Weekly birding round-up: 11 - 17 Jun 2024
The coldest June for many a long year continued to do its best to suppress a great deal of significant new scarce or rare passerine action, coinciding as it did with the tailing off of spring migration. Some birds, however, were made of sterner stuff, and some locations can never be written off…
An initial report of an adult Solitary Sandpiper on St Mary’s (Scilly) in the early afternoon of 14th seemed destined to be an exercise in frustration – the bird flew off, and wasn’t seen again there that day, nor over the following weekend.
Was that it? Well, no. For on 17th the bird was back again, and showing well as the afternoon unfolded.
Could this be one and the same possible bird that was reported on St Mary’s back on 6th April? Could a bird manage to hide itself for a couple of months somewhere as well-watched as Scilly?
Scilly enjoys a fine relationship with Solitary Sandpiper - the last confirmed bird was as recently as May 2020, and this week’s individual represents the seventeenth of its kind in the archipelago. Given we’ve just 38 birds on the books for Britain as a whole, that’s almost half the British records owing themselves to the islands, and seven of Scilly’s total have come since the turn of the century alone. There’s arguably nowhere better to find a Solitary Sand than there.
Speaking of areas with proven magnetism for certain species, the north-east of Scotland is historically rare scoter central, and so it proved once more this week with the discovery of a first-summer drake White-winged Scoter off Blackdog (Aberdeenshire) on 15th. Still present there on 17th, this bird served as a timely reminder that checking gathering scoter can be a fruitful activity in this neck of the woods.
Some downloaded pics of this afternoon's 1st-summer drake White-winged Scoter at Blackdog.
— Nick Littlewood (@blackdogbirder) June 15, 2024
Far from sure I'd have picked this one out without the groundwork laid with the 2011 bird by @PAABaxter, Hywel Maggs & Chris Gibbins (page 269: https://t.co/sDuEkaQ0sa). pic.twitter.com/wrAFgjMO9F
Aberdeenshire has three past accepted records to its credit from the same area of coastline – one off Murcar on 11th-23rd June 2011; and what was presumed to be the same bird off Blackdog and Murcar on 25th June – 29th August 2016, and 2nd July – 19th August 2017. These have all generally stuck around for a while, so we’ll see how long this new bird’s tenure extends to in the coming weeks.
Being very specific about birds with an affinity for places, Fair Isle is building quite the reputation now as a midsummer destination for Green Warbler. At the time of writing, there are ten accepted British records of the species up to the end of 2022, half of which were found in Shetland; all five of those birds were late spring / midsummer arrivals, and three of them were on Fair Isle – on 4th-7th July 2017; on 16th June 2020; and on 23rd June 2021.
Even for a species that’s accelerating in terms of records in Western Europe, that’s pretty impressive going for an island three miles long by one and a half miles wide.
Of course, there’s another Green Warbler to add to the above Shetland tally – this being the bird found earlier this spring on Unst on 22nd-24th May. That addition, as of this week, isn’t even the most recent Shetland bird, as Fair Isle’s done it again – a bird found on there in the late afternoon of 17th makes it two so far this year for Shetland as a whole. (And a third for Britain this spring, coming hot on the heels of the individual seen on Holy Island (Northumberland) on 26th May).
As for Scilly and Solitary Sandpiper, so for Shetland and Green Warbler - some places just have that magnetism for certain species.
It’s impossible, or at least just yet, to relegate a bird of the calibre of Ireland’s first Yellow-crowned Night Heron from the headlines into the main body of the round up. The settled adult bird remained throughout this week at Belcarra (Co.Mayo) until 17th, showing well and drawing, if not a crowd, then certainly a steady stream of admirers.
And finally for the headlines, another bird that proved locally popular while it was still present – the Bridled Tern still present at Coquet Island RSPB (Northumberland) this week, albeit not throughout – it was seen there on 11th-13th, and was reported again there on 15th, but not thereafter. Where next for this dapper bird?
A few pics of the Bridled Tern from Coquet on the Sunday evening boat pic.twitter.com/fHKEOOUFN5
— Daniel Gornall (@Dan_Gornall) June 13, 2024
Kicking off the seabirds once more, the adult Double-crested Cormorant remained on Colgagh Lough (Co.Sligo) on 12th and again on 17th.
