Weekly birding round-up: 2 - 8 Apr 2024
More birds of note began to make landfall on our shores this past week, with multiple Hoopoe leading the charge, and other southern scarce fare besides. It was, however, the turn of another leftover from the Class of Autumn 2023 to announce its presence in a Dorset garden.
Dorset’s been no stranger to a Slate-coloured Junco in the not too distant past, courtesy of a one-day bird at Abbotsbury Swannery on 21st June 2019. That was only fleetingly twitchable, and before that county listers need to peer back into the depths of time to November 1993 when a bird settled for almost a fortnight in Dorchester.
Another bird then, a twitchable one, would be a welcome opportunity. News emerged of one this week in a garden in Gillingham on 6th and, with access arranged, it remained present there on 7th offering a window of opportunity for those so inclined.
A settled drake Bufflehead in mainland Scotland would always attract some admirers, and so it proved this week with the recently found individual staying faithful to Loch Leven (Perth & Kinross) for most of the current week, being seen daily there until 6th at least, with a further report of it on 7th marking the end of its tenure.
Speaking of long-staying and popular Scottish rarities, the Kilwinning (Ayrshire) Myrtle Warbler continued to show well in its favoured garden for yet another week until 8th. Familiarity certainly not breeding contempt with this attractive Nearctic warbler. Surely there’s another colourful surprise of its ilk to come somewhere in the next few weeks?
The Portsoy (Aberdeenshire) White-billed Diver show calmed down a bit this week, having approached double figures during the preceding week on 31st when eight birds were logged off there. In recent days, just two birds were seen from Portsoy on 4th-5th, one on 6th, and four again on 8th. The baton passed, however, to Cullen (Moray), where five birds were noted on 6th-7th. A single bird was seen off Burghead (Moray) on 8th.
A Pomarine Skua was seen off Falmouth (Cornwall) on 5th,and another on 8th from Shoalstone Point (Devon).
Last but far from least, an adult Double-crested Cormorant was seen on 7th in Co.Sligo at Colgagh Lough.
The long-legged beasties this week began to show some spring promise, headed by an adult Night Heron found in Norfolk at North Foreland Wood on 2nd-5th.
On Scilly a probable Purple Heron was seen on St Mary’s on 3rd. On 6th confirmed birds were found at Thornwick Bay (East Yorkshire), and in Cornwall passing Pendeen and later at The Carracks.
There was very little change this week on the Glossy Ibis front, with again in the region of a dozen birds seen, with the party of four still reliably present in Somerset at Ham Wall RSPB on 2nd-8th, and six seen in flight towards there over Catcott Lows NR in the afternoon of 6th.
Definitely marking the advancing season, a Corncrake was found on Tory Island (Co.Donegal) on 3rd; another was reported from Islay (Argyll & Bute) on 6th.
A glimpse of a possible Baillon’s or Little Crake at Woolston Eyes NR (Cheshire & Wirral) was alas too brief to provide certainty.
A handful of honkers maintained the fiction that winter wasn’t done with us yet this week – starting with The Goose Formerly Known As Canada, the interior Todd’s Canada Goose was again seen at Banks Marsh NNR (Lancashire & North Merseyside) on 5th, and Marshside RSPB on 7th.
A few Red-breasted Geese clung on too – one in Norfolk again in Blakeney Harbour on 3rd-5th; an adult in Norfolk at Lynn Point again on 6th; another still present on Islay (Argyll & Bute) on 4th; and a bird seen on North Uist (Western Isles) on 8th.
The Black Brant was once again seen at Kilnsea (East Yorkshire) on 4th, 6th, and 8th. Four possible Grey-bellied Brant were logged at Lurgangreen (Co.Louth) on 5th.
A white Snow Goose was seen at Loch of Strathbeg RSPB (Aberdeenshire) on 7th.
A handful of American Wigeon records came this week, including a new female at Bellanoch (Argyll & Bute) on 5th-6th. Drakes meanwhile were noted at Findhorn Bay (Moray) on 2nd, and Lossie Estuary (Moray) on 6th-8th; Long Preston Deeps (North Yorkshire) on 2nd-6th still, Wheldrake Ings YWT (North Yorkshire) on 2nd-4th, and North Duffield Carrs (North Yorkshire) on 7th; and at Kilcoole (Co.Wicklow) on 4th-7th.
Numbers of Green-winged Teal began to fall, down to a little over a dozen birds this week. At a single site level, Lough Beg (Co.Derry) was doing well for them, with a single bird seen there on 2nd-5th joined by a second bird on 5th; and Long Bank Marsh (East Yorkshire) also held two birds on 6th.
