Weekly birding round-up: 19 - 25 Sept
Gripping news broke this past week as the intrepid crew of birders who’d braved the open waters of the Atlantic on the Challenger returned to connectivity, and we learned of the extent of their incredible pelagic adventure. Meanwhile, on dry land, the first fall of decent Siberian vagrants of the autumn was upon us, with birders on the British mainland enjoying a rare chance at an accessible hitherto Shetland speciality. Autumn was starting to move through the gears now.
The previous Challenger charter out to the open Atlantic and towards the continental shelf edge in 2024 proved a resounding success, with (among other seabird treasures) a Desertas Petrel and at least two Band-rumped Petrel sp logged. The scene was very much set for a return in 2025, but who could have foretold just how well this would go.
As the intrepid few came back into signal this week we learned of just how well they’d done – a staggering minimum of 95 Band-rumped Petrel sp had been seen, with 84 of those tallied on 19th alone. Mind-blowing stuff. Time will tell how regular these birds prove to be out there – is this a reliable early autumn locale for them? – and then, of course, there’s the small matter of getting out there to see them – this will surely never be an easy proposition. One for the most dedicated and determined of birders…
With a little over 50 past British records of their kind, Swainson’s Thrush is one of the more regular Catharus thrushes on these shores. The Western Isles have enjoyed seven birds to date, from the first on South Uist on 6th October 1996 to the most recent, a one-day bird on St Kilda on 10th September 2024.
In between those birds there’ve been three on Barra, including one in the classic Nearctic vagrant autumn of 2023. This week the island added its fourth record, a bird found at Cuithir on 20th, still present there on 22nd, and very well-received indeed.
Granted, they’re not the rarest bird on the British list by a long chalk, but any Pechora Pipit seen away from the Scottish isles and Shetland in particular is always a momentous occasion. While we’ve over 110 British accepted records on the books to date, Shetland casts a very long shadow over the rest of Britain, with over 95 of those birds owing themselves to the archipelago.
In a nutshell, it’s the place to see your Pechora, but that involves some commitment to being there at the opportune autumn moment. Mainland Britain gets the crumbs from the table. The 1990s were a good time for them – Cornwall enjoyed three records in the course of the decade; Dorset a one-day bird in 1990; North Yorkshire a one-day bird in 1994; and Aberdeenshire a one-day bird in 1993.
More recently, there was the late autumn bird in Pembrokeshire that spent at Goodwick Moor on 19th-23rd November 2007. All in all, this should paint a picture of not many opportunities for those who aren’t prepared to invest a speculative week or three of their lives to being on Shetland at the right time of year. Any mainland British bird that sticks around for more than a day is bound to prove a popular draw. Especially one whose stay includes at least part of a weekend…
And so it proved this past week, with the discovery of a Pechora Pipit in the proven Siberian vagrant surroundings of Trow Quarry (Co.Durham) on 21st-22nd. While it could prove elusive, this was still a rare opportunity to connect with one of the classic Sibes, and one that was gladly seized by a number of birders lately.
Firmly heralding the arrival of some Siberian birds of high calibre this week was the discovery on 19th of not one but two Brown Shrike. These, unlike the obliging Pechora, weren’t having any of this British mainland nonsense, and had elected to arrive in more traditional, inaccessible quarters – namely, on small Scottish islands.
There was a time when Brown Shrike was right up there as one of the mythical Sibes, the stuff of birding legend, that one bird seen at Sumburgh (Shetland) on 30th September – 2nd October 1985, and nothing since. Then came the turn of the new century, Fair Isle unblocked it for Britain with a one-day bird on 21st October 2000, and as the noughties progressed something changed – not quite an annual species, but not far off. That decade culminated with the improbable wintering bird in Surrey that saw out the end of 2009 and the start of 2010 at Staines Moor. And still the birds have kept coming ever since.
None of which is to undermine their allure. Like a Red-flanked Bluetail, they retain some star quality. Regularity certainly shouldn’t breed contempt.
This week’s Shetland bird wasn’t hanging around, but the Orkney individual chose to linger on Papa Westray until 22nd.
Nor was that the end of the week’s account, for on 25th another was found, this time in North Yorkshire at Hunmanby Gap. Time was when that would have set birders’ pulses (and cars) racing rather more than it does nowadays.
