Weekly birding round-up: 25 Apr - 01 May 2025
Well, now we’re talking. April went out with something of a bang this week, the birding hotting up as quickly as the mercury was rising in this typically atypically hot spring. Rare gull? Check. Rare raptor(s)? Check. Rare passerine? Check. Dodgy duck that’s surely destined to be kicked into the long grass? Yeah, that too.
Our headlines open with a county first for Yorkshire birders, or at least those who were prepared to make speculative sortie to Redcar Tarn (West Yorkshire) on 27th. News broke on 26th of an adult Cape Gull seen there earlier in the day, retrospectively identified from photographs. While it’s tempting to think this might be the same bird seen in Cambridgeshire in 2022-24, the timing of its arrival is very different, and there seem to be some structural differences discernible about their bills too.
Being seen again only fleetingly by a few folk at Redcar Tarn on 27th, one suspects that should it be pinned down in the area over the coming weekend, it might garner rather more attention.
Now going fully London buses, after a wait of decades for a feel-good Booted Eagle, in 2025 we have at least two birds on our hands – the pale morph bird that settled and was well-twitched in Cornwall before going a-wandering, and now this week a dark morph bird that turned up on Lundy (Devon) on 29th-30th.
The irony of this particular bird being especially piquant, as it had managed not only the (unthinkable!) open-water crossing to reach Britain in the first place, but had shown even more minerals by setting off into the Bristol Channel too in order to reach Lundy.
On 30th another bird was seen in the mid-afternoon in Lincolnshire at Manby Flashes before drifting off east. While the news report didn’t specify if it was a light or dark morph bird, the suspicion must be that this might be one and the same pale morph last seen in Norfolk over Glaven Valley on 20th.
Yorkshire’s second headline bird of the week was, to all intents and purposes, also a county first. How else to describe a bird that’s the first of its kind in those parts for over 150 years?
Found on Flamborough Head (East Yorkshire) in the morning of 29th, an Alpine Accentor there wasn’t hanging around, and within the hour was gone, never to be seen again. A just reward for the countless hours Brett Richards has put in there, but deeply frustrating for Yorkshire listers – the last record dates back to the winter of 1862/3, when one was shot near Scarborough.
This week’s bird is the third for Britain thus far this spring. Could we yet see another? Yorkshire birders would surely settle for this week’s bird being relocated…
As we’ll see as the Round Up unfolds, there was barely a bird family that wasn’t represented by some sort of quality offering seen or, at the very least, reported during the course of the week. The seabirds kick off with a couple of almost-ran Brown Booby - an unconfirmed report of a bird seen from the Scillonian on 25th followed, on 29th, by a possible seen heading west past Cornwall’s Clodgy Point. With a bird also seen in Norway this past week, the writing may be on the wall already for another busy year for this now annually anticipated wanderer into the north-east Atlantic.
Proving entirely settled, in Ireland the adult Double-crested Cormorant was again noted on Lough Gill (Co.Sligo) on 26th.
Ireland also retained a Pacific Diver still off Coolsiva Quay (Co.Clare) on 26th.
Numbers of White-billed Diver peaked again at Portsoy (Aberdeenshire) this week with five birds present off there on 26th-27th; elsewhere, singletons were noted in Shetland in South Nesting Bay again on 28th, and further west off Foula on 29th; at Whitehills (Aberdeenshire) on 28th; off Cullen (Moray) on 25th-26th still; and off Brora (Highland & Caithness) on 28th-29th.
A shade over 350 Pomarine Skua were logged during the week, with passage up the English Channel building as the days wore on.
A Cory’s Shearwater was for a second consecutive week seen off the East Yorkshire coast, this time from Spurn on 26th.
Another excellent week for long-legged beasties is opened by the discovery of a Squacco Heron in Norfolk in the morning of 1st at Buckenham Marshes RSPB – seen in flight, it appeared to land but wasn’t seen subsequently during the day. It’s been almost five years since the county’s last bird, seen in late May 2020 at Bayfield Hall. Another twitchable individual, particularly as we head into the weekend, would be most appreciated.
Things have quietened down on the Night Heron front lately, with just a couple reported this past week – a bird at Tramore (Co.Waterford) on 25th, and another in Dorset at Portland Bill on 1st.
