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Weekly birding round-up: 24 - 30 Oct 2023

Autumn continued apace this week, with the east coast enjoying a decent fall of thrushes and late-travelling warblers. It’s proving to be quite the irruptive autumn, with solid and rising numbers of Waxwings on the move and, in the north in particular, Coal Tits, Treecreepers, and Bullfinches. Will there be something rarer coming on their coat-tails? Time alone will tell but, for now, here’s the week that was…

 

Unprecedented is a word that’s been overused lately, not least by your own correspondent, to describe many of the events of the past month or so. Certainly the fall of American warblers in Pembrokeshire (and beyond) was without precedent. And so too the arrival of Cliff Swallows in Britain and Ireland.

Will we ever see the like again? Who knows, but what appears more certain in the here and now is that the Cliff Swallow event of 2023 isn’t quite over just yet. Giving some credence, perhaps, to the unconfirmed report of a bird on The Lizard (Cornwall) on 25th, Co.Down’s first Cliff Swallow was found along the sea front in Bangor on 28th.

Will there be more to follow in the week to come? Looking at the ferocity and strength of what’s brewing, at the time of writing, in the Atlantic, you wouldn’t bet against it.

 

Not even annual in these quarters, Stilt Sandpipers, with fewer than 50 accepted British records on the books, it’s no great surprise then that Dumfries & Galloway hasn’t enjoyed a bird to date.

That changed this week with the discovery, fairly hot on the heels of 2023’s first record, the bird that settled on North Uist (Western Isles) for three days on 1st-3rd October, of a juvenile Stilt Sandpiper at Crook of Baldoon RSPB on 27th-28th.

A county first and, for those who bird Dumfries & Galloway, a welcome fillip this late in the autumn.

 

Back in the day, around 20 years ago, there were a fair few birders who owed Orkney a favour for the firm inky tick on their British lifelists next to Rufous Turtle Dove. A meena bird, found on the Orcadian Mainland at Stromness on 20th November 2002, went on to spend a full month there, last being seen in the area on 20th December.

At that stage this was still a stone-cold mega. It came shortly after a one-day bird in Highland & Caithness on 9th November of the same year but, prior to that, we needed to go back to 8th November 1975 and a one-day bird at Spurn (East Yorkshire).

A nation’s twitchers had been waiting a long time for this, and while Orkney was a fair old trek north, it was deemed well worth the effort by plenty enough of our tribe.

Since then there’ve been a few more birds, including some that have stayed for more than the fleeting and unsatisfying one-day. Including, in that number, another individual on Orkney – a meena Rufous Turtle Dove that spent 9th-10th September 2021 on North Ronaldsay.

And it was North Ron which completed the Orcadian hat-trick for the species this week, with yet another meena or Western Rufous Turtle Dove bird, found on the island on 28th-30th.

 

East Yorkshire’s purple patch got that little bit better this week – or rather, perhaps we should say Flamborough’s purple patch – with the discovery on 27th-30th of a stonkingly smart Two-barred Greenish Warbler there.

Alongside its close cousin, Green Warbler, Two-barred Greenish is edging towards being an annual occurrence in Britain, an unthinkable state of affairs a decade or two ago. How the times they are a-changing… East Yorkshire’s last bird was as recently as 2021, an individual that settled at Spurn on 16th-20th October.

So, on the one hand, local birders might not be that excited by another coming so soon after… but, on the other hand, what a double act this represented for visitors coming for the Red-headed Bunting over the course of the weekend just gone.

 

While there was no booby action of any description for a change, that’s not to say the seabirds this past week were without incident. Ireland alone gives us two birds that, despite familiarity in recent times breeding if not contempt then perhaps complacency, are on paper still downright stone-cold rarities…

Returning to its favoured winter locale for another sojourn, the adult Pacific Diver was back at Crookhaven (Co.Cork) on 27th, and still present there as the week drew to a close on 30th. Where this bird goes every summer is anyone’s guess, but Crookhaven is now an annual dead cert for it during the months of winter.

More steadfast still, the resident adult Double-crested Cormorant remained on Doon Lough (Co.Leitrim) on 27th.