Providing some more American nuance to the week’s headlines, an American Pipit was found on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 23rd, and seen again on there on 25th. Orkney’s northernmost island enjoys something of an Orcadian monopoly on the species to date, with four past records (of five birds) to its credit – the only record off the island being on Orkney Mainland at Yesnaby on 27th September 2010.
What a year it’s already been for Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler, with a feeling of an erstwhile mega’s status changing before our very eyes… We began the year with a showy bird on Whalsay (Shetland) on 19th-23rd April; moved to one on Barra (Western Isles) on 15th May; and then yet another bird, this time obligingly down in Kent at Dungeness on 25th May.
And this week just gone, gilding the island’s lily that little bit further in the wake of a showy Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler found on there the previous day, Unst (Shetland) scored our fourth Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler of the year.
Would you bet against another being found somewhere in the coming few weeks? Nope, us neither.
As even the most cursory glance at the headlines will tell us, the seabird season was far from done with us this past week. Granted, the hottest action was way out at sea and out of sight of land, but even land-based observers had, at the very least, some spectacle to enjoy if not outright rarity – just ask the observers of the 20,000 Great Shearwater noted passing The Lizard (Cornwall) on 19th. Overall, at least 34,000 of them were seen during the week; while a far more modest 550 or so Cory’s Shearwater were logged across Britain and Ireland.
More modest still, a mere 165 Balearic Shearwater were recorded in recent days.
A mere 20 or so Leach’s Petrel were noted lately, with trios seen on 21st from Kilcummin Head (Co.Mayo) and Ramore Head (Co.Antrim) about the best of them.
A White-billed Diver was seen heading west past Strathy Point (Highland & Caithness) on 22nd; and a probable off Hartlepool Headland (Cleveland) on 22nd-23rd.
Around 60 Pomarine Skua were seen this week, with six off Fife Ness (Fife) on 23rd the highest single site tally; and 45 Long-tailed Skua, with a peak count of six from Sheringham (Norfolk) on 21st notable.
So very many Glossy Ibis still – and, with half an eye lately in Andalusia, your own correspondent can report there are still plenty where those came from. But closer to home, hundreds remained this week, with a peak count coming again from Chew Valley Lake (Somerset) where, on 21st, at least 91 birds were present.
Purple Heron this past week were seen at Beesands Ley (Devon) on 19th, and at Dungarvan (Co.Waterford) on 21st; and another was reported on 21st at Cowbit (Lincolnshire).
Widely separate Corncrake were found on 23rd on Out Skerries (Shetland), and St Mary’s (Scilly), following one being found lurking around the back door of Iceland in Ramsgate (Kent) on 22nd.
Moving on to the honkers and quackers and, starting with the former, in Lancashire & North Merseyside an interior Todd’s Canada Goose was back at Banks Marsh NNR on 21st, and Hesketh Out Marsh RSPB on 22nd.
Up on Shetland, Blue-winged Teal were seen lately on Unst on 19th, and then on Mainland at Loch of Hillwell on 21st-25th.
In Warwickshire a drake Lesser Scaup was present on Draycote Water on 19th; one remained at Aqualate Mere (Staffordshire) on 21st; an eclipse drake was seen on Stanford Reservoir (Northamptonshire) on 23rd-24th; and a bird on Loch Leven (Perth & Kinross) on 23rd also. In Co.Donegal a drake settled on Inch Island Lake on 21st-22nd.
Drake Ring-necked Duck were seen this week in Shetland on Mainland at Loch of Tingwall on 19th-25th, and Loch of Freester on 23rd; and at Mytchett GPs (Cambridgeshire) on 20th-21st. On 24th, three birds were present at Wild Nelpin NP (Co.Mayo).
The drake Ferruginous Duck remained at Draycote Water (Warwickshire) on 19th-23rd.
As for seaduck, the two drake White-winged Scoter were again seen in Lunan Bay (Angus) on 23rd, with one still there on 25th; and the second-winter drake again off Musselburgh (Lothian) on 24th-25th.
A drake Surf Scoter was also seen in Lunan Bay this week on 23rd; and the drake remained off Musselburgh (Lothian) on 19th-25th, with two seen in Gosford Bay on 23rd.
The weekly waders remained an entertaining lot, with plenty still going on, and yes, the resident Western Sandpiper remained in Ayrshire, still present at Maidens on 19th-25th.
In Ireland the Semipalmated Sandpiper was still to be seen in Co.Kerry at Trabeg on 20th, with another seen in Co.Cork at The Gearagh on 19th; and a Shetland bird on Mainland at Melby Beach on 25th, with a Scilly bird on Bryher that day also.
