Weekly birding round-up: 23 - 29 Jan 2024
Another week, another storm of substance. What a winter this is proving to be. If we were gritting our teeth and bearing it, so too were our birds this week – numbers of several species lately regular in these parts were down somewhat. Which isn’t to say it wasn’t worth keep an eye peeled for something new. Norfolk was about to score a county first.
If Norfolk birders thought they were doing well with the lingering presence of a drake Surf Scoter off Holkham Gap throughout this week, the weekend was to deliver a fine upgrade on the duck front…
A probable drake Black Scoter was reported off Holkham Gap on 27th, which swiftly firmed up into a definite bird there in the morning of 28th, much to the delight of both local and visiting birders alike – a county first record, no less, so it was sure to prove locally popular at least. Alas for those who, for whatever reasons, couldn’t get to Holkham over the weekend, there was no sign of the bird on Monday 29th. Will it be seen again off the north Norfolk coast, or was this a one-off opportunity?
The best of the week’s seabirds, combining local rarity with some pleasing accessibility for local birders, has to have been the White-billed Diver found in Essex off Southend on 25th. Another bird was seen on 25th and again on 29th in the more traditional wintering grounds of South Nesting Bay off Shetland Mainland’s east coast.
Little Auks proved to be in fairly short supply this week, with three seen from North Uist (Western Isles) on 24th, two off Bridges of Ross (Co.Clare) on 26th, a single bird off Leven (Fife) on 28th, and a singleton seen from Otter Ferry (Argyll & Bute) on 29th.
Absent from the news for a little while now, a Pomarine Skua was seen in recent days off Swanpool (Cornwall) on 24th.
No great surprises amongst the long-legged beasties this week, with Glossy Ibis still very much present at a national level in Britain and Ireland alike, albeit reported in somewhat reduced numbers – we scraped into double figures by the weekend, and finished the week with some 15 birds noted nationwide. One remained in Ireland at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) on 26th; while in Britain the largest gatherings remained the steadfast trio at Titchfield Haven NNR (Hampshire) on 23rd-28th still, and three again at Dungeness (Kent) on 27th.
Kicking off the week’s honkers and quackers with The Goose Formerly Known As Canada, a hutchinsii Richardson’s Cackling Goose remained at Lunt Meadows LWT (Lancashire & North Merseyside) on 25th-27th, with another seen on 27th at Killard (Co.Clare); a Cackling Goose was seen at Goleen Bay (Co.Clare) on 26th; and a possible interior Todd’s Canada Goose at Dingwall (Highland & Caithness) on 26th.
In Lancashire & North Merseyside the Red-breasted Goose remained immovable at Martin Mere WWT still until 25th. Elsewhere the first-winter was still in Norfolk at Cley NWT on 23rd-24th, Blakeney Harbour on 27th, and Morston on 28th-29th; and the Northumbrian bird remained around Budle Bay on 25th-29th.
In Co.Dublin eight possible Grey-bellied Brant were once more noted in the Raheny area of Dublin on 24th, with one bird seen on 24th-25th at Phoenix Park. On 23rd a Black Brant was also noted at Phoenix Park.
In Scotland the white Snow Goose was still present this week at Dingwall (Highland & Caithness) on 24th-29th; the North Uist (Western Isles) bird remained there on 26th-29th still; and a white morph was noted on Tiree (Argyll & Bute) on 25th-29th. A blue morph was present at Llay Pools (Wrexham) on 28th.
In Kent, the Lesser White-fronted Goose was again seen at Oare Marshes KWT on 23rd and 28th, and Swale NNR again on 24th.
On to the quackers, and in Ireland the juvenile female White-winged Scoter remained off Inishmore (Co.Galway) on 24th.
Two Surf Scoter remained in Irish waters off Gormanstown (Co.Meath) on 26th-28th still. In Scotland, one was still to be found off Cockenzie (Lothian) on 24th-27th; and English birds were seen off Holkham Gap (Norfolk) on 23rd-27th still, and in Cornwall at Restronguet Creek on 24th-26th again.
A new drake King Eider was found off Cockenzie (Lothian) on 27th-28th.
