Cocklawburn Beach on 19th.
Finally, our occasionally reported honorary wildfowl, the adult Pied-billed Grebe, was once again seen in Argyll & Bute at Loch Feorlin on 22nd-25th.
The week proved to be a busy-ish one for Black-winged Stilts, with a handful of duos noted in the daily news as the week wore on – and a single bird still at Marshside RSPB (Lancashire & North Merseyside) on 19th-25th. Duos were logged at Fobney Meadow (Berkshire) on 19th-20th (with one also on 19th at Hosehill Lake LNR); and in Norfolk at Silt Fen on 19th, Welney WWT on 20th, and Denver Sluice on 22nd-23rd.
In Suffolk, the Pacific Golden Plover stayed settled at Carlton Marshes SWT on 19th-24th.
A male Kentish Plover was noted in East Sussex at Rye Harbour NR on 22nd-23rd.
The week’s biggest trip of Dotterels was comfortably the eight birds seen in North Yorkshire at Danby Beacon on 20th; one was seen in Somerset at Countisbury on 21st; and one in Norfolk at Thornham on 21st was followed by two present there on 22nd, and three by 23rd-25th. Five birds were present on North Uist (Western Isles) on 23rd-25th. On 24th, single birds were found at Long Mynd (Shropshire), Garreg Lwyd (Carmarthenshire), and Danby Beacon (North Yorkshire) again; the Long Mynd bird remained there the following day, while also on 25th two were seen in Norfolk at Waxham, and one on Anglesey at South Stack RSPB.
Staying in Norfolk, at Titchwell RSPB (Norfolk) the Temminck’s Stint remained there on 19th-24th; the recent Essex individual was again seen at East Tilbury on 24th; another was found on 24th at Loch of Strathbeg RSPB (Aberdeenshire); and one was seen at Rainham Marshes RSPB (London) on 25th.
The recent Cumbrian Pectoral Sandpiper remained at Wedholme Flow on 19th, while another was reported from Loch of Strathbeg RSPB (Aberdeenshire) on 25th.
Ireland again dominated the week’s Lesser Yellowlegs, with one still present in Co.Cork at Rosscarbery on 20th-21st, and the other in Co.Wexford still at Tacumshin on 19th-24th; and the British bird remained at Minsmere RSPB (Suffolk) still 19th-24th also.
Ireland once more enjoyed the best of the week’s gulls, and heading them up was something of a surprise – the first-winter Ross’s Gull, last reported on 24th March, again present on Mutton Island (Co.Galway) on 20th and 23rd.
Co.Wexford, meanwhile, gave us an adult Bonaparte’s Gull again at Tacumshin on 22nd and 24th, and South Slob on 23rd. Another adult was seen late on 23rd in Cardiff Bay (Glamorgan).
Numbers of Glaucous Gulls took a noticeable hit, with barely 10 birds seen nationwide all week. Iceland Gulls were also a little subdued, albeit rather more numerous than their bulkier white-winged cousins – some 40 birds were noted in the course of recent days, of which seven on North Uist (Western Isles) on 20th were the highest single site tally.
The juvenile Kumlien’s Gull was again seen on Barra (Western Isles) on 23rd-24th. Concluding where we began, in Ireland, two birds – an adult and a juvenile – were seen on Kenmare Sound (Co.Kerry) on 20th.
Once again this week, Black Kites were on the move in Britain and Ireland, with some 20 birds noted across southern Britain in the course of the week – just one was logged in Ireland, at Mizen Head (Co.Cork) on 21st.
A male Montagu’s Harrier was seen in Somerset at Stoke Pero Common on 22nd. A probable first-summer was seen on 24th in Lincolnshire at Chapel Six Marshes.
Finally, the recent Snowy Owl was again reported from Eday (Orkney) on 21st.
Starting the week’s passerines on the virtue of both rarity and longevity, the Belted Kingfisher continued to delight on the River Darwen at Roach Bridge (Lancashire) on 19th, but wasn’t reported again thereafter.
On 22nd a Great Spotted Cuckoo was seen heading northwest over Darlington (Co.Durham), but wasn’t hanging around.
On Tresco (Scilly), the Woodchat Shrike remained on 19th. Further birds this week were a probable seen in flight briefly on The Lizard (Cornwall) on 19th, a bird at Kenidjack (Cornwall) on 23rd-25th, and one on St Mary’s (Scilly) on 24th-25th.
A Red-backed Shrike was reported from Thornham (Norfolk) on 21st; and a Great Grey Shrike from Brotton Woods (Cleveland) on 24th.
Scilly’s Tresco also landed another harbinger of spring – a Wryneck there on 21st. This was followed by one on the east coast at Donna Nook (Lincolnshire) on 24th-25th, and one in Cornwall at Kenidjack on 24th also. On 25th birds were found at Kilnsea (East Yorkshire), Warley Moor reservoir (West Yorkshire), and Rye Harbour NR (East Sussex).
A late Waxwing was seen in Highland at Rothiemurchus on 22nd.
Cornish colour came in the form of a Bee-eater found on 23rd at Nanjizal, and a Golden Oriole heard on 24th at St Blazey.
A Short-toed Lark was seen at Boscregan (Cornwall) on 21st, while the recent Fair Isle (Shetland) bird was seen again on there on 22nd-25th, and back in Cornwall the bird once more at Nanquidno on 24th.
Hoopoes continued to arrive in fair numbers for another week across Britain and Ireland – some 25 birds were reported, some of which were lingering and in song. One hung around St Just (Cornwall) on 21st-23rd, and was heard in eponymous voice on 22nd; and, notably as records usually involve singletons, two birds remained in Co.Cork at Myross on 21st-22nd.
