• No news currently, check back later
• Why not check out our great value bird news subscriptions

 

Weekly birding round-up: 21 - 27 Feb

We continued the slow grind out of winter this week, clawing our way towards March, the promise of life and birds on the move again with purpose, and the potential for some fresh surprises. Not that the past week was without its moments – Gwynedd, what on earth were you playing at?

 

When you’ve been writing Rarity Round Ups for over a decade, you could be forgiven for thinking the law of diminishing returns would be kicking in by now and outlandish new birds would be fewer and further between. That’s not the way the British birding scene seems to go, though, and where seabirds are concerned in recent years, all bets remain firmly off the table.

If you’d suggested, a decade ago, that the likes of White-chinned Petrel, Soft-plumaged Petrel, Giant Petrel sp, or Red-footed Booby would have been found here in the years to come, or that Brown Booby would now be turning up near annually, we’d never seriously have believed it. But for better or worse – and given that warming seas and ever more intense weather systems are surely significant drivers for this unprecedented pattern of vagrancy, the latter interpretation seems apposite – that’s exactly what’s happened.

And that’s before we look not a million miles away to France, where on 10th October 2024 the Western Palearctic’s first Barau’s Petrel was photographed off Lège-Cap Ferret. The moral of the past decade seems to be that seabirds from almost anywhere in the world’s oceans can confound us and turn up in the northeast Atlantic.

So should we surprised that this week a White Tern had been picked up in Gwynedd at Llanberis and taken into care? Well, obviously yes – this is a tropical seabird, after all, and there’s no precedent for one being found in the Western Palearctic. But then again, these strangest of days, maybe not so much.

(Nor should we, at this juncture, fail to give credit to Alex Lees and James Gilroy, who absolutely called it four years ago…)

Judging by the photo released of the bird found this week, it seems to be of the candida Pacific and Indian Ocean White Tern group. Not that this can be judged any barrier to vagrancy – one found in Bermuda on 7th-9th December 1972, the first of its kind in the North Atlantic, was a candida individual.

So what remains to be done now? Hopefully the bird survives and recovers in care; hopefully there won’t be a repeat of the well-intentioned but mishandled and ultimately tragic ‘repatriation’ of the 2016 St Leonard’s-on-Sea (East Sussex) Red-footed Booby; hopefully birders won’t let themselves down by hassling whichever facility is housing the bird in an attempt to see it before it’s released; and, if it eventually does recover and is to be released in Britain, let’s hope it’s released somewhere that, with the bird’s welfare primarily in mind, birders can assemble to see it for themselves on the wing.

 

All good things must, eventually, come to an end, and it appears as if the Booted Eagle show in Cornwall may be finally winding down – the pale morph bird was nowhere to be seen in the Marazion Marsh RSPB area as the week began before, on 22nd, a pale morph bird – surely one and the same – was seen over Hayle.

A day elapsed before, on 24th, an unconfirmed report came of it once more in the morning at Marazion, and another report of a possible pale morph back over the estuary at Hayle. Then, on 26th, there it was once again back near Crowlas.

One thing’s for sure – the bird appears to be ever more mobile now. Where next for it?

 

Another week in the late winter, and another eastern vagrant passerine turned up in England… and, unlike the preceding week’s Eastern Yellow Wagtail, one with a long-established precedent for occurrence at this time of year.

Generations of British birders can now look back fondly to their first wintering Black-throated Thrush – was yours the popular bird that spent almost 100 days in the grounds of Whipsnade Zoo (Buckinghamshire) in the winter of 2019/20? Maybe you saw the bird that lasted almost 80 days in Glamorgan at Townhill in the winter of 2005/06? Or one of the trio of long-stayers that graced Worcestershire, Cambridgeshire, and Norfolk respectively in the early months of 1996? While far from an annual treat, we’ve enjoyed a fair few of these lovely thrushes at this time of year down the past few decades.

