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Weekly birding round-up: 13 - 19 Dec 2022

The cold snap continued apace in recent days but, as the week wore to a close, the wind was swinging around to the south and milder weather was on its way. Any week in the wake of a first for Britain will always seem somewhat muted, especially at this late and traditionally quiet point in the year, but nonetheless there was still a new arrival of note. Pull up a comfy mince pie, and settle in for the last Round Up of 2022…

 

Ireland’s certainly not done badly for itself where Greater Yellowlegs are concerned down the years, with 14 accepted birds on the books to the end of 2018. However, sandwiched between Co.Cork and Co.Wexford, Co.Waterford’s not had a sniff of one to date.

Co.Cork sits pretty with three past birds, while Co.Wexford has just the one bird, but that’s still 100 percent more Greater Yellowlegs than Co.Waterford’s birders could lay claim to. Until this week, that is.

News broke on 16th of a bird seen the previous day on the river outside Lismore by Tallow Bridge and, shortly afterwards, confirmation came that the bird was still present. Better still, it remained there through the weekend and, at the time of writing on 19th, was contentedly seeing the week out in Co.Waterford.

A welcome county first but not, of course, the first Irish record this year – a popular and showy bird spent three days at Carton Demesne in Co.Kildare on 29th-31st July. But try telling that to Co.Waterford. There’s nothing as good as a bird on your doorstep.

 

Britain’s first Stejneger’s Scoter remained this week off the Lothian coast, starting on 13th-14th in Gosford Bay before an absence on 15th-16th that suggested, perhaps, this was to have been only a fleeting stay in British waters after all.

Good news followed on 17th, with the drake back in Aberlady Bay again, where it remained the following day too. How long it decides to hang around remains to be seen – as does how much a draw it proves to be for keen birders over the festive period now the weather’s turned milder, and some folk have the prospect of some time off work ahead of them.

Will it make it into 2023? And will the drake White-winged Scoter put in another appearance off the Lothian coast? Last seen off Musselburgh on 9th November, it’s been AWOL ever since.

 

While seabirds generally were very much in abeyance this past week, Cornwall flirted with us a little in the form of reports of Pacific Divers off the county’s south coast – a possible bird seen distantly off Cudden Point on 13th, followed on 17th by a report of a bird further to the east in Gerrans Bay.

At the opposite end of the country, a White-billed Diver was seen off Leebitton (Shetland) on 15th.

In the headlines but for the lack of certainty, a possible Brünnich's Guillemot was seen passing Weybourne (Norfolk) in the morning of 14th – certainly the conditions in the preceding days were spot on for bringing us something good from the north.

Numbers of its smaller cousin, Little Auks, fell away, with around 60 birds logged nationwide this week. Of these, the highest single site count came at Nybster (Highland & Caithness), where 16 birds were noted on 13th.

Our only notable skuas this week were Pomarine Skuas seen from Hope’s Nose (Devon) on 18th, and Berry Head (Devon) on 19th.

 

We’ve become thoroughly accustomed to a steadfast presence of around 30 Glossy Ibises spread across Britain and Ireland in the past year or so, but the sustained cold snap was apparently not to their liking – numbers reported plummeted this week. Single birds remained at Lytham Hall (Lancashire & North Merseyside) on 13th-15th, at Idle Valley NR (Nottinghamshire) on 16th, and at Slaughden (Suffolk) again on 17th; four birds were again seen at Titchfield Haven (Hampshire) on 16th; and three again at Lady’s Island Lake (Co.Wexford) on 18th rising to the full recent four again by 19th.

 

If long-legged beasties are not fond of cold weather, honkers and quackers are made of sterner stuff. The past week featured a decent variety of both.

Starting with The Goose Formerly Known As Canada, interior Todd’s Canada Geese were seen in northern England near Anthorn (Cumbria) on 14th and in Lancashire & North Merseyside at Banks Marsh NNR on 14th-16th, with a possible bird at Aldcliffe on 17th-18th; while another was found in Argyll & Bute at Campbeltown on 17th-19th. The latter shared the site with a hutchinsii Richardson’s Cackling Goose on 17th-19th also; this followed two birds seen in the county at Lussa Loch on 13th-14th.

Black Brants lingered at Farlington Marshes HWT (Hampshire) on 13th-14th still, and Felixstowe Ferry (Suffolk) on 15th-18th, with another found on Canvey Island (Essex) on 17th. On 19th another Essex sighting came from near Paglesham Lagoon.

In Ireland, a flurry of possible Grey-bellied Brants were seen in Co.Dublin on 13th – a single bird at Blackrock College, and five near Donaghmede.

Also in Ireland this week, two Snow Geese were present at Lady’s Island Lake (Co.Wexford) on 17th.

The wait may have been a long one, but the first American Wigeon in over 20 years was a welcome sight for Hampshire birders this week at Pennington Marshes on 15th-19th. Elsewhere, the drake remained in Northumberland at Big Waters NR on 14th-19th, and another was found in Lothian at White Sands Quarry on 17th-19th.