Returning to divers, a handful of White-billed Diver were logged this week – birds noted in Scotland at Lossiemouth (Moray), where two were seen on 24th, and a singleton on 28th; at Ferny Ness (Lothian) again on 27th-28th and Musselburgh Lagoons on 29th-30th; and at St Abb’s Head (Borders), where one was seen on 28th. A further probable was seen on 28th at Kinghorn (Fife).

The English southwest continued to provide fruitful seawatching conditions, and large shearwaters were still very much on the cards – a shade over 400 Cory’s Shearwater were seen this week, with a peak count of 180 from a Scilly pelagic on 24th; and a little over 4,500 Great Shearwater, with a superb 2,500 of their number seen from Swanpool (Cornwall) on 27th.

Swanpool also gave us the best of the week’s Balearic Shearwaters, with 500 birds seen from there on 27th the highest tally of the national total of 760 birds seen over the course of recent days.

A Leach’s Petrel was seen from the Scillonian on 30th.

We also have Cornwall to thank for the best counts of Pomarine Skua this past week – overall, around 110 birds were seen nationwide, with 30 past Swanpool in the evening of 26th, and 43 off Maenporth on 27th.

Just a few Long-tailed Skua, on the other hand, were seen lately – on 28th, singletons off Berry Head (Devon) and Carnsore Point (Co.Wexford); and on 29th a bird seen from Porthgwarra (Cornwall).

Around 20 Little Auks were seen this week, significantly reduced on the preceding period, with three on 29th from Fife Ness (Fife) the highest single site tally.

 

Easily the biggest news in the weekly long-legged beasties was the discovery on 24th of a Squacco Heron on South Uist (Western Isles). Only the second record for the county, the last came from way back in June 1913, so this was an honorary first and destined for local popularity during its stay – still present there this week on 29th. In Somerset, meanwhile, the recent juvenile remained at Ham Wall RSPB on 24th-30th.

Speaking of locally popular herons, the Purple Heron continued to delight a steady stream of admirers in Gloucestershire at Whelford Pools on 24th-30th. The other recent juvenile remained at Marazion Marsh RSPB (Cornwall) on 25th-28th.

And so to Glossy Ibises once more which, with the notable exception of the recent Shetland bird that found the surroundings of Quendale a bit much this week and signed off on 28th courtesy of the local Ravens, continued to prosper. Starting in the English southwest, on Scilly one remained on St Mary’s on 24th-30th; one was still present in Cornwall at Marazion Marsh RSPB on 25th-29th; Devon’s regular site, Fremington Pill, gave us a bird still on 24th-27th; three remained at Titchfield Haven NNR (Hampshire) on 24th-30th; one was found at West Rise Marsh (East Sussex) on 30th; and three birds remained at Dungeness (Kent) on 26th-30th. One was seen in Kent at Stodmarsh NNR on 27th, and a further bird was reported in the county from Oare Marshes KWT on 28th.

In Suffolk on 24th a single bird was noted at Dingle Marshes SWT, and over Shingle Street; followed by a bird on 29th at Boyton Marshes RSPB. Norfolk sightings came on 29th from Salthouse and Kelling Water Meadow, the latter site holding its bird on 30th also. Lincolnshire sightings came from Deeping Lakes LWT on 25th-30th still, and also near Crowland on 28th. A single bird was seen at Kilnsea Wetlands (East Yorkshire) on 25th. Nottinghamshire got an inland bird at Barton-in-Fabis on 29th-30th. Scotland got another bird at Fraserburgh (Aberdeenshire) on 30th; in Wales, two were seen on Bardsey (Gwynedd) on 27th; and in Ireland a single bird again at Lady’s Island Lake (Co.Wexford) on 24th, and one at Bunmahon (Co.Waterford) on 28th.

 

All the fresh excitement on the rarity duckpond was quacker-based this week, so we’ll get the honkers out of the way without further ado, and move swiftly on to Cornwall as soon as possible.

Starting with The Goose Formerly Known As Canada, two hutchinsii Richardson’s Cackling Geese were seen on Islay (Argyll & Bute) on 24th-26th; and an interior Todd’s Canada Goose at Tarbat Ness (Highland & Caithness) on 25th-26th.