A handful of lingering American Wigeon were logged in recent days. Starting on Inishmore (Co.Galway), the drake remained there on 24th. In England, one was also still to be found at Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB (Cheshire & Wirral) on 24th; and one still at Big Waters NR (Northumberland) on 23rd-27th. Scottish individuals were seen at Crook of Baldoon RSPB (Dumfries & Galloway) on 24th-29th still, and Newshot Island (Clyde) on 26th-29th still.
Numbers of Green-winged Teal took a bit of a tumble this week, with around a dozen noted. In Ireland, one was settled at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) on 24th-27th; and another at Rogerstown Estuary (Co.Dublin) on 27th. Scotland had one still present on Barra (Western Isles) on 25th, one still on the Lossie Estuary (Moray) on 27th, another at Tain Links (Highland & Caithness) still on 27th-29th, and one at Montrose Basin (Angus) on 29th. In England, birds remained at Polemere (Shropshire) on 24th-28th; Grafham Water (Cambridgeshire) on 23rd-27th; and Lunt Meadows LWT (Lancashire & North Merseyside) on 23rd-29th; while another was seen in East Yorkshire at Swine Moor on 23rd, one near Saltfleet (Lincolnshire) on 27th-28th, and birds at Holkham Freshmarsh (Norfolk) on 28th-29th, and Lundy (Devon) and Wet Moor (Somerset) on 28th.
The drake Ferruginous Duck remained in Snaresbrook (London) on Eagle Pond on 23rd, while in Norfolk two birds were still present on Filby Broad on 23rd-27th at least. The drake was once more seen at Misson (Nottinghamshire) on 26th-28th; a female / first-winter drake at Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB (Cambridgeshire) on 27th; and a bird at Warwick Racecourse (Warwickshire) on 27th-28th. In Ireland, a drake was present on Callow Lough (Co.Sligo / Co.Roscommon) on 29th.
Ring-necked Ducks enjoyed another solid showing this past week, approaching 20 birds in total seen across Britain and Ireland as a whole. Amongst those were a couple of sites holding multiple birds – two remained at Lisvane Reservoir (Glamorgan) on 23rd-29th; and two were still near Kilkee (Co.Clare) on 26th.
The flock of five Lesser Scaup remained on Lower Tamar Lakes (Devon / Cornwall) on 23rd-27th. Elsewhere, singletons were seen at Chew Valley Lake (Somerset) still on 23rd; in Pembrokeshire at Bosherston Lily Ponds still on 26th-27th, and Penberry Reservoir on 26th still; on South Uist (Western Isles) still on 29th; and at Lochwinnoch RSPB (Clyde) on 29th.
And whaddya know? The drake Canvasback still hasn’t left Abberton Reservoir (Essex), being seen after some empty days newswise there again on 27th-28th.
Finally, back on Inishmore (Co.Galway) our honorary wildfowl, the Pied-billed Grebe, was still settled there on 24th.
Increasingly quiet times lately for notable shorebirds. Starting in Somerset, the female Kentish Plover was again seen at Burnham-on-Sea on 24th-28th.
In East Sussex the Long-billed Dowitcher remained at Cuckmere Haven on 24th-28th.
The only Lesser Yellowlegs reported this week were in Lincolnshire at Frampton Marsh RSPB still on 23rd-29th, and at Dundalk (Co.Louth) again on 28th.
A couple of Grey Phalarope were seen on 24th – one at Babbacombe Bay (Devon), and the other at Southchurch (Essex). On 27th-29th, another was found at Longhaugh Point (Clyde).
Gull of the week had it only firmed into something more concrete, a possible first-winter Thayer’s Gull was reported from Hayle (Cornwall) on 25th. Cornwall also gave us a possible first-winter Bonaparte’s Gull at Bude Marshes on 23rd.
What Cornwall definitely did have was the adult Ring-billed Gull still on the Hayle Estuary on 25th and 27th-28th; another sighting in the county came at Pendennis Point on 26th; one was still present in Ireland at Blackrock (Co.Louth) on 23rd; another still on Ring Estuary (Co.Cork) on 27th; and one again in Scotland at Strathclyde Loch (Clyde) on 27th-29th. A final bird was seen on Berneray (Western Isles) on 29th.
