Weekly birding round-up: 5 - 11 Sept
While the biggest news of the week was the unprecedented influx of Glossy Ibis into Britain and Ireland, a decent seasoning of additional rarities and scarcities was on offer for birders the length and breadth of the region, whether their radars were set for migrant passerines or their eyes scanning longingly out to sea. Or they were in the market for a top drawer raptor. This was a classic early autumn week, with something for almost everyone.
Last seen in Gloucestershire at Frampton in the morning of 21st August, one assumes that one and the same Black-winged Kite accounts for that which settled this week in Norfolk at Hickling Broad NWT. First reported from there on 7th, it shortly transpired that the bird had first been seen there on 5th – and it remained lodged there as the week unfolded up to and including 11th.
Views were, typically, distant – but who was complaining, given the gravity and heft of the status of such a rarity in these parts. The parallels with 2023 were striking, for that year, in the wake of Britain’s first being found near Newtown (Powys) on 18th April, a Black-winged Kite arrived at none other than Hickling Broad NWT on 17th July, and remained in the area off and on until 20th.
This begs some briefly diverting idle speculation. Is this week’s bird one and the same individual as the 2023 bird? And if so, what was it up to in 2024 that it slipped under the radar… and more to the point, where’s it spending each summer? Maybe in the fullness of time we’ll stumble upon a summering bird somewhere in Britain, and can infer some answers to the questions that these sporadic annual appearances pose.
Still posing a big prize for the seawatchers in our number, a South Polar Skua was seen passing Pendeen Watch (Cornwall) in the morning of 11th.
We’re far from the end of the period in which it’s worth devoting time to gazing towards distant, watery horizons, as firmly evidenced by the seabirds recorded this past week, which were characterised by quality and quantity alike.
Starting with Fea’s Petrel sp, the North Sea enjoyed a slice of the action in recent days, with a bird noted heading north from a pelagic out of Staithes (North Yorkshire) on 6th. This conceivably also accounted for the bird tracked going north up the east coast on 10th, seen from Whitburn CP (Co.Durham), Seaton Sluice (Northumberland), and Snab Point (Northumberland). Cornish records on 10th came from Pendeen and Porthgwarra.
Wilson’s Petrel meanwhile were suddenly a rather scarcer commodity than of late, with considerably fewer overall logged during the course of the week. Five were seen from the Scilly pelagic of 8th, and three on 11th; and singletons from Brandon Point (Co.Kerry) on 7th, Porthgwarra (Cornwall) on 9th, and Lizard Point (Cornwall) on 9th also.
Numbers of Leach’s Petrel also diminished, albeit there were still 70 birds logged around Britain and Ireland as a whole this week. Comfortably the largest tally of their kind were the 30 seen at Bridges of Ross (Co.Clare) on 10th.
If their numbers were down, the same simply couldn’t be said of Great Shearwater - a smidgen over 55,000 birds were noted this week, of which some 53,000 seen from Lizard Point (Cornwall) on 9th comfortably made up the lion’s share.
By comparison, a mere 9,000 Cory’s Shearwarer seem somewhat small beer… of these, the best single site count were 3,600 seen from Cape Clear (Co.Cork) on 6th.
Some 1,350 Balearic Shearwater were a drop in the ocean compared to their larger brethren. The peak count of their kind this week were 325 seen from Seaton (Devon) on 6th.
Finally, a shade over 40 Pomarine Skua and 50 Long-tailed Skua were logged during the week. The best count of either came from the latter species, with seven Long-tailed seen from Lizard Point (Cornwall) on 9th.
It would be terribly remiss of us to open the long-legged beasties account this week with anything but Glossy Ibis. A mere Black Stork or Squacco Heron is not, under the circumstances, going to cut the mustard…
We’re fond in these parts, being of a certain grizzled vintage, of reminiscing about the good old days during which some of us gathered on the Lampen Wall at Stodmarsh NNR (Kent) to wait anxiously for a brief glimpse of a Glossy Ibis coming in to roost of an evening. Seeing it was far from a foregone conclusion on any given day and, for many a callow young birder back then, success often represented our first British experience of their kind.
How times have changed. These days we’re accustomed to them being a weekly fixture somewhere in Britain or Ireland, year-round. They even have a go at breeding from time to time. But still, they’ve yet to follow the lead of erstwhile Rarity Round Up stalwarts Great White Egret and White Stork, dropped from the weekly summaries for, respectively, resounding colonial success and ‘rewilding’ f#ckwittery.
That might just be about to change if this past week’s unprecedented influx of Glossy Ibis proves to be the resounding shot across our bows that, at face value, it appears to be. It’s hard to quantify what’s just happened in mere numbers, for as the week went on reports of Glossy Ibis began to get silly, dominating the daily newsfeeds. Records came and went at county and national level with some alacrity.