Some half a dozen Green-winged Teals were logged this week – birds present at Dungeness (Kent) still on 13th-17th; at Lochwinnoch RSPB (Clyde) again on 16th; on the Lossie estuary (Moray) still on 17th-19th; at Carron (Forth) on 15th-18th; on Tiree (Argyll & Bute) on 16th; briefly at Letcombe Valley BBOWT (Oxfordshire) on 18th; and at Blennerville (Co.Kerry) still on 18th.

Norfolk’s remained the national hotspot for Ferruginous Ducks, with at least three birds spanging between Filby and Ormesby Broads this week – three being present again on the former site again on 14th, with two birds there on 15th and 17th, and three again on 18th; and single birds noted on the latter site on 15th and 17th, with a drake and a female present there on 18th.

Some 25 Ring-necked Ducks were logged across Britain and Ireland this week and, amongst them, there were a few sites holding more than a single bird – duos were seen again at Llyn Pencarreg (Carmarthenshire) on 13th-17th, Lisvane reservoir (Glamorgan) still on 13th-19th, Siblyback Lake (Cornwall) on 13th still, at Standlake (Oxfordshire) again on 17th-18th; and on Filby Broad (Norfolk) again on 18th. On 17th three birds were present at Wellington GPs (Herefordshire).

In the Western Isles the female Lesser Scaup remained on South Uist on 16th, while a new first-winter drake was found in Fife on Kinghorn Loch on 14th-19th.

In Cleveland the second-winter drake King Eider remained present around Redcar on 13th-19th, while the drake was once more seen in Shetland’s Bluemull Sound on 17th.

To Conwy next, where numbers of Surf Scoters rose a little more, with three birds now haunting Colwyn Bay on 14th-15th. Elsewhere, two were hanging around Aberlady Bay (Lothian) on 14th-17th.

Finally, our dabble on the rarity duckpond takes us to Co.Mayo, where the drake Hooded Merganser remained at Rosduane on 14th-15th, and the female / juvenile Ruddy Duck was still present on Cross Lough on 14th.

 

Unsurprisingly, given both the time of year and the prevailing weather conditions, interesting waders were thin on the frozen ground this week. Thank goodness for Co.Waterford being out of step with that…

Starting in Somerset, the German-ringed Kentish Plover was again seen at Burnham-on-Sea on 15th.

In Kent a Dotterel was present between Sandwich and Ash on 18th.

The Long-billed Dowitcher remained in Norfolk at Titchwell RSPB on 13th-14th.

We finish on Scilly where, far from an annual sight in the archipelago at the best of times, let alone in December, a Stone Curlew present on 16th-17th was locally popular – only the 30th record of the species in the islands.

 

A handful of Nearctic gulls were providing interest for laridophiles again this week – with some decent westerlies in the post in the coming fortnight, perhaps we’ll see some more too by the time the next Round Up comes in the early new year. This week, though, we being in Co.Antrim where the adult Bonaparte’s Gull remained at Ballygalley on 16th-17th.

As many as half a dozen Ring-billed Gulls were noted this week – starting in Ireland, birds were seen at Tralee Bay Wetlands (Co.Kerry) on 13th-19th, and Ring (Co.Cork) on 14th still; an adult was at Strathclyde Loch (Clyde) on 16th; and the adult was still at Lelant Saltings (Cornwall) on 14th. Additional birds were reported on 15th at Fishguard (Pembrokeshire) and the southbound services of the M5 at Michaelwood (Gloucestershire).

Back in Cornwall, a possible Laughing Gull was reported, for its third day, on 14th at Sennen Cove.

A dozen Glaucous Gulls were seen this week, with a couple of sites attracting more than one bird – duos were seen at Loch of Strathbeg RSPB (Aberdeenshire) on 14th, and on Papa Westray (Orkney) on 17th.

It was much the same story for Iceland Gulls, with around a dozen also seen during recent days, and again a couple of sites enjoying duos – these being two in Penzance (Cornwall) on 15th, and two on Unst (Shetland) on 16th.

 

Familiar fodder makes up the raptors of note for another week, the cream of the crop once more being the juvenile female Pallid Harrier still haunting the Warham Greens area of Norfolk on 13th-18th, and surely set to get many a year list off to a flying start when the New Year dawns. Another probable juvenile was seen this week in Cornwall at Trevescan on 13th.

Orkney was the hotspot this week for sightings of Rough-legged Buzzard, with reports coming from Evie again on 13th, Click Mill and Loch of Swannay on 16th, and Dounby on 19th. Elsewhere, birds were seen in Norfolk at Gramborough Hill on 13th; in Kent at Great Farthingloe on 14th; and, on 19th, in Northumberland at Cocklawburn Beach and Grindon Lough. A further probable bird was seen on 19th in Cambridgeshire between Reach and Swaffham Prior.

