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Weekly birding round-up: 13 - 19 Jun 2023

It’s not every week that Cambridgeshire features the hottest bird of the week, let alone two of them, but that’s the week just gone. Proof positive of what Cambs birders have known all along – that the county is quietly on fire in birding terms these days. Whatever next from there? You’d not bet against something else good on the basis of recent form.

 

Far from without precedent, but also far from unwelcome for local birders, Cambridgeshire’s first roll of the dice this week was the discovery of a singing male Little Crake at Ouse Fen RSPB on 14th-19th.

Well, we say far from without precedent, but that’s only lately. Until 2018, with the discovery of a female present at Ouse Fen RSPB on 15th-21st May, it had been 150 years since the county’s last bird, a male caught alive at Chesterton Fen in March 1864. However, after that unblocker of 2018, another female spent time at Nene Washes on 15th-26th May 2020, so there’s a pattern developing nicely of them turning up in the county in recent years.

Two females, and now a male, and all in the space of half a dozen years. Could this portend a breeding attempt?

While this latest bird couldn’t be seen, it could certainly be heard, perhaps testing the listing resolve of those who’ve not yet seen a British Little Crake… Adding further spice still was a possible Baillon’s Crake also reported as heard at Ouse Fen RSPB briefly on 16th. It was all going on in Cambridgeshire this week…

 

…which is to deploy some considerable understatement for, over the weekend, last year’s first-for-Britain Cape Gull reappeared at Grafham Water (Cambridgeshire), albeit only briefly on 18th. Found perched on a buoy off Mander car park in the late morning, it promptly flew off in the direction of Marlow car park, disturbed by boating activity in the area and, annoyingly, wasn’t seen again thereafter.

But surely that’s not the end of the story – having been initially found there back in early August last year, there’s ample time for it to reappear and show well in the weeks to come for anyone who didn’t have a chance to connect beforehand. Watch this space.

 

Just one White-billed Diver was seen this week, that being the individual still present in Dunnet Bay (Highland & Caithness) on 16th-18th.

Notable skuas remained few and far between – a Pomarine Skua was seen on 17th off Ballycotton (Co.Cork), and another on 18th from Porthgwarra (Cornwall); and a Long-tailed Skua from Dunure (Ayrshire) on 15th.

An early aggregation of Cory’s Shearwaters were seen on 17th offshore from the Skellig Islands (Co.Kerry), involving some 50 birds. Two passed Porthgwarra (Cornwall) on 18th.

Single Balearic Shearwaters were noted from Portland (Dorset) daily on 13th-15th; three off Downderry (Cornwall) and four from Dawlish Warren NNR (Devon) on 17th; and one from Porthgwarra (Cornwall) on 18th.

Finally, three Leach’s Petrels were found attending a dead dolphin at sea five miles south of Prawle Point (Devon) on 14th.

 

Night Herons continued their dominance of the long-legged beastie news for another week. It feels like a tipping point may have been reached where they’re set to be a ubiquitous feature of summers to come. Three birds remained in Cambridgeshire at Ouse Washes RSPB on 13th-16th, with two seen there on 17th, and one on 18th-19th. On 13th single birds were noted in London over Hyde Park, and at Ancaster (Lincolnshire), while birds were on the move under the cover of darkness that day also – one noted at 1am at Rosslare (Co.Wexford), and another two at 10:30pm at Grimsby (Lincolnshire). A bird was present on Webb’s Field Lagoon (Co.Wicklow) on 13th-14th; on 14th birds were seen near Midleton (Co.Cork), at Sandbach Flashes (Cheshire & Wirral) again; one was settled at Marazion Marsh RSPB (Cornwall) on 14th-16th; three were seen over Market Deeping (Lincolnshire) on 15th; one was seen at Welney WWT (Norfolk) on 16th; and a bird was again logged at South Slob (Co.Wexford) on 17th.

A handful of Purple Herons were also seen in recent days. One remained in Northamptonshire at Summer Leys NR on 13th-14th. Additional sightings came from Bank Island (North Yorkshire) on 13th; Minsmere RSPB (Suffolk) on 13th-15th; at West End GPs (Lincolnshire) on 14th; Earls Barton (Northamptonshire) on 15th; and Marston Vale Millennium CP (Bedfordshire) on 17th-19th. On 18th a small further flurry of sightings gave birds seen at Sedgley, West Bromwich, and Bilston (West Midlands); and Ouse Fen (Cambridgeshire).

Glossy Ibises meanwhile were keeping a low profile… in Co.Wexford three remained at Tacumshin on 13th, with three at Ring Marsh on 18th, and one seen in flight at Lady’s Island Lake in the morning; and one in Suffolk at Aldeburgh Town Marshes still on 13th-17th.

A Corncrake remained in song at Welney WWT (Norfolk) on 13th-15th.

 

With the onset of summer, there was a sense the rarity duckpond was rapidly drying up this past week, with ever fewer quackers of note to be seen. Starting in Cambridgeshire, the drake Blue-winged Teal remained at Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB on 13th.

A Green-winged Teal was present on Lussa Loch (Argyll & Bute) for its sixth day on 14th; and the Eden estuary (Fife) bird was once more seen there on 19th.