The two recent Ferruginous Duck were again seen this week at Woolston Eyes NR (Cheshire & Wirral) on 3rd, 6th, and 8th; while a drake was found in Somerset at Westhay Moor NNR on 3rd-6th; and another drake in Kent at Whetsted GPs on 6th. A further female was seen at Napton Reservoir (Warwickshire) on 6th-8th.
Around 20 Ring-necked Duck were noted during the course of the week, with several sites again boasting multiple birds. Peak count were four seen at Ashton’s Callows (Co.Tipperary) on 4th; two females (and a drake Ring-necked Duck x Tufted Duck hybrid) were present at Colgagh Lough (Co.Sligo) on 7th; two remained in Somerset at Glastonbury Heath on 2nd and 7th, with two noted at Shapwick Heath NNR on 7th also; and two were still to be seen at Lisvane Reservoir (Glamorgan) on 2nd-3rd and 6th-8th.
Lisvane Reservoir also held onto its recent Lesser Scaup on 2nd-3rd, the bird relocating to Cardiff Bay where it then remained until 8th. Two also remained at Hodbarrow RSPB (Cumbria) on 22nd-4th; while single birds remained at Woolston Eyes NR (Cheshire & Wirral) on 4th-6th; Lochwinnoch RSPB (Clyde) on 4th-8th; South Uist (Western Isles) on 5th; on Knockaderry Reservoir (Co.Waterford) still on 2nd; and Lough Neagh (Co.Armagh) on 7th. Presumably one of the recent flock in Essex at Abberton Reservoir, a drake was found at Old Hall Marshes RSPB on 4th-6th; and a female was a superb bird for Greater Manchester at Dunham Massey Park on 8th.
Three Surf Scoter remained off Inch (Co.Kerry) on 2nd-3rd; two were present at Laytown (Co.Meath) on 2nd still; and single birds were noted at Rossaveel harbour (Co.Galway) on 4th-8th, off Roseisle (Moray) still on 4th, at sea off Porthoustock (Cornwall) on 3rd, and at East Wemyss (Fife) on 6th.
Finally, our honorary wildfowl, the Pied-billed Grebe on Inishmore (Co.Galway), was still present there on 4th.
Glamorgan gave us some shorebird variety this week in the form of an American Golden Plover at Sker Point on 2nd-5th.
I promise these are the last of the American Golden Plover at Sker (apologies if you've had enough already!)@glamorganbirds @KenfigWarden pic.twitter.com/4JnHpRSbBc
— Rhos Williams (@rhosvw) April 6, 2024
Wales was also good for a Dotterel, seen on Cadair Idris (Gwynedd) on 2nd.
The first Black-winged Stilt of the spring dropped into Frampton Marsh RSPB (Lincolnshire) on 8th.
Long-billed Dowitcher this week remained in Norfolk at Cley NWT on 2nd-8th, and at Kilcoole (Co.Wicklow) on 2nd-7th; while the Lady’s Island Lake (Co.Wexford) bird was seen again there on 7th. Another was seen in Orkney on Sanday on 4th-8th.
Three Lesser Yellowlegs were noted in recent days – the regular Frampton Marsh RSPB (Lincolnshire) bird still reliably present there on 2nd-8th, the Lurgangreen (Co.Louth) bird still present there on 2nd-7th, and the Swine Moor (East Yorkshire) bird again there on 6th-8th.
A final intriguing record came in the form of a possible Solitary Sandpiper flushed on St Mary’s (Scilly) in the early afternoon of 6th.
Notable gulls were getting to be thinner than ever on the ground this week. Even Iceland Gulls, a stalwart of the past few months, were getting harder to come by, barely pushing 20 birds in recent days.
Glaucous Gulls were scarcer still – just 12 were logged this week, with two of those present at Duisky landfill by Loch Eil (Highland & Caithness) on 5th, and two on Foula (Shetland) on 7th. Single birds meanwhile were seen on Lewis (Western Isles) still on 2nd-8th; Skye (Highland & Caithness) still on 2nd-8th; in Lerwick (Shetland) on 3rd-7th; at Seaton Sluice (Northumberland) on 4th; at Glenarm (Co.Antrim) on 4th-8th still; on Papa Westray (Orkney) on 5th; on 7th at Howick (Northumberland) and Westport Lake (Staffordshire); and on 8th outside Sunderland (Cleveland).
In Cornwall the third-winter Kumlien’s Gull was again noted at Tehidy CP on 2nd, and a juvenile at Hayle Estuary on 5th again; and the adult remained in Highland & Caithness at Helmsdale on 2nd-5th.
An adult Bonaparte’s Gull was found at Llanelli (Carmarthenshire) on 7th-8th.
An unconfirmed report came of a Gull-billed Tern seen off Hope’s Nose (Devon) on 6th.
