Weekly birding round-up: 7 - 13 Mar
Another week of, for the most part, a stalled early spring just elapsed. When the floodgates finally open we’ll be creaking at the seams with migratory birds but, for now, it felt like a return to winter once more this past week, with snow seen on the ground in southern England reinforcing that impression. Unsurprisingly, this translated to a quiet week on the rarity front.
While far from proving reliable or predictable in its habits, the pale morph Booted Eagle in Cornwall nonetheless wasn’t abandoning the county just yet this past week. Its modestly wandering ways continued in recent days with a scattering of sightings as the week elapsed – seen on 7th for a few minutes at Heamoor; then on 8th and 12th again near Crowlas; and on 10th-12th once more in the vicinity of Marazion Marsh RSPB.
The week’s notable seabirds kick off once again in Ireland where, on 10th, the adult Double-crested Cormorant was once more present at Colgagh Lough (Co.Sligo).
Also present in Ireland still this week, the adult Pacific Diver remained off Crookhaven (Co.Cork) on 8th.
Scotland accounted for the first of the week’s White-billed Divers, this being an individual noted in Gullane Bay (Lothian) on 8th; while another was seen from Whitburn CP (Co.Durham) on 10th.
A Little Auk was seen off Whitburn CP (Co.Durham) on 13th.
Finally, a Pomarine Skua was seen off Berry Head (Devon) on 7th.
Our long-legged beasties of interest this past week were, once again, restricted to Glossy Ibis, with some 15 birds noted across Britain and Ireland. As ever, there were some small aggregations of multiple birds in that number – three remained at Titchfield Haven NNR (Hampshire) on 8th-9th; while duos were present at Ham Wall RSPB (Somerset) still on 7th-13th, at Langford Lowfields RSPB (Northamptonshire) still on 7th-13th, at Baston Fen (Lincolnshire) on 8th, and in Co.Wexford at Lady’s Island Lake on 7th-12th and Tacumshin on 9th.
Diving straight into the murky pond that’s the weekly honkers and quackers, we begin with The Goose Formerly Known As Canada - a hutchinsii Richardson’s Cackling Goose was seen in Co.Donegal at Dunfanaghy New Lake still on 9th, while two were present at Cross Lough (Co.Mayo) on 10th and then, on 11th, at least three were present on The Mullet (Co.Mayo).
In Shetland the Ross’s Goose remained near Toft on Mainland on 10th-13th, while the Ayrshire individual continued to pose questions of its likely origin also.
In East Yorkshire two Snow Geese were again seen intermittently at Beverley on 8th-13th; one was seen in Gwynedd at Dinas Dinlle on 8th and 13th; and another at Old Sandsfield (Cumbria) on 9th and Burgh Marsh on 12th.
Cumbria’s Old Sandsfield also boasted a Red-breasted Goose on 9th, with it seen again the following day at Rockcliffe Marsh. The Islay (Argyll & Bute) bird was again noted there on 10th.
Our only Black Brant this week was a bird seen at Easington (East Yorkshire) on 7th-8th. Two possible Grey-bellied Brant were seen on 13th at the north end of Dalkey Island (Co.Dublin).
Still posing questions of its likely origin, the recent Marbled Duck was again seen at Longdon Marsh (Worcestershire) on 10th.
In Ireland, the drake Black Duck remained at Cross Lough (Co.Mayo) on 9th-11th.
Numbers of Green-winged Teal remained largely unchanged for another week, with some 15 birds noted across Britain and Ireland as a whole. Numbers of American Wigeon were also unwavering, with seven birds reported again in recent days – two still present at Ballygilgan NR (Co.Sligo) on 8th; one still at Dingle (Co.Kerry) on 8th-13th; one at Blagdon Hall (Northumberland) still on 7th-8th; a bird in East Yorkshire at East Cottingwith on 8th-12th; and Scottish individuals still at Darnconner Quarry (Ayrshire) on 7th-9th, and again in Shetland at Loch of Hillwell on 10th-13th.
