Weekly birding round-up: 3 - 9 Jan 2025
The first full week of the new year, and what a week it was. Take a moment to consider the rarities in the headlines – with the addition of an Arctic gull, this was a week of quality from all points of the compass, a week that would be considered a fine one in the white heat of spring or autumn, let alone in the dead of winter.
First found on 8th passing Whitburn CP (Co.Durham), an adult Ross’s Gull was a magnificent outcome from the icy Arctic blast that brought snow and ice to much of the UK this past week. Better yet, it went on to do the decent thing, hanging around South Shields (with a brief Northumberland dalliance on 8th to Black Midden Rocks) throughout the day, and into 9th for good measure – and, on the latter date, it was drifting back to Northumberland too, at North Shields in the afternoon.
A small gull, but a big one for Co.Durham – just the fourth bird for the county, and the first since an adult that lingered in Sunderland on 26th February – 7th March 1994. The next had been a very long time coming but, this week, here it was, and what a welcome and rosy-hued peach of a bird it was.
We start the headline birds in Kent, where the mercury fell this past week. Was the cold snap the undoing of the Yellow Warbler at New Hythe? It was seen this week on 3rd, but not thereafter. Then again, it’s proved elusive at times since it was found on the eve of Christmas, so there must surely be a fair chance it will pop out of the woodwork again there…
Speaking of birds in Kent that have amply demonstrated their ability to melt away from the limelight and the hungry gaze of their would-be admirers, there’s the not insubstantial matter of the recent Scops Owl in Broadstairs to consider in recent days.
Being seen reliably on consecutive days simply isn’t what this bird is all about. But more positively, it’s not moved on either, so it’s seemingly finding enough food in the darkness around the cricket club and surrounding gardens to keep it occupied and from keeling over. The recent cold snap may, however, have proved a rather unwelcome shock to a small owl more accustomed to the Mediterannean than the north Kent coast.
Nonetheless this week, it was still there, being seen on 5th, 7th, and 9th. Will it emerge from the darkness again in the lengthening days ahead? We’ll see.
Somerset’s first Least Sandpiper was to prove an accommodating little treasure at Steart WWT this week, being seen there still on 3rd-4th, and once again on 7th and 9th alike, and significantly overshadowing the county’s now regular winter wader star, the returning female Kentish Plover a little way along the coast at Burnham-on-Sea.
Finally, the Grey-headed Lapwing settled into something of a routine this week, being seen daily in Northumberland at East Chevington NWT on 3rd-9th and, at times, generating the previously unthinkable tag of ‘showing well’. What a midwinter treat this bird has proven to be. When it finally moves on, will it be heading north again – and, if so, back towards the Western Isles, or maybe Orkney or Shetland this year?
And on the subject of Shetland, while it was snowing there pretty much daily throughout the past week, the cold was mostly generated by windchill, and only the shallower lochs and lochans were freezing over completely. That meant no complete clear-out of waterfowl, and with the recent American Coot settled on the largest freshwater body in the islands, Loch of Spiggie, there was no reason for it to leave – and nor did it, remaining there throughout the week until 9th.
Flirting with the headlines this week, and perhaps a legacy of the brisk northerly winds that delivered such an Arctic blast in recent days, the seabirds kick off with a probable Brunnich’s Guillemot seen heading north, close inshore, past Howick (Northumberland) on 6th.
Further auks were available – small numbers of Little Auk were noted in recent days, with around 75 logged overall, and a peak count of 28 seen from Fife Ness (Fife) on 5th.
Northumberland was to prove a fruitful location for seawatching this week, with sightings of White-billed Diver coming from Cresswell Pond NWT on 6th; on 7th at Hauxley NR and Druridge Bay CP; and on 8th-9th at Druridge Bay CP still. A further individual was seen to the west at Waterfoot (Co.Antrim) on 4th.
In Ireland, the second-winter Pacific Diver remained at Gleninagh Quay on 3rd; a further juvenile was reported on 9th at Cavetown Lough (Co.Roscommon).
It’s starting to feel inconceivable that a week go by without a sighting of a Great Shearwater. These past few days, three were seen from Pendeen (Cornwall) on 6th, and a bird way to the north off Lewis (Western Isles) on 4th.
