Weekly birding round-up: 9 -15 May 2023
A new week dawned on 9th and the star of the prior week’s show, Britain’s first Grey-headed Lapwing, was nowhere to be seen around Low Newton-by-the-Sea (Northumberland). It had, by all accounts, finally moved on.
Was this the end of the story? The bird had been more than accommodating, having given us a week in which to catch up with it, but where rarities are concerned, in particular birds of this calibre, more is always more – there would be no complaints whatsoever were it to be relocated.
Days passed without a whisper until, on 13th, there it was again – some way northwest of Low Newton-by-the-Sea, having made it as far as the Moray coastline, found in the afternoon near Lossiemouth at Balormie pig farm. Electrifying news for Moray birders, of course, but also for any Scottish birders who’d not made a move south of the border by this juncture… and, quietly, for Orcadian and Shetland birders who could now dare to dream that the bird might continue north to their shores.
A lovely evening near Lossiemouth; Grey-headed Lapwing, a welcome addition to Moray's already impressive wader list (anyone remember the Tattler?) pic.twitter.com/wXrpal64NI
— Dave Pullan ?????????????? (@davepullan) May 13, 2023
As 14th elapsed with no further sign of the bird, those dreams edged closer to reality. Would the bird be seen again and, if so, where would next be graced by it?
A strong case for the virtues of island birding had already been made earlier in the week by Bardsey (Gwynedd) where, on 9th, an absolute cracker of a Song Sparrow was discovered. The bird was found in the morning and continued to show throughout the day into the evening but, alas, had done a flit by the time dawn broke on 10th.
The first Welsh Song Sparrow was also found on Bardsey, albeit a fair while ago – present on the island for four days on 5th-8th May 1970. While there may be some extant birders who caught up with that bird, another chance at a Welsh tick would have been music to the ears of new generations of local birders. As it happened, only those fastest out of the blocks would be blessed this week.
It’s worth noting, in passing, that this came a fortnight after a Song Sparrow and a Slate-coloured Junco passed between North Ronaldsay (Orkney) and Fair Isle (Shetland) aboard the Norway-bound Federal Severn vessel. In a striking coincidence, another Nearctic passerine besides the Bardsey Song Sparrow would be found in Britain on 9th…
…and that passerine was a Slate-coloured Junco in Aberdeenshire at Rattray Head. Unlike the restless Song Sparrow, the junco was to prove a little more cooperative, remaining on Rattray Head until 11th.
This would have been particularly good news for Aberdeenshire birders, as it represented a county first for them. May represents the peak time for their kind in Britain, with over half of all prior British records owing themselves to the month. Little did we know that this week’s bird had an antecedent… belated news broke almost a week after the event of another bird, seen during the morning of 6th in a garden in High Kelling (Norfolk). However, given the latter county boasts two records in living memory, Norfolk’s birding faithful could presumably be fairly sanguine about missing this latest bird.
As we’ll see in due course, other flavours of Subalpine Warbler sp were to filter elsewhere into Britain as the days unfolded, but their collective story began with a bang in Dorset where the county’s first Moltoni’s Warbler was trapped and ringed at Portland Bird Observatory on 12th.
Released into the adjacent quarry it remained present for a couple of hours but wasn’t seen or heard of again after the early afternoon. With just 11 accepted British records on the books to the end of 2021, this remains a sought-after prize for coastal birders in spring.
While eyes were mainly focused on seaducks off Lower Largo (Fife) for another week, there was potential for a further quality bird out there on the water too – a probable Pacific Diver seen here on 13th.
Shetland was to enjoy the lion’s share of the week’s White-billed Divers, with single birds noted off Mainland near Walls on 9th and Leebitten on 12th, and off Yell on 11th. Orkney meanwhile retained a bird off Westray still on 9th-14th, and a bird was seen from Lewis (Western Isles) on 14th.
Numbers of Pomarine Skuas were well down again, with precious few birds logged lately, totalling some 30 nationwide over the course of the week. The largest single site count was 11 birds seen from North Uist (Western Isles) on 14th. Long-tailed Skuas proved scarcer still, numbering just two off North Uist (Western Isles) on 9th and a singleton seen from Fair Isle (Shetland) on 10th – then, on 14th, North Uist stepped up and delivered a further 13 birds, with three more seen from there the following day.