Numbers of American Wigeon were also unwavering, with seven birds reported again in recent days – two still present at Ballygilgan NR (Co.Sligo) on 8th; one still at Dingle (Co.Kerry) on 8th-12th; one at Blagdon Hall (Northumberland) still on 7th-8th; a bird in East Yorkshire at East Cottingwith on 8th-12th; and Scottish individuals still at Darnconner Quarry (Ayrshire) on 7th-9th, and again in Shetland at Loch of Hillwell on 10th-13th.
Recent Ferruginous Duck remained this week in Cambridgeshire at Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB on 8th-10th, and at Woolston Eyes NR (Cheshire & Wirral) on 7th; two more were present at Napton Reservoir (Warwickshire) on 9th-11th.
A shade over 30 Ring-necked Duck were logged during the past week, with a peak count of their ilk again coming from Ireland where four birds were noted on Brierfield Turlough (Co.Roscommon) on 11th; while three were seen on Lough Gara (Co.Sligo) on 12th. Three were still present on Dozmary Pool (Cornwall) on 8th; two at Gouthwaite Reservoir (North Yorkshire) still on 7th-8th; and two at Craigavon Lakes (Co.Armagh) on 9th.
At least 10 Lesser Scaup were recorded this past week, with a further report of a female at Radley GPs (Oxfordshire) on 11th. Confirmed birds remained in Ireland at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford), where two were still present on 8th-12th; and on Drumshanbo Lough (Co.Leitrim / Co.Longford) on 8th. British sightings came from Longham Lakes (Dorset) still on 7th-13th; Northam Burrows CP (Devon) still on 8th; Abberton Reservoir (Essex), where two remained on 8th; Loch Leven (Perth & Kinross) still on 7th; Lochwinnoch RSPB (Clyde) still on 7th-12th; and on South Uist (Western Isles) still on 11th.
The drake Black Scoter was still present off Hoylake (Cheshire & Wirral) on 8th-13th.
In Scotland, two drake White-winged Scoter were again seen off Gullane Point (Lothian) on 10th, with a single bird there in the preceding days on 7th-8th; and a single bird was seen off Methil (Fife) on 7th-8th also.
Eight Surf Scoter were noted during the week – in Ireland, two off Inch (Co.Kerry) on 8th, and one still off Tramore Strand (Co.Donegal) on 8th; and British birds comprising single birds off Broadsands (Devon) still on 7th-12th, Old Colwyn (Conwy) still on 11th, Llanddona (Anglesey) on 9th, Islay (Argyll & Bute) on 7th, and Arran (Ayrshire) still on 9th.
Finally, in Shetland the drake Bufflehead continued his residency at Loch of Hillwell in the south Mainland throughout the week until 13th; while the nearby American Coot was also present at Loch of Spiggie still until 13th.
The weekly waders grew ever quieter this week, with the only news emerging from Somerset being confirmation that the female Kentish Plover was still present at Burnham-on-Sea on 7th-11th.
Kentish Plover at Burnham on Sea yesterday (11/03/2025) on the beach below the Bay View Cafe with Jim @JamesReader69 and Brendon @GBirding pic.twitter.com/H13BXNOGqV
— sh4rpy (@sh4rpy) March 12, 2025
Not a million miles away, in Devon, the wintering Long-billed Dowitcher was again seen at Exminster Marshes RSPB on 10th; while the North Ronaldsay (Orkney) individual remained there on 7th.
It fell firmly to Bonaparte’s Gull to make the running this week, with several birds recorded once more. Starting in Cornwall, sightings came of an adult at St Michael’s Mount on 9th, and Hayle Estuary RSPB on 9th-12th. A first-winter bird was seen on 10th-13th in Glamorgan at Ogmore Estuary. Finally, in Ireland another adult was to be seen at Mannin Bay (Co.Galway) on 10th-11th.