We’ll need to wait and see how long the male Black-throated Thrush found in Hampshire this week at Bordon decides to stick around, but for now, he was to be seen there on 23rd-27th. A welcome bird at a county level at the very least, as it represented an arguably long overdue county first record. Every other southern English coastal county, from Scilly in the west to Kent in the east, boasted previous records, but not a sniff had there been in Hampshire. Until this week.

 

Divers of various ilks once again open our weekly seabird account, with Pacific Diver noted in England and Ireland alike – one off Mousehole (Cornwall) still on 22nd, and the Crookhaven (Co.Cork) bird again on 22nd and 27th also.

For White-billed Diver we need look no further than Aberdeenshire, where an individual was seen on 22nd; and Shetland, which supplied another seen off the eastern tip of Whalsay on 26th, and another in the usual quarters of South Nesting Bay on the east side of Mainland on 27th.

Aberdeenshire also provided a little variety in the form of a Little Auk logged from Kinnaird Head on 24th.

Much further down the east coast, a Pomarine Skua was seen off Trimingham (Norfolk) on 23rd.

Finally, in Ireland the adult Double-crested Cormorant remained at Doon Lough (Co.Leitrim) on 22nd-27th.

 

Once more, not a great deal of change in the overall Glossy Ibis picture in Britain and Ireland this past week, with around 15 widely scattered birds again to be seen. The usual suspects provided our multiple sightings – three still in Hampshire at Titchfield Haven NNR on 21st; two still in Lincolnshire at Deeping Lakes LWT on 21st-27th; two again at Ham Wall RSPB (Somerset) on 23rd and 26th; and two still present at Lady’s Island Lake (Co.Wexford) on 22nd-27th. Two more were reported from Langford Lowfields RSPB (Nottinghamshire) on 27th.

Before we leave the long-legged beasties for another week, there’s also the intriguing matter of the dead egret found on the beach at Harlech (Gwynedd) on 22nd. Just a reddish-stained Little Egret? Or a Reddish Egret? With any luck some material from that will be winging its way to the magicians at Aberdeen University to provide some clarity in due course.

 

The honkers and quackers begin what proved to be a busy week for The Goose Formerly Known As Canada with multiple hutchinsii Richardson’s Cackling Geese - in Co.Mayo on 25th two were seen at Monaghrory, and a single bird at Elly Bay; while one remained on Islay (Argyll & Bute) on 22nd-27th; and a further singleton was seen at Crook of Baldoon RSPB (Dumfries & Galloway) again on 22nd-26th.

In Shetland the Ross’s Goose remained near Toft on Mainland on 24th-27th, while in Ayrshire one was again seen at Galston on 23rd.

Back on Islay (Argyll & Bute) the Red-breasted Goose was still to be seen on the island on 22nd-27th.

It was another good week for Black Brant sightings – in East Yorkshire one was seen at Easington on 22nd, and Kilnsea Wetlands NR on 23rd-24th; a bird was again seen at Gibraltar Point NNR (Lincolnshire) on 21st; one remained at Snettisham RSPB (Norfolk) on 22nd; while in Essex, a bird was present at Northey Island on 21st, and in Pyefleet Channel on 26th.

Green-winged Teal continued to be seen in numbers, with around 15 birds noted across Britain and Ireland this past week. American Wigeon nudged towards double figures too, with nine birds logged in the course of recent days. In Ireland, two drakes remained at Ballygilgan NR (Co.Sligo) still on 24th-27th, while the female remained at Termoncarragh Lough (Co.Mayo) on 25th. British birds comprised the Shetland drake still around Loch of Hillwell on 22nd-26th; the Orkney bird still at Loch of Ayre on 26th; the drake remained at Newshot Island (Clyde) on 24th; Northumberland sightings came from Blagdon Hall on 22nd-25th, and Big Waters NR again on 22nd; and the Kenfig Pool NNR (Glamorgan) individual was still present there on 22nd-26th.

In Co.Mayo, the drake Black Duck remained on Cross Lough on 25th.