By virtue of a couple of appreciable flocks seen in recent days, Glossy Ibises return to the top of the long-legged beastie class this week. The first half of the week was fairly quiet for their kind, with two still at Horsey (Norfolk) on 9th followed by two at Potter Heigham Marshes on 12th-15th; one at Cahore Marsh (Co.Wexford) on 9th, and two at Buckroney Marsh (Co.Wicklow) on 11th. Then, on 12th, 16 birds were seen passing over Cotswold Water Park (Wiltshire); followed on 13th by some 20 birds heading north over Skomer (Pembrokeshire), and singletons at Welney WWT (Norfolk) and Frampton Court Lake (Gloucestershire). On 14th a further flock of 13 were found at West Hayling LNR (Hampshire), and a dozen birds were seen in Oxfordshire over Appleford GPs; a singleton was seen in Worcestershire at Grimley .
Night Herons continued to lurk in the shadows for another week. Two were seen in Scilly on St Mary’s on 9th; one was at Holme Pierrepont (Nottinghamshire) on 9th; a bird settled on the Shetland Mainland at Loch of Strom on 9th-10th; on 10th birds were noted at Man Sands (Devon), Biggleswade (Bedfordshire), and Minsmere RSPB (Suffolk); one lingered on 10th-14th at Cahore Marsh (Co.Wexford); and another was seen at Marazion Marsh RSPB (Cornwall) on 12th. On 14th two birds were noted at North Slob WWR (Co.Wexford), and single birds at Leybourne (Kent), and Combe Valley CP (East Sussex) again; one more was found on 15th at Cosmeston Lakes CP (Glamorgan), and two at Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR (Lincolnshire). Two probable birds were reported from North Yorkshire on 13th over the A1 at Boroughbridge.
Combe Valley CP (East Sussex) went one better on 14th with a Squacco Heron found there in the afternoon; and it remained present there the following day.
Purple Herons meanwhile edged up into double figures in Britain – one remained at Castlemartin Corse (Pembrokeshire) on 9th-11th; and birds were again seen on Lundy (Devon) on 9th-13th, at March Farmers (Cambridgeshire) on 10th, at Marazion Marsh RSPB (Cornwall) again on 10th-13th, and at Trimley Marshes SWT (Suffolk) on 13th-14th. Additional birds were seen on 9th at Upton Broad & Marshes NWT (Norfolk); on 10th-13th at ELmley NNR (Kent); two were reported from Pulborough (West Sussex) on 11th; singles on 13th at Goonhilly Downs (Cornwall) and Lodmoor RSPB (Dorset); and a couple more singles on 15th at Stodmarsh NNR (Kent) and Ouse Fen RSPB (Cambridgeshire).
A Corncrake was heard at Welney WWT (Norfolk) still on 10th-14th. The recent Spotted Crake was again heard at Otmoor RSPB (Oxfordshire) on 12th.
The weekly quackers continued to be dominated by the lingering presence of rare scoters off the Fife coast. Both the drake Stejneger’s Scoter and two drake White-winged Scoters remained off Lower Largo until 13th, with two Surf Scoter also present there for good measure. On 14th just one of the latter species was seen – and one White-winged Scoter.
Fife also retained the drake American Wigeon on the Eden estuary on 10th-11th still, and the recent Green-winged Teal also remained there on 9th. Another Green-winged Teal was seen on 12th on Islay (Argyll & Bute), and a fresh American Wigeon on Mull (Argyll & Bute) on 15th.
The drake Blue-winged Teal remained in Lincolnshire, now present at Freiston Shore RSPB on 11th-14th.
In Ireland, the resident drake Black Duck was still hanging out on Cross Lough (Co.Mayo) on 13th.
A Ferruginous Duck was still lurking on Filby Broad (Norfolk) on 10th-13th, with two again there on 14th-15th.
Numbers of Ring-necked Ducks continued their inexorable spring decline this week – British birds remained at Angle Park GP (Fife) on 9th, Old Moor RSPB (South Yorkshire) on 9th-15th, and at Appleford GP (Oxfordshire) on 12th; and two were seen in Ireland on Cross Lough (Co.Mayo) on 13th.
Lesser Scaup were seen on 14th in Scotland on St John’s Loch (Highland & Caithness) and Castle Loch LNR (Dumfries & Galloway).
The drake King Eider remained on the Ythan estuary (Aberdeenshire) on 13th-14th.
Speaking of colourful ducks, the drake Hooded Merganser remained present at Whinfell Tarn (Cumbria) on 9th-15th.