A Cory’s Shearwater was seen from Carnsore Point (Co.Wexford) on 15th; and another off Porthgwarra (Cornwall) on 15th also.
In the English Channel, sightings of Balearic Shearwater continued to crop up between Cornwall and Dorset – on 13th, duos were seen from Start Point (Devon) and Portland (Dorset); on 14th, two were seen passing Thurlestone Bay (Devon), and a single bird off The Lizard (Cornwall); and on 15th one was noted off Hengistbury Head (Dorset). Numbers picked up as the week wore on – on 15th 19 birds were seen from Portland; on 16th a dozen off Berry Head (Devon); and then, on 17th, around 100 birds in Cornwall on the sea off Freathy.
In East Sussex a Leach’s Petrel was logged off Hastings on 15th.
Moving up to Scotland, a White-billed Diver remained at Brora (Highland & Caithness) on 12th and again on 17th.
Northumberland dominated sightings of Long-tailed Skua, with a succession of records on 11th and 12th off, variously, Longhoughton Steel, Boulmer, Seaton Sluice, Snab Point and Newbiggin Point. On 12th Scottish sightings came from Balintore (Highland & Caithness) and North Ronaldsay (Orkney).
Northumberland also gave a couple of Pomarine Skua sightings on 11th, off Newbiggin Point and Coquet Island RSPB; while additional birds this week were noted from The Lizard (Cornwall) on 14th, and Lavernock Point (Glamorgan) on 15th; three were reported on 16th off Skelbo (Highland & Caithness); one on 16th at Staffa (Argyll & Bute); and Northumberland sightings on 17th past Beacon Point and Longhoughton Steel.
Moving on to the long-legged beasties, a handful of Purple Heron were noted in recent days – one again in Kent at Stodmarsh NNR on 12th, another at Clumber Park (Nottinghamshire) on 15th, and one on 17th over Goonhilly Downs (Cornwall).
The Night Heron meanwhile remained at Saltholme RSPB (Cleveland) on 12th-13th.
Glossy Ibis failed to break into double figures, unless we count the unconfirmed report of half a dozen birds at Welches Meadow in Royal Leamington Spa (Warwickshire) on 14th. Them aside, single birds were seen in Lincolnshire at Frampton Marsh RSPB on 11th-12th, and Crowland Wash on 13th; in Norfolk at Cley on 11th-17th, and Ken Hill Marshes on 15th again; in Suffolk at Minsmere RSPB on 12th-17th still; in Oxfordshire at Otmoor RSPB on 12th-14th and 17th again; and in Cambridgeshire at Eldernell on 17th.
A Corncrake continued to sing at Welney WWT (Norfolk) on 12th-15th, with five confirmed in song overnight there on 16th; and another was reported in song at Kirklington (Nottinghamshire) on 11th.
Ducks continued to be relatively thin on the rarity duckpond this week, as one would expect at this juncture.
Starting in Co.Mayo, the resident drake Black Duck remained on Cross Lough on 11th.
In Scotland the American Wigeon remained at Balormie Pig Farm (Moray) on 12th-15th, with a further Moray sighting on 17th at Loch Spynie.
Cheshire & Wirral enjoyed Green-winged Teal at Sandbach Flashes on 12th-15th, and Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB on 15th-17th. A bird was again seen in Lincolnshire at Alkborough Flats NR on 17th.
A Ferruginous Duck was again seen at Draycote Water (Warwickshire) on 14th, rising to two birds, a drake and a female, present there on 16th-17th; and then two females present later on 17th. A female was also seen on 16th in Cambridgeshire at Colne Fen GPs.
Two drake Ring-necked Duck were found in Highland & Caithness at Loch of Wester on 12th-13th; the drake remained in Wales at Llyn Brenig (Denbighshire) on 11th-16th; and a drake was present at Seaforth LWT (Lancashire & North Merseyside) on 17th.
In Fife, the drake Lesser Scaup remained on Loch Gelly on 11th-12th; followed by sightings of a drake at St Aidan’s RSPB (West Yorkshire) on 14th, and Elton Reservoir (Greater Manchester) on 15th and Ringley Fold sewage works on 16th.
