Weekly birding round-up: 17 - 23 Jan 2025
On the one hand, not the most startling of mid-January weeks – and, given the time of year, we certainly shouldn’t be expecting anything otherwise. Then again, a certain magnificent eagle down in Cornwall would eclipse pretty much anything in a tremendous week for rarities, let alone a quiet week in January. So we mustn’t grumble, and nor shall we.
That ultimate unblocker, the pale morph Booted Eagle found recently in Cornwall, proved to be the most obliging of beasts this past week, continuing to haunt the Marazion Marsh RSPB area of the county until 23rd and, for those prepared to put the miles in to haul down to the far southwest, and to devote some hours in the field to the cause, provided the chance to put a firm inky tick on their lists next to its name.
We presuppose, of course, that Booted Eagle will be assuming its rightful place on the British list in the not too distant future. Surely there are no further unwelcome twists in the tale to come for the species in a British context?
After an absence of confirmed sightings since 14th, the reappearance of the recent American Pipit in the Ross Back Sands beach and saltmarsh areas of Northumberland on 20th-23rd was a welcome sight, if not a total surprise, this week. There was no particular reason why it should have chosen to move on – and one rather suspects it may have been in the general area for some time beforehand and, indeed, may linger a little while yet. Time will tell.
Providing a lovely double for twitchers to Cornwall this week who were looking inland for the Booted Eagle, behind them on the sea around Mount’s Bay was another rarity – one that, not so very long ago, was as mythical as said eagle in a British context. In other words, a Pacific Diver, present in the area on 18th-22nd – it’s been some four years since the area last held a regular winter bird, so this was a pleasant chance to augment one’s daytrip to Cornwall with a cherry on the cake.
Nor was that it for Cornwall where rare seabirds were concerned in recent days, for there was another report of a possible Brown Booby again off Gwithian on 21st and, on 23rd, a Black-browed Albatross reported on the sea off Boscastle.
Calm conditions in Shetland towards the end of the week greatly helped in picking out offshore White-billed Diver, with one again seen in South Nesting Bay on 21st-22nd; and another seen of Yell at Vatsetter on 22nd. A probable was noted from Hilton of Delnies (Highland & Caithness) on 19th.
Sightings of Little Auk dried up considerably in recent days. Two were seen from Lossiemouth (Moray) on 18th; on 19th, single birds from the Out Skerries (Shetland) ferry, and at Lammermuir Point (Fife) and Hilton of Delnies (Highland & Caithness); and two off Kinnaird Head (Aberdeenshire) on 21st; three were seen passing Brandon Point (Co.Kerry) on 23rd.
A Great Shearwater was logged off The Lizard (Cornwall) on 17th.
Our only Pomarine Skua lately was one seen in Cornwall at Perranuthnoe on 21st.
Finally, in Ireland the adult Double-crested Cormorant remained on Doon Lough (Co.Leitrim) on 20th.
The winter Glossy Ibis show continued to deliver in some style this past week, with around 25 birds in all noted in Britain. As ever, there were some sites that were graced with multiple birds – four were seen at Chickerell (Dorset) on 18th; three remained in Hampshire at Titchfield Haven NNR on 17th-23rd; three were seen in Somerset at Ham Wall RSPB on 21st, following two present there from 17th still, with two again there on 22nd; two were seen in Somerset at Chew Valley Lake on 20th-23rd; and two remained at Deeping Lakes LWT (Lincolnshire) still on 17th-23rd.
Commencing the honkers and quackers with The Goose Formerly Known As Canada, the interior Todd’s Canada Goose was once more seen at Rockcliffe Marsh (Cumbria) on 18th-22nd, sharing the site with a Red-breasted Goose still on 19th-21st. A hutchinsii Richardson’s Cackling Goose was present at Cross Lough (Co.Mayo) again on 20th.
In Shetland, the recently arrived Ross’s Goose continued to hang around Scatsa on Mainland on 17th-23rd. A presumed escaped bird was seen in Ayrshire with Canada Geese on 19th at Galston Road Loch.
Scottish Snow Geese were seen in Clyde at Lochwinnoch RSPB on 17th-18th still, and Castle Semple Loch on 19th; at Montrose Basin (Angus) on 18th still; and at Loch of Strathbeg RSPB (Aberdeenshire) again on 20th. In Co.Galway, one was again seen at Belclare on 18th.
Norfolk’s Snettisham RSPB provided three Black Brant on 19th, with two seen there on 21st, down to one by 23rd.
While an adult Lesser White-fronted Goose was again seen in Norfolk on 21st, between Sedgeford and Ringstead, that was somewhat overshadowed by the arrival of 24 further birds at Titchwell RSPB on 20th-23rd, some of which were colour-ringed, from the Swedish reintroduction scheme.