After a preceding week that bordered on the chaotic where Black-winged Stilts were concerned, the week just gone calmed down – well, a little anyway, as there were still plenty enough of their kind to go around. Starting in the far north, a single bird remained near Wick (Highland & Caithness) on 9th-10th; Yorkshire sightings came in the form of two birds at St Aidan’s RSPB (West Yorkshire) on 9th still, and Potteric Carr YWT (South Yorkshire) on 9th-10th; three birds lingered at Frampton Marsh RSPB (Lincolnshire) on 9th-11th; a single bird remained at Steart WWT (Somerset) on 9th-13th; and another was present at Cahore Marsh (Co.Wexford) on 10th-13th. On 15th single birds were seen at Martin Mere WWT (Lancashire & North Merseyside), Little Woolden Moss (Greater Manchester), and Otmoor RSPB (Oxfordshire).
Numbers of Dotterels at Norfolk’s Choseley Drying Barns dropped from seven still present on 9th to just two birds on 11th-14th, and one still on 15th. Another was found up on Unst (Shetland) on 10th, two on North Uist (Western Isles) on 14th-15th, and four on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 15th.
An American Golden Plover dropped in to Cemlyn Bay NWWT (Anglesey) on 9th-12th.
The pace of migration was quickening for Temminck’s Stints this week, with some 30 birds logged nationwide. Amongst them were multiples at some sites – duos at Nosterfield LNR (North Yorkshire) on 11th-13th, at Cley NWT (Norfolk) on 13th-14th, at Medmerry RSPB (West Sussex) on 14th-15th, and at Cowpen Marsh (Cleveland) and Idle Valley NR (Nottinghamshire) on 15th; three birds at Minsmere RSPB (Suffolk) on 11th; and further trios on 14th at Ripley Farm Reservoir (Hampshire) and Gibraltar Point NNR (Lincolnshire).
Two Pectoral Sandpipers were found in Kent at Cliffe Pools RSPB on 11th; a single bird was seen on 12th Carlton Marshes SWT (Suffolk); and then more were found on 14th – at Carr Lane Pools (Cheshire & Wirral), Loch of Strathbeg RSPB (Aberdeenshire), and Balormie Pig Farm (Moray) – the Carr Lane Pools and Balormie birds remained present on 15th, with another found that day on Unst (Shetland).
Both recent Long-billed Dowitchers remained at Ken Hill Marshes on 10th-14th, and in Hampshire at Keyhaven Marshes still on 9th-10th.
Pick of the gulls this week remained the adult Laughing Gull still tucked into the Lesser Black-backed Gull colony on Gugh (Scilly) on 10th-14th.
(Try telling that to Unst’s (Shetland) resident birders, however, as an adult Sabine’s Gull that made a fleeting appearance off Norwick on 14th was the 360th species for the island and a notable prize for those fleet enough to catch up with it.)
At the other end of the country the first-winter Bonaparte’s Gull remained in Cornwall on the Hayle estuary on 10th-15th.
The adult Ring-billed Gull was still present on Loch Turret (Perth & Kinross) on 10th-14th.
White-wingers grew ever-scarcer this week. Some half a dozen Glaucous Gulls were seen – on Skye (Highland & Caithness) still on 9th-12th; at various locales in Shetland’s South Mainland on 9th-11th; at Boldon Flats NR (Co.Durham) on 11th; on North Uist (Western Isles) on 12th-14th; at Stenness on Orkney Mainland on 13th still; and at Weybourne Camp (Norfolk) on 13th. Just a handful of Iceland Gulls were seen – on 10th and 15th on Lewis (Western Isles); on 11th on Tiree (Argyll & Bute); on 13th at Noss Head (Highland & Caithness); and on 14th on Orkney at Loch of Stenness.
In Dorset the first-winter Forster’s Tern was seen intermittently at Brownsea Island NT on 9th-12th.
A Caspian Tern was found on 11th at Burry Port (Carmarthenshire).
A possible Whiskered Tern was seen on Islay (Argyll & Bute) on 11th.
The week’s raptors were a curious bunch. For starters, it transpired that the belated report of an Egyptian Vulture in Devon at Haven Cliffs on 4th March was, in fact, a White-tailed Eagle - but, for balance, another report of a possible Egyptian Vulture came this week from Dorset over Blandford Forum on 10th.
Dorset also contributed a probable Short-toed Eagle reported from Walkford on 14th.