Co.Kerry also retained a White-rumped Sandpiper at Black Rock (Co.Kerry) on 19th; and another this week was seen at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) again on 21st.
The Western Isles did well for Baird’s Sandpiper, with a bird still present on St Kilda on 20th-23rd joined there by a second individual on 23rd, and further sightings on South Uist on 19th and 22nd-25th. Elsewhere, British examples were seen in Norfolk at North Point Pools on 19th, on the Otter Estuary (Devon) on 20th-21st, and at Runswick Bay (North Yorkshire) on 22nd; and Irish records came from Co.Cork at Ring Strand on 20th, and Coolmain on 22nd.
Numbers of Buff-breasted Sandpiper faded this week, with six logged across the region. On 19th birds were seen on Lundy (Devon), Foula (Shetland), and at Achnahaird (Highland & Caithness); one lingered at Jury’s Gap (East Sussex) on 22nd-23rd; another was seen in Co.Wexford at Tacumshin on 21st-23rd; and one at Lough Beg (Co.Derry) on 25th.
Pectoral Sandpiper on the other hand remained positively numerous, with some 25 birds in all noted in Britain and Ireland as a whole. Several sites were blessed with more than one bird – duos being seen at Salthouse (Norfolk) on 19th-25th; Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) on 20th; Low Newton (Northumberland) on 22nd-23rd; Hayle Estuary RSPB (Cornwall) on 23rd-24th; and Chew Valley Lake (Somerset) on 25th.
The juvenile Marsh Sandpiper remained settled at Musselburgh (Lothian) on 19th-25th.
A Temminck’s Stint was seen at Cheddar Reservoir (Somerset) on 25th.
In Cambridgeshire the Lesser Yellowlegs remained at Etton Maxey Pits on 19th-25th; another was at The Gearagh (Co.Cork) on 19th-21st; a further Irish bird on 24th at Kilcoole (Co.Wicklow); and one was found on 24th-25th at Loughor (Glamorgan).
Orkney’s Long-billed Dowitcher was still present on Sanday on 20th; one also remained at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) on 20th-24th; and a bird was seen in Co.Cork at Harper’s Island on 24th.
Numbers of American Golden Plover fell away again this past week, with nine logged in Britain and Ireland. Two were present at Carrahane Strand (Co.Kerry) on 20th, with one still there on 25th; and singletons on Rogerstown Estuary (Co.Dublin) still on 20th-21st, over Inishbofin (Co.Galway) on 20th, at Doonbeg Bay (Co.Clare) still on 20th, at Myroe Levels (Co.Derry) still on 20th, on Achill Island (Co.Mayo) on 19th-20th still, on South Uist (Western Isles) on 22nd still, and at Jury’s Gap (East Sussex) on 19th-25th still.
A dozen Dotterel were seen this week, all but one – a bird at Carrahane Strand (Co.Kerry) on 19th – of them in Britain. The only aggregation of them was on Scilly in recent days, where two birds on St Martin’s on 19th grew to be three there on 20th and on Tresco on 21st.
A Kentish Plover was seen in Kent at Seasalter on 20th.
Lingering Red-necked Phalarope remained at Titchwell RSPB (Norfolk) on 19th-21st, at Lisvane Reservoir (Glamorgan) on 19th, and at Cheddar Reservoir (Somerset) on 19th-21st.
Grey Phalarope enjoyed another strong week, with around 135 birds logged in recent days. Peak count of their kind was 10 seen from the Scillonian on 19th.
The waders finish for another week in Ireland where, in Co.Kerry on 20th, a Wilson’s Phalarope was seen on Cashen Estuary.
Around 70 Sabine’s Gull were seen during the past week, their numbers tumbling compared with the week that went before.
Ireland provided Nearctic variety, with the Laughing Gull still present at Trabeg (Co.Kerry) on 21st-22nd, and the adult Bonaparte’s Gull again in Co.Galway at Ballyconneely on 20th-22nd.
Two Ring-billed Gull were reported from Barrow harbour (Co.Kerry) on 25th.
Scotland gave us Glaucous Gull this week – one still present on Orkney Mainland at Stenness on 22nd; another on South Uist (Western Isles) on 19th-20th; and sightings in Aberdeenshire at Loch of Skene on 22nd, and Donmouth on 23rd.
The juvenile White-winged Black Tern was still in Pembrokeshire at Fishguard Harbour on 19th.
