Weekly birding round-up: 17 - 23 Sept 2024
A decent set of easterlies was forecast as the week just gone began and, sure enough, it was soon delivering. Granted, no really big ticket items – that’s generally the province of October – but nonetheless a pretty damn fine week’s birding for those based on the east coast of Britain.
We need to step back almost 15 years to East Yorkshire’s one and only prior Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, a three-day bird at Flamborough on 1st-3rd September 2010. That hung around long enough not to constitute total blocker status but, with the passage of time, the hunger for another would have been mounting steadily.
The wait came to an end this week with the finding of a fine example of its kind, also at Flamborough, on 21st-22nd. An obliging weekend bird, this one was destined for popularity.
We’re becoming accustomed to regular-ish rarities being retrospectively identified from photos posted on social media, and we enjoyed an absolute peach of its kind this week with the discovery of a fine Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler in Tynemouth (Cleveland) on 21st – seen, and by all accounts showing well, at around midday, there was alas no further sign of it later on, to the obvious chagrin of local birders – Cleveland has just the one previous record, a one-day bird in Hartlepool Old Cemetery on 26th September 2012.
Took myself down to Tynemouth Priory & found this wee bird. I was expecting a wren but it doesn't look like one apart from a slightly upright tail & it didn't sound right either. Help please @Natures_Voice? #birdwatching #birdphotography #TwitterNatureCommunity #birding pic.twitter.com/7FposphaPd
— Cait Searl (@CaitSearl) September 21, 2024
The east coast wasn’t having it all its own way this week, as St Kilda (Western Isles) was proving obdurately determined to continue to serve up vagrants from America. Not content with Cliff Swallow and Swainson’s Thrush already this autumn, it landed an American Pipit there on 20th.
Nor was that the end of the story… On 22nd two more birds were present on the island, cementing St Kilda’s reputation as arguably THE place to see the species in a British context.
News emerged on 22nd of a fine male Northern Harrier seen on 21st at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford), on 20th also at Tacumshin and The Cull, and first seen in the area on 8th September. The bird remained at Tacumshin on 23rd too.
Generally speaking, the seabirds calmed the heck down on the preceding week’s offering, confined as they were for the most part to sightings coming from land rather than many miles out to sea.
As we suspected, Kent wasn’t finished with us where semi-regular sightings of Brown Booby were concerned, with reports coming on 17th of one south past Foreland Point in the morning, and later that morning a bird seen heading east past North Foreland.
Further up the east coast, eyes fixed out to sea off Spurn (East Yorkshire) on 17th were rewarded with a Fea’s Petrel sp seen heading north past there that morning. Annoyingly, it wasn’t to be logged elsewhere off the north-eastern English coast that day.
Shearwaters of all kinds proved to be in abeyance lately. A mere 1,800 Cory’s Shearwater were seen during the week, with peak counts of 350 birds seen from, respectively, the Scilly pelagic of 19th and off the Scillonian on 21st. A better haul of Great Shearwater were logged, numbering around 3,500 birds – of those, the best count were 1,000 seen from a Co.Cork pelagic on 22nd off Union Hall.
As for Balearic Shearwater, a paltry 335 birds were seen during the past week, with a peak count of 155 off Dawlish Warren NNR (Devon) on 23rd comfortably the best of them.
Leach’s Petrel records fell through the floor, barely threatening double figures for Britain and Ireland as a whole. The ferry between Ullapool and Stornoway (Highland & Caithness / Western Isles) provided a singletn on 17th, and two birds on 18th; a probable in Kent on 17th seen from Sandwich Bay was followed by a confirmed bird on 20th from North Foreland; one was seen from Lewis (Western Isles) on 19th; two on 20th from Ventry (Co.Kerry); and one on 21st from Cut End (Lincolnshire).
Numbers of the scarce skuas took a nosedive this week, with a mere 45 Pomarine Skua logged: and some 40 Long-tailed Skua recorded.
Providing an early shot across the bows for the changing season, a Little Auk was seen from Torness (Lothian) on 21st.
Prominence amongst the long-legged beasties this week goes to the Squacco Heron reported from Saltholme RSPB (Cleveland) on 18th – alas not seen there subsequently though.