Then we’ve the Yellow-billed Kite found on the Isle of Wight at the Lynnbottom Landfill on 11th-14th. No doubts about that one’s identity, but what of its provenance? Unringed though it is, it’s also certainly not without a whiff of caution – they’re fairly commonplace in captivity in Europe in those places that like to keep raptors, and the relatively recent north-western European bird that toured the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark in April/May 2021 was punted into those countries’ Category D. An armchair tick, perhaps, for those prepared to invest in some speculative insurance. As the week drew to a close it had moved on, being seen over Polgigga (Cornwall) on 15th. Do those restless ways befit a genuine long-distance vagrant, perhaps?
A possible Black Kite was seen over Chelmsford (Essex) on 9th.
Pallid Harriers continued to delight wherever they were found this week, with birds noted in both the east and the west of Britain. Starting in the west, one was again seen at Goonhilly Downs (Cornwall) on 10th; and another was present in Shropshire at Long Mynd on 12th-15th. On 10th a bird was noted heading out to sea in Lincolnshire at Gibraltar Point NNR, and another sighting came from Norfolk at Winterton; a possible was seen in Norfolk near Loddon on 11th. Suffolk notched up sightings at Orford Ness on 11th and Aldeburgh Town Marshes on 12th. One was found further north on Papa Westray (Orkney) on 13th.
Goonhilly Downs (Cornwall) also sported a Montagu’s Harrier on 10th and 14th; Norfolk gave us sightings at Eastgate on 12th, and Berney Marshes RSPB and Havergate Marshes on 13th-15th; a possible was seen on 13th in Cambridgeshire at Stonea; and the recent male lingered in Co.Antrim at Portmore Lough RSPB on 9th-15th.
A Pallid or Montagu’s Harrier was noted at Spurn (East Yorkshire) on 10th.
The female Red-footed Falcon remained at Stodmarsh NNR (Kent) on 9th-10th and again on 13th-15th; while a first-summer male was found on 9th at St Benet’s Abbey (Norfolk).
Finally, a Gyr was found in Scotland near Poolewe (Highland & Caithness) on 11th.
The week’s notable passerines kick off with warblers – there was variety, colour and some singing on the cards in their tribe the length of Britain.
Starting in the north, Shetland’s Mainland landed a male Western Subalpine Warbler at Quendale on 12th-15th and, for good measure, a male Eastern Subalpine Warbler in Lerwick on 13th-15th. On 14th a male Subalpine Warbler sp, thought probably to be Eastern, proved elusive at Prawle Point (Devon), while another bird of indeterminate identity was also found in Aberdeenshire at Sandhaven.
A possible female Sardinian Warbler was seen briefly in the evening of 15th at Flamborough (East Yorkshire).
While the Great Reed Warbler remained in Somerset at Ham Wall RSPB on 9th-15th, to say that East Anglia was having a good week for the species would be something of an understatement. Suffolk scored a singing bird at Boyton Marshes RSPB on 11th, with another that day in Norfolk at Titchwell RSPB. Norfolk then scored further records on 14th at Pensthorpe Water Fowl Park and Cantley Marshes RSPB, the former bird remaining on 15th.
The first of the spring’s northern isles Blyth’s Reed Warblers was found on Orkney on Papa Westray on 13th.
Down in East Sussex the Iberian Chiffchaff remained in song at Abbot’s Wood near Hailsham on 9th-14th; and another was found on 14th-15th near Ruspidge (Gloucestershire) at Staple Edge Wood.
Red-backed Shrikes began to trickle onto the east coast – birds being found in Shetland on Fair Isle on 9th-12th and Sumburgh Head on 12th; at Boulmer (Northumberland) on 9th; trapped and ringed at Gibraltar Point NNR (Lincolnshire) on 13th-15th; on 14th on St Martin’s (Scilly), North Warren RSPB (Suffolk), and South Gare (Cleveland); and on 15th at Bempton Cliffs RSPB (East Yorkshire), with the South Gare bird still present that day also.
A Great Grey Shrike was reported from Clun (Shropshire) on 9th.
A handful of Wryneck were seen this week – on 10th at Easington (East Yorkshire); on 11th at Scoughall (Lothian) and St Martin’s (Scilly); and on 13th at Frodsham Marsh (Cheshire & Wirral).
A shade over a dozen Hoopoe kept the colour coming nationwide, augmented by a few Bee-eaters, one apiece at Spurn (East Yorkshire) on 10th, Bull Point (Devon) on 11th, and Southwold (Suffolk) on 14th.