In Norfolk, the female Ferruginous Duck again emerged from hiding at Hickling Broad NWT on 16th.

Two drake Ring-necked Ducks were logged this week – one still at Fairburn Ings RSPB (West Yorkshire) on 13th, and another still to be seen at Skinflats Lagoons RSPB (Forth) on 13th-17th.

In Aberdeenshire the second-summer drake King Eider remained on the Ythan estuary on 13th-18th.

 

Topping the weekly waders was a veritable gold rush of plovers. Starting in Glamorgan, a Pacific Golden Plover at Loughor on 13th preceded another in Scotland, an adult present on Musselburgh Lagoons on 17th-18th – the first of its kind in Lothian for almost half a century.

In Norfolk, meanwhile, a fine adult American Golden Plover graced Cley NWT on 17th-19th.

Not quite gold, but close enough, a Lesser Yellowlegs was found in Co.Wexford at Lady’s Island Lake on 15th-19th.

Lincolnshire’s family of Black-winged Stilts were still going strong as the week began, with two adults and four young still present at Frampton Marsh RSPB on 13th and, after a few days of worrying absence, all six birds were again noted there on 19th. Additional duos this week were seen at Hickling Broad NWT (Norfolk) on 13th-19th and Welney WWT again on 13th; at Dungeness RSPB (Kent) on 14th; at Adwick Washlands RSPB (South Yorkshire) on 14th-19th; and at Holland Haven CP (Essex) on 17th. The male remained in Gloucestershire at Slimbridge WWT on 13th-19th; and another bird was reported from National Wetlands Centre WWT (Carmarthenshire) on 18th.

 

Terns were still putting on a good show this week, with the newly returned adult male Least Tern leading the pack, again seen on 14th-15th at Baltray (Co.Louth) in the Little Tern colony, and on 18th outside Portrane (Co.Dublin) again.

In Northumberland the adult surinamensis American Black Tern remained settled at Long Nanny on 16th-19th.

A White-winged Black Tern was seen briefly at South Milton Ley (Devon) on 15th; in Norfolk that day a bird was seen in the afternoon at North Point Pools and, in the evening, at Hickling Broad NWT. On 19th an adult was found in Norfolk at Colney GPs.

A Gull-billed Tern was noted heading east past Inchmery (Hampshire) in the morning of 14th.

A Caspian Tern was found on 14th at Bishop Middleham (Co.Durham); and another on 18th at Marston Vale Millennium CP (Bedfordshire).

A Forster’s Tern was reported from Liddesdale (Highland & Caithness) on 18th.

Just a tiny handful of white-wingers remained this week – these being an Iceland Gull present on Unst (Shetland) on 15th-18th, and additional birds on North and South Uist (Western Isles) on 17th-19th; and Glaucous Gull also seen on 18th on North and South Uist.

 

One of these days we’re going to get a dead cert Booted Eagle that turns up at an acceptable time of year and finds favour with the relevant adjudication committees – it’s surely just a case of when rather than if. Until then, we’re doomed to the tantalising sporadic reports of potential birds that serve to whet our appetite… this week, an unconfirmed report of a pale morph bird near Fossdale (North Yorkshire) in the evening of 14th.

A male Red-footed Falcon was seen in Suffolk at King’s Fleet on 13th; a possible bird over Cromer (Norfolk) in the morning of 17th was followed by a first-summer male at Thorpe-next-Haddiscoe later in the day, the latter site holding it on 18th. A female was found in Suffolk at Walberswick NNR on 18th.

Cambridgeshire meanwhile accounted for a report of a possible Montagu’s Harrier on 13th at Upper Delph, and a confirmed bird near Thorney Toll on 17th.

A possible Black Kite was reported from Langwith (Derbyshire) on 17th, and another unconfirmed report came of a bird on 18th at Bennerley Marsh (Nottinghamshire); confirmed birds were seen at North Foreland (Kent) on 16th, and Margidunum (Nottinghamshire) on 17th.

Finally, an unconfirmed report came of a Scops Owl heard on Tresco (Scilly) on 17th.

 

While far from the rarest of passerines to feature in the week’s round up, certainly the most notable news of the week was the return of the breeding party of Bee-eaters to Norfolk’s Trimingham on 14th, where eight birds were noted. They successfully bred there last summer, making this year’s return an unprecedented event – on the one hand, a delightful second opportunity to see these birds breeding close to home, but on a more chastening note perhaps yet another sign of our changing climate.

Away from Norfolk, where sporadic sightings of birds became a regular feature in the county this week, additional Bee-eaters were seen regularly in Suffolk, with six birds over Hollesley Marshes RSPB on 14th followed on 16th by five seen at Sizewell, duos at Aldeburgh and North Warren RSPB, and one bird at Pakefield. Away from East Anglia, sightings of single birds came from Skinflats Lagoons RSPB (Forth) on 16th, Sandwich Bay (Kent) on 16th, near Strathkinness (Fife) on 17th, and Avery Hill (London) on 19th.

