Weekly birding round-up: 2 - 8 May 2023
Spring continued to tick over this past week though, alas, we didn’t manage a hat-trick of firsts for Britain in consecutive weeks. All that said, the main event continued to show well in Northumberland, and migrants were, if not flooding into Britain and Ireland, then certainly ushering in a decent array of scarce and rare fare to keep our juices flowing until the next officially Big One of the spring is found.
The very best sort of first for Britain has to be the kind that turns up on the British mainland and sticks around for at least a week, giving weekend birders their fair crack of the whip at catching up with it before it eventually departs.
Our recent Grey-headed Lapwing in Northumberland is very much a case in point, remaining on offer around Low Newton-by-the-Sea throughout this past week until dusk on 8th. Perhaps in future there will be occasional further birds but, at the time of writing, we must assume the next one is probably a good way in the future, and this current individual has blocker written all over it. A terrific bird to catch up with now while the going’s good and it continues such an obliging British sojourn.
While Britain has a healthy 23 Western Black-eared Wheatears sitting on the records books to the end of 2020, it’s a very different story across the water in Ireland. There a mere two birds have been accepted to date – Ireland’s first, way back in the early years of the 20th century, acquired at Tuskar Rock Lighthouse (Co.Wexford) on 16th May 1916, and another latter-day record that spent a couple of days on Cape Clear (Co.Cork) on 26th-27th May 1992.
Well, we say latter-day, but that’s still 30 years ago. Another bird was seriously overdue.
That changed this week with the discovery of Co.Wexford’s second record, a first-summer male bird that showed well at South Slob on 6th May in the early evening but, alas, had moved on by the following day. From an Irish perspective, a bird that was every bit as uncooperative as the English Grey-headed Lapwing had proven to be cooperative.
Last reported from Athlone (Co.Westmeath) on 23rd February, Ireland’s adult Egyptian Vulture may have been fading from our collective consciousness in recent weeks and months. We were rudely reminded of its kind this week on 8th with news that a near-adult bird had been seen in Devon near Seaton at Haven Cliffs on 4th March. That’s significantly belated news, to say the least, but a reminder that these days almost anything is possible on the raptor front now we’re freeing our minds from the preconceptions that dogged the past. How long now until an unequivocal Booted Eagle crosses both the English Channel and the rubicon of adjudicating committee acceptance?
After some weeks of decent White-billed Diver action, the past week proved to be a more muted affair altogether, with just a handful of birds noted in Scotland. In Moray, single birds were seen in Spey Bay on 2nd still and off Roseisle on 2nd-5th still; a bird was seen from Westray (Orkney) again on 6th-8th; on 7th-8th another was seen from Lewis (Western Isles).
If their kind were in abeyance, numbers of Pomarine Skua finally kicked off in recent days, with a grand total in the region of 180 birds seen nationally. Sure enough, with this many on the move, there was a chance of a Long-tailed Skua too – a bird was seen off Coll (Argyll & Bute) on 2nd, and another on North Uist (Western Isles) on 7th.
Dorset gave us most of the week’s Balearic Shearwater sightings – two seen off Portland on 2nd followed by single birds on 4th, 5th, and 6th; and another from St Aldhelm’s Head on 5th. A singleton was seen in Thurlestone Bay (Devon) on 4th.
Starting the long-legged beasties of the past week in Cornwall, the Squacco Heron was again seen near Lanreath on 3rd-5th; and another was found in Ireland at Kilmore Quay (Co.Wexford) on 5th.
A dozen Night Herons were logged in Britain and Ireland lately – of which three at Skibbereen (Co.Cork) on 2nd still, and two at Strumpshaw Fen RSPB (Norfolk) on 4th were the only small parties seen.
A handful of Purple Herons provided additional variety – these being single birds noted at Trimley Marshes SWT (Suffolk) on 3rd-5th again; on Lundy (Devon) on 5th, and in off the sea that day also at Gibraltar Point NNR (Lincolnshire); on 6th at South Slob (Co.Wexford); on 6th-8th at Castlemartin Close (Pembrokeshire); on 7th at Marazion RSPB (Cornwall); and on 8th at March Farmers (Cambridgeshire).