And birds came and went too – presumably originating from the Iberian Peninsula (though the Camargue population is none too shabby either these days), these birds had, by virtue of making it to Britain and Ireland, already proven their impeccable wandering credentials. Once here, why stop now? Numbers ebbed and flowed at regular sites, and fresh sightings cropped up hither and thither with every passing day.
Four birds in Somerset at Chew Valley Lake still on 5th soon turned into a remarkable 24 present there on 6th. 24 birds? A mere bagatelle. 72 birds present there on 8th had sharpened into 74 by 9th, and at least 80 on 11th. Which sounds like a lot, but this had already been comfortably eclipsed by the 92 logged in Cornwall on 8th at Walmsley Sanctuary CBWPS. It’s tempting to say the latter flock also accounts for the 91 seen on 8th over Sharpham Marsh (Devon) but really, can one be sure? There were hundreds of Glossy Ibis at large in Britain and Ireland this past week…
Whatever next? Presumably here as the consequence of a successful breeding season this year in their heartland and, latterly, wetlands there drying up as the summer wore on, the influx will surely continue into the weeks ahead. Selfishly, there’s never been a better chance to self-find a Glossy Ibis on your local patch… and beyond that, it’ll be fascinating to see if this marks the line in the sand when Glossy Ibis gained the critical mass to fully wedge a foot in the door as a regular member of Britain’s breeding avifauna.
All of which rather overshadowed the lovely Squacco Heron present in Cambridgeshire on 8th at Grafham Water, or the bird seen on Great Island (Co.Cork) on 7th…
…and the departure of the long-staying juvenile Black Stork last seen in Suffolk at Boyton Marshes RSPB on 5th.
The recent Spotted Crake remained at Sandwich Bay (Kent) on 5th-10th; another was present at Thornwick Pools (East Yorkshire) on 8th; and a further probable seen in flight in Norfolk at Hickling Broad NWT on 7th.
Migrant Corncrake popped up at Toab (Orkney Mainland) and the Plym Estuary (Devon) on 9th.
Onto the honkers and quackers, and starting with the former, the recent white morph Snow Goose in Ayrshire was seen again on 8th at Martnaham Loch.
Moving to the quackers, an old familiar was again seen this week – the drake Black Duck again on Cross Lough (Co.Mayo) on 9th.
Ferruginous Duck were again seen this week in Norfolk on Filby Broad on 6th-10th, and at Draycote Water (Warwickshire) on 9th-11th.
Both recent Lesser Scaup remained at Belvide Reservoir (Staffordshire) on 5th-7th, with one still there on 8th-9th.
In Clyde the drake Ring-necked Duck remained this week at Bingham’s Pond (Clyde) on 7th; another was found on 5th at Angliham (Co.Galway); and a female at Longtown Ponds (Cumbria) on 8th.
In Scotland the second-winter drake White-winged Scoter remained at Musselburgh Lagoons (Lothian) on 8th, while the drake Surf Scoter was also still present there on 8th-10th.
American waders continued to make the running this week where shorebirds were concerned. We can get our now resident Western Sandpiper in Ayrshire out of the way – still present at Maidens on 5th-11th – and move on to more recent arrivals…
Semipalmated Sandpiper remained at Ballycotton (Co.Cork) and Tramore Backstrand (Co.Waterford) on 5th; and another was found at Millbrook (Cornwall) on 9th.
Lingering Baird’s Sandpiper were still to be seen on North Uist (Western Isles) on 5th-9th, and at Annagh (Co.Mayo) on 9th. Further birds were seen this week at Eyebrook Reservoir (Leicestershire) on 5th, a superb land-locked county record; at Siblyback Lake (Cornwall) on 7th-11th; and at Myroe Levels (Co.Derry) on 10th-11th.
White-rumped Sandpiper remained at East Chevington NWT (Northumberland) on 5th-6th; at Carrahane Strand (Co.Kerry) on 8th-11th; and Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) on 5th-11th.
Two Buff-breasted Sandpiper remained at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) on 5th, with one still there on 6th-11th; North Ronaldsay (Orkney) also retained a bird on 5th-11th. Additional individuals this week were found at Titchwell RSPB (Norfolk) briefly on 5th; at Llanrhidian Marsh (Glamorgan) on 6th-8th; on St Mary’s (Scilly) on 6th-10th; on Benbecula (Western Isles) on 9th; and on Holy Island (Northumberland) on 10th. The pace quickened on 11th with three found in Cornwall at Colliford Lake, and singles at Rough Point (Co.Kerry) and on Papa Westray (Orkney).
Pectoral Sandpiper put in a decent showing again this week, with 20 birds recorded across the region, including two together at Siblyback Lake (Cornwall) on 10th-11th.