 

One of the past week’s headliners, the male Black-throated Thrush began the current week still present at Haddington (Lothian) on 13th-15th. This was followed, on 16th-17th, by news of a first-winter male in a garden in Dunblane (Forth) – not a bird that’s going to be more than locally available, as the homeowners want to maintain their privacy. Still, good to know they’re out there, and surely one or two more may yet be found stripping berries in gardens over the festive period…

Speaking of which, Waxwings continued to delight for another week, with around 650 birds noted nationwide. Birds could crop up pretty much anywhere, so local patch-watchers have it all to play for while walking off Christmas dinner.

Damp, sheltered microclimates might just harbour a scarce warbler too. The coming fortnight is a traditional time nowadays for unearthing a Dusky Warbler somewhere unexpected, and we’ve still got the recent Bradford-on-Avon (Wiltshire) bird this week on 13th-19th to serve as inspiration in that regard. On Scilly, the Tresco bird was still present on 16th.

Norfolk’s Hume’s Warbler was still present at Brancaster on 13th-19th.

A Yellow-browed Warbler, or possibly a Hume’s, was seen on 16th at Earls Barton GPs (Northamptonshire). Confirmed Yellow-broweds were at Kenfig NNR (Glamorgan) still on 14th-17th and Helston Loe Pool (Cornwall) still on 15th; and on Tresco (Scilly) on 16th, and at Lough Hyne (Co.Cork) on 17th.

A couple of Great Grey Shrikes were seen this week – one still present in Hampshire at Pig Bush on 14th-18th, and another in Hertfordshire at Redbournbury on 13th.

A decidedly late Hoopoe was seen in East Yorkshire on 14th at Bridlington.

Our recent decent run of Penduline Tits continued this week, with two birds again seen in East Sussex at West Rise Marsh on 13th, and two birds present in Kent on Sheppey at Elmley NNR on 13th-17th, at least one of which had been present for three days beforehand.

Absent from the news for some weeks now, a juvenile Rose-coloured Starling brought the species back into the dailies this week, present in Somerset at Wiveliscombe on 14th-17th.

In Highland & Caithness the Eastern Yellow Wagtail remained at Loch of Wester on 14th.

Devon’s Olive-backed Pipit continued to delight this week in Exmouth’s Phear Park on 13th-19th.

St Mary’s (Scilly) scored another Richard’s Pipit on 16th.

Two of our recent Little Buntings were again seen this week – these being the individual in Cornwall between Cot Valley and Boscregan still on 15th-16th, and the bird in London at Lower Morden Equestrian Centre still on 13th-14th.

We finish with a bit of a Nearctic flourish in Cheshire & Wirral where, on 19th, the White-throated Sparrow was again present in a garden adjacent to Poor’s Wood. Last seen there a fortnight ago on 5th, the bird seems settled enough in the area but, with no access to the garden itself, represents something of a challenge to actually see. Probably best for all concerned that it’s not something rarer still…

 

Precious little overseas news filtered through to us this week, but the best of the birds seen was, by a country mile, the Baltimore Oriole present in Sweden at Förslöv on 11th-19th – an extremely popular national first.

In France, the Eastern Long-legged Buzzard continued its sojourn at Thibie on 17th-19th.

In Portugal, a Sociable Lapwing was present on 19th at Alentejo.

Finally, out on the Azores, a Great Blue Heron remained on Terceira on 17th-18th.

 

At the time of writing we look set to have a week ahead, at least, dominated by winds coming briskly at us from the Atlantic. Trying to look beyond that becomes a much murkier prospect in the rarity crystal ball…

But when did that ever stop us having a punt at some decidedly wishful thinking?

The coming fortnight features a couple of days that, with family commitments duly honoured, are traditional days for heading out for a bit of light birding. I’m thinking of Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. So what quality’s been unearthed on those days in the past 50 years?

Boxing Day has some decent pedigree in this regard. Starting in Shetland in 2015, it heralded the discovery of a Mourning Dove; Scilly, meanwhile, landed an American Royal Tern in 2018. A reasonable supporting act comes in the form of Pied-billed Grebe at Druridge Pools (Northumberland) in 1992, Black-throated Thrush in Maidenhead (Berkshire) in 1998, and Desert Wheatear in Highland & Caithness at Freswick in 1984.

New Year’s Day is no slouch either. A quality quacker comes in the form of a Bufflehead on Stithians reservoir (Cornwall) in 2020; while Lincolnshire landed a cracker in the form of an American Robin in Grimsby in 2004, and Shropshire a Pine Bunting in 2017 at Venus Pool.

The latter two birds are, surely, the takeaway message here. Precious few of us have a local patch based in traditional rarity-magnet territories like Shetland or Scilly. But at this time of year, you stand an outside chance of something popping up pretty much anywhere if the birding gods decide to smile upon you. So go walk off the Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve over-indulgences on your local patch, and see what you can find…

Wishing you all a happy Christmas, and a new year filled with birds and good times. I’ll be back in a fortnight’s time and, meanwhile, the daily news will keep on coming courtesy of the RBA news team.

 

Jon Dunn
20 Dec 2022

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

 

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