And finally, in Dorset’s Poole Harbour the adult Forster’s Tern was again seen on 21st, this time at Rockley Point.
In Kent, the recent first-summer Red-footed Falcon remained on the Isle of Sheppey at Elmley NNR until 22nd.
Montagu’s Harrier this week were seen in Cornwall at Crows-an-wra on 19th, and in Co.Cork at Galley Head on 22nd.
Cornwall also gave us sightings of Black Kite again at Polgigga and Trevescan on 19th, and over Penzance on 21st.
Finally, a report of a possible Black-winged Kite came from Wiltshire on 23rd at Bradford-on-Avon.
Nothing says autumn quite like quickening numbers of Yellow-browed Warbler - whether this proves to be a classic year for them remains to be seen, but some 90 were logged this past week from Shetland to Scilly, with eight on Fair Isle (Shetland) on 25th perhaps marking the point the dam broke.
While Shetland enjoyed its latest Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler this week, Western Bonelli’s Warbler were the preserve of the English southwest, with birds seen on Lundy (Devon) still on 20th, and St Martin’s (Scilly) still on 19th-20th.
Greenish Warbler were logged in East Yorkshire at Kilnsea on 19th-22nd, and Spurn on 21st; and another was at Horden (Co.Durham) on 20th.
Arctic Warbler remained on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 19th, and on St Kilda (Western Isles) on 20th.
Melodious Warbler meawhile remained on St Mary’s (Scilly) on 19th-24th, while two were seen on The Lizard (Cornwall) on 23rd.
Shetland retained Blyth’s Reed Warbler on Unst on 19th-23rd, and on Fair Isle on 20th-22nd. A further bird was trapped and ringed on Isle of May (Fife) on 24th.
A Marsh Warbler was present at Rinvyle (Co.Galway) on 24th; and another found on Shetland Mainland at Quendale on 25th.
It should go without saying at this point that Unst was enjoying a good week for eastern warblers, with both Blyth’s Reed and Eastern Bonelli’s present. And to that roll call could be added a showy Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler, present on the island on 22nd-23rd.
Numbers of Barred Warbler picked up during the course of the week, with some 25 birds logged in Britain and Ireland – two were present on Fair Isle (Shetland) on 23rd.
In Suffolk, at least two Zitting Cisticola remained at Walberswick on 19th.
Hoopoe scraped into double figures this week – birds were seen on 19th still at Eastbourne (East Sussex) and Swanage (Dorset); on 20th at Ballycanew (Co.Wexford); on 20th-21st at Ballintotis (Co.Cork); on 21st at Eyemouth (Borders), Sker Point (Glamorgan), and Adwick Washlands RSPB (South Yorkshire); on 22nd, on Hoy (Orkney), and coming in off the sea at The Lizard (Cornwall); and on 25th at Whitley Bay (Northumberland), and Spurn (East Yorkshire).
Numbers of Wryneck showed no sign of abating, with some 60 birds noted across Britain and Ireland in recent days.
Norfolk scored a Lesser Grey Shrike this week at Winterton South Dunes on 22nd-23rd, moving slightly to Winterton North Dunes on 23rd-25th.
Scilly meanwhile landed a Woodchat Shrike on Tresco on 22nd-25th.
Some half a dozen Red-backed Shrike were again logged nationwide – one remained at Dungeness (Kent) on 19th-21st; another at Portbury Wharf NR (Somerset) on 19th still; and one on Out Skerries on 19th still also. New birds were found at Nanjizal (Cornwall) on 19th, near Zennor (Cornwall) on 21st, on 22nd on The Lizard (Cornwall) and at Kete (Pembrokeshire), and on 24th-25th on St Martin’s (Scilly). On 25th birds were seen near Morston (Norfolk), and at Predannack (Cornwall).
A Short-toed Lark was seen on Yell (Shetland) on 23rd-25th; and another reported on 24th at Tramore (Co.Waterford).
A juvenile Rose-coloured Starling was in Devon at Dartmouth on 20th.
Alpine Swift were seen at Creech St Michael (Somerset) on 19th, and Portland (Dorset) on 21st.
As for Red-rumped Swallow, birds were logged at Prawle Point (Devon) on 19th, The Naze (Essex) on 20th, and Pilmore Beach (Co.Cork) on 20th.
Bluethroat remained the preserve of the north, with birds seen in Shetland on Fair Isle on 20th and 23rd-25th, Out Skerries on 23rd, and Loch of Spiggie on 24th; and on Orkney’s North Ronaldsay on 20th and 25th, and Westray on 24th.