Some 20 Glossy Ibises were seen this past week, once again well-spread across Britain and Ireland, with a couple of northerly outliers, seen from the Ullapool / Stornoway (Highland & Caithness / Western Isles) ferry on 6th, proving that birds were both on the move and penetrating far away from their Mediterranean heartlands.
Two Corncrakes were heard in song at Welney WWT (Norfolk) on 3rd.
Impossible, at this juncture in the weekly news, to ignore the scoters of Fife, where Largo Bay continued to dominate the daily news. Getting the relatively uncomplicated news behind us first and foremost, the drake Stejneger’s Scoter was still present there on 2nd-8th. At least one drake White-winged Scoter was also seen here on 2nd-6th with, to muddy the waters a little, a drake White-winged x Velvet Scoter hybrid also there for good measure on 30th April – 6th May. Then, on 6th-7th, confirmation that there were indeed still two drake White-winged Scoters there, at least one of which remained present on 8th.
Complicated, and fraught? Maybe a little. Additional on site spice was added by up to five Surf Scoter present here during the same period. Another single bird was seen from Roseisle (Moray) on 2nd still.
Back in Fife the drake American Wigeon was present on the Eden estuary on 2nd-8th still – sharing the site with a Green-winged Teal on 6th also.
The drake Blue-winged Teal remained in Lincolnshire at Frampton Marsh RSPB on 2nd-7th.
Two Ferruginous Ducks were still to be seen on Filby Broad (Norfolk) on 2nd-7th, with the female again on Aqualate Mere (Staffordshire) on 6th.
Ring-necked Ducks dipped below double figures for te first week in a long wintery time. Single birds were seen at Slapton Ley (Devon) still on 3rd-4th; at Foxhole (Cornwall) on 4th; at Bodenham GPs (Herefordshire) on 6th again; at Old Moor RSPB (South Yorkshire) on 2nd-8th; at Balgray reservoir (Clyde) on 2nd still; and in Fife near Ladyback at The Wilderness on 2nd-3rd and at Angle Park GPs on 5th-8th.
Drake Lesser Scaup were found this week at Branston GPs (Staffordshire) on 2nd-6th and Uttoxeter Quarry on 7th, and Grindon Lough (Northumberland) on 6th.
The drake King Eider remained on the Ythan estuary (Aberdeenshire) on 2nd, and another in Basta Voe off Yell (Shetland) on 2nd-3rd.
Finally, the unencumbered drake Hooded Merganser remained settled at Whinfell Tarn (Cumbria) on 2nd-8th.
As the week wore on Black-winged Stilts continued to pop up all over the place, a welcome sight wherever one of their leggy kind appeared. The week began with three still present at Suffolk’s Boyton Marshes RSPB on 2nd. Single birds on 2nd were noted at Meikle Loch and Slains Pools (Aberdeenshire), and Cuckmere Haven (East Sussex); three found that day at Frampton Marshes RSPB (Lincolnshire) fluctuated in the days that followed, dropping to two birds seen on 4th, back to three on 5th, and down to two again on 6th. Two were seen at Kirkby on Bain GPs (Lincolnshire) on 3rd, and two that day in Leicestershire at Cossington Meadows LRWT. A singleton was found in Flintshire at Talacre Pools on 4th, while South Yorkshire was graced by two birds at iPort Lakes and South Carr YWT, the latter site holding them until 6th. The following day, 5th, proved a busy one – a single bird seen at Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB (Cheshire & Wirral), two at Misson (Nottinghamshire), four in the Southwold area of Suffolk, and one in London on 5th-7th at Rainham Marshes RSPB. The weekend showed no signs of the pace relenting, with singletons noted near Wick (Highland & Caithness), Otmoor RSPB (Oxfordshire), Worth Marsh (Kent), and four birds at Heslington East (North Yorkshire). On 7th a single bird was found in Greater Manchester at Little Woolden Moss, four at Irthlingborough Lakes (Northamptonshire), a singleton at Staines Moor (Surrey), two at Fairburn Ings YWT (West Yorkshire), and four seen at St Aidan’s RSPB (West Yorkshire) – in a nutshell, we were knee deep in their kind over the weekend. On 8th one was found in Somerset at Steart WWT for good measure.
The pace of Dotterels was picking up too, with some 25 birds logged during the week – the vicinity of Norfolk’s Choseley Drying Barns proving irresistible for them, with a peak count of 11 birds there on 5th.