Seaduck once again were giving us plenty to go at this past week. There are rich scoter pickings to be had offshore for the keen-eyed and dedicated…
Starting in Northumberland, the drake Black Scoter lingered off Cheswick Sands and Goswick on 17th-23rd; a drake was reported off Stranraer (Dumfries & Galloway) on 21st; and the drake was again seen from Inch (Co.Kerry) on 20th.
Inch also held onto the recent drake White-winged Scoter there on 21st-22nd, and a probable female for good measure on 20th; while back in Scotland, the drake was again present at Lunan Bay (Angus) on 18th.
Around 20 Surf Scoter were reported from across Britain and Ireland this week, and once more it was Inch (Co.Kerry) that held the lion’s share, with a peak count of seven there on 22nd.
Numbers of Green-winged Teal remained broadly unchanged, with some 20 birds reported once more this past week. Most of our recent contingent of American Wigeon were also still present - starting in Shetland, one remained around the Quendale area on 17th-23rd; the Orcadian drake was still present at Loch of Ayre on 20th; in Clyde, the drake was still at Newshot Island on 18th-23rd; one remained at Darnconner Quarry (Ayrshire) on 17th-23rd; the bird remained at Crook of Baldoon RSPB (Dumfries & Galloway) still on 19th-23rd, with a second bird reported there on 23rd; one was seen again near Glenluce (Dumfries & Galloway) on 22nd; while in Northumberland one remained at Blagdon Hall on 17th-22nd; and the Kenfig NNR (Glamorgan) individual was still to be seen there on 17th-22nd; in Ireland, a drake was found on 22nd at Lisselan (Co.Waterford).
In Essex, the drake Canvasback was once again seen at Abberton Reservoir on 21st-23rd.
Steady Ferruginous Duck remained, meanwhile, at Tooting Bec Common (London) on 17th-23rd; in Warwickshire at Napton Reservoir on 17th-19th and Draycote Water on 17th-21st; at Tallington Lakes (Lincolnshire) still on 17th; and in Hertfordshire at Pynesfield South Lake on 20th-22nd. Another was reported in Buckinghamshire at Furzton Lake on 18th.
A shade over 30 Ring-necked Duck continued the recent strong showing of their kind in Britain and Ireland, with as always some sites holding multiple individuals – three remained on Lough Gara (Co.Sligo) on 20th; and two were present at Ham Wall RSPB (Somerset) on 18th-21st.
Numbers of Lesser Scaup were also down, just a little, on the preceding week’s showing, but still a fine return in the form of nine birds overall seen in Britain and Ireland as a whole. Two were still present on Loch Leven (Perth & Kinross) on 19th; in the southwest, single birds were seen in Dorset at Longham Lakes on 17th-22nd still, and in Devon at Northam Burrows CP on 18th-22nd; one remained in Essex on Abberton Reservoir on 17th-23rd; while in Ireland, two were still present at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) on 18th-19th; a single bird on Lough Clubir (Co.Cork) still on 21st; and another seen on Mill Lough (Co.Fermanagh) on 19th.
We round off the ducks once again in Shetland, where the drake Bufflehead remained anchored on Foula on 18th-22nd still…
…and our honorary quacker, the lingering American Coot, also showed no signs of abandoning Loch of Spiggie either, being seen there through to 23rd.
Starting the weekly waders once again in Somerset, the county’s first Least Sandpiper remained settled for another week at Steart WWT, being seen there again on 19th-22nd.
Also in Somerset, the female Kentish Plover remained at Burnham-on-Sea on 23rd.
A probable White-rumped Sandpiper was reported, in flight, at Kilnsea (East Yorkshire).
In Hampshire the Lesser Yellowlegs remained at Keyhaven Marshes on 17th-18th.
Finally, a Grey Phalarope was seen on 18th at Liscannor (Co.Clare); another was reported on 21st at Marazion (Cornwall); and, on 22nd, one was seen at Rathlin Island (Co.Antrim).
A couple of Bonaparte’s Gull are the best of the weekly bin bag botherers, and we start again in Cornwall where an adult was seen in the Sennen Cove area on 17th-21st; and at Penzance again on 19th. A further adult this week was on the Add Estuary near Bellanoch (Argyll & Bute) on 20th-22nd.
Ireland once again provided a handful of Ring-billed Gull - two first-winter birds in Co.Galway again in Galway on 18th, and a single bird at Oranmore on 19th; a first-winter in Cork (Co.Cork) on 18th-23rd, and the adult at Ring still on 22nd; an adult at Blackrock (Co.Louth) still on 19th-21st; and an adult at Tralee Bay Wetlands (Co.Kerry) again on 17th and 22nd.
A handful of Kumlien’s Gull were once more recorded in recent days. Starting in Shetland, an adult was haunting the South Mainland around Ireland and Spiggie on 17th-20th, while a bird was again seen on Unst on 17th; in Cheshire & Wirral the adult continued to lurk around Widnes on 17th-18th; and a juvenile was found at Kerrykeel (Co.Donegal) on 18th.