Some half a dozen Purple Heron meanwhile were again logged nationwide. Starting up in Shetland, the recent bird continued to hang around the south of Mainland in the Brow Marsh and Loch of Spiggie area on 26th-28th. At the opposite pole of the country, one remained on St Mary’s (Scilly) on 25th-26th; elsewhere, birds were noted at Carlton Marshes SWT (Suffolk) on 25th-1st; at New Hythe (Kent) on 27th; in Northamptonshire at Summer Leys NR o 27th, with a subsequent report there on 29th, and another report on 29th at Pitsford Reservoir; at Ham Wall RSPB (Somerset) on 28th-30th; on 30th at Tempsford (Bedfordshire); on 30th at Brading Marsh RSPB (Isle of Wight); on 30th on Bryher (Scilly); and on 1st on St Martin’s (Scilly).
Scilly did rather better than Purple Heron on 1st with the discovery on St Mary’s of a male Little Bittern.
Around 15 Glossy Ibis were again reported across Britain and Ireland as a whole this week, with a few sites featuring two birds present – in Co.Wexford at Ring Marsh again on 27th; at Besthorpe NWT (Norfolk) on 26th; and at Berry Fen (Cambridgeshire) on 26th also.
Let’s chuck the honkers snowball firmly into touch for another week with Snow Geese, and get on to the more contentious quackers with no further ado… Snow Goose were noted this week on Anglesey’s Alaw Estuary still on 26th-27th; at Ballyconnell (Co.Sligo) still on 27th; and at Marshside RSPB (Lancashire & North Merseyside) on 25th-1st.
And so let’s now bite the bullet. Some colourful duckies are, as we know, more equal than others. You’d be hard pressed to find an ornamental duck collection worth its salt that doesn’t have a Hooded Merganser, but these days one of those, seen in a context away from captivity, would need to do something really silly – like be found with tatty wings or wearing an aviculturalist’s ring – to not be accepted by the BBRC.
Some of those accepted birds, as we’ve well-rehearsed here down the years, have a bit more of a feel-good factor about them than others – spring birds on Shetland, for example, in 2006 and 2021, feel rather more credible than a winter bird in Kent in 2005 a couple of miles from a duck-pond in the same valley that just a couple of years previously had sported several of its kind.
Then again, a spring duck on Shetland is no guarantee of passing muster with BOURC. Pity Rob Fray, for his fine drake Wood Duck on Loch of Brow in April 2009 didn’t find favour. Hopefully now Ross’s Goose sits on Category A of the British List his recent find of the an example of the latter will be a formality when it lands on the desks of BBRC…
And what of Cinnamon Teal? A glance at the past records that have cropped up in the RBA daily sightings reveals a litany of dodgy confirmed or presumed escapees over the years. And then again, there’s the un-ringed drake that turned up in May 2004 on Lewis, during an exceptional spring for other North American wildfowl. Had that been a Hooded Merganser, all presumably would have been good. Some ducks are more equal than others.
Which brings us to the week just gone, a week that comes in the wake of what I think we can all agree has been an excellent late winter period for Nearctic wildfowl. And what should be seen at Loch of Strathbeg RSPB (Aberdeenshire) on 29th but a drake Cinnamon Teal? Followed, on 30th-1st, by a probable female in Northumberland at Buston Links. I think we all know how this story probably ends, in the fullness of time, but still. Nice birds.
Moving on, a female Blue-winged Teal was seen at Tophill Low NR (East Yorkshire) on 28th-30th; and another at Rainham Marshes RSPB (London) on 30th.
Numbers of Green-winged Teal just about scraped into double figures again during the week, with a dozen birds logged. American Wigeon on the other hand enjoyed something of a late renaissance, with half a dozen noted in recent days. One remained in Norfolk at Salthouse on 25th-30th still; in Northumberland one lingered at East Chevington NWT on 25th-30th, with two drakes present there on 28th, while a bird was seen on Holy Island on 27th, and one again at Druridge Pools NR on 1st; a female was found at Old Moor RSPB (South Yorkshire) on 28th; and a bird was present at Lough Neagh (Co.Armagh) on 26th.