Just the one Temminck’s Stint was seen regularly this past week, this being the bird still present in Essex at Holland Haven CP on 5th-11th; while another was briefly seen on 10th at Pinvin (Worcestershire), and remained at Throckmorton Landfill on 11th; and another was found on 11th at Manby Flashes (Lincolnshire).
A Great Snipe was found on Fair Isle (Shetland) on 10th.
American Golden Plover threatened double figures again this week, with eight or nine birds logged in all – still on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 6th-7th, Rogerstown Estuary (Co.Dublin) on 5th-9th, and at Doonbeg (Co.Clare) on 8th-9th; in Lancashire & North Merseyside at Hesketh Out Marsh RSPB on 5th and near Freckleton on 6th-7th; at Jury’s Gap (East Sussex) on 5th-9th; in off the sea in Cornwall at Land’s End on 6th, and presumably the same bird at Nanjizal that same day; on South Uist (Western Isles) on 7th; at Carrahane Strand (Co.Kerry) on 11th; and a probable at Par (Cornwall) on 7th.
Pacific Golden Plover were seen this week at Waxham (Norfolk) on 6th-8th, and Bempton Cliffs RSPB (East Yorkshire) on 8th.
Numbers of Dotterel held firm, with 16 birds in all noted nationwide, and some small parties in that total – three at Dungeness (Kent) on 6th, two on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 8th-11th, and two on St Martin’s (Scilly) on 9th-11th.
A juvenile Marsh Sandpiper pitched down at Musselburgh (Lothian) on 6th-11th.
Regular recent Lesser Yellowlegs were seen again this week at Kidwelly Quay (Carmarthenshire) on 6th-11th, and reported again at Leighton Moss RSPB (Lancashire & North Merseyside) on 6th.
Grey Phalarope numbers remained strong, with 90 birds logged over the course of recent days – a peak count of their kind coming from Bridges of Ross (Co.Clare) where seven were noted on 10th. A few Red-necked Phalarope were also on the move – single birds being found at Radyr (Glamorgan) on 7th-8th; Titchwell RSPB (Norfolk) on 8th-11th; on Holy Island (Northumberland) on 9th-11th; and at Cors Ddyga RSPB (Angelesey) on 9th.
Numbers of Sabine’s Gull lately, were this not in the wake of a week in which almost 1,500 birds had been recorded, were excellent, with some 100 birds logged. Peak counts were correspondingly somewhat more modest too, with five seen respectively at Llanon (Ceredigion) on 5th, and Helvick Head (Co.Waterford) on 6th; and 14 at Bridges of Ross (Co.Clare) on 10th.
The first-summer Laughing Gull was still at Trabeg (Co.Kerry) on 7th-8th.
In Kent, the adult Bonaparte’s Gull remained at Oare Marshes KWT on 5th-7th.
An adult Ring-billed Gull was again seen at reliable site for the species Blennerville (Co.Kerry) on 9th.
Finally, a second-winter Ross’s Gull was reported from Nigg Bay (Aberdeenshire) on 11th.
In Kent, a juvenile Montagu’s Harrier was seen at Dungeness on 8th.
Cornwall continued to dominate our Black Kite sightings, with a bird noted at Bartinney Downs on 6th, Drift Reservoir on 6th and 9th-11th, Polgigga on 7th-8th, and Porthgwarra on 8th. Away from here, a bird was reported in Lancashire & North Merseyside at Leighton Moss RSPB on 5th.
There was a resolutely autumnal tang in the air this week but, before we get into the bones of that, in Suffolk we’ve still got a taste of summer in the form of the Walberswick Zitting Cisticola - at least three of the family still present there on 8th.
Moving across the south of England, a Booted Warbler was trapped and ringed on Portland (Dorset) on 8th.
Melodious Warbler were the exclusive preserve of the south, with birds logged this week at Predannack Wollas (Cornwall) on 6th, St Mary’s (Scilly) on 7th, and at East Soar (Devon) on 8th; and in Co.Cork at Sheep Cove on 7th-8th. Another possible was seen at Dungeness (Kent) on 7th.
Icterine Warbler on the other hand had a more northerly bias – birds being seen in Shetland on Fair Isle on 5th-9th and Whalsay on 8th; in Co.Durham at Whitburn CP on 8th-9th and Whitburn on 9th; and at Barns Ness (Lothian) on 7th-9th.
Honours divided between north and south for Marsh Warbler - a southern example being found on Bryher (Scilly) on 5th, and a northern bird on Shetland Mainland at Exnaboe on 8th.
A Blyth’s Reed Warbler was present on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 8th.
There’s always a little fanfare for the first, and rightly so for all they’re nowadays a bread-and-butter bird in a good autumn, as nobody’s day was ever made worse for seeing a smart fresh Yellow-browed Warbler - and the autumn’s first pitched down in Northumberland on 10th at Prestwick Carr followed, the next day, by another on Fair Isle (Shetland) in the morning of 11th.