The blue morph Snow Goose was still present in Lancashire & North Merseyside for another week, seen at Scronkey on 24th, Pilling Marsh on 25th-26th again, at Eagland Hill again on 26th, and near Fluke Hall on 29th. The North Uist (Western Isles) bird remained on there on 24th-27th.

In Dorset, the Black Brant remained on the Fleet at Ferrybridge on 26th-27th. On 30th birds were present at East Mersea (Essex) and South Swale NR (Kent).

And so to the quackers, and to Cornwall, where the week went Lesser Scaup-tastic on 29th. Prior to the weekend, the possible female was again seen at Dozmary Pool on 26th; then, on 29th, confirmation of a male and a female there in the early afternoon followed, in quick succession, by news of the largest ever flock of their kind to be recorded in Britain – a mighty 10 birds present at Drift Reservoir, together with two regular Scaup - though, given the company they were keeping, who’s to gainsay a Nearctic origin for them too? Seven of the Lesser Scaups on Drift remained present on 30th, while belated news came of a drake in Devon on 29th at Northam Burrows CP, and the two birds remained on Dozmary Pool too.

Dozmary Pool also held as many as three Ring-necked Duck on 24th-30th. In total 16 birds were seen in Britain and Ireland this week. Doubtless the imminent arrival of Storm Ciarán may usher more our way in the week to come.

In Ireland, the female / first-winter drake Ferruginous Duck was still present at Inch Island Lake (Co.Donegal) on 28th.

In East Yorkshire, one of the recent Blue-winged Teals was again seen at Tophill Low NR on 28th-30th.

East Yorkshire’s American Wigeon remained settled on Beacon Ponds NR on 24th-30th, while a female was seen on Islay (Argyll & Bute) on 25th-27th, and another bird was reported from Beauly Firth (Highland & Caithness) on 29th.

Green-winged Teal remained on Lewis (Western Isles) on 24th-30th; at Dawlish Warren NNR (Devon) on 28th; and in Cornwall at Hayle Estuary RSPB on 27th-30th.

Pick of the seaduck was the drake White-winged Scoter present in Brandon Bay (Co.Kerry) on 25th-26th.

It shared Brandon Bay with a female Surf Scoter on 25th, with a male of the latter species also present there on 28th. Additional Surf Scoter this week were recorded off Tresco (Scilly), where two juveniles were seen on 25th; Lundy (Devon) on 27th; Selsey Bill (West Sussex) on 28th and 29th; Papa Westray (Orkney) on 27th-28th; and on 29th-30th at Helston Loe Pool (Cornwall). A further possible drake was seen from Lossiemouth (Moray) on 27th.

Finally, an immature drake King Eider was found off Lewis (Western Isles) on 27th-28th.

 

Finally, after weeks of sporadic appearances in West Penwith, the Upland Sandpiper did the decent thing this week for Cornish and up-country birders alike, and settled into something approaching a routine in the vicinity of Sennen, being seen daily there on 24th-29th. Another probable bird, over Yeovil (Somerset) early in the morning of 28th, would have been a fabulous county bird had it only been confirmed.

Sennen also boasted a Dotterel on 28th-30th.

Co.Cork was keeping us busy with reports of American Golden Plover this week, with an adult and a juvenile seen at Rosscarbery on 26th, the adult still present there on 27th; and at Clonakilty, an adult and a juvenile on 27th-29th. Elsewhere in Ireland sightings came from Clahane Strand (Co.Clare) again on 25th; Ferriter’s Cove (Co.Kerry) still on 25th; Lurgangreen (Co.Louth) on 24th; and Blennerville (Co.Kerry) on 30th. In England, the juvenile was again seen at Banks Marsh NNR (Lancashire & North Merseyside) on 25th and 27th, and Marshside RSPB on 30th; the juvenile was again seen at Dozmary Pool (Cornwall) on 26th; and a bird was seen in Gloucestershire on 29th at Frampton-on-Severn. Wales gave us a showy bird on the Gann Estuary (Pembrokeshire) on 25th-30th; and in Scotland, birds were seen at West Freugh Airfield (Dumfries & Galloway) on 25th-29th, and on Islay (Argyll & Bute) on 26th.

The Pacific Golden Plover was again seen in Cornwall at Colliford Lake on 29th, as was the American Golden Plover for good measure.