A mere 16 Ring-necked Duck were seen during the week, with Ireland holding the lion’s share of them – four remained on Briarfield Turlough (Co.Roscommon) on 25th, while two were present on Lough Gara (Co.Sligo) on 25th also; and in Somerset, two were again seen at Blagdon Lake on 25th.
Our recent largesse of Lesser Scaup finally seemed to be feeling the urge to move on, for numbers tumbled during the week, with just four birds reported – two at Abberton Reservoir (Essex) still on 25th; and two still in Somerset at Chew Valley Lake on 25th also.
Fife continued to be the place to be for White-winged Scoter, with two again seen at East Wemyss on 28th-30th, and singletons at Leven again on 26th-27th, Buckhaven on 29th, and Kirkcaldy on 30th.
Fife was also doing well as a vantage point for Surf Scoter, with two birds noted from Leven on 26th-27th, East Wemyss on 28th, and Ruddons Point on 29th; and a singleton at Buckhaven on 29th. The recent Devon bird was still hanging around the Broadsands area on 27th-1st; while in Highland & Caithness a single bird was noted at Portmahomack on 29th. Four were present off Rossbeigh (Co.Kerry) on 25th, rising to five individuals there the following day.
Waders were on the move this week and, with them, something of real heft and substance – the year’s first Broad-billed Sandpiper, found at Goldcliff Pools NR (Gwent) on 26th, and remaining there until 1st. They’re more or less annual in Britain, though in the past quarter century there’ve been a couple of blank years, and in some years just the one bird has been seen – so they’re not quite a foregone conclusion in these parts. Whenever and wherever one’s found, they’re always a joy – smartly marked birds with strong head patterns that stand out a mile.
Still not electing to move on just yet, in West Sussex the Least Sandpiper was again seen at Medmerry RSPB on 28th-30th.
A fine Spotted Sandpiper in full polka dotted glory was found in Cambridgeshire on 1st at Grafham Water.
Firmly signalling that passage waders were on the move, around a dozen Temminck’s Stint were logged during the week – at Worth Marsh RSPB (Kent) on 25th; and Marshside RSPB (Lancashire & North Merseyside) on 26th-29th; at Kilnsea Wetlands NR (East Yorkshire) on 27th-30th; at Broom South Quarry (Bedfordshire) on 28th; at Cley NWT (Norfolk) on 29th-30th; and on 29th at Nosterfield LNR (North Yorkshire), two at Swaffham Prior Fen (Cambridgeshire), and one at Sheringham (Norfolk) – before on 30th a fresh surge brought birds to Sidlesham Ferry (West Sussex), Low Newton-by-the-Sea (Northumberland), Anderby Creek (Lincolnshire), Frampton Marsh RSPB (Lincolnshire), Edderthorpe Flash (South Yorkshire), and another at Cley NWT.
Dotterel too were holding up their end of the spring deal – some 70 birds were recorded over the course of recent days, with some appreciable groups in their number – a mighty 30 birds were on Scafell Pike (Cumbria) on 1st, while nine were at St Osyth (Essex) on 25th-26th; while the best of several trips in Wales were six birds seen at Carnedd Llewelyn (Conwy) on 27th, albeit a dozen were reported on 30th from Foel Fras (Gwynedd).
A Kentish Plover was seen in flight in Hampshire on 30th at Hurst Beach.
An adult American Golden Plover was present at Farlington Marshes HWT (Hampshire) on 30th; and another on 1st at St Aidan’s RSPB (West Yorkshire).
A Lesser Yellowlegs was present at Harper’s Island (Co.Cork0 on 29th-1st.
Finally, a Red-necked Phalarope was found on 1st at Minsmere RSPB (Suffolk).
Somewhat overshadowed in the gull stakes this week by bigger news in every sense from West Yorkshire, a first-summer Franklin’s Gull seen passing Prawle Point (Devon) on 29th was nonetheless an excellent find.
Glaucous Gull continued to dwindle to almost nothing – birds were seen this week at Girdle Ness (Aberdeenshire) on 26th-28th, at Seaton Point (Northumberland) on 26th, and at Gills Bay (Highland & Caithness) on 28th.
