Weekly birding round-up: 10 - 16 Jan 2025
We’ve only just passed the middle of January, and already 2025’s annual account boasts a couple of American passerines. If it carries on at this rate we’ll have more Nearctic passerines on the year-list by the time spring starts than we manage in the entirety of some years.
But enough distractions from across the pond. This week’s star bird was one that, until not so very long ago, we were being told was almost pathologically averse to crossing water in general and the English Channel in particular… Turns out that doesn’t seem to be accurate after all.
It remains to be seen what the relevant adjudicating authorities do with last year’s flurry of Booted Eagle records, from the dark morph bird first seen in Cornwall in late May to the pale morph, also in Cornwall, first seen in early October; and not forgetting, of course, the dark morph individual that brightened up early November in Oxfordshire and Berkshire. The reasons for giving the 1999/2000 bird the heave-ho surely can’t apply to these individuals too?
It’ll also be fascinating to see whether the latter bird gets a re-appraisal in due course. But anyway, getting back to this week…
Cornwall crashed the headlines in recent days with the discovery on 12th of a pale morph Booted Eagle at Marazion Marsh RSPB. Whether or not this is one and the same as that seen last autumn in the county is moot – what was for sure was that this year’s individual was hanging around, being seen in the area off and on throughout 12th-14th, fleetingly in the afternoon of 15th, and again there on 16th.
For those who dipped the dark morph bird in the autumn, this was a rapid and welcome chance to unblock their British Booted Eagle.
What with the gorgeous adult Ross’s Gull in the preceding week, northeast birders were already having a cracking start to their year and, this week, it just went from strength to strength with confirmation of a velvety American Pipit at Ross Back Sands on 10th-14th – with a further report of a possible in flight there on 16th.
Only the second record for Northumberland, it was bound to prove locally popular, for all the species as a whole has soared in regularity where British records are concerned in the past 20 years. Northumberland’s sole record wasn’t that long ago, a two day bird at Amble Links Beach on 18th-19th November 2020, but it would be a churlish birder indeed who didn’t enjoy another chance at one of these smart pipits on the east coast.
Sat on the saltmarsh at Wide Open, Ross Back Sands until dusk, on my own, while this American Buff-bellied Pipit fed all around me. It was totally unconcerned by my presence. Brilliant find by Neil Osborne, the 2nd for Northumberland #NEbirding #rarebirdsUK
— Mark Eaton (@markaeaton.bsky.social) 10 January 2025 at 16:58
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While a very long way from the rarest of wheatears, given we’ve in the region of 175 accepted British records to date, a Desert Wheatear in January is a somewhat different beast altogether – just four birds have been found in the past during the month.
A lovely surprise this week then for Carmarthenshire county recorder Gary Harper when, returning to his car at Pendine on 10th after some sea-watching, what should emerge from beneath it but a very dapper male Desert Wheatear.
Funny how your day can change in an instant. Did a bit of seawatching at Pendine, Carmarthenshire but too cold. Got back to the car and a Desert Wheatear pops out from underneath it! pic.twitter.com/wFHXWdlfe3
— Gary Harper (@carmsbirder) January 10, 2025
Not only an unusual record anywhere in Britain at this time of year, but a county first too. It stuck around at Pendine into 11th, but wasn’t reported thereafter.
It speaks volumes of the events of recent years that a report of a Brown Booby this week seen offshore from Gwithian (Cornwall) on 14th seems both entirely plausible and, tellingly, not particularly pulse-quickening for those of a twitchy persuasion. Doubtless, of course, a thrilling sighting for the observer in question, but surely not the last sighting of the species for the year as a whole.
Over in Ireland, the adult Double-crested Cormorant remained on Doon Lough (Co.Leitrim) on 12th still, and the adult Pacific Diver off Crookhaven (Co.Cork) on 10th-11th still.
The week proved a busy one for White-billed Diver, with at least 13 birds noted overall, helped considerably in the northern isles by a windless, calm day on 11th – those conditions yielded nine birds off Papa Westray (Orkney), one seen from Sanday (Orkney), and two in South Nesting Bay (Shetland). Elsewhere, the juvenile remained at Druridge Bay CP (Northumberland) on 10th-11th still; and a probable was noted passing Hartlepool Headland (Cleveland) on 11th.
Shetland enjoyed the best of the 100 or so Little Auk logged nationwide over the course of the week, with a peak count of 76 seen from Sumburgh on 16th.
Just the one Balearic Shearwater lately, a singleton seen from The Lizard (Cornwall) on 11th.