Next up, in East Anglia both recent Purple Heron were again seen this week, one remaining at Gifford’s Flash (Suffolk) on 17th-23rd, and the Norfolk bird again at Colney GPs on 20th.
Once more this week, Glossy Ibis put in a solid showing across the British and Irish board. Starting in Hampshire, Titchfield Haven NNR held four birds on 17th, with three still present there until 22nd at least. Further west, in Devon two were seen at Fremington Pill on 21st; while in Cornwall four were seen over Hayle on 21st, with a single bird also that day at Skewjack Farm; one also on 21st on St Mary’s (Scilly); and four seen heading south over Land’s End on 21st. On 22nd four were again seen over Hayle.
In Somerset, singletons were noted on 21st-22nd at Ham Wall RSPB, and on 21st at Huntspill; and a single bird settled at Chew Valley Lake on 17th-20th. In Gloucestershire one was seen on 19th at Frampton Sailing Lake, and one at Slimbridge WWT on 19th also. Dungeness (Kent) retained a bird on 18th-20th; in Norfolk one remained at Breydon Water still on 17th; while two were to be seen at Nene Washes RSPB (Cambridgeshire) on 17th-21st. Inland, a bird was found at Summer Leys NR (Northamptonshire) on 21st-22nd, and seen over the A5 at Foster’s Booth on 23rd. Finally, in Ireland one remained at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) on 17th-23rd, and at Ring Marsh (Co.Wexford) again on 22nd.
The recent Irish Black Stork was seen over Lough Gill (Co.Kerry) on 17th.
Easterlies delivered Corncrake on 22nd, with birds found on St Mary’s Island (Northumberland), Alnmouth (Northumberland), and Low Newton-by-the-Sea (Northumberland); on 23rd another was found on Shetland Mainland at Tingwall. On 21st, two birds were present on Tory Island (Co.Donegal).
Honkers and quackers both to report upon this week – starting with the former, two white Snow Geese were seen to come in off the sea at Barns Ness (Lothian) on 19th with Pink-footed Geese… and a juvenile Red-breasted Goose was present at Tramore Back Strand (Co.Waterford) on 17th.
Ferruginous Duck continued to be seen for another week, with two still present at Shawell (Leicestershire) until 22nd, and the drake still at Draycote Water (Warwickshire) on 18th-20th.
The eclipse drake Lesser Scaup remained on Belvide Reservoir (Staffordshire) on 17th-23rd; and the drake also on Blagdon Lake (Somerset) on 17th still.
A drake Ring-necked Duck was found at Darnrigg Moss (Forth) on 22nd.
In East Yorkshire the Blue-winged Teal remained at Tophill Low NR on 19th-23rd.
An American Wigeon was found on 23rd in East Yorkshire at Kilnsea Wetlands.
Finally, on 22nd a drake Surf Scoter was tracked heading north up the northeast English coast, seen between Hartlepool Headland (Cleveland) and Seaton Sluice (Northumberland) in the early afternoon.
After the Buff-breasted Sandpiper news had been obstinately Irish for weeks, the dam finally burst this week with some British birds found. A fine pair were to be seen on St Mary’s (Scilly) on 17th-18th; while Scotland laid claim to single island birds on Barra (Western Isles) on 18th-19th; Sanday (Orkney) on 19th; Tiree (Argyll & Bute) on 20th and 23rd; and North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 21st. In Ireland, meanwhile, one remained at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) on 17th-18th, joined there by a second individual on 19th-23rd.
A shade over 20 Pectoral Sandpiper were seen this week across Britain and Ireland, with a couple of sites notching up multiple birds – two were present at Northam Burrows CP (Devon) on 18th-20th; and two at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) on 20th.
The Semipalmated Sandpiper remained on Lewis (Western Isles) on 17th-22nd.
A White-rumped Sandpiper was found on 23rd at Easington Lagoon (East Yorkshire); while the Rogerstown Estuary (Co.Dublin) bird remained there on 23rd also.
A juvenile Temminck’s Stint settled at Minsmere RSPB (Suffolk) on 20th-23rd.
On North Ronaldsay (Orkney) the recent Long-billed Dowitcher was still to be seen on 19th-21st; while in Devon the recent bird remained at Dawlish Warren NNR on 17th-23rd.