Iceland Gull fared little better – birds were noted from Tiree (Argyll & Bute) on 25th and 28th; Haverton Hill (Cleveland) on 25th still; Smerwick Harbour (Co.Kerry) on 26th; Girdle Ness (Aberdeenshire) on 26th-27th; at Beachy Head (East Sussex) on 27th-29th; at Crows-an-wra (Cornwall) on 27th; and at Maywick (Shetland) on 30th.
The juvenile Kumlien’s Gull was again at Aber Ogwen (Gwynedd) on 26th.
Our only confirmed notable tern this week was in Dorset, where the Forster’s Tern was again seen in Poole Harbour on the lagoon at Brownsea Island on 25th.
An unconfirmed report, however, came of a Caspian Tern seen passing Beachy Head (East Sussex) on 30th.
As we’ve seen in the headlines, notable rare raptors were out there in recent days, but more commonplace scarcities were on the move too. Black Kite were seen in Norfolk at Strumpshaw on 25th and Holt on 27th; at Gobowen (Shropshire) on 27th; and in Cornwall at Bathpool on 29th. Another unconfirmed report came from Cornwall on 29th at Marazion Marsh RSPB. On 30th the sightings came thick and fast – from Scilly on St Mary’s; and in Cornwall at Marazion Marsh RSPB again, and Pendeen, Botallack, St Levan, Canon’s Town, and Carnon Downs. One had made it as far north as North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 1st.
Speaking of Cornwall, the annual gathering in the county of young Red Kite, like teenagers hanging out around a bus-shelter, has begun in earnest again. It’ll be interesting to see what else is drawn southwest with them, if anything.
A female Red-footed Falcon was seen on 30th on Bryher (Scilly). On 1st a male was found at Ewe Bottom (East Sussex), and females at Shelley (Suffolk), and Mapplewell (South Yorkshire).
Our weekly passerines section kicks off once more with Hoopoe, whose numbers are dwindling now but are still notable – some 20 birds were seen (and heard) this past week. What a spring for them it’s been.
Two Alpine Swift were seen motoring through Monmouth (Gwent) on 28th.
Our Bee-eater this week were one seen in Ireland at Carrickboyle (Co.Donegal) on 25th, and another on 30th on St Martin’s (Scilly) before, on 1st, the kaleidoscope spun into life with birds seen in East Yorkshire at Buckton, Kilnsea and Spurn; in Co.Wexford at Churchtown and Tacumshin; and one reported on Anglesey at Rhosneigr.
Wryneck meanwhile were seen at Cley (Norfolk) on 26th and 28th, and at Fowlmere RSPB (Cambridgeshire) on 26th-27th. On 30th additional birds were seen at Earith Bridge (Cambridgeshire), Middleton Lakes RSPB (Warwickshire), and St Mary’s (Scilly).
A fine male Red-backed Shrike was an early bird at Farlington Marshes HWT (Hampshire) on 25th.
A good haul of Woodchat Shrike were logged this past week – on Tresco (Scilly) on 26th-29th; at Kelynack Valley (Cornwall) on 26th-27th; at Anstruther (Fife) on 27th-29th; on Bardsey (Gwynedd) on 29th; on Bryher (Scilly) on 30th; on St Mary’s (Scilly) on 30th; and on Lundy (Devon) on 30th.
A Great Grey Shrike remained, for its sixth day, near Charing (Kent) on 25th.
The Short-toed Lark remained on Fair Isle (Shetland) on 25th-1st, while the recent St Mary’s (Scilly) individual stayed put until 1st, joined there by a second individual on 28th-30th. A single bird was seen on Bryher (Scilly) on 27th; and another on 30th at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford).
Red-rumped Swallow were seen this week on 29th at Bardsey (Gwynedd), Godmersham (Kent), Flamborough (East Yorkshire), and Cape Clear (Co.Cork); on 30th at Spurn (East Yorkshire) and Rimac (Lincolnshire); and on 1st at South Foreland (Kent), in East Yorkshire at Patrington Haven and Withernsea, and on Bardsey (Gwynedd).
Spring colour came lately courtesy of Golden Oriole near Wicklow Head (Co.Wicklow) on 26th-27th, at Termoncarragh Lough (Co.Mayo) briefly on 29th; and on St Mary’s (Scilly) on 26th-1st; on Bryher (Scilly) on 30th-1st; on 30th at Ardmore (Co.Waterford), and on Inishbofin (Co.Galway); and on 1st on St Martin’s (Scilly), and at Mullion and Devoran (Cornwall), and at Dowrog Common (Pembrokeshire).