We fall back onto Glossy Ibis for the points of interest where long-legged beasties are concerned this past week, with a decent showing of some 25 birds in all logged across Britain and Ireland. Among them were a number of sites that sported multiple individuals – in Hampshire, three remained at Titchfield Haven NNR on 10th-15th; two were still in Somerset at Ham Wall RSPB on 10th-16th; two were gracing Bude Marshes (Cornwall) on 10th-14th; two remained at Deeping Lakes LWT (Lincolnshire) still on 13th-14th; and in Co. Wexford, two remained at Lady’s Island Lake on 11th-12th.
In the absence of The Goose Formerly Known As Canada apart from an interior Todd’s Canada Goose at Rockcliffe Marsh (Cumbria) again on 15th, the honkers and quackers get straight down to business in Norfolk where the recent Lesser White-fronted Goose was making periodic appearances once again lately at Lynn Point on 11th, 13th-14th, and 16th.
Back in Cumbria, a Red-breasted Goose was seen on 12th at Newton Marsh, and on 15th-16th at Rockcliffe Marsh.
The Black Brant was once more seen in Essex at Copt Hall Marshes on 12th.
In Co.Dublin, sightings of possible Grey-bellied Brant came once again on 13th from Blackrock and Sandymount.
Scotland once again provided sightings of Snow Geese at Montrose Basin (Angus) on 10th-14th, at Loch of Strathbeg RSPB (Aberdeenshire) on 10th-13th, and at Lochwinnoch RSPB (Clyde) on 15th. The only English record this week was a bird in Cheshire & Wirral on 13th at Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB.
The honkers finished with a flourish in Shetland this week, with the discovery of a Ross’s Goose on Mainland on 16th at Scatsta.
What a week it was for seaduck… while we didn’t enjoy anything quite as rarified as that seen in the Netherlands (more of which in due course), Britain and Ireland could hold their heads high where rare scoters were concerned…
Starting in Northumberland, a drake Black Scoter appeared off the coast at Goswick on 12th-13th and Cheswick Sands on 15th-16th; with another seen from Inch (Co.Kerry) on 14th-15th.
Inch also boasted the drake White-winged Scoter again on 14th; and four Surf Scoter that day too for good measure. Overall, around a dozen Surf Scoter were seen during the course of the week around Britain and Ireland as a whole.
Numbers of Green-winged Teal held firm, with 16 birds noted across the region again this past week. American Wigeon threatened double figures too, with some 10 birds noted in recent days. Starting in Shetland, one remained at Loch of Hillwell on 14th-15th; in Orkney, a drake was seen on Sanday on 12th; sightings from Clyde came from Waulkmill Glen Reservoir on 11th, and Newshot Island again on 11th-16th; one remained at Darnconner Quarry (Ayrshire) on 10th-16th; another at Crook of Baldoon RSPB (Dumfries & Galloway) still on 14th-15th; Northumberland sightings came from Big Waters NR on 10th-13th and 16th still, and Blagdon Hall again on 14th-16th; a bird was seen in Lancashire & North Merseyside at Little Singleton on 11th; and in Wales, the Kenfig Pool NNR individual remained present in Glamorgan on 10th-16th.
The week was another excellent period for Ferruginous Duck, with plenty of birds to go around. Starting in London, the lingering juvenile female was still on Tooting Bec Common on 10th-16th, with a diversion to Wandsworth Common again on 13th. Hertfordshire held on to its recent individual on Batchworth Lake on 10th; while other familiar faces remained on Draycote Water (Warwickshire) on 10th-16th, and Tallington Lakes (Lincolnshire) again on 10th-16th. Hampshire gave sightings of a drake initially at Normandy Marsh on 12th, and latterly at Brownwich Pond on 13th-14th; and Essex a drake at Glen Faba Pit on 12th-14th.
Ring-necked Duck seemed to be going from strength to strength on our shores, with around 45 individuals logged over the week in Britain and Ireland as a whole. As ever, there were some sites enjoying multiple birds – two remained in Somerset at Shapwick Heath NNR on 11th-12th; two at Glencar Lake (Co.Leitrim) on 12th; in Co.Clare, three at Kilkee Reservoir on 10th still, and at Ardcloony on 11th; and five on Lough Gara (Co.Sligo) on 15th.
It was a similar story for Lesser Scaup, albeit at lower overall frequency – 14 birds were seen in total in Britain and Ireland. Starting in Britain, three were present on Loch Leven (Perth & Kinross) on 12th; two on Abberton Reservoir (Essex) on 11th; the drake remained on Belvide Reservoir (Staffordshire) on 10th; a drake was reported from Farmoor Reservoir (Oxfordshire) on 14th; and, on 16th, a drake was found in Dorset at Longham Lakes. In Ireland, two remained at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) on 11th-15th; and single birds were noted at Lough Clubir (Co.Cork) still on 10th-16th; on Lough Neagh (Co.Armagh) still on 11th-12th; at Ardcloony (Co.Clare) still on 11th; and at Lough Fern (Co.Donegal) on 11th.