The adult Black-winged Stilt was still in Cambridgeshire at Ouse Fen RSPB on 17th-19th.
Two Dotterel were found on Bryher (Scilly) on 20th; three were present on neighbouring Tresco on 22nd-23rd. On 22nd another flew over Sandwich Bay (Kent).
American Golden Plover enjoyed another strong week, with 11 birds in total seen – at Titchwell RSPB (Norfolk) still on 17th-23rd; on Lewis (Western Isles) still on 17th; on South Uist (Western Isles) still on 19th-20th; on Sanday (Orkney) on 19th still; on Tiree (Argyll & Bute) still on 19th-22nd, with two birds present on 22nd; at Dungeness (Kent) still on 17th-18th; at Ballycotton (Co.Cork) on 20th; at Land’s End (Cornwall) on 21st; at Llyn Aled Reservoir (Conwy) on 21st-22nd; and on 23rd at Clahane Strand (Co.Clare).
A Lesser Yellowlegs was found on Slaney Estuary (Co.Wexford) on 17th; the Vange Marsh RSPB (Essex) bird was again seen there on 22nd-23rd.
On 21st-22nd a Red-necked Phalarope was seen at Swale NNR (Kent). Another was found on 23rd at Gifford’s Flash (Suffolk).
Four Grey Phalarope were seen from Kilcummin Head (Co.Mayo) on 20th, with a single bird also that day at sea off Ventry (Co.Kerry).
The star phalarope of the week, however, was the Wilson’s Phalarope found at Old Hall Marshes RSPB (Essex) on 20th-23rd.
Numbers of Sabine’s Gull sharply contracted this week, with a mere 25 birds logged in Britain and Ireland as a whole – all singletons bar two noted from Hornsea (East Yorkshire) on 19th, two seen from the Scilly pelagic of 21st, and two seen on a pelagic off Inishbofin (Co.Galway) on 22nd.
An adult Bonaparte’s Gull was found at Netherton (Co.Wexford) on 19th-20th.
A Ring-billed Gull, meanwhile, was found on 20th at Whiting Bay (Co.Waterford).
Lewis (Western Isles) gave us half of our larger white-wingers this week, a Glaucous Gull seen there on 20th; the balance being another bird seen at Burghead (Moray) on 21st-23rd. On 23rd an Iceland Gull was seen in Belfast (Co.Antrim).
Juvenile White-winged Black Tern remained at Dungeness RSPB (Kent) on 17th; at Theale GPs (Berkshire) on 17th-18th; and in Cornwall at Maer Lake CBWPS on 18th-22nd.
Star tern, however, was the Whiskered Tern seen on 19th-23rd at Lough Beg (Co.Derry).
A juvenile Pallid Harrier settled on Skokholm (Pembrokeshire) on 19th-21st; while a probable juvenile was seen distantly at Cooling Marshes (Kent) on 18th. On 22nd-23rd an adult female was back at the regular site of Warham Greens (Norfolk); and on 23rd a juvenile was seen in East Yorkshire at Kilnsea.
Either Pallid or Montagu’s Harrier were logged this week near Lenham (Kent) on 18th, and at Brading Marshes RSPB (Isle of Wight) on 19th.
A Montagu’s Harrier was found at Lough Acoose (Co.Kerry) on 22nd.
The juvenile Red-footed Falcon continued to perform delightfully on Kent’s Sheppey at Elmley NNR on 17th-19th and again on 22nd-23rd; the recent juvenile again cropped up Cleveland at Hartlepool Headland on 21st-22nd; and a possible juvenile was seen near Abbotsbury (Dorset) on 18th.
Finally, Black Kite were seen in recent days on Shetland around South Mainland on 18th and 21st; and in Cornwall at Porthgwarra on 20th and Skewjack Farm on 21st. Presumably the Shetland bird accounted for that seen on 22nd over Fair Isle; and latterly North Ronaldsay and Sanday (Orkney).
As we very much hoped, easterlies delivered the goods in some style this week on the passerine front, most evidently of all in the form of a decent arrival of Yellow-browed Warbler - in the region of 850 birds were logged, with Whalsay (Shetland) amassing 19 birds on 20th alone, and this easily supplanted by Fair Isle’s tally of 35 birds on 22nd.