There was little change where the remainder of the white-wingers were concerned. A shade over 30 Iceland Gull were again seen, with a few sites notching up two birds apiece – at Loch Oire (Moray) on 17th; Unst (Shetland) on 17th; Westray (Orkney) on 18th; and Lewis (Western Isles) on 20th. Around 30 Glaucous Gull were also recorded, with Foula (Shetland) enjoying five birds still lingering on the isle on 20th.
All three of our recent Pallid Harrier were seen again at some point during the course of the past week – in Ireland, the juvenile was still in Co.Cork at Ballyvergan Marsh on 17th-22nd; the second-winter male remained in Pembrokeshire at Dowrog Common on 18th and 23rd; and the adult female around Warham Greens (Norfolk) still on 17th-23rd.
A probable Rough-legged Buzzard was seen in Glamorgan at Oxwich on 19th.
A couple of birds already on our radars cropped up again this week – we start with the most recent of them, the Desert Wheatear at Pendine (Carmarthenshire), which reappeared there on 17th and again on 20th…
…and then move down to Cornwall, where the Olive-backed Pipit was back in its garden again on 17th and 19th.
The west country wintering grounds for Yellow-browed Warbler continued to provide sightings this week from Cornwall to Somerset – in Cornwall at Coverack on 17th, and Constantine on 21st; in Devon at Exminster on 19th again; and in Somerset in Henleaze still on 23rd, at Taunton on 17th, and Ham Wall RSPB again on 21st. Moving east, one was seen in Wiltshire at Laverstock on 17th; while the St Albans (Hertfordshire) bird remained present on 17th-23rd, and the Hallow (Worcestershire) individual on 18th-19th still.
A Hoopoe was reported from Nottinghamshire on 17th at Whatton; while in South Yorkshire the Rossington bird was still present on 17th-22nd.
The Great Grey Shrike remained in Essex at Copt Hall Marshes on 17th-22nd, while further semi-regular birds were again seen at Cannock Chase (Staffordshire) on 18th, and Hatfield Moors NNR (South Yorkshire) on 18th again.
In Co.Galway, the recent Pied Crow remained settled at Barna on 17th-20th.
A Serin was noted over St Buryan (Cornwall) on 19th; while elsewhere in the county, the wintering Little Bunting remained near Boscathnoe Reservoir on 19th-21st. Another of the latter species was found in Surrey on 20th at Send.
Most of the rarities that have featured in recent accounts from further afield were once more seen this past week – most pertinently, for Western Palearctic birders as a whole and Dutch (and some British) birders in particular, the drake Spectacled Eider remaining faithful off Texel (Netherlands) on 17th-23rd.
In Germany the Northern Mockingbird was still present at Feldflur Rheidt Am Schafott on 20th-22nd.
In southern France, the male Moussier’s Redstart remained at Frontignan on 19th-21st; and a juvenile Eastern Imperial Eagle was seen on 21st-23rd at Le Petit Romieu.
In Spain, the recent second-winter Cape Gull remained at Larendo on 17th-23rd; while in Portugal the Yellow-crowned Night Heron remained at Quinta do Lago still on 18th.
In Iceland, the White-winged Scoter remained off Reykjavik on 19th.
A drake Barrow’s Goldeneye has been seen recently in Faroe at Hvalba on Suðuroy – another duck that would these days be warmly welcomed in Britain.
Moving further afield, the Pied Bushchat was still in Israel at Yokne’am on 17th.
In Kuwait, the Indian Pond Heron remained at Sulaibikhat on 19th; and the Thick-billed Warbler at Al-Abraq still on 22nd.
Finally, out on the Azores, the Willet remained on Terceira this week on 17th, and a Great Blue Heron was seen on Sao Miguel on 18th.
Where does the time go? We’re already pushing into the final week of January. A month that was, we’re sure you’ll agree, something of a classic where rarities from all points of the compass were concerned. Has it got one last roll of the dice up its sleeve?
Never say never. This outwardly unpromising time of year has some historic pedigree of doing the unexpected. The Kent Golden-winged Warbler of winter 1989 was found on 24th January of that year; the popular Pine Grosbeak that drew so many birders up to Shetland was found on 29th January 2013; while inclement weather blew in a South Polar Skua to West Bexington (Dorset) on 27th January 1996.
Not that we need telling on the basis of January 2025 thus far, but odd things can and do happen at this time of year.
Pitching (just slightly) more in the realms of realism, one bird does stand out a little as a late January candidate – no fewer than four Pied-billed Grebe have been found in the last week of January since 1980 – that first bird being one at Radipole Lake RSPB (Dorset) on 25th January 1980; and our latest one found on 31st January 1999 at Cosmeston Lakes (Glamorgan). Certainly something to keep an eye peeled for in the shadowy margins of your local freshwater bodies.
Jon Dunn
24 Jan 2025
Many thanks to all this week's contributors for your photos and videos
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