Our only Pectoral Sandpipers of the week were a bird found in Dumfries & Galloway at Crook of Baldoon RSPB on 28th, and reported still present there the following day; and additional birds on 29th at Cape Clear (Co.Cork) and South Slob (Co.Wexford).

In Co.Cork the Semipalmated Sandpiper was again present at Ballycotton on 28th.

The juvenile Spotted Sandpiper remained on the margins of Lough Gill (Co.Kerry) on 25th-30th.

First reported from Stodmarsh NNR (Kent) on 15th, the juvenile Solitary Sandpiper became a little more reliable there this week, albeit viewing conditions weren’t always the most straightforward for those concerned on 26th-30th.

Numbers of Grey Phalaropes contracted sharply, with barely a handful seen – birds lingered at Kessingland (Suffolk) on 24th-27th and Cliffe Pools RSPB (Kent) on 26th-29th; and additional sightings came from Seaton Point (Northumberland) on 24th, Blackness (Forth) on 27th, Gibraltar Point NNR (Lincolnshire) on 27th, and off Battery Rocks (Cornwall) on 29th. On 30th two passed Whitburn CP (Co.Durham), and single birds were seen at Cairnbulg (Aberdeenshire) and at Belfast Lough RSPB (Co.Antrim).

Lesser Yellowlegs remained at Frampton Marsh RSPB (Lincolnshire) on 24th-28th; at Abberton Reservoir (Essex) again on 27th; at Grune Point (Cumbria) on 28th; and at Lurgangreen (Co.Louth) on 24th-29th.

Prior Long-billed Dowitchers remained in East Sussex at Cuckmere Haven on 24th-30th, and at Walmsley Sanctuary CBWPS (Cornwall) on 24th-30th. Another was seen on 28th at Dungarvan (Co.Waterford).

 

Pick of the new gulls this week would, had it been confirmed, have been the possible second-winter Franklin’s Gull in Cornwall at Pendennis Point on 27th-28th.

As it was, however, those laurels go to the adult Bonaparte’s Gull on Skye (Highland & Caithness) on 27th-30th.

Sabine’s Gulls were seen in recent days from North Foreland (Kent) on 24th; in Helford Passage (Cornwall) on 27th; passing Dungeness RSPB (Kent) on 29th and 30th; off Sheringham (Norfolk) on 30th; and off Seaford (East Sussex) on 30th.

The week began with sightings of Glaucous Gull in Northumberland at St Mary’s Island on 24th, and Beacon Point and Seaton Point on 25th. Thereafter birds were seen on 25th-30th on Islay (Argyll & Bute); at sea 20 miles off Unst (Shetland) on 26th; in Penzance (Cornwall) on 27th; Nybster (Highland & Caithness) on 28th; and on 30th from North Ronaldsay (Orkney), Burghead (Moray), and Banff (Aberdeenshire).

Iceland Gulls were similarly subdued, with a handful seen lately – on 24th from Sheringham (Norfolk); on 27th at Crossfintan Point (Co.Wexford) and on Orkney’s Mainland near Quoyloo; and on 28th at Ballyrisode Point (Co.Cork), with a further probable that day at Warkworth (Northumberland).

 

In what’s already been a fruitful autumn for Northern Harriers, Co.Wexford provided another flush of sightings of a juvenile bird this week – at South Slob on 24th, North Slob WWR on 25th, and Tacumshin on 27th again.

Ireland proved to be the final destination for another harrier – an injured juvenile female Pallid Harrier taken into care on Inishbofin (Co.Galway) on 27th had succumbed to its injuries by the following day. Another this week was seen over the Axe Estuary (Somerset) on 25th, and probables in Norfolk at Cley NWT on 29th and over Wheatley Hill (Co.Durham) on 30th.

Visitors to East Yorkshire this week aiming to see any of the rare passerines on offer were able to put some frosting on that particular cake courtesy of the lingering Rough-legged Buzzard that remained around Stone Creek on 24th-30th. Another was seen in North Yorkshire at Filey on 27th. On 29th a bird was found in Lincolnshire at Gibraltar Point NNR, while additional East Yorkshire sightings came from Bempton, Kilnsea, and Spurn; the Gibraltar Point bird was again seen there on 30th.