And in Essex, the drake Canvasback remained a fixture at Abberton Reservoir on 11th-13th.
The last of the quackers for the week this week was in Shetland where, on 16th, we learned the drake Bufflehead hadn’t left Foula just yet.
Finally, also in Shetland, an honorary waterbird – the lingering American Coot remained on the fringes of Loch of Spiggie this week throughout.
Starting the weekly waders in Somerset, the county’s first Least Sandpiper remained settled this week at Steart WWT on 10th-16th.
Also in Somerset, the German-ringed female Kentish Plover remained nearby at Burnham-on-Sea on 12th-14th.
Two Long-billed Dowitcher continued to be available, one apiece for Britain and Ireland – one still present in Norfolk at Holkham Freshmarsh on 10th-16th; and one in Co.Wexford at The Cull on 12th again.
The recent Lesser Yellowlegs remained in Hampshire around Pennington and Keyhaven Marshes on 10th-16th.
Finally, a Grey Phalarope was seen on 10th-11th in the South Shields area of Co.Durham; and another on 15th at Steart WWT (Somerset).
The week began with the gorgeous, peachy Ross’s Gull still present in Co.Durham around South Shields on 10th, but that date also marked the last time it was seen there – a short stay, in the final reckoning.
The recent adult Bonaparte’s Gull was back in West Penwith this week, being seen initially at Progo Beach (Cornwall) again on 12th, and at Sennen Cove on 13th-16th. In Co.Cork, the first-winter bird remained near Myross on 16th at Blind Harbour.
The week was a busy one for Kumlien’s Gull, with both birds we’re familiar with and new faces alike on the cards. The adult remained at Widnes (Cheshire & Wirral) on 10th-12th and once more on 15th-16th; a juvenile was seen on Lewis (Western Isles) on 10th; another possible juvenile was seen in Cornwall at Penzance on 11th; the adult remained in Highland & Caithness at Helmsdale harbour on 13th; sightings from Unst (Shetland) came on 14th and 15th; an adult was at Ireland on Shetland Mainland on 16th; while in Co.Kerry an adult was seen on 15th at Tralee Bay Wetlands, and on 16th again at Blennerville.
The other white-wingers stayed much of a muchness, with around 25 Iceland Gull and 20 Glaucous Gull logged across the region. The former species provided two multiple sightings, of two in Lerwick harbour (Shetland) on 15th, and two on Westray (Orkney), also on 15th; the latter species included a few duos – noted at Cottenham (Cambridgeshire) on 11th; Unst (Shetland) on 13th; Loch of Spiggie (Shetland) on 14th; and at Killybegs (Co.Donegal) on 11th.
Ireland continued to enjoy the lion’s share of Ring-billed Gull this winter. Two first-winter birds remained in Galway (Co.Galway) on 11th-16th; two adult birds at Blennerville (Co.Kerry) on 10th; the adult at Blackrock (Co.Louth) still on 15th-16th; the adult at Ring (Co.Cork) again on 16th; and a second-winter at Oranmore (Co.Galway) on 16th. A second-winter was found in Cornwall at Padstow on 12th.
If the magnificent Booted Eagle in Cornwall was making all the headlines this week, another raptor in the southwest was generating some online chatter too – a white Gyrfalcon reported from Durlston CP (Dorset) on 10th. Photos of the bird in question appeared online, which from the off had a somewhat retro feel to them – the colour cast feeling a bit like one of those Instagram filters one applies to ‘age’ a photo. Keener eyes were quick to point out specific plumage features shared between the bird photographed in Dorset and the individual that, decades past, spent time in Devon at Berry Head in the early spring of 1986. By all accounts the bird reported from Dorset this week is to be submitted as a formal record, so in the fullness of time the relevant committee will pass judgement rather than the somewhat swifter court of public opinion. Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the country, a grey morph bird was seen over Yell (Shetland) on 14th.
Our three recent Pallid Harrier were all still present and correct this week – the juvenile still in Co.Cork at Ballyvergan Marsh on 11th and 15th; the second-winter male still in Pembrokeshire at Dowrog Common on 12th and 16th; and the adult female around Warham Greens (Norfolk) still on 10th-15th.
Also in Norfolk, Rough-legged Buzzard were reported on 12th from Saxlingham, and on 15th at Holkham Freshmarsh.