Balearic Shearwater were the sole preserve of Cornwall – in the wake of a singleton seen from The Lizard on 5th, eight were noted from Pendeen on 6th, and 13 that same day from St Ives.
Singles of Leach’s Petrel and Pomarine Skua were also seen for good measure from St Ives on 6th.
Some early variety in the year’s long-legged beasties this week came courtesy of Norfolk, where the adult Night Heron was once more seen at Sparham Pools on 4th.
Numbers of Glossy Ibis meanwhile held firm, with some 30 birds logged across Britain and Ireland as a whole. Once again, there were some small flocks to be seen in Britain, chiefly in Cornwall, where five birds were noted heading up the Gannel Estuary on 3rd; but also in Hampshire, where three birds remained at Titchfield Haven NNR on 3rd-6th at least; and duos were seen at Chew Valley Lake (Somerset) on 3rd-4th still, at Ham Wall RSPB (Somerset) on 6th, and at Deeping Lakes LWT (Lincolnshire) still on 3rd-5th. In Co. Wexford, two were seen at Lady’s Island Lake on 3rd again, and Ring Marsh on 7th.
Starting the honkers and quackers once more with The Goose Formerly Known As Canada, news came this week from Dunfanaghy (Co.Donegal) confirming recent geese of all flavours were still on the menu – the two hutchinsii Richardson’s Cackling Geese and the single interior Todd’s Canada Goose both still present there (with the recent Snow Goose also) on 4th. In Cumbria, an interior bird was again seen at Whitrigg Corner on 3rd; and a possible hutchinsii bird on 8th at Aldoth.
In Ayrshire, the recent Ross’s Goose remained near Raith Reservoir on 4th; and another sighting came from Mossblown on 5th; while a sighting came again on 8th from Machrihanish (Argyll & Bute).
Multiple Snow Geese were once more seen this week. In East Yorkshire, two popped up again at Tophill Low NR on 4th, and Swine Moor again on 6th; in Lancashire & North Merseyside, a single bird seen on 3rd at Southport and on 5th at Martin Mere WWR again was followed, on 7th, by three birds at Hest Bank, before one was again seen at Martin Mere on 9th. A single bird was reported from Wales at Dinas Dinlle (Gwynedd) on 5th. Scotland meantime gave us birds in Clyde at Lochwinnoch RSPB still on 3rd-6th; and at Montrose Basin (Angus) on 3rd-8th still. Finally, in addition to the aforementioned Dunfanaghy bird, Ireland also had a blue morph individual this week at Belcare (Co.Galway) on 4th-5th.
Sightings of Black Brant came this week from Essex, at Wallasea Island on 3rd-8th, and Copt Hall Marshes on 6th.
In Norfolk, the recent Lesser White-fronted Goose was seen again near Stanhoe on 4th.
Somerset once again supplied sightings of the recent drake Baikal Teal at Greylake RSPB on 3rd.
Around 15 Green-winged Teal were logged this week, while most of the recent American Wigeon were still out there for the seeing – in Shetland, one remained at Loch of Hillwell until 9th; Orkney again gave us a bird at Loch of Ayre on 5th; one was still in Clyde at Balgray Reservoir on 8th; Northumberland sightings came from Blagdon Hall on 3rd still, and at Big Waters NR on 3th-9th; one remained at Wheldrake Ings YWT (North Yorkshire) on 4th; the recent Welsh bird remained at Kenfig NNR (Glamorgan) on 3rd-9th; and one was found near Glenluce (Dumfries & Galloway) on 3rd.
Familiar faces dominated the week’s Ferruginous Duck sightings. Hertfordshire once more gave us a bird on Batchworth Lake on 3rd-9th, and sightings of a drake on Pynesfield South Lake on 4th-5th; Warwickshire meanwhile held birds at Napton Reservoir on 3rd-7th, and Draycote Water on 3rd-9th; the juvenile female remained at Tooting Bec Common (London) on 3rd-9th; and a drake was present in Lincolnshire at West End GPs on 4th-5th.
Some 30 Ring-necked Duck represented another strong showing this week of their kind, with a few lingering multiples helping to boost that tally. Four remained at Lough Gara (Co.Sligo) on 7th; two at Rostaff Turlough (Co.Mayo) on 5th still; and two birds still settled on Gouthwaite Reservoir (North Yorkshire) on 3rd-4th.