Male Kentish Plovers were seen at The Naze (Essex) on 2nd and Minsmere RSPB (Suffolk) on 5th-7th; and a female at Medmerry RSPB (West Sussex) on 7th.
Temminck’s Stints made a spirited bid to push into double figures lately, with a widely spread scatter of singletons noted. Our first was seen on 2nd at Kilnsea Wetlands (East Yorkshire), with one present at Welwick Saltmarsh YWT (East Yorkshire) on 3rd; additional birds lingered on 3rd-5th at Lunt Meadows LWT (Lancashire & North Merseyside), on 3rd-6th at Pilning Wetland (Gloucestershire), and on 3rd-6th on Bryher (Scilly). Fleeting birds were seen on 4th at Worth Marsh (Kent), 5th at Cley NWT (Norfolk), and on 6th at Carlton Marshes SWT (Suffolk). On 7th birds were found at Abberton reservoir (Essex) and Salthouse (Norfolk); and on 8th at Druridge Pools NR (Northumberland), and North Point Pools and Stiffkey Fen (Norfolk).
A Pectoral Sandpiper remained at Abberton reservoir (Essex) on 2nd-6th; another was found on 4th at Whitepark Bay (Co.Antrim); and a further bird at Salthouse (Norfolk) on 7th, with one also on the Bann estuary (Co.Derry) on 7th.
A Buff-breasted Sandpiper provided more variety this week, being found on 8th on South Uist (Western Isles).
While our two recent Long-billed Dowitchers remained at Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB (Cheshire & Wirral) still on 2nd and in Norfolk at Cley on 2nd-5th and Ken Hill Marshes on 6th-8th, the colourful star of the show was the cracking adult bird found in Hampshire at Keyhaven Marshes on 6th-8th.
By a country mile the best gull found this week has to be the adult Laughing Gull discovered nestled into the Lesser Balck-backed Gull colony on Gugh (Scilly) on 5th, and seen again from St Agnes on 7th and 8th.
The first-winter Bonaparte’s Gull remained in Cornwall on the Hayle estuary on 3rd-8th still, and an adult was seen in Shetland’s South Mainland at Loch of Hillwell on 2nd-3rd and Loch of Spiggie on 4th.
The adult Ring-billed Gull was still present on Loch Turret (Perth & Kinross) on 6th-8th, with another first-winter on 6th at Gearhies (Co.Cork).
Some dozen birds apiece of Glaucous Gulls and Iceland Gulls were again noted – at this rate we’ll be dropping down into single figures any week now.
While the focus fades on white-wingers, there’s an ever-increasing chance of a decent tern or two now, and the first small numbers of White-winged Black Terns put in a timely appearance this week – three being seen at Rainham Marshes RSPB (London) on 4th, with two that day also seen at Hanningfield reservoir (Essex).
In Dorset the first-winter Forster’s Tern continued to explore the environs of Poole Harbour on 2nd-8th, being seen variously at Brownsea Island NT, Lytchett Bay, and out to Hengistbury Head too.
The spirit of birds drifting in over the North Sea this week was no better evoked than with the appearance of a slew of Pallid Harriers down the eastern coast of Britain. A ringtail was seen at various points in the Spurn area (East Yorkshire) on 2nd, with another possible that day at Sands of Forvie NNR (Aberdeenshire), and a confirmed bird on 2nd-4th on North Ronaldsay (Orkney). Additional Scottish sightings followed on 4th at Balnakeil (Highland & Caithness), and on 4th-5th at Aberlady Bay (Lothian). Spurn got another record on 5th, followed on 6th by birds seen at Anderby Creek (Lincolnshire); in Norfolk at Sea Palling, Kelling Hard, Edgefield and Horsey Gap; and in off the sea in Suffolk at Walberswick. On 8th one was found in Lincolnshire at Saltfleetby NNR. A probable bird was seen on 6th way to the west, at Ballyvergan Marsh (Co.Cork).