Finally, in Dorset the second-winter Forster’s Tern remained at Arne RSPB on 2nd-8th, with forays to Holes Bay on 6th and Brownsea Island NT on 7th.
Wales once more gave us sightings of Pallid Harrier on 3rd, 6th, and 8th at Llanrhidian Marsh (Glamorgan), and on 3rd at National Wetlands Centre WWT (Carmarthenshire). A further juvenile was seen on Scilly briefly on St Agnes on 5th, and again there on 6th-8th.
A Black Kite was seen on 3rd-4th at Langford Lowfields RSPB (Nottinghamshire).
Another week, another Hoopoe… this time a bird to start the week’s passerines seen on Coll (Argyll & Bute) on 2nd. On 6th a small south coast arrival made landfall, with confirmed birds seen at Castle Hill LNR (East Sussex), Hankham (East Sussex), East Dean (East Sussex), Brighstone (Isle of Wight), Hengistbury Head (Dorset), Portland (Dorset), and Salcombe Regis (Devon), with additional reports coming from Climping (West Sussex), and Eastbourne (East Sussex). On 7th-8th two birds were present at Westham (East Sussex). Single birds were found on 7th in Brighton (East Sussex), at Man Sands (Devon), and on Bardsey (Gwynedd).
An Alpine Swift was seen in Bristol over Sea Mills on 6th. On 7th two were reported from Branscombe (Devon), while further singletons were seen at Hayling Island (Hampshire) and Southbourne (West Sussex).
A Woodchat Shrike was found on 6th-7th at Porthgwarra (Cornwall), and another on 6th in Dorset at Burton Mere.
Just the one Great Grey Shrike was noted this week, still present at Morden Bog NNR (Dorset) on 2nd-6th.
Also in Dorset, the Yellow-browed Warbler remained at Louds Mill sewage works on 2nd.
A Pallas’s Warbler was seen on 6th-7th in Suffolk at Needham Market, initially reported as a Yellow-browed, it transpired in had been present in the area since 30th March.
A possible Iberian Chiffchaff was reported on 3rd at Ketton Quarry NR (Lincolnshire).
Putting a shot across our bows for what’s to come, a Blue-headed Wagtail was seen at Joss Bay (Kent) on 5th, with two present there the following day, and another seen on 6th-7th in Kent at Foreness Point. Also on 6th, birds were found at Minsmere RSPB (Suffolk), West Runton (Norfolk), and Gibraltar Point NNR (Lincolnshire). On 7th-8th numbers at Joss Bay rose to three, with a possible Spanish Wagtail also present on 7th; another Blue-headed was found on 7th at Bockhill Farm (Kent). On 8th two birds were found in Suffolk at Benacre, and one at Minsmere RSPB; and a singleton in West Yorkshire at St Aidan’s RSPB.
The Richard’s Pipit remained in Cumbria at Ulverston on 2nd, while another was seen on 5th at Welwick Saltmarsh YWT (East Yorkshire), and a bird on 8th in East Yorkshire at Spurn.
A Serin was seen on Portland (Dorset) on 3rd; another was noted coming in off the sea at North Foreland (Kent) on 7th; and an individual was found in Lincolnshire at Gibraltar Point NNR on 7th.
In Norfolk the exilipes Arctic Redpoll was seen again near Helhoughton on 2nd.
Finally, the settled Little Bunting remained at Broadsands (Devon) on 2nd-6th.
Starting the overseas news this week in the north, Iceland held onto the wintering American Robin at Keflavik on 3rd-5th, with a White-winged Scoter seen on 3rd still off Rejkjavik.
In Norway, a Sandhill Crane was seen at Vestbygd on 1st-4th.
A feature in the overseas news lately, a Sociable Lapwing was seen in Germany at Athensleben on 5th.
Cyprus meanwhile landed shorebird gold in the form of a Tibetan Sand Plover at Paphos on 4th-5th.
Finally, in Mauritania the Abyssinian Roller and Grasshopper Buzzard remained at Nouadhibou on 5th-6th.
Flushed with success after last week’s rare, accurate prediction of the coming week’s headline bird – thank you, Dorset Slate-coloured Junco - dare we roll the dice again in a Nearctic direction?
The coming week has some form in this regard – another Slate-coloured Junco in Yorkshire in 2008; the Savannah Sparrow that settled on Portland (Dorset) on 11th-16th April 1982; and two Song Sparrow, both found on Fair Isle (Shetland) – one on 11th-26th April 1989, and the other more recently on 9th-10th April 2020.
Let’s shoot for the stars with one of them in the days to come…
Jon Dunn
Many thanks to all this week's contributors for your photos and videos
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