A presumed escaped American Kestrel was showing well in a Blaydon (Co.Durham) garden on 30th.

 

Pallid Swifts continued to make the news for another week, or at least until they handed the baton over to Pallas’s Warblers, but more of the latter shortly. As for those swifts, the week began with a bird in Norfolk at Horsey on 24th, followed by more sightings in the county on 28th at Winterton, Sheringham and Hickling. On 25th a bird passed slowly south over Spurn (East Yorkshire); on 28th East Yorkshire scored sightings elsewhere at Bempton and Flamborough; on 29th the Flamborough bird remained, while another was seen over Hornsea. Kent gave us a bird at Bockhill Farm on 26th, this perhaps also accounting for the sighting later in the day at Deal. A bird lingered at Corton (Suffolk) on 27th-28th. Lincolnshire got busy on 29th with one seen at Gibraltar Point NNR, two birds over Huttoft Bank Pit LWT and, later on, two at Far Ings NR. Additional sightings came in the form of a possible briefly at Hunstanton (Norfolk) on 23rd-24th, a probable briefly on Mull (Argyll & Bute) on 27th, and two probables in Norfolk on 29th at Burgh Castle.

Late Hoopoes were seen this week at Chapel Brampton (Northamptonshire) on 23rd-24th; Newmains (Borders) on 24th; Whitby (North Yorkshire) on 25th-26th; near Waxham (Norfolk) again on 27th-30th; and on 28th-29th at Limpenhoe (Norfolk), and on 28th at Spurn (East Yorkshire). A further bird was reported near Brent (Devon) on 25th, and final birds for the week were found in Dorset at Hengistbury Head, and Bardney (Lincolnshire) on 30th.

Westerly Wrynecks were seen on St Mary’s (Scilly) on 25th-27th; Skokholm (Pembrokeshire) on 24th-26th; and Carnsore Point (Co.Wexford) again on 24th.

The Red-backed Shrike remained at Castle Eden Dene (Co.Durham) on 24th, with another this week seen on Barra (Western Isles) on 28th.

The settled Lesser Grey Shrike remained on Islay (Argyll & Bute) on 24th-26th.

Three confirmed Great Grey Shrikes were seen this week – one on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 24th; another at Easington (East Yorkshire) on 25th; and one on 29th in East Yorkshire at Stone Creek. Probable birds meanwhile were seen on 25th near Great Cowden (East Yorkshire), on 26th at Medmerry RSPB (West Sussex), and on 28th at Heathfield (Clyde).

Waxwings? Yes, an awful lot of them turned up this week. While there’s bound to be some duplication and overlap as birds arrived, stripped bushes and trees of berries, and moved straight on to be seen elsewhere, somewhere in the region of 4,000 birds were reported, with some notable flocks that broke into three figures amongst them – 100 birds at Buckie (Moray) on 26th-27th; 110 at Nairn (Highland & Caithness) on 27th; 120 at New Elgin (Moray) on 27th rising to 150 on 28th; 130 at Forres (Moray) on 28th; and on 29th 120 in Inverness (Highland & Caithness). By 30th the momentum was gathering still further, with 200 seen in Forres.

A Penduline Tit was found at Portbury Wharf NR (Somerset) on 29th.

Onto the warblers, and Scilly was enjoying a good week this late in proceedings, headed up by the Paddyfield Warbler found on St Mary’s on 28th.

A probable Hume’s Warbler was on St Agnes (Scilly) on 25th, followed on 26th by a confirmed bird at Filey (North Yorkshire).

A shade over 120 Yellow-browed Warblers continued the species’ relatively subdued showing this autumn. As the coming month unfolds they’ll be dwindling further in the daily news, and late arrivals will be carefully scrutinised for their rarer counterpart.

In Co.Cork an Iberian Chiffchaff was trapped and ringed at Clogheen Marsh on 24th.