One of the recent two adult male American Golden Plover was once more reported this week, at Pagham Harbour (West Sussex) on 11th, but wasn’t seen again thereafter.
Keeping it Nearctic, a White-rumped Sandpiper pitched down onto St Kilda (Western Isles) on 12th-14th.
A handful of Temminck’s Stint were seen in recent days – single birds at Pool of Virkie (Shetland) on 12th, Pilning Wetland (Gloucestershire) on 12th-14th, and on North Uist (Western Isles) on 14th.
A Red-necked Phalarope was logged heading north past Longhoughton Steel (Northumberland) on 13th; another was found on 16th-17th at Farlington Marshes HWT (Hampshire); and one more on 17th at Scaling Dam (Cleveland).
In Cambridgeshire the female Black-winged Stilt was again seen on Ouse Washes on 12th.
Finally, at Frampton Marsh RSPB (Lincolnshire) the first-summer Lesser Yellowlegs was still present on 11th-17th.
Our midsummer terns continued to delight for another week, with a fine scatter of records and species alike.
Starting in Wales, a pair of Swedish-ringed adult Caspian Tern arrived at National Wetlands Centre WWT (Carmarthenshire) on 12th, remaining there until 14th.
In Northumberland the adult female surinamensis American Black Tern remained at Long Nanny on 11th-16th.
A Gull-billed Tern was found on 17th over Netherfield Lagoons (Nottinghamshire).
Across in Ireland, there was still plenty going on. The Elegant Tern was once more seen on Inis Doire (Co.Mayo) on 17th…
While in Co.Dublin the adult male Least Tern was still present around Portrane off and on during 11th-17th.
Moving onto the gulls, a few white-wingers maintained the winter-vibe the weather was lending to proceedings. Glaucous Gull were logged at Reenard Pier (Co.Kerry) on 11th; Coquet Island RSPB (Northumberland) on 12th-14th; North Uist (Western Isles) on 12th; Portballintrae (Co.Antrim) on 15th; and in Amble harbour (Northumberland) on 17th. Iceland Gull meanwhile were noted on Skye (Highland & Caithness) on 11th, and at Sumburgh (Shetland) on 12th.
Slim pickings indeed for raptors this past week… A Montagu’s Harrier was seen at the Wykeham Forest raptor viewpoint (North Yorkshire) on 15th; a ringtail was noted at Rother Valley CP (South Yorkshire) on 16th; and a probable on 16th over Filey Dams YWT (North Yorkshire).
A Black Kite was seen over RAF Mildenhall (Suffolk) on 11th.
The week again featured itinerant Bee-eaters, not least in Kent – reports coming on 13th at Kingsdown and Bockhill Farm, and on 14th over North Foreland. Elsewhere, eight remained on 11th in Aberdeenshire at Belhelvie; one was seen near Helston (Cornwall) on 12th; two were reported from a garden in Gairloch (Highland & Caithness) on 13th; at least one passed over Swinister Burn (Shetland) on 16th; and one was noted at Spurn (East Yorkshire) on 17th.
Dorset gave us a couple of Golden Oriole lately – one at Broadwey on 13th, and another reported from Cerne Abbas on 15th. The week’s other confirmed birds were further north – one flushed in Kirkwall (Orkney) on 14th, and another on Eday (Orkney) on 16th; and sightings on Shetland at Maywick on 13th and 15th. A final bird was reported on 17th from Whitfield (Gloucestershire) near HMP Eastwood Park.
A Hoopoe remained in a Surrey garden at Farncombe on 11th, while a further Surrey report came from Thursley Common on 12th. An additional bird was seen in Kent at Northward Hill RSPB on 15th.
Late Waxwing were found this week at Melvich (Highland & Caithness) on 11th, beside Pool of Virkie (Shetland) on 15th, and on Yell (Shetland) on 17th.
Numbers of Red-backed Shrike tumbled in recent days, with just eight birds making the daily news reports – on 11th at Easington (East Yorkshire) and Brading Marshes RSPB (Isle of Wight); on 12th at Bridge of Dye (Aberdeenshire); on 13th in Shetland on Unst, and on 13th-14th on Fair Isle; on 14th in the Western Isles on Barra and North Uist; and on 17th at Lothbeg Point (Highland & Caithness).