An Iberian Chiffchaff was trapped and ringed on Cape Clear (Co.Cork) on 30th.
Three widely scattered Yellow-browed Warbler were logged this week – one on Foula (Shetland) on 25th; one still at Flamborough (East Yorkshire) on 25th-26th; and one in Norfolk at Holt on a site with no general access on 27th.
A possible Marsh Warbler was heard in song in East Sussex at Coldean on 28th.
More unequivocal was the shouty vocalisation of a singing Great Reed Warbler in Cambridgeshire at Ouse Fen RSPB on 25th-1st, followed on 30th by the finding of another in Norfolk at Hickling Broad NWT.
The singing Savi’s Warbler remained at Marazion Marsh RSPB (Cornwall) on 25th-1st; and another was singing in Leicestershire at Cossington Meadows LRWT on 27th-29th.
Skokholm (Pembrokeshire) landed itself a male Eastern Subalpine Warbler on 29th, with another found on Lundy (Devon) on 1st. A female Subalpine Warbler sp was present on Shetland at Scatness on 25th; with another possible reported from Poole (Dorset) on 28th.
The singing male white-spotted Bluethroat was back in Gloucestershire at Slimbridge WWT on 29th-1st.
An eastern stonechat sp, thought probable Siberian Stonechat, was found on Noss (Shetland) on 25th.
A Citrine Wagtail was found on 28th at Land’s End (Cornwall).
A possible cinereocapilla Ashy-headed Wagtail was found on 30th at Seaton Point (Northumberland).
Over the water on Scilly, a Tawny Pipit was seen on Bryher on 27th.
Norfolk meanwhile had a flyover Richard’s Pipit at Winterton North Dunes on 28th; and another headed north over North Foreland (Kent) on 1st.
A Red-throated Pipit was found in Northumberland on 27th at Budle Bay.
Some half a dozen Serin were seen this week – starting in Shetland, the Unst bird remained more or less faithful to Norwick on 25th-1st; birds were noted at Selsey Bill (West Sussex) on 26th and 27th; one was seen at The Naze (Essex) on 29th; and probables on 27th at Durlston CP (Dorset) and Freswick (Highland & Caithness). On 30th a probable was reported on St Mary’s (Scilly), with a confirmed bird on Bryher that day also.
The damnable drake Spectacled Eider was still being seen in the Netherlands off Texel on 25th-26th. No matter how much wishful thinking we’ve directed its way, it’s not going to happen, is it?
In Norway, a Brown Booby was seen at Brentetangan on 27th.
Denmark meanwhile scored a Crested Honey Buzzard at Skagen on 1st.
In France, a Bridled Tern was on Ile aux Moutons on 25th.
On Cyprus the Lesser Moorhen remained at Agia Varvara on 25th-28th.
In Kuwait the Indian Pond Heron remained at Sulaibikhat on 25th.
And finally, a Bateleur was seen sharing Georgian and Azerbaijani airspace at Udabno on 29th.
It’s May! And while May’s no October, it’s a none too shabby month for rare passerines being found in Britain and Ireland.
What can the first week of May in years past teach us? Apart, obviously, from the sheer futility of using precedent as any sort of guide where rare birds are concerned.
There’s plenty of eye-watering fare to look back upon… not least the Yorkshire Rock Bunting at Bolton Abbey on 8th May 2012 (oh, the controversy at the time!), or the Yellow-browed Bunting on Hoy (Orkney) on 4th-5th May 1998. Then there was the Lesser Short-toed Lark sp on Portland (Dorset) on 2nd May 1992…
All unimaginable stuff. The coming week is certainly prime time for a good warbler, be it one of the various flavours of Subalpine Warbler, or something rarer still – there’s past records of Spectacled, Asian Desert, and Eastern Bonelli’s.
It’s also getting towards the time of year when a Thrush Nightingale or Collared Flycatcher could drift our way. More attainable stuff than high octane buntings or warblers, perhaps…
Jon Dunn
Many thanks to all this week's contributors for your photos and videos
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