In Essex, the drake Canvasback remained at Abberton Reservoir on 21st-23rd.

In London the female Ferruginous Duck was last reported from Tooting Bec Common on 21st; while the recent female remained in Cambridgeshire at Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB on 21st-25th. On 27th, the first-winter drake was again seen at West Hyde GPs (Hertfordshire).

Britain and Ireland continued to enjoy an embarrassment of riches where Ring-necked Duck were concerned, with approaching 40 birds again noted across the region this week. Once more, some sites held multiple birds – three still in Cornwall at Dozmary Pool on 21st-27th; two still at Gouthwaite Reservoir (North Yorkshire) on 24th-25th; two in Essex on Abberton Reservoir on 25th; and, in Ireland, three on Brierfield Turlough (Co.Roscommon) on 21st-27th still, four on Lough Gara (Co.Sligo) on 26th, and three on Knockaderry Reservoir (Co.Waterford) on 27th still.

A dozen Lesser Scaup were seen in Britain and Ireland this week. Starting with the Irish birds, two remained at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) on 22nd-27th, while a first-winter drake was present on Lough Beg (Co.Derry) on 22nd-24th, a drake at Portmore Lough RSPB (Co.Antrim) on 25th, and the female still on Lough Clubir (Co.Cork) on 27th. British individuals remained at Northam Burrows CP (Devon) on 21st-25th; Longham Lakes (Dorset) on 22nd-24th; Carsington Water (Derbyshire) on 21st-26th; on South Uist (Western Isles) still on 26th-27th; two were present on Abberton Reservoir (Essex) on 26th-27th; and a further bird at Lochwinnoch RSPB (Clyde) on 22nd.

A female King Eider was found off Barnagh East (Co.Mayo) on 25th.

One of our recent drake White-winged Scoter was again seen off Gullane Point (Lothian) on 25th; another on 26th off Leven (Fife) again; and both off Gullane Point again on 27th.

Ten Surf Scoter were reported this week – three off Inch (Co.Kerry) still on 22nd; two off Methil Harbour (Fife) still on 21st, and two seen from Leven on 26th still; two still off Old Colwyn (Conwy) still until 24th at least; one off Broadsands (Devon) again on 27th; and two off Owenahincha (Co.Cork) on 25th still.

Finally, in Shetland the drake Bufflehead continued to linger at Loch of Hillwell in the south Mainland on 21st-27th, while the nearby American Coot was still at Loch of Spiggie on 22nd-26th.

 

Somerset, yet again, was where the best of our weekly waders resided, in the form of the county’s first Least Sandpiper, still present at Steart WWT on 21st-22nd; and the female Kentish Plover still sitting tight at Burnham-on-Sea on 21st-24th.

Not a million miles away from either of them, in Devon the wintering Long-billed Dowitcher remained at Exminster Marshes RSPB on 21st-27th.

Making a change, a Lesser Yellowlegs was found at Buckroney Marsh (Co.Wicklow) on 27th.

 

We start the weekly gulls with an adult Bonaparte’s Gull, present in Co.Kerry at Blennerville on 23rd-25th.

Blennerville also gave us an adult Ring-billed Gull on 22nd, while an adult was seen at Tralee Bay Wetlands on 21st-26th still. Further Irish birds were noted at Galway (Co.Galway) still on 21st, and Enniskillen (Co.Fermanagh) on 24th-26th still. In Cornwall, the adult remained at Hayle Estuary RSPB on 22nd; while in Clyde, the adult remained at Strathclyde Loch on 22nd-25th.

Numbers of white-wingers seen in recent days remained broadly consistent with recent weeks, with a dozen Glaucous Gull noted, and some 30 Iceland Gull again logged across the region.

The adult Kumlien’s Gull remained at Helmsdale (Highland & Caithness) on 24th still; the second-winter remained at Loch Oire (Moray) on 26th-27th; while we finish the gulls where we started, in Co.Kerry at Blennerville, where an adult was also seen on 24th.