A small arrival of Red-breasted Flycatcher came in on 24th – birds being found at Flamborough (East Yorkshire), St Abb’s Head (Borders), at Brading Marshes RSPB (Isle of Wight), and on Fair Isle (Shetland). Further birds checked in on 25th at Bempton Cliffs RSPB (East Yorkshire), Spurn (East Yorkshire), and South Shields (Co.Durham).
East Yorkshire also bagged Siberian Stonechat at Grimston and Bempton Cliffs RSPB on 25th.
On Lewis (Western Isles) the Isabelline Wheatear remained settled this week until 25th, allowing time for admirers for further afield to come to pay their respects. Closer to home for many, another was found on 25th at Seaburn (Co.Durham).
A Citrine Wagtail was present in Lerwick (Shetland) on 24th.
A Red-throated Pipit overflew Marshside RSPB (Lancashire & North Merseyside) on 22nd.
A Tawny Pipit was seen at Winterton North Dunes (Norfolk) on 25th.
Numbers of Common Rosefinch scraped towards double figures this week. Duos were noted on Stronsay (Orkney) on 19th, Fair Isle (Shetland) on 23rd, and Unst (Shetland) on 23rd-24th. Singletons meanwhile were logged at Sandwick (Shetland) on 23rd, Dawlish Warren NNR (Devon) on 19th, trapped and ringed at Calf of Man (Isle of Man) on 19th also; and then, on 24th, on Shetland at Quendale and Hoswick, and on Out Skerries.
A hornemanni Arctic Redpoll was on Shetland Mainland at Isbister on 19th-21st.
An Ortolan Bunting was seen at St Buryan (Cornwall) on 22nd; another on Bryher (Scilly) on 24th-25th; and a final record came from Cornwall on 25th at St Blazey, with a bird noted over here in the evening.
And finally, we finish with another Nearctic possible – a potential Common Nighthawk seen in flight on Dartmoor at Widecombe-in-the-Moor (Devon) in the evening of 22nd.
Close-ish to home, a Black-winged Kite was present on Guernsey on 25th.
Throwing fuel on the fire of speculation as to when, rather than if, one will be found in Britain, a Dark-sided Flycatcher was found in western Norway on Utsira on 25th. Could this year be the year? Utsira also enjoyed a Paddyfield Warbler on 25th.
The seawatching remained lively in Spain this week with a Red-footed Booby seen from Estaca de Bares on 21st. The recent White-tailed Lapwing remained on the Ebro Delta on 21st.
In Belgium, a Lesser Spotted Eagle was logged on 23rd over Honnay.
In the Netherlands the Western Swamphen remained at Zevenhuizen on 24th; and the Pygmy Cormorant at Natuurpark Lelystad on 24th also.
Heading further to the fringes of the region, a Blackpoll Warbler was seen on Faroe on Sandoy on 23rd.
On the Azores, a Black-and-white Warbler, four Red-eyed Vireo, a Northern Harrier, and two Semipalmated Plover were on Corvo on 23rd. On 24th the Red-eyed Vireo count had risen to seven birds, and a Northern Waterthrush was new in.
Also on the outer limits of our field of interest, in Cape Verde the Short-billed Dowitcher remained on Sal on 24th.
Easterlies! Is there anything to gladden the birder’s heart more than a good spell of easterlies in the final week of September?
The week ahead looks set to start with a decent spell of easterlies on the British east coast and, looking a little further through the coming days, those could be funnelling around towards the southwest of the region towards the end of the week. Maybe Scilly’s in for something usually associated with Shetland?
(Though, lest we forget, this coming week marks the 50th anniversary of the Scillonian Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, present on Tresco on 26th September – 6th October 1975. Oh for another of those…)
The week just gone gave us a flavour of the eastern delights that could be bound our way. We’re already a Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler, a Pechora Pipit, and three Brown Shrike the richer this autumn. And none of those would be a surprise in the coming days.
Nor ought we to discount the possibility of further eastern warbler action. Booted Warbler and, rarer still, Sykes’s Warbler both seem decent possibilities. Surely there’ll be another Blyth’s Reed Warbler or two… And what about the first Lanceolated Warbler of the year? The final week of September is traditionally a good time for them, with over 30 accepted records to date.
Jon Dunn
26 September 2025
Many thanks to all this week's contributors for your photos and videos