Lesser Scaup continued their renaissance of recent years, with a dozen birds noted over the course of this first full week of January alone – two remained at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) on 3rd-4th, while two were found at Loch Leven (Perth & Kinross) on 5th-6th, one of which remained there on 8th. Single birds remained in Staffordshire on Belvide Reservoir on 3rd-9th; at Blagdon Lake (Somerset) on 3rd; in Cambridgeshire at Ouse Fen RSPB on 3rd-4th; on Abberton Reservoir (Essex) on 4th-8th; in Scotland on Otterston Loch (Fife) on 3rd; while in Ireland, single birds were noted at Lough Sallagh (Co.Leitrim) on 3rd; on Lough Clubir (Co.Cork) on 3rd-6th still; and at Ardcloony (Co.Clare) on 6th still. A final bird for the week was on private water near Ibsley (Hampshire) since the dawn of the new year until 7th.
A shade under 20 Surf Scoter were logged this week, with the peak British count coming from Wales, where four were seen at Gilman Point (Carmarthenshire) on 3rd; and seven the best Irish total, at Inch (Co.Kerry) on 9th still.
Ireland also gave us a first-winter drake White-winged Scoter in Brandon Bay (Co.Kerry) on 3rd, and the drake at Inch (Co.Kerry) on 9th; while the drake was once again seen in Lunan Bay (Angus) on 3rd.
Finally, in Shetland, the lingering drake Bufflehead remained present on Foula on 3rd-8th, with both violent storms and blizzards now having failed to dislodge this stubborn and obdurate individual to the Shetland mainland.
Headline birds aside, a quiet week once more on the wader front.
In Somerset, the German-ringed female Kentish Plover remained at Burnham-on-Sea on 7th-9th.
Recent Long-billed Dowitcher remained in Norfolk at Holkham Freshmarsh on 3rd-9th; in Devon at Bowling Green Marsh RSPB on 3rd-7th; and in Ireland at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) still on 3rd-4th.
Finally, the newly found Lesser Yellowlegs remained in Hampshire at Pennington Marshes on 3rd-9th.
We’re reaching that point in the winter when it’s not unreasonable to hope that the myriad delights of massed large gulls might yield a pleasant surprise. Like rummaging in the vast family fun-size plastic tub of Quality Street that was left over after Christmas when all the tastier Ferrero Rocher and Chocolate Oranges had been eaten and finding, amidst the endless toffees nobody wants, the ultimate prize, the green triangle. Or, as we might describe it this week, the probable adult Thayer’s Gull at Peterhead (Aberdeenshire) on 7th.
Adult Kumlien’s Gull were seen again at Blennerville (Co.Kerry) on 4th, and Widnes (Cheshire & Wirral) on 7th; a probable near-adult was seen on 8th in Devon at Ilfracombe.
Of the commoner white-wingers, some 25 Iceland Gull were noted nationwide; while numbers of Glaucous Gull picked up somewhat, helped in no small part by Foula (Shetland), which contributed 10 birds on 8th towards the 35 seen over the course of the week nationally.
In Co.Galway two first-winter Ring-billed Gull remained in Galway on 5th, with at least one still in the area on 9th; while two (an adult and a first-winter) were seen at Hayle Estuary RSPB (Cornwall) on 5th, the adult remaining there on 7th. Back in Ireland, an adult was seen near Clonakilty (Co.Cork) on 6th; and the adult remained at Blackrock (Co.Louth) on 8th. In Scotland, the adult was again seen at Strathclyde Loch (Clyde) on 8th.
Co.Cork and Cornwall also supplied the week’s Bonaparte’s Gulls - respectively, a first-winter again at Myross on 3rd-4th, and the adult again around Penzance on 4th-5th.
All the usual suspects again this week amongst the raptors, with a couple of surprise appearances for variety’s sake. We start in Ireland, where the adult male Northern Harrier was again seen at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) on 3rd-6th.
Also in Ireland, a juvenile Pallid Harrier popped up in Co.Cork near Whitegate on 7th, with the bird at Ballyvergan Marsh again on 9th. And speaking of welcome surprises, the second-winter male individual reappeared in Pembrokeshire at Dowrog Common this week on 7th-8th. In Norfolk, meanwhile, the regular female was once more seen around Warham Greens on 3rd-4th and again on 8th-9th.