If the week belonged to any warbler, however, it was to the perennially pleasing Pallas’s, as well over a dozen birds in recent days were well-received wherever they were discovered. Birds were logged on Fair Isle (Shetland) on 24th-26th; at Bempton Cliffs RSPB (East Yorkshire) on 25th-27th; on Holy Island (Northumberland) on 25th-28th; at Saltfleet (Lincolnshire) on 25th; in Norfolk at Sidestrand on 27th, Titchwell RSPB on 27th-28th, and Holme NOA on 28th; on 27th at The Naze (Essex) and Brotton (Cleveland); on 27th-30th at Flamborough (East Yorkshire); on 28th-29th in Scotland at Ethie Mains (Angus) and on 28th at Balmedie (Aberdeenshire); on 29th at Copt Point (Kent); and on 30th at Fife Ness and Kilminning (Fife). A probable was in Norfolk on 28th at Ken Hill Marshes.

Other Phylloscs were available… Radde’s Warblers were found on Holy Island (Northumberland) on 24th; trapped and ringed on Calf of Man (Isle of Man) on 25th; and at Flamborough (East Yorkshire) on 27th; with an additional possible bird on 26th at Beachy Head (East Sussex), and a probable on Portland (Dorset) on 28th.

Dusky Warblers crept towards double figures – one lingered on St Agnes (Scilly) on 23rd-30th; another, trapped and ringed at Whitburn CP (Co.Durham) on 24th, was still present there as the week closed on 30th; one settled at Lowestoft (Suffolk) on 24th-28th; two were present on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 25th; East Yorkshire enjoyed a small fall with one trapped and ringed at Spurn on 27th-30th, another at Flamborough on 27th-29th, a bird at Sammy’s Point on 28th also, and a possible at Bempton Cliffs RSPB on 29th; one was found on Holy Island (Northumberland) on 29th-30th; more single birds at Budle Bay and Bamburgh (Northumberland) on 30th; and a possible was seen on St Mary’s (Scilly) on 27th.

A probable Melodious Warbler was seen on Tresco (Scilly) on 24th.

Continuing the Scillonian theme of putative warblers, a possible Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler was reported from Bryher on 24th.

Orkney gave us Barred Warblers on North Ronaldsay on 24th, and still on Mainland at Deerness on 25th-29th; another was seen on St Mary’s (Scilly) on 25th; while in Essex at The Naze sightings came of a bird on 24th and again on 27th-28th. On 29th one more was seen at Polemere NR (Shropshire).

A Rose-coloured Starling was found in Redruth (Cornwall) on 30th.

Coming hot on the heels of the preceding week’s Grey-cheeked Thrush in Ireland, this week was the turn of Britain and St Mary’s (Scilly) in particular, where a bird was seen on 27th-30th, and perhaps also accounts for the possible Swainson’s Thrush seen nearby on 26th.

The Red-flanked Bluetail remained at Kilnsea (East Yorkshire) on 24th-27th; another was found in Lerwick (Shetland) on 24th.

Shetland also gave us both of the week’s Bluethroats - one on Out Skerries on 24th, and the other up on Unst on 25th.

Red-breasted Flycatchers were seen on St Mary’s (Scilly) on 24th and 28th, and Achill Island (Co.Mayo) on 24th.

The week began with an Eastern Stonechat sp, considered probably a Siberian, still present at Flamborough (East Yorkshire) on 24th-25th; and another was found there on 25th for good measure. An additional bird was present at Corton (Suffolk) on 24th-25th.

Rarer still, a male hemprichii / variegatus Caspian Stonechat was found at Brotton (Cleveland) on 27th-28th.

A Pied Wheatear made a brief appearance on Unst (Shetland) on 26th.

Fair Isle (Shetland) retained its recent Black-bellied Dipper on 24th-29th.

The recent probable Blue-headed Wagtail remained on Tresco (Scilly) on 24th.

Just a few Richard’s Pipits were noted this week – one present at Leasowe (Cheshire & Wirral) on 26th, another at Huntspill (Somerset) on 27th-29th, and a bird passing through Sker Point (Glamorgan) on 29th.

Olive-backed Pipits meanwhile were seen on St Mary’s (Scilly) on 24th, and Fair Isle (Shetland) on 28th and 30th.

Both Scilly and Shetland also enjoyed a Red-throated Pipit this week – one seen again on St Agnes (Scilly) on 24th, and a bird on Mainland Shetland at Toft on 28th. Elsewhere birds were found at Sennen (Cornwall) on 25th, Huntspill (Somerset) on 28th, and near Climping (West Sussex) on 30th. A probable was noted at Seaforth LWT (Lancashire & North Merseyside) on 29th.