 

Two of our wintering trio of Pallid Harrier were still to be seen this past week – these being the female in Norfolk still at Warham Greens on 21st-27th (and Stiffkey on 23rd); and the second-winter male still in Pembrokeshire at Dowrog Common on 24th-26th.

 

It’s perhaps pertinent at this point to start the week with the Pied Crow on Scilly still in recent days, which abandoned the dead seal delights of St Martin’s on 21st for the garden pleasures of St Mary’s on 22nd-27th. Word on the street has it that this winter’s arrival will be viewed favourably by the powers that be, so if listing is your thing and you’ve not made the effort henceforth, it might be judicious to make an effort with this bird before too long. Time, tide and the Pied Crow ultimately waits for no man, but the armchair tick potentially awaits those who’ve been to Scilly… Meanwhile, in Ireland, the settled Pied Crow remained at Barna (Co.Galway) on 21st.

Easily not the biggest news to come out of Wales this week, a Hoopoe found at Trefloyne (Pembrokeshire) on 22nd was nonetheless a fine bird given the time of year.

Familiar Great Grey Shrike remained in recent days at Copt Hall Marshes (Essex) on 21st-22nd, and Hatfield Moors NNR (South Yorkshire) on 22nd-24th; while one was again seen in Cannock Chase (Staffordshire) on 27th.

A Waxwing was found on 26th-27th in Aberdeen (Aberdeenshire).

Cheshire & Wirral’s Penduline Tit remained at Woolston Eyes NR on 22nd.

The settled Yellow-browed Warbler remained in Worcestershire at Hallow on 22nd, while the Perranuthnoe (Cornwall) bird was still in the area on 22nd-23rd; and another was reported from Seamer (North Yorkshire) on 21st.

In Buckinghamshire, the recent Richard’s Pipit remained faithful just outside Newport Pagnell on 21st-27th; another was found on 23rd in an area with no general access at Goxhill Haven (Lincolnshire); and one again at Awre (Gloucestershire) on 27th.

Lincolnshire also held on to its Eastern Yellow Wagtail near Winteringham on 21st-27th.

 

The overseas news starts once more this week in the Netherlands, where the drake Spectacled Eider was still sitting pretty off Texel throughout the week until 26th.

Birders in Germany meanwhile continued to be entertained by the Sandhill Crane still present at Gross Heseper Moor on 23rd-26th, and the Western Orphean Warbler still present in Eching on 21st-26th.

In France, the male Moussier’s Redstart remained at Frontignan on 26th.

Further afield, in Cape Verde a Black-capped Petrel was seen off Santo Antao on 22nd.

Out on the Azores, the Common Yellowthroat remained on Sao Miguel on 26th.

Finally, in Israel the male Pied Bushchat remained at Yokne’am on 24th.

 

Hello March! What’ve you got in store for us in the week(s) to come?

(Presumably nothing as outlandish as Reddish Egret or White Tern but, if the week just gone is anything to go by, who indeed can say…)

Let’s assume that nothing crazily untoward of that nature happens, and precedent can be our uncertain guide to what we might divine as coming our way in the cloudy RBA crystal ball... As we head into the weekend, the charts are indicating we’ve days ahead of us dominated by weather coming our way off the Atlantic. Perhaps not the most inspiring of forecasts, truth be told, nor the most scintillating point of the birding year for that matter.

That said, the coming week does boast two of Britain’s accepted Glaucous-winged Gulls - one seen at Ferryside (Carmarthenshire) on 2nd-5th March 2007; and the other a bird that pitched down onto Fair Isle (Shetland) on 2nd March 2017.

We all know it’s always worth checking through large gull flocks – there’s no finer way to spend one’s time – but perhaps that historic precedent provides a soupcon of additional incentive this coming week…

 

Jon Dunn
28 Feb 2025

Many thanks to all this week's contributors for your photos and videos

 

Share

Tweet  

 

 

Latest articles