While Hayle Estuary RSPB (Cornwall) again sported an adult Ring-billed Gull on 9th-12th, it was once again Ireland that enjoyed the lion’s share of the species in recent days. Co.Kerry boasted two adults again at Blennerville on 7th, with one still there on 9th; and an adult at Tralee Bay Wetlands on 11th. Cork (Co.Cork) meanwhile held a first-winter on 7th-12th still, and also an adult bird on 11th-12th.
The white-winger situation remained largely unchanged this week, with around a dozen Glaucous Gull noted, and some 25 Iceland Gull again logged across Britain and Ireland.
A trio of lingering Kumlien’s Gull provided some variety – the adult still at Helmsdale (Highland & Caithness) on 10th-13th, the second-winter still at Loch Oire (Moray) on 13th, and an adult again at Blennerville (Co.Kerry) on 7th. A further juvenile bird was seen on Lewis (Western Isles) on 10th; a second-winter at Milltown Bridge (Co.Kerry) on 12th; and a juvenile at Aber Ogwen (Gwynedd) on 13th.
Finally, the long-staying bird – either a Kumlien’s or a Thayer’s Gull – remained in Shetland on Unst at Uyeasound on 13th.
What of raptors this week? Well, all three of our wintering trio of Pallid Harrier were again seen, albeit the Pembrokeshire second-winter male was wandering somewhat, being seen at Llanwnda on 7th. In Norfolk the female remained around Warham Greens on 8th-13th; and in Ireland, the juvenile bird was again seen in Co.Cork at Ballyvergan Marsh on 9th and once more on 13th.
Scilly again opens the section this week, where the Pied Crow continued to find no good reason to move on from the archipelago, albeit it was exploring and ranging widely around the islands in the course of the week – seen more or less daily on St Mary’s, but also noted on Bryher, St Agnes, and Tresco as the week wore on. The Barna (Co.Galway) bird remained there on 8th also.
Across the water from Scilly in Cornwall, a Hoopoe made landfall at Sennen on 11th-12th; this one preceded by an Irish arrival near Ballydehob (Co.Cork) on 9th.
Where Great Grey Shrike were concerned, we had two wintering individuals seen once more this week – the Cannock Chase (Staffordshire) bird regularly on 8th-13th, and the Hatfield Moors NNR (South Yorkshire) bird again on 9th.
Our only Yellow-browed Warbler this week was the recent individual still present at the sewage works at Wells (Somerset) on 7th-9th.
Also in Somerset lately, the first-winter Rose-coloured Starling remained in Taunton on 7th-11th.
In Buckinghamshire, the Richard’s Pipit remained outside Newport Pagnell on 7th-13th, while the Awre (Gloucestershire) individual also hung on during 7th-10th.
Belated news this week concerned an Olive-backed Pipit on 4th in Hesketh Park (Lancashire & North Merseyside).
Finally, three Serin remained at Sandwich Bay (Kent) on 7th-9th.
The overseas news starts once more in the Netherlands, where the drake Spectacled Eider remained off Texel throughout the week until 13th.
In Germany the Western Orphean Warbler was still present in Eching on 7th-11th.
The long-staying male Moussier’s Redstart remained in France at Frontignan on 7th.
Finally, up in Iceland the White-winged Scoter was still to be seen off Reykjavik on 8th.
Not wanting to wish our lives away here, but the recent return to colder, wintery weather has been an unwelcome pothole in the road towards spring, so it would be nice to think some warmer days (and accordingly, some fresh birds) lie in the not too distant future…
Certainly neither seems likely as the new week gets under way, with brisk northerlies of one flavour or another looking set to chill our bones over the coming weekend at least. It’s only as the week draws to a close that we seem to have potential for easterlies that, eventually, might give way to something of a more southerly influence.
Not a great deal to draw succour from, really. Could the northerlies yield a Brunnich’s Guillemot on the east coast? Could a hint of easterlies and southerly winds waft a Short-toed Treecreeper into Kent? Might we just have to settle for another Penduline Tit? Let’s see what the week ahead brings…
Jon Dunn
14 Mar 2025
Many thanks to all this week's contributors for your photos and videos
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