Records of Montagu’s Harrier were fewer and further between. Cornwall proved busy, with the second-summer female again at The Lizard on 3rd, with another possible sighting of her on 5th also; a male at Gurnard’s Head on 2nd; and a probable on 2nd at Carminowe. A ringtail was seen on 2nd at Mutford (Suffolk); and additional east coast birds on 5th at Cley NWT (Norfolk) and on 6th at Gibraltar Point NNR (Lincolnshire). On 7th one was seen at Portmore Lough (Co.Antrim), a probable at RAF Wainfleet (Lincolnshire), and a first-summer female on The Lizard; the Portmore Lough bird remaining there the following day.
Inevitably, a couple of what were either Pallid or Montagu’s Harriers were also seen – Lincolnshire getting indeterminate sightings on 5th at Donna Nook and Horse Show Point.
A few reports came this week of Black Kite - at Darvell (East Sussex) on 3rd, Rillington (North Yorkshire) on 4th, a possible on 4th in Powys at Caersws, and singles near Oundle (Northamptonshire) and Nybster (Highland & Caithness) on 7th.
A possible Red-footed Falcon in Hampshire at Titchfield on 2nd was followed by a confirmed female at Stodmarsh NNR (Kent) on 4th-8th, and a male at The Lizard (Cornwall) on 6th.
Screaming into the week’s headlines but for that final missing element of certainty, a probable Pacific Swift put in a fleeting appearance over Ham Wall RSPB (Somerset) on 5th.
The same day saw a welcome return to the daily news of a couple of Alpine Swifts - birds being found in Dorset at Shillingstone, and Brandon Head (Co.Kerry).
Hoopoes continued to pour into Britain, with almost 30 birds logged over the course of the week, from Shetland in the north to the south coast of England, and points east and west in between. A handful of Wrynecks were also noted – all Scottish – at Fair Isle (Shetland) on 4th and 6th, John O’Groats (Highland & Caithness) on 5th, and St Cyrus NNR (Aberdeenshire) on 5th.
The floodgates opened for Golden Orioles this week, with some 25 birds noted – a couple of sites notching up multiple birds, with two birds seen on St Martin’s (Scilly) on 5th, two singing birds briefly in Kent at Foreness Point on 6th, and two at Minsmere RSPB (Suffolk) on 7th.
The Golden Oriole looking particularly stunning amongst the lichens and Old Red Sandstone of Spy Rock. pic.twitter.com/5fUrs3ztow
— Skokholm Island (@SkokholmIsland) May 3, 2023
Kent also boasted colour of a more lysergic nature this week – on 5th 10 Bee-eaters were noted at Langdon Cliffs NT and Ramsgate, two at Sandwich Bay, and three at High Halden. These followed five birds seen in Cornwall on 3rd at Botallack and Kenidjack; and preceded, on 6th, four in Cornwall at Polgigga, and two in East Yorkshire at Laytham. On 7th a singleton was seen in Norfolk near Trimingham, and two in Cornwall over Crows-an-wra.
A Red-backed Shrike was found on 7th-8th at Boulmer (Northumberland); and a Great Grey Shrike on Shetland Mainland at South Nesting on 8th.
Scilly was proving fruitful again for Woodchat Shrike - birds were seen on St Mary’s still on 3rd; on Bryher on 4th-6th; and on Tresco on 5th-6th.
Scilly also accounted for two of our Red-rumped Swallow records this week – seen over St Martin’s on 5th and St Mary’s on 6th. Another bird was found at Spurn (East Yorkshire) on 6th and, on 8th, additional individuals at Weybourne Camp (Norfolk) and Gibraltar Point NNR (Lincolnshire).
Brendon White took this fabulous photo of the Red-rumped Swallow that I chanced into at Perpitch, St Martin's, Friday past. pic.twitter.com/7xASaNskVT
— Scilly Pelagics (@Scillypelagics) May 7, 2023
A Short-toed Lark was found on 7th at Sheringham (Norfolk).
The first definite Iberian Chiffchaff of the year was found in song in East Sussex at Abbot’s Wood on 5th-8th. Another possible bird was found on 7th-8th in an area of Lawshall (Suffolk) with no general access.
Yellow-browed Warblers remained in Shetland at Pool of Virkie on 2nd and South Gare (Cleveland) on 2nd, and St Osyth (Essex) on 2nd.
In Somerset the singing Great Reed Warbler remained at Ham Wall RSPB on 2nd-8th; East Yorkshire sightings came on 7th from Flamborough and Sammy’s Point.