Inevitably, there were rarer warblers on the move too, as we’ve already seen in the headlines. Their supporting cast was pretty good…
A Greenish Warbler was reported from White Sands Quarry (Lothian) on 18th, and another seen at Saltburn (Cleveland) on 22nd-23rd, but as we’d anticipate at this later juncture in the month, the baton was now handed to Arctic Warbler - one trapped and ringed on Fair Isle (Shetland) on 17th was followed by further birds at Bigton on Shetland Mainland on 21st-22nd, and Papa Westray (Orkney) on 21st; and, on 22nd, individuals on St Kilda (Western Isles), and North Ronaldsay (Orkney).
A Dusky Warbler was present at Spurn (East Yorkshire) on 21st-22nd, with another possible heard on 22nd at East Chevington (Northumberland), and a final bird on Holy Island (Northumberland) on 23rd.
Down in Kent, a Western Bonelli’s Warbler was a popular draw for local birders at Dungeness on 22nd.
Cometh the hour, cometh the warbler – right on cue, given the weather and the timing, a Lanceolated Warbler was found on Fair Isle (Shetland) on 23rd.
Blyth’s Reed Warbler were seen on Whalsay (Shetland) on 21st-22nd; at Blakeney Point (Norfolk) on 21st; and a probable at Burnham Overy Staithe (Norfolk) on 21st also.
Marsh Warbler meanwhile were seen on Achill Island (Co.Mayo) on 17th, St Kilda (Western Isles) on 21st-22nd, and Papa Westray (Orkney) on 22nd.
A Melodious Warbler lingered at Cape Cornwall (Cornwall) on 17th-22nd; while an Icterine Warbler was found at Flamborough (East Yorkshire) on 21st.
Numbers of Barred Warbler soared with the favourable tailwinds, with 50 birds in total recorded over the course of the week.
A little over half a dozen Hoopoe were found in recent days, including one seen coming in off the sea at Flamborough (East Yorkshire) on 19th, and still present in the area on 22nd. Further birds were seen on 17th at Broadstairs (Kent) and reported over the A31 at Bentley (Hampshire); on 19th on Lewis (Western Isles) and at Castlemorton Common (Worcestershire); on 21st-23rd at The Naze (Essex); on 22nd at Walton-on-the-Naze (Essex); on 22nd-23rd at Stamford Bridge (East Yorkshire); and on 23rd on Orkney at Birsay Links.
Some 25 Wryneck continued to delight this week wherever they were to be found.
The recent pallidirostris Steppe Grey Shrike finally departed Winterfield Golf Course (Lothian) this week, extending its stay until 19th but not thereafter.
The first of the autumn’s Great Grey Shrike clocked in, however – birds found on 20th at Waxham (Norfolk), and on 20th-22nd at Hartlepool Headland (Cleveland).
Rarer fare was available in Norfolk, where a Lesser Grey Shrike was seen on 21st at Winterton; and another was found on 22nd-23rd in Essex at Tollesbury.
An Isabelline Shrike sp was found on Foula (Shetland) on 22nd.
A dozen Red-backed Shrike were noted in recent days, spread widely from Shetland to Scilly, and in Ireland at Blacksod (Co.Mayo) on 18th.
Ireland also gave us the week’s first Short-toed Lark, present on Tory Island (Co.Donegal) on 19th-22nd; followed by another found on Lundy (Devon) on 23rd.
Fair Isle (Shetland) enjoyed a Golden Oriole on 22nd.
A juvenile Rose-coloured Starling was seen on St Mary’s (Scilly) on 21st-23rd.
St Mary’s also retained two Bluethroat until 23rd. In the northern isles, one was seen on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 18th; and in Shetland two on Out Skerries on 19th, and single birds on Fair Isle on 20th, Unst on 21st-22nd, and on Mainland at Dale of Walls on 22nd.
Norfolk had a one-day Red-flanked Bluetail at Waxham on 18th.
Alas, the possible Collared Flycatcher on Blakeney Point (Norfolk) on 21st came to nothing further, but fans of flycatchers could scarcely complain this week with a deluge of 65 Red-breasted Flycatcher found over the course of recent days, mostly down the east coast.