Some half a dozen Greenish Warbler were found in recent days – at Ulrome on 7th-11th, Thornwick Bay on 7th-8th, and on Flamborough (East Yorkshire) on 8th; on Shetland Mainland at Quendale on 8th; trapped and ringed on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 9th; at Rattray Head (Aberdeenshire) on 9th; and trapped and ringed on Fair Isle (Shetland) on 10th.
Arctic Warbler were found in Essex at Great Wigborough on 5th-6th, and on Fetlar (Shetland) on 6th.
A couple of Western Bonelli’s Warbler were seen – again on Lundy (Devon) on 5th; and near West Runton (Norfolk) on 8th. A Bonelli’s Warbler sp was also present on St Martin’s (Scilly) on 6th.
Some 25 Barred Warbler were seen lately – with impressive counts coming from the northern isles, with nine birds on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 8th, and seven on Fair Isle (Shetland) the same day.
Hand in hand with the arrival of Glossy Ibis from the south, fair numbers of Hoopoe also dropped in – some 20 birds being recorded this past week.
A Golden Oriole added a touch of additional glamour on Westray (Orkney) on 8th.
Wryneck proved numerous this week, with around 65 birds seen, including two on St Aldhelm’s Head (Dorset) on 6th.
A shade over a dozen Red-backed Shrike were found in recent days, with two present at Dungeness (Kent) on 9th.
A Short-toed Lark was seen in Norfolk at Burnham Deepdale on 9th.
In Co.Dublin on 11th a Red-rumped Swallow was found over Rush.
Pallid Swift continued to be found this week, with three at St Abb’s Head (Borders) on 8th, and a singleton in Suffolk at Orford Castle on 5th. A further bird was reported from Fishtown of Usan (Angus) on 11th.
In Devon the juvenile Rose-coloured Starling remained in Wembury on 5th-6th.
A Red-breasted Flycatcher was on Fair Isle (Shetland) on 7th.
Further north, on Shetland Mainland on 9th, another autumnal staple, a Citrine Wagtail in Lerwick.
A flyover Richard’s Pipit was noted in Lancashire & North Merseyside at Fairhaven Lake on 6th.
Some 20 Common Rosefinch were an emphatic statement that autumn was upon us. While most were in the northern isles, a couple of outliers were also on the cards – one trapped and ringed on Lundy (Devon) on 5th, and another on Bardsey (Gwynedd) on 9th. North Ronaldsay (Orkney) scored a peak of four birds present on 8th, slightly overshadowing Fair Isle’s (Shetland) trio of birds on 5th.
A Serin flew through Kingsdown Leas (Kent) on 6th.
Ortolan Bunting were heard at Ash Vale (Surrey) on 5th, and Portland (Dorset) on 7th.
And finally, a Black-headed Bunting was found on 10th on Bryher (Scilly).
If it was beginning to feel a lot like autumn close to home, it was a little further afield too, with some quality migrants turning up that we’d certainly welcome should their ilk land here any day soon.
Starting in France, a Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler was trapped and ringed in Le Havre on 9th.
A Sykes’s Warbler was present at Torhamn (Sweden) on 6th-7th.
In the Netherlands the recent Western Swamphen remained at Zevenhuizen on 11th.
In Spain, the White-tailed Lapwing remained on the Ebro Delta on 7th-11th, with a Spur-winged Lapwing also in the area on 10th; and the long-staying Cape Gull at Laredo on 8th-10th. Five Elegant Tern were present at Punta de San Felipe on 10th, and one at Barbate on 11th.
In Iceland, the drake White-winged Scoter remained off Reykjavik on 11th.
Further afield still, Willet were on Cape Verde on Boa Vista again on 6th, and Sal on 8th.
Finally, in Algeria a Tawny Eagle was present near Sidi Bel Abbes on 8th.
Low pressure. That’s what seems set to dominate the weather in the coming week. And while it’s not high pressure over Scandinavia good, nor is it necessarily blanket bad news. The second week of September can deliver the Nearctic goods, if the birding gods smile upon us.
Since the turn of the century a glittering array of American warblers have made it to Britain and Ireland in the coming week – in 2005 a Yellow Warbler in Shetland; in 2009 a Blackburnian Warbler in the Western Isles; in 2011 Black-and-white Warbler and Northern Waterthrush to Scilly; in 2013 it was a Wilson’s Warbler in Co.Cork; and in 2016, Common Yellowthroat in Co.Derry.
So low pressure can be good. And for more than warblers – other passerines are available too. While all the above boast but single records for the coming week, there’ve been four Bobolink found in the coming days, the latest of which was on Portland (Dorset) on 14th-18th September 1992. Time for a reprise, perhaps?
Jon Dunn
5 September 2025
Many thanks to all this week's contributors for your photos and videos
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