Shetland’s Foula landed a Marsh Warbler on 3rd.
A couple of Subalpine Warbler sp were trapped and ringed on 6th – a first-summer female at St Abb’s Head (Borders), and a male bird thought to be probably a Western at Saltfleet Haven (Lincolnshire). The former bird remained at St Abb’s Head on 7th.
Kent scored yet another Short-toed Treecreeper this week, found at Dungeness on 5th.
A Bluethroat was found in Devon at Dawlish Warren NNR on 5th, followed on 8th by a bird at Gibraltar Point NNR (Lincolnshire).
Our first Red-breasted Flycatcher of the year was to be seen at Kilminning (Fife) on 5th-7th.
An eastern stonechat sp, thought to probably be a Siberian Stonechat, was found on Shetland Mainland at Scatness on 8th; with another possible that day in Norfolk at Sheringham.
As anticipated in the predictions, a Citrine Wagtail was found this week, present on Fair Isle (Shetland) on 5th-7th. Fair Isle also landed itself another hint of autumn in the form of an Olive-backed Pipit on 3rd.
Citrine Wagtail @FI_Obs this morning - another lifer I was lucky enough to find, and the highlight of a good spring day with Redstarts, 7+ Tree Pipits and Whinchat also about! pic.twitter.com/sJa1wHpI2D
— Patrick Safford (@patricksafford7) May 5, 2023
A Red-throated Pipit was noted heading north over Bockhill Farm (Kent) on 7th.
Blue-headed Wagtails were found lately on 4th at Longtown (Cumbria), Potter Brompton Carr (North Yorkshire), and Wombwell (South Yorkshire); on 5th at Southwold and Minsmere RSPB (Suffolk); on 6th at Foreness Point (Kent) and Happisburgh (Norfolk); on 7th at West Runton (Norfolk); and on 8th at Steart WWT (Somerset) and North Ronaldsay (Orkney).
A Grey-headed Wagtail meanwhile was found at West Canvey Marsh RSPB (Essex) on 3rd-5th, a further probable male on Bryher (Scilly) on 4th, and on 8th at Scatness (Shetland) and Cley NWT (Norfolk).
Norfolk also bagged itself a brief Black-headed Wagtail at Cley NWT on 8th.
A good week for Serins saw birds found on Portland (Dorset) on 2nd, St Catherine’s Point (Isle of Wight), The Lizard (Cornwall) on 5th, Selsey Bill (West Sussex) on 5th, Hope Point (Kent) on 5th, and in off the sea at North Foreland (Kent) on 6th.
In Orkney the male Pine Bunting was once more seen on Papa Westray on 2nd.
A singing Little Bunting was found on Calf of Man (Isle of Man) on 6th.
There was certainly some food for thought to be had overseas this week, not least in Scandinavia where a perennial tease with the yearnings of British birders was seen – an adult Great Black-headed Gull in Denmark at Hanehoved on 5th.
Norway meanwhile scored a Baikal Teal on 2nd-3rd at Verdalsora.
In Germany two Slender-billed Gulls were seen on 5th at Monheim am Rhein, and a single bird on 6th at Gremsdorf.
Dutch birders enjoyed a good day on 5th with the discovery of a Cretzschmar’s Bunting at Krimpen aan de Lek, and a Rock Thrush on Texel. On 7th a Greater Sand Plover was found near Anjum.
A Western Olivaceous Warbler was found in song on Corsica at Macinaggio on 4th.
Finally, a Hooded Vulture was seen in Morocco at Jbel Mousa on 4th-5th.
We push on now towards the middle of May – and history tells us that the second week of the month can be extremely fruitful indeed. It’s worth noting, in passing, that on 11th May 1975 not one, but two Pallas’s Sandgrouse were seen on Isle of May (Fife) – just one, nowadays, would do us nicely.
Birders with half an eye to the Netherlands this week might have a sand plover on their radar – and the record books deliver a Lesser Sand Plover at Rimac (Lincolnshire) on 11th-15th May 2002.
It is, however, another wader that catches the eye – the coming week boasts 31 past records of Broad-billed Sandpiper in the past 50 years – a decent rate of return during the period, and a good omen for a bird somewhere in Britain in the days to come.
Jon Dunn
9 May 2023
Many thanks to all this week's contributors for your photos and videos
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