Finally, another week, another report of Rough-legged Buzzard - this time a bird seen on 3rd in Hampshire at Salt Hill; and one on 9th in Cambridgeshire at Eldernell.
There’s nothing quite like a sewage farm at this time of year, either if you’re a wintering eastern warbler, or if you’re a birder hoping to bump into said warbler. Where there’s muck, there’s Yellow-browed Warblers, as the old saying goes. An adage amply proven this week, with the discovery of wintering Yellow-browed Warbler at sewage and water treatment plants in Worcestershire and Dorset alike. Overall, 15 birds were seen in the course of recent days, with one of the sewage farm denizens trapped and ringed at Kempsey (Worcestershire) on 4th. Surely a Dusky Warbler somewhere is just a matter of time.
Still clinging on in South Yorkshire as the week began, the recent Hoopoe remained at Rossington on 3rd, but wasn’t reported from there after that juncture.
A Great Grey Shrike remained in Essex at Copt Hall Marshes on 4th-6th, and the Cannock Chase (Staffordshire) bird was seen again on 8th, but these were the only ones of their kind reported this week.
2025 continued where 2024 had left off, with the Pied Crow story continuing to develop. Was the bird found this week in Co.Galway at Barna on 3rd-9th one and the same as that which made the jump from Cornwall to Scilly in the dying days of 2024? If so, it’s made a pretty substantial movement north and west… Or was it yet another individual from who-knows-where?
Our only Waxwing this week was one reported from Coatbridge (Clyde) on 5th, identified from a sound-recording.
In Cheshire & Wirral, the Penduline Tit was once more seen at Woolston Eyes NR on 9th.
A Richard’s Pipit was on St Mary’s (Scilly) on 9th; while a probable American Pipit was also seen on 9th in Northumberland at Guile Point.
Finally, in Cornwall, the wintering Little Bunting remained near Boscathnoe Reservoir on 3rd-9th.
If the passerines were a fairly peaceful bunch in Britain and Ireland this past week, they were a far more colourful affair across the English Channel in France. Both the recent male Moussier’s Redstart remained this week in the south of the country at Frontignan on 3rd-7th, and the Wallcreeper at Les Andelys on 4th.
In Germany the settled Sandhill Crane remained at Gross Heseper Moor on 3rd-4th; and the Northern Mockingbird at Feldflur Rheidt Am Schafott.
On the Iberian peninsula, a second-winter Cape Gull was found in Spain at Larendo on 3rd-8th; while the Yellow-crowned Night Heron remained in Portugal at Quinta do Lago still on 6th-7th.
On Cape Verde, the recent Diederik Cuckoo remained on Sal on 6th.
In Kuwait, the Indian Pond Heron remained at Sulaibikhat on 5th, while three Purple Sunbird were present at Nuwaiseeb on 4th, rising to four there by 9th.
Lastly, out on the Azores, news on 5th confirmed the lingering Willet still present on Terceira, and a Wood Duck on Sao Miguel.
The second week of January is upon us, with all the excitement traditionally associated with it. For which one can read, ‘an outside chance of a truly outstanding gull’.
For this is a week to conjure with if you’re a fan of sifting through the seething masses of large gulls loafing on the roofs of fish markets or hanging over trawlers in seaside towns, or rummaging in the detritus of landfills. Since the turn of the century, the coming week has delivered not only an adult Slaty-backed Gull, found at Rainham Landfill (London) on 13th January 2011, but also an adult Vega Gull, found at Duncannon (Co.Wexford) on 10th January 2016.
Highly rarified fare, both. But there’s always the delightful chance of stumbling upon an American Herring Gull or, paying attention to smaller gulls, the likes of a Franklin’s or a Laughing Gull. The coming week boasts six past records of American Herring and Laughing Gull alike, and four records of Franklin’s. While your New Year’s Resolution to really pay attention to gulls anew is still fresh in your mind and your resolve is firm, now’s the time to see what you can find.
Jon Dunn
10 Jan 2025
Many thanks to all this week's contributors for your photos and videos
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