Eastern stonechat sp began to be found this week – single birds, all thought to be probably Siberian Stonechat, on Fair Isle (Shetland) on 18th-23rd; at Spurn (East Yorkshire) on 19th; on St Kilda (Western Isles) on 20th-22nd; at Kelling (Norfolk) on 21st-23rd; at Tantallon (Lothian) on 22nd-23rd; and at Donna Nook (Lincolnshire) on 23rd.
Some flighty but good views of the Kelling Siberian Stonechat this afternoon... #birdsketches #fieldnotes #birdart #Notebooks. pic.twitter.com/p2UkyTdlNG
— Stewart ??? (@Stewchat) September 22, 2024
No Citrine Wagtail this week, but Grey-headed Wagtail were found on 18th at Titchwell RSPB (Norfolk), and on 20th at Robin Hood’s Bay (North Yorkshire).
A Tawny Pipit was seen briefly at Abbotsbury Swannery (Dorset) on 18th.
Less fleeting, a Richard’s Pipit settled on 19th-21st at Gibraltar Point NNR (Lincolnshire); while on 22nd, birds were noted in Norfolk at Blakeney Point and Burnham Overy Dunes; and on 23rd, a final bird for the week at Eyemouth (Borders).
As we’d expect with easterlies at this time of year, numbers of Common Rosefinch this week soared, with some 35 birds in all logged across the region. Shetland was enjoying the lion’s share of them, with four on Whalsay on 18th-19th, and four on Fair Isle on 17th notable tallies. Nonetheless, they had penetrated much further south and west, as evidenced by two on St Mary’s (Scilly) on 20th.
The trickle of autumnal Ortolan Bunting continued for another week, with birds on Fair Isle (Shetland) on 17th and 20th; on Inner Farne (Northumberland) still on 17th-23rd; at Dale Airfield (Pembrokeshire) on 19th; on St Agnes (Scilly) on 19th-23rd; and a probable over Crook of Baldoon RSPB (Dumfries & Galloway) on 17th.
Little Bunting meanwhile were to be found at Flamborough (East Yorkshire) on 20th and 22nd; on Fair Isle (Shetland) on 19th-23rd; and on 22nd at Boddam (Shetland), North Ronaldsay (Orkney), and Burnham Overy Dunes (Norfolk). The Boddam bird remained there on 23rd, while a report came of another on 21st at Hethersett (Norfolk).
Fair Isle, finally, continued to hold its recent Tennessee Warbler on 17th-19th.
Scandinavian Sandhill Crane sightings this week came from Norway at Stabbursness on 19th, and in Denmark again at Bygolm Vegle on 23rd. Also in Denmark, the Pygmy Cormorant was still to be seen at Slotsmosen on 19th.
In Israel, a Red-wattled Lapwing was seen at Neve Ur on 19th.
Belated news emerged in Germany of a Northern Mockingbird, present at Feldflur Rheidt Am Schfott for its twentieth day on 20th – and still present there on 23rd.
The Azores, no stranger to an American passerine, provided sightings of an Empidonax flycatcher sp on Corvo on 22nd, and a Bobolink also on Corvo the same day. The recent Little Blue Heron remained on Terceira on 19th, as did the Short-billed Dowitcher. A Red-footed Booby was seen between Corvo and Flores on 20th.
So there we go. The autumn’s flashing past at a rattling pace, and we’re already into the final week of September. Not quite the really sharp, pointy part of proceedings, but getting pretty damn close. The final throes of September, before we move into the fast lane of October, can be mesmerising given a following wind.
If the precedents of the past 50 years tell us anything, it’s that the coming week has ample potential to be spectacular. It’s a classic week for the likes of Pechora Pipit from the east, while in the past rarer fare still has crept through – the likes of Brown Flycatcher and Pallas’s Reed Bunting springing immediately to mind.
We write off the west at our peril, and multiple American Pipit in the week just done and dusted serve as a timely reminder that vagrants from this vector are very much on the table as possibilities too. Numerically speaking, the coming week has historically been a good one for Rose-breasted Grosbeak, with seven records in the past half century, with Bobolink nipping at its heels with half a dozen accepted birds for the coming week. Either would be warmly welcomed, with Scilly seeming a likely place for the find.
Jon Dunn
24 Sept 2024
Many thanks to all this week's contributors for your photos and videos
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