Another week with just a handful of Common Rosefinches seen – single birds on Tory Island (Co.Donegal) still on 24th; on Cape Clear (Co.Cork) on 25th; at Holkham Pines (Norfolk) on 27th; and on Papa Westray (Orkney) on 27th also.

In addition to the fine lingering hornemanni Arctic Redpoll still present on Unst (Shetland) on 25th-26th, a number of its smaller exilipes cousins were seen elsewhere in recent days. Shetland had one apiece on Papa Stour and Fair Isle on 25th; one lingered on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 27th-29th; a bird was found on Holy Island (Northumberland) on 24th; and two were seen at Spurn (East Yorkshire) on 25th, one lingering to the following day.

A couple of Serin provided warmer finch colour to proceedings – one seen at South Foreland (Kent) on 26th, and another at St Osyth (Essex) on 28th.

Little Buntingsenjoyed another good showing this past week, with 18 birds in total logged across Britain. St Agnes (Scilly) bagged four birds on 24th, two of which hung around on 25th-26th; and two were also present at Porthgwarra (Cornwall) on 24th. One at Broom GPs (Bedfordshire) on 29th-30th was a fine inland record.

St Agnes (Scilly) meanwhile also scored a Rustic Bunting on 24th.

In East Yorkshire, the first-winter male Red-headed Bunting remained throughout the week at Flamborough until 30th, providing many a birder with what seems set to be a cast-iron armchair tick in the fullness of time.

After a long and delightful stay, the Black-and-white Warbler finally departed Inishbofin (Co.Galway), last being seen there on 25th.

And finally… birds either on or (probably) from a boat… it was quite a week for these, and whether or not they should be in the headlines is understandably somewhat up for debate.

(Understatement)

Let’s start with the belated news of a female Black-throated Blue Warbler seen on a boat 140 miles off Mizen Head (Co.Cork) on 15th. Long-anticipated to make it to Britain and Ireland, that’s so near and yet so far for Irish birders. Some are suggesting this represents a first for Ireland, as 140 miles off land falls within Ireland’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

While true, that’s a very different thing to being in actual territorial waters. There’s a clue in the ‘economic’ bit of the title – an EEZ, extending at most to a whisker over 230 miles from land, is the territory in which a coastal state can exert some control over its economic resources. Territorial waters, on the other hand, extend at most 14 miles from land, and are considered the actual sovereign territory of the country in question. So was this bird really in Ireland at the time it was photographed, and before it flew off?

If that’s mildly controversial, it’s merely an amuse bouche for news closer to home for British birders – this being the adult female Great-tailed Grackle at Nolton Haven (Pembrokeshire) on 25th-28th, and said to have been present in the area for a little while beforehand.

Where to begin with unpacking that one?

If ever there was an autumn for remarkable examples of Nearctic vagrancy, this one has demonstrably been without precedent. But given that Great-tailed Grackle’s range isn’t naturally in the east of North America, and nor is it a regular stray migrant to north-eastern USA – it’s basically sedentary – and we’re left concluding it probably must have hitched a lift on a boat.

Factor in Nolton Haven’s proximity to the major port at Milford Haven, and we’ve certainly got plenty of shipping coming fairly nearby on a regular basis.

Not to mention some presumed European precedent in this regard – birds seen in mainland Spain and on Gibraltar, in late October 2014 and early November 2014 respectively, are assumed to have been ship assisted. Note though the dates – almost as if this week’s bird is following some sort of established pattern!

But proving how the Pembrokeshire bird got here, and whether there was any supplementary feeding whilst on board, is condemned to be the stuff of conjecture. Over a pint or online, for regular birders and doubtless for the members of BOURC given the thankless task of making sense of this, there’s no certainty to be had here, just guesswork.

Maybe there’s a pragmatic outcome to be had. Category E of (not*) the British list is currently a catch-all:

“Species recorded as introductions, human-assisted transportees or escapees from captivity, and whose breeding populations (if any) are thought not to be self-sustaining. Species in Category E that have bred in the wild in Britain are designated as E*. Category E species form no part of the British List (unless already included within Categories A, B or C)."