An unconfirmed report came of a very unseasonal Great Grey Shrike on Iona (Argyll & Bute) on 14th.
A Short-toed Lark was found on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 17th.
The merest hint of some easterlies was all it took in the northern isles to deliver some Blyth’s Reed Warbler - two were found in song at the Pool of Virkie (Shetland) willows 15th, with one still present there the following day; while another was trapped and ringed on 15th on North Ronaldsay (Orkney), and a singing bird was found on Fair Isle (Shetland) on 17th. A further bird was reported on 17th at Dornoch (Highland & Caithness).
The reliable Great Reed Warbler continued to hold territory at Ouse Fen RSPB (Cambridgeshire) on 11th-17th.
Settled Marsh Warbler began the week still present at Landguard NR (Suffolk) on 11th, and at Saltholme RSPB (Cleveland) on 11th-14th. Additional birds were found on Shetland at Sandgarth on 13th; Swinister Burn on 13th; Unst on 13th with two birds noted there; and at the Pool of Virkie on 17th.
Also on Shetland, the Savi’s Warbler remained on Fetlar on 11th-12th. Further settled birds continued their stays at North Cave Wetlands YWT (East Yorkshire) on 11th-13th; Saltholme RSPB (Cleveland) on 11th-13th; and at Cahore Marsh (Co.Wexford) on 11th-16th. A further bird was to be heard at Pulborough Brooks RSPB (West Sussex) on 11th-16th; and another in song in Norfolk at Welney WWT on 16th-17th was joined there by a second individual on the latter date.
Shetland accounted for our Icterine Warbler sightings this week – one still present on Fetlar on 11th-12th, and additional birds on Fair Isle on 11th and 16th, and on Mainland at Sandgarth on 13th.
A singing Melodious Warbler was an excellent inland find in Dorset at West Stafford on 13th.
A Rose-coloured Starling graced a Gorleston (Norfolk) garden on 15th.
Late news of a Rose-coloured Starling in a Gorleston garden on June 15th. Photographed by a lady who thought this might be a young Magpie. Posted on a local Facebook site. Despite numerous Starlings in my own garden over the years, no Rose-coloured Starling as yet. pic.twitter.com/qeP5ubJtsU
— Peter Allard (@Yarmouthbirder) June 17, 2024
A female Bluethroat was belatedly reported as present on Unst (Shetland) on 12th, though no further sign of it was latterly forthcoming. More reliable this week was the territorial white-spotted male still to be seen at Slimbridge WWT (Gloucestershire) on 11th-17th.
The recent singing male Red-breasted Flycatcher remained at Carron Valley Reservoir (Forth) on 11th-16th.
A possible female Grey-headed Wagtail was proving mobile at Aberlady Bay (Lothian) on 13th.
Just two Common Rosefinch were seen this week, a bird found on Skokholm (Pembrokeshire) on 15th, and a singing male at Mizen Head (Co.Cork) on 17th.
Our overseas news commences once more in the Netherlands, where the first-summer drake Canvasback remained reliably at Vogelplas Starrevaart on 12th-17th.
In Denmark the Sandhill Crane also proved settled at Skagen on 16th-17th still, while the recent Pygmy Cormorant remained at Slotsmosen on 16th-17th also.
Norway meanwhile enjoyed a displaying Wilson’s Snipe at Svanhovd on 17th. When’s this going to happen somewhere in northern Scotland?
In France, an Elegant Tern was still to be seen at Le Grand Bastit on 12th.
And finally, in Israel the Yellow-billed Stork remained at Eilat on 12th-17th.
While it’s certainly not too late to rule out a decent passerine making landfall in these parts – and who’d say no to a Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, considering the mildly encouraging precedent of four past birds in the coming week – we’re also coming to the time of year when our minds can start to entertain fervid dreams of outrageous seabirds…
The coming week boasts past records of three frigatebird sp, two apiece of Barolo Shearwater and Black-browed Albatross and, most startling of all, our one and only Short-tailed Shearwater, found moribund at Tramore Bay (Co.Waterford) on 22nd June 2020.
With the wind finally switching from the north to the west as the coming week progresses, could something decent be sweeping our way in off the Atlantic?
Jon Dunn
18 June 2024
Many thanks to all this week's contributors for your photos and videos
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