Numbers of white-wingers remained rather subdued this week. Some 25 Glaucous Gulls and 45 Iceland Gulls were noted across Britain and Ireland and, once again, most sites blessed with either boasted one or two at best. Peterhead (Aberdeenshire) mustered three Iceland Gulls on 25th, and Lerwick (Shetland) three on 27th, while Unst (Shetland) managed five of the same species on 26th.
Unst also held onto its returning second-winter Kumlien’s Gull at Uyeasound on 26th-27th – it would be amusing to see this moult, in the fullness of the coming years, into an adult Thayer’s Gull… Meanwhile, the adult Kumlien’s remained at Helmsdale (Highland & Caithness) on 26th-29th; a juvenile was seen briefly at The Lizard (Cornwall) on 24th; a third-winter was present in Cheshire & Wirral at Widnes on 27th-28th and Pickerings Pasture NR on 28th; and a juvenile on Westray (Orkney) on 28th.
And so to raptors, where familiar Pallid Harrier faces cropped up more or less reliably once again in East Anglia and Wales. Starting in Norfolk, the second-winter female continued to haunt the Warham Greens area on 24th-29th. In Wales, meanwhile, sightings of a juvenile came again from Llanrhidian Marsh (Glamorgan) on 24th and 26th-27th; Salthouse Point (Glamorgan) again on 28th; National Wetlands Centre WWT (Carmarthenshire) on 26th and 28th; and Castlemartin Corse (Pembrokeshire) on 26th-27th.
The Rough-legged Buzzard was seen again in North Yorkshire at Rosedale Moor on 26th-28th; and another was reported from Carrbridge (Highland & Caithness) on 27th.
Notable passerines this week were an ever scarcer commodity, and even numbers of Waxwings were down on the largesse we’ve become accustomed to. (Still plenty of them, mind. But the Waxwing winter is starting to wane).
A handful of Great Grey Shrikes were again noted in recent days – one still present near Tomintoul (Moray) on 23rd-29th; another in Lincolnshire still at Doddington on 24th-28th; the Ramsley Moor (Derbyshire) bird again on 28th; and the individual near Llyn Brenig (Denbighshire / Conwy) again at Cerrig Caws on 28th.
A Penduline Tit was seen on 28th at Lough Beg (Co.Cork) again.
A probable Yellow-browed Warbler was heard only on 27th at Rodmell (East Sussex).
After an absence of news that stretched through the week and into the weekend, the adult male Black-throated Thrush was once again seen at Tophill Low NR (East Yorkshire) on 28th.
A possible exilipes Arctic Redpoll was once again seen at Minsmere RSPB (Suffolk) on 23rd.
There was an unconfirmed report of a Serin on 28th in East Sussex at Herstmonceux Castle.
And finally, two Little Bunting were still to be found at Tremethick Cross (Cornwall) on 28th.
The pick of our overseas news this week was a little closer to home than of late, and a reminder of a long-touted potential addition to the British list – surely one of these days a Pygmy Cormorant will be found at Minsmere or Dungeness? Meantime, Belgian birders could be content with a bird this past week at Mol on 23rd.
Hello February. You came around quickly.
Where does the year go? It’ll be autumn before we know it at this rate… but, for now, we’re a step further towards spring. It is, however, very much still winter out there, as a glance at the weather forecast for the coming week very much tells us.
Truly, if there’s to be anything headline making it’s most likely to be a gull of some flavour or another. That’s just the time of year for you. There’s never a bad time to lurk around the perimeter of your local landfill, but the Slaty-backed Gull at Pitsea (Essex) in 2011 should remind us that the first week of February could prove more than a little fruitful.
Then there are the oddities the week has historically tossed our way. A wintering Red-flanked Bluetail? Yep, and surely that’ll happen again some day, given how regular they’ve become every autumn. And what about a Redhead? Britain’s sole accepted bird was re-found on 4th February 1997 at Rutland Water (Leicestershire), having initially been found in March 1996 in Nottinghamshire. In a winter that’s already sported a Canvasback in the southeast, why not…
Jon Dunn
Many thanks to all this week's contributors for your photos and videos
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