Finally, back in Shetland, another northern arrival this week – a Snowy Owl seen by a crofter on Unst on 14th, which wasn’t relocated by the island’s local birders in the days that follow. Anyone familiar with Unst can attest there’s a lot of suitable habitat there in which an owl could lose itself…
We’ll start the passerines this week in South Yorkshire where, on 13th, the recent Hoopoe remained at Rossington; this following a report of a bird on 12th at nearby Branton.
The Great Grey Shrike remained in Essex at Copt Hall Marshes on 13th-16th; with another reported on 10th from Woolscot (Warwickshire), and another on 12th from Bowburn (Co.Durham). To say this is a poor winter for their ilk would be something of an understatement.
In Co.Galway, the recent Pied Crow remained settled at Barna on 11th-16th; with yet another report of the species this week, this time in Wales at Glyn-neath (Glamorgan) on 12th.
In Cheshire & Wirral, the elusive Penduline Tit was once more seen at Woolston Eyes NR on 14th.
A handful of Yellow-browed Warbler were again seen this week – on 10th in Glamorgan at Merthyr Mawr; on 10th-13th in Bristol at Henleaze; on 10th-12th in St Albans (Hertfordshire) still; and on 11th-16th at Hallow (Worcestershire) still.
A Richard’s Pipit was again seen on St Mary’s (Scilly) on 12th.
Finally, in Cornwall, the wintering Little Bunting remained near Boscathnoe Reservoir on 12th-16th.
It’s easy to feel disconnected, as a British birder, from bird news from further afield. If we’re brutally honest, the presence of a Diederick Cuckoo on Cape Verde’s Sal (still there this week on 11th-13th), a Willet on the Azores (still on Terceira this week on 12th-16th), or an Indian Pond Heron in Kuwait still at Sulaibikhat this week on 13th-15th has little or no particular relevance to us, unless those happen to be places we habitually travel to in order to go birding.
And, speaking for most of us, we don’t.
It’s a lot easier to relate to bird news from the near Continent and, this week, the Netherlands scored a bird that’s high octane fuel for the daydreams of pretty much every birder who works a coastal patch from Kent to Shetland, and all points in between. Imagine what it would be like to put your bins or your scope up and find a drake Spectacled Eider sitting on the water before you.
Thanks to a bird found off Texel on 13th-16th, you don’t have to try very hard to picture that – the sumptuous images appearing online do all the heavy lifting in that regard. What a bird! Small wonder, being only the sixth ever confirmed record in the Western Palearctic, this one was going to attract more than just Dutch admirers.
Staying close(ish) to home, in Germany the the Northern Mockingbird was still present at Feldflur Rheidt Am Schafott on 10th.
In southern France, the male Moussier’s Redstart remained at Frontignan on 12th-16th.
Spain meanwhile retained the recent second-winter Cape Gull at Larendo on 11th-12th; while in Portugal the Yellow-crowned Night Heron remained at Quinta do Lago still on 11th.
In Iceland, the White-winged Scoter remained off Reykjavik on 16th.
Moving further afield still, a Pied Bushchat was seen in Israel on 9th-14th at Yokne’am.
In Kuwait, a Thick-billed Warbler was seen on 15th at Al-Abraq.
Lastly, out on the Azores, in addition to the aforementioned lingering Willet still present on Terceira this week, the recent Double-crested Cormorant remained on Faial on 10th.
The week ahead appears to be dominated by high pressure over the Continent, which seems set to ensure cold, settled weather, fog, some frost, general drear…
What we need is a decent bird or two to liven things up a bit. On the basis of the month thus far, that doesn’t seem an unreasonable request, though the likelihood of said birds matching the calibre of two historic superstars of the coming week is low, to say the least.
When, if ever, will we be getting another Naumann’s Thrush or Chinese Pond Heron? The former, seen in London at Woodford Green on 19th January – 9th March 1990, and the latter, seen in Kent at Hythe and Saltwood on 17th January – 13th March 2014, both have the air of ultimate blockers about them. But both serve the valuable lesson that mid-January needn’t be a time to give up hope of something truly startling being found.
Lowering our sights somewhat to the realms of the merely rare rather than the utterly outlandish, gulls continue to exert their usual gravitational pull, with a fine roster of scarce and rare possibilities all on offer. One wonders, though, if cool air coming in from the near continent could sweep us a passerine or two – maybe another Penduline Tit, or perhaps a Black-throated Thrush or Pine Bunting…
Jon Dunn
17 Jan 2025
Many thanks to all this week's contributors for your photos and videos
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