*(It’s a bit confusing, the wording here, as Category E is described by BOURC as one of the categories of the British List, and then on the other hand they say that Category E species form ‘no part of the British List’…)

Anyway. Take a moment to browse the species in Category E and you’ll find all sorts of weirdness, including of course the famous Snowy Sheathbill that came back to the UK in 1982 from the South Atlantic…

Plainly it’s a category in which presumed ship-assisted birds can reside indefinitely, albeit maybe not usefully. Perhaps it’s time, if we accept that this event can and does happen, either with supplementary feeding or not, to have a specific ship-assisted category on (or off) the British list? Maybe one with two tiers, one for presumed ship assisted birds, and a second-tier for those known to have been fed on-board?

And then, once that’s established in principle, perhaps it’s time to look again at some of the records currently on Category A of the British List. Brown Thrasher? Did that really get here under its own steam? And what about those Shetland and Cornwall American Kestrels in 1976 - genuinely wild vagrants, falconers’ escapes, or stowaways?

Is it time to retrospectively apply the same (subjective, granted) credibility test that the likes of this week’s grackle will face to some historic records that appear increasingly distorted in the rear-view-mirror of hindsight?

 

Ignoring the Azores, which were tediously busy with Nearctic birds for still another week, for just a little while, news closer to home was much more engaging for British birders with a keen eye to what might scrape in should we be lucky.

A couple of Yellow-browed Buntings were the stuff dreams are made of – one found in France at Groix on 27th, and the other in the Netherlands on 27th-30th at Vlieland.

Elsewhere in France, a Red-eyed Vireo was on Ouessant on 25th; and a Chimney Swift at Plogoff on 26th.

In Scandinavia, a Black-faced Bunting in Sweden at Snoan on 26th gave more food for thought; while in Denmark a Blyth’s Pipit lingered at Grenen on 17th-26th, and a Northern Harrier was found at Vejlerne on 26th.

An Eyebrowed Thrush was found on Linosa (Italy) on 27th.

On the Iberian Peninsula, Spain held onto its recent Common Nighthawk at Vigo on 24th-27th still, and the Belted Kingfisher on the Rio Lea on 28th still; while a Rose-breasted Grosbeak was found in Portugal at Passadicos de Barrinha de Esmoriz on 27th.

And so to the Azores. We’ll leave Corvo to the very last. Starting on Terceira, a Great Blue Heron on 24th was followed by two Swainson’s Thrush on 26th. Flores, meanwhile, enjoyed on 24th Common Yellowthroat, Solitary Sandpiper, and two Scarlet Tanagers; on 25th, Least Bittern, Northern Waterthrush and Cape May Warbler; and a Belted Kingfisher on 30th.

And Corvo. On 25th, a Eastern Wood Pewee was found, followed quickly on 26th by Grey Catbird, Grey-cheeked thrush, Swainson’s Thrush, Blackpoll Warbler and Philadelphia Vireo; the latter remained until 29th, when numbers of Red-eyed Vireo peaked at five birds, with five Swainson’s Thrush and two Grey-cheeked Thrush giving additional padding. On 27th the recent Yellow-crowned Night Heron was confirmed as still present, with American Bittern also present on 27th-30th, Wood Thrush on 27th, and Bay-breasted Warbler on 27th-29th. 29th delivered Ovenbird, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Scarlet Tanager, and American Coot. On 30th the Wood Thrush and American Coot remained, with two Indigo Buntings also.

 

So we roll into November with another intense storm brewing out there in the Atlantic, a jet stream overhead that’s turbo-charged, and properly strong westerlies forecast for southern England. That’s all going to bring predictable misery to the lives of many, but presumably also some birds will be coming our way too.

It’s certainly not too late for a Chimney Swift, with November hotly on the heels of October as the prime time for one or even several to be found – classic years gone by for them were 1999 and 2005, and who’s to say 2023 won’t join that pantheon…

Less glamorously, 2005 was also marked by the influx of Laughing Gulls into Britain and Ireland in November – and now could be a time to keep an eye peeled for them too.

 

Jon Dunn
31 October 2023

 

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

 

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