An Alpine Swift was seen in Co.Cork at Ladysbridge on 19th; another was seen passing through Skokholm (Pembrokeshire) on 22nd.
We did fairly well for Red-rumped Swallows, with numbers creeping into double figures overall. On 19th one was seen at Spurn (East Yorkshire); on 20th, birds were noted at Cuckmere Haven (East Sussex) and Alton Water (Suffolk); one was seen on 21st at Gibraltar Point NNR (Lincolnshire), and two at Porthgwarra (Cornwall). On 22nd, The Lizard (Cornwall) scored two as well, with further single birds noted at Porthoustock (Cornwall), Titchfield Haven NNR (Cornwall), Severn Beach (Gloucestershire), and Grafham Water (Cambridgeshire). On 24th, birds were seen near Woodbridge (Suffolk) and on Portland (Dorset), the Suffolk individual remaining on 25th.
What do we make of the possible American Robin reported from Nefyn Golf Club (Gwynedd) on 25th? In the absence of further news, not a lot at this juncture…
It was rather quieter than of late where warblers of note were concerned. A Subalpine Warbler sp was reported on 20th on Raasay (Highland); a Bonelli’s Warbler sp on Lundy (Devon) on 25th… and the lingering Dusky Warbler remained in Norfolk still near Stiffkey on 19th-24th.
An iberiae Spanish Wagtail was found in song in Cornwall on 25th at Skewjack.
Numbers of Blue-headed Wagtails took a bit of a tumble, with fewer than 10 confirmed individuals – single birds on 19th at Birkdale (Merseyside), Sandbach Flashes (Cheshire), and Crail (Fife); on 20th at Carlton Marshes SWT (Suffolk); on 23rd at Porthgwarra (Cornwall), and on Bardsey (Gwynedd); on 24th-25th on Lundy (Devon); and on 25th at Druridge Ponds NR (Northumberland). A probable female was at Stoke Bardolph (Nottinghamshire) on 19th, and a further possible bird was noted on 23rd in Devon at South Huish Marsh.
Fair Isle’s (Shetland) recent pair of hornemanni Arctic Redpolls were both noted again on 22nd, with just one having been seen daily to that point. Another was found up on Unst on 23rd-25th.
Finally, a few Little Buntings were seen this week – on 21st at Inverbervie (Aberdeenshire) and Ashdown Forest (East Sussex), and on 23rd-24th at Farnham GPs (North Yorkshire).
Close, but no cigar… our closing wishful prediction of the prior week that there might be a Calandra Lark in the offing almost came true for us – instead, it was Dutch birders who were to profit from that one, with a bird seen on 21st at Duinen Egmond. Holland was already flying by that point, with an Alpine Accentor on the scoreboard on 19th near Bloemendaal, the Pygmy Cormorant still present at Dwingelderveld on 20th-21st, and the long-staying Western Swamphen still at Het Nieuwe Waterschap on 20th.
Sticking with northern Europe for a moment longer, a Stejneger’s Scoter was noted from Ovisi (Latvia) on 19th.
In Germany, the Western Rufous Turtle Dove was again seen at Schonberg Nordost on 19th.
On the Iberian peninsula, Greater Sand Plovers were seen in Portugal at Ria del Alvor on 17th-21st, and in Spain at San Juan de la Arena still on 19th-20th. Spain also held onto the Black-and-white Warbler still near Sant Joan de Mediona on 23rd-25th.
Heading further afield into the eastern Mediterranean, on Malta an Egyptian Nightjar was seen on 18th, an Eyebrowed Thrush trapped and ringed on 19th, and a Hoopoe Lark found on 22nd.
Two Hoopoe Larks was found in Turkey at Milleyha Wetland on 19th, with one still present there on 23rd with, for good company, Bar-tailed Lark and a national first Temminck’s Lark also present there that day. On 24th, the Temminck’s Lark was still present, as were two Bar-tailed Larks, five Hoopoe Larks, and an Egyptian Nightjar as the cherry on the cake.
Further afield still, on the Azores a Yellow-crowned Night Heron was found on Sao Miguel on 22nd.
And there you have it – we’re about to see April hand over the reins to May for a hopefully tumultuous gallop down the straights of spring.
Almost anything, at this point, could be on the cards, be it displaced Nearctic sparrows or waders, or a host of Western Palearctic rarities of all shapes, sizes and calibres. You could pretty much stick a pin in the ranks of prior records and take your pick.
That said, canny local patch-watchers will be hoping for something increasingly attainable. We know, from past weeks’ news in the public and private domain alike, that pioneering Black-winged Stilts and Iberian Chiffchaffs are on the move, and either could be a fair bet for inland as well as coastal birders in the coming days.
If you find yourself on the coast, the chances of bumping into a Subalpine Warbler sp grow better by the day presently. With three flavours to choose from these days, there’s something for everyone, even those who’ve already found one or other species for themselves already.
And a crowd-pleaser? Turns out the coming week marks the 25th anniversary of the Landguard NR (Suffolk) Spectacled Warbler on 26th April – 2nd May 1997. A twitch I remember with some fondness as, after having ‘enjoyed’ lousy views of the bird from amidst a seething scrum of birders, handing in an abandoned Nikon scope at the compound gates meant I was rewarded with superlative views of the bird from within. Turns out honesty really is the best policy. And, honestly, we’d like another twitchable Spectacled Warbler, please. Our last bird was five years ago, a one-day bird in early May 2017 on Portland (Dorset) – another, accessible, bird would be most welcome.
Jon Dunn
26 April 2022
Many thanks to all this week's contributors for your photos and videos
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