Further southern colour was available in the form of Hoopoes reported from near Howth Castle (Co.Dublin) on 14th, and on Orkney Mainland at Toab on 16th.

A possible Wryneck was reported on Heckfield Heath (Hampshire) on 17th.

Two Woodchat Shrikes were noted this week – one still present on Shetland Mainland at Bigton on 13th-15th, and another found at Betws-yn-Rhos (Conwy) on 14th.

Around 20 Red-backed Shrikes were logged nationwide this week, with a couple of sites notching up multiple birds – duos present on Fair Isle (Shetland) on 14th, and at Minsmere RSPB (Suffolk) on 16th. While most birds were found in coastal settings, a female was discovered inland near Stewartby (Bedfordshire) on 17th.

North Ronaldsay (Orkney) landed a Short-toed Lark on 18th.

A Golden Oriole was seen at Tresillian (Cornwall) on 15th.

In Norfolk the Great Reed Warbler remained at Pensthorpe Water Fowl Park on 14th, the Saltholme RSPB (Cleveland) bird was also still present on 14th-19th, and the Ham Wall RSPB (Somerset) bird was again reported from there on 18th. Remarkably, just two days after a bird was trapped and ringed on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 12th, another individual was trapped and ringed on the island this week on 14th, and remained there the following day.

Some 25 Marsh Warblers were again noted nationwide this week – for the most part coastal county records, but with a few pleasingly steadfast inland birds too – one present in Somerset at Yeovil on 13th-19th, another in Stoke-on-Trent (Staffordshire) on 14th-15th, and another at Pugney’s CP (West Yorkshire) on 15th-19th.

Blyth’s Reed Warblers were still filtering in – Shetland enjoying the lion’s share of their number, with birds present at Bigton on Mainland on 13th, Scatsta on Mainland) on 14th, trapped and ringed on Fair Isle on 15th and 16th, and out on Foula on 16th, 18th and 19th. British mainland birds were found at Holme NOA (Norfolk) on 14th, and trapped and ringed at Languard NR (Suffolk) on 15th.

A Savi’s Warbler was in song at Saltholme RSPB (Cleveland) on 19th.

Singing Icterine Warblers were found in recent days at Strathy (Highland & Caithness) on 13th-16th; in Lerwick (Shetland) on 15th-19th; on Tiree (Argyll & Bute) on 16th; at Brae (Shetland) on 18th; another was found at The Naze (Essex) on 18th; and a further possible bird in Highland & Caithness on 14th at Hope.

A female Subalpine Warbler sp was present on Out Skerries (Shetland) on 18th.

A Greenish Warbler was trapped and ringed at Landguard NR (Suffolk) on 18th.

A trio of Rose-coloured Starlings were seen this week – one at Carlton (Nottinghamshire) on 13th-16th; another on St Mary’s (Scilly) on 17th; and one in Norfolk at Beeston Regis on 18th-19th and West Runton on 19th.

The territorial male Bluethroat remained at Slimbridge WWT (Gloucestershire) on 13th-19th.

A Red-breasted Flycatcher was present in a Hillwell (Shetland) garden on 13th. Another Shetland sighting came shortly afterwards with a bird present on Fair Isle on 16th-17th, trapped and ringed there on the former date.

The London Wetlands Centre WWT (London) scored a fine male Citrine Wagtail on 14th.

A male Blue-headed Wagtail was found on 17th at Hesketh Out Marsh RSPB (Lancashire & North Merseyside).

The settled male Common Rosefinch remained in Kendal (Cumbria) on 13th-19th. Additional birds this week were noted over Mingulay (Western Isles) on 13th, on Out Skerries (Shetland) on 14th, at Landguard NR (Suffolk) on 18th-19th, and on Bamburgh Golf Course (Northumberland) on 19th.

Finally, a Rustic Bunting was trapped and ringed on Fair Isle (Shetland) on 16th.

 

Spain’s lingering Ancient Murrelet continued to draw admirers from near and far to the River Odiel near Huelva this week on 13th-19th.

On Sicily, a Grey-headed Gull was found at Pantano Longirini on 14th.

 

Breaking news as the past week came to a close concerned a marine heatwave in the waters around Britain and Ireland, with surface temperatures in some places 4 degrees Celsius above the average for the time of year. What that portends for marine life remains to be seen, though it’s unlikely to be good… as does whether it has an effect on what seabirds turn up in British and Irish waters in the weeks ahead.

But what of the week to come? While we might be rattling towards July and passing Midsummer’s Day this coming week, that’s not to say an untoward and startling passerine isn’t wholly out of the question. Notable past records include the White-throated Robin on Calf of Man (Isle of Man) on 22nd June 1983, the Ruppell’s Warbler at Aberdaron (Gwynedd) on 21st June 1995, no fewer than three Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters, and two White-throated Needletails.

It’s the latter that particularly catch the eye. Both of those past records come from the past decade – the first the ill-fated bird that spent 24th-26th June 2013 on Harris (Western Isles), and the last a one-day bird on Barra (Western Isles) on 22nd June 2017. Another, preferably somewhere a little more readily accessible than the Western Isles, would be warmly welcomed.

 

Jon Dunn
20 Jun 2023

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

 

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