Golden Orioles meanwhile were found at West Runton (Norfolk) on 9th, Lakenheath Fen RSPB (Suffolk) on 10th, and on 11th at Upstreet (Kent) and St Mary’s (Scilly). Another was reported on 13th heard near Minsmere RSPB (Suffolk), and a possible on 11th at Winston (Co.Durham). A dead bird was found further north, near Brora (Highland & Caithness) on 14th.
A few Red-rumped Swallows gave the week additional zest – seen on 9th at Spurn (East Yorkshire) and Nybster (Highland & Caithness), and on 11th at Pool of Virkie (Shetland).
A Short-toed Lark was present on St Mary’s (Scilly) on 10th.
Just a few Bluethroats were found – one apiece on 12th on Isle of May (Fife) and Out Skerries (Shetland), and another on 14th-15th at Slimbridge WWT (Gloucestershire).
Fair Isle (Shetland) held on to its recent female Citrine Wagtail on 9th. Another female was found at Balnakeil (Highland & Caithness) on 15th.
On Shetland Mainland a Grey-headed Wagtail was present at Grutness on 10th-12th, following a bird at adjacent Scatness on 9th. Additional Shetland sightings came from Unst on 9th, Fair Isle on 10th-15th, and Out Skerries on 12th. Another was found at Boldon Flats NR (Co.Durham) on 10th-11th, and a final bird in Moray on 15th at Spey Bay.
Blue-headed Wagtails were seen this week at Hesketh Out Marsh RSPB (Lancashire & North Merseyside) on 10th-13th, Medmerry RSPB (West Sussex) on 13th, Hale (Cheshire & Wirral) on 14th, and Seaton Point (Northumberland) on 15th, with a possible bird on 11th at North Gare (Cleveland) also.
A singing Common Rosefinch was found on 14th at Southorpe (East Yorkshire).
Serins were noted on 10th over Portland (Dorset), and on 13th at Kingsdown Leas (Kent).
Finally, an Ortolan Bunting dropped into Kilnsea Wetlands (East Yorkshire) in the morning of 14th.
Sweden may have won Eurovision this past week, but was it taking the winner’s laurels in the birding sphere too? Pretty much yes, to be fair…
It scored big with the judges on 12th with a White-tailed Lapwing at Getteron.
Sweden’s Scandinavian neighbours were worthy runners up – a Sociable Lapwing in Finland at Vuokatti on 7th-9th, a Lesser Kestrel over Bulbjerg in Denmark on 10th and then, on 12th-13th, a reprise – what was presumably the self-same bird as that seen earlier in the week in Sweden, a White-tailed Plover found in Norway at Lista fyr.
Germany continued to host Slender-billed Gulls - one still present on 11th at Gremsdorf, and another seen on 10th at Erlangen.
In Poland a Greater Sand Plover was found on 11th at Hel.
The Bridled Tern was a welcome return to France’s Île aux Moutons on 13th.
The Hooded Vulture was still to be seen in Morocco at Jbel Mousa on 10th, with three Ruppell’s Vultures also present there that day.
As we enter the third week of May, we’re getting towards the pointy, business end of spring. The time when the big one traditionally lands. Though quite frankly, in the wake of two firsts-for-Britain already this spring, we’re hardly in any position to expect too much…
Then again, at this juncture in the weekly round up and the year alike it’s practically traditional to shoot for the stars. And what stars they are… For starters, that Shetland Pallas’s Sandgrouse found on 19th May 1990 continues to haunt many waking dreams. We hardly dare hope for a repeat these days, but who knows what may be blowing in the wind…
At the time of the great historic irruptions of their kind into Britain, in the late 19th century, another rarity was found in Britain - Caspian Plover. Two were found in Norfolk on 22nd May 1890… and almost 100 years later, another on St Agnes (Scilly) on 21st May 1988.
Also from the archives, we’ve the small matter of a Wallcreeper found on the Isle of Wight at St Catherine’s Point on 16th May 1985… and a couple of relatively recent Trumpeter Finches too, at Landguard Point (Suffolk) on 21st-26th May 2005, and Church Norton (Sussex) on 19th-23rd May 1984.
All good hearty stuff. Megas and blockers of varying immensity. In a nutshell, the coming week has scope to be epic. In reality, those northwesterlies we’re forecast to enjoy look rather unhelpful…
Jon Dunn
16 May 2023
Many thanks to all this week's contributors for your photos and videos
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