Weekly birding round-up: 19 - 25 Oct 2021
It’s no use pretending – this wasn’t the week we might have dreamed it would be. Neither a superstar Sibe nor an eye-watering Nearctic warbler was there to be seen – though once upon a time, either of the week’s headlining birds would have galvanised a nation’s keenest birders into action.
Late October holds so much promise… but, while the past week may have been fairly quiet, there’s time yet…
For those present on Scilly in late October 1993, what was, back then, Britain’s third Blyth’s Pipit will live long in the memory. Initially reported as a Richard’s Pipit, by the evening of 20th October the bird had been upgraded to a Blyth’s. The queue for the public phones in Hugh Town before the evening log kicked off was extraordinary, as those who’d been to see the ‘Richard’s Pipit’ revelled in their unexpected good fortune, and those of us who’d not bothered wallowed in self-pity. For some, the wait for dawn on the morning of 21st would be a long one…
Fortunately, the bird was still present, allowing those who’d not yet seen it an opportunity to try to get to grips with Blyth’s Pipit ID. The same opportunity presented itself to those who had seen the bird but were prepared to be honest about the learning curve most of us were embarking upon.
Britain’s first was found only five years beforehand, a bird present on Fair Isle (Shetland) on 13th-23rd October 1988. We’d not waited long before our next, the (in)famous ‘Skewjack Pipit’ of October 1990 in Cornwall; and after the Scillonian bird in 1993 the records just kept coming, more or less annually up to 2007. Six blank years followed, and serve as a reminder that, while today there may now be 28 accepted British records of Blyth’s Pipit, they’re far from an annual formality.
Even our last accepted bird was a little while ago… a bird present on St Mary’s on 31st October – 4th November 2018. Scilly has developed a formidable reputation for them, down the years since 1993, with seven birds recorded on the archipelago to date, all found in October. That said, given the time of year and the location, we shouldn’t be too surprised to learn that one was seen, albeit all too briefly, this week on St Mary’s in the morning of 24th. Right place, right time of year… but alas, not a confiding bird that was prepared to hang around.
Sticking with the theme of once unthinkably rare species that have subsequently gone on to become more or less annual in Britain, the other biggish news this week was found not a million miles from Scilly – a Brown Shrike discovered at Pendeen (Cornwall) on 22nd, and still present there on 23rd-25th.
The fifteen year hiatus between Britain’s first, at Sumburgh (Shetland) on 30th September – 2nd October 1985 and the next, a one-day bird on Fair Isle (Shetland) on 21st October 2000, suggested that Brown Shrikes were going to be few and far between. Of course, with the benefit of hindsight, and even a wintering bird in Surrey in the meantime, we now view them as practically annual in these quarters – 39 accepted birds now sit on the books to the end of 2020.
As the latest British Birds Rarity Report says, Brown Shrike “should now be firmly on the radar of all rarity hunters.” This week’s bird at Pendeen is Cornwall’s fifth record, and won’t be the last. The other big-hitting southern English counties, the likes of Dorset and Kent, will be wondering when their overdue first records will be found…
We’ll kick of the seabirds with what, while far from the rarest was, with the faintest tinge of irony, the biggest news this week – and that was the superb passage of Little Auks off the east coast over the weekend. The week began with just a trio of birds noted in Shetland on 20th – really, not a hint of what was to come. Some 40 birds noted on 21st included a decent count of 14 seen from Peterhead (Aberdeenshire), but even this was but an amuse bouche before the main course to follow. Numbers began to snowball on 22nd, with 130 seen nationwide of which 81 noted from Isle of May (Fife) was by some margin the highest count… and then, on 23rd, Isle of May continued to roar, with 461 birds logged from there – comprising almost half of the 1,000 birds seen nationwide that day. Things quietened down on 24th, with a mere 100 noted nationally.
White-billed Divers continued to be seen with some regularity from the northeast coast for a second consecutive week – on 21st from Hartlepool Headland (Cleveland) and Newbiggin (Northumberland); on 22nd from Flamborough (East Yorkshire), Whitburn CP (Co.Durham), Tynemouth and St Mary’s Island (Northumberland), and Bamburgh (Northumberland) where two birds were noted; and on 23rd from Ryhope and Whitburn CP (Co.Durham), and North Queensferry and Fife Ness (Fife). On 24th, one was seen from Ross Back Sands (Northumberland), and another from St Andrews (Fife). On 25th two were reported passing Hartlepool Headland, with further single bird sightings that day coming from Flamborough, Filey Brigg (North Yorkshire), and Thorntonloch (Lothian), with another probable sighting from Whitburn CP. Further south, Winterton (Norfolk) continued to feature, with one seen off there on 20th-21st and another sighting on 25th followed, later in the day, by one off Great Yarmouth; and in the north, as we expected, two were seen in Orkney from Papa Westray on 22nd.
Also proving quietly consistent, a handful of sightings of Great Shearwater continued to filter in from the North Sea – a bird noted from Old Nab (North Yorkshire) on 21st; on 22nd, from Seaham harbour and Whitburn CP (Co.Durham), and Tynemouth (Northumberland); and on 24th from Amble (Northumberland). Away from there, single birds were seen from the MV Celtic Explorer off Brownstown Head (Co.Waterford) on 20th and Galley Head (Co.Cork) on 24th, and from Pendeen (Cornwall) on 21st.
Just shy of 100 Balearic Shearwaters were logged in recent days, with no particularly high single site counts amongst them – the best of these being 20 seen from a boat off Brixham (Devon) on 22nd.
A handful of Leach’s Petrels were seen this week, almost all on 21st – single birds noted from Great Ormes Head (Conwy), Strumble Head (Pembrokeshire), Sheringham (Norfolk) and Hornsea (East Yorkshire). On 24th one was seen from Flamborough (East Yorkshire) and, on 25th, one was noted from Pendeen (Cornwall).
Sheringham had the best of the 110 or so Pomarine Skuas seen nationwide this week, with a peak count of 14 birds noted from there on 21st. Long-tailed Skuas were much less numerous altogether, with some half a dozen seen in recent days – on 21st from Point Lynas (Anglesey) and Tarbat Ness (Highland); on 23rd from Lossiemouth (Moray), Paull Holme Strays and Spurn (East Yorkshire), and Lowestoft (Suffolk); and on 25th from Whitburn CP (Co.Durham).
The interesting long-legged beasties were, as ever, headed by the anticipated, mounting numbers of Glossy Ibises. Around 30 individuals were logged this week and, for once, the half dozen at Berry Fen (Cambridgeshire) still on 19th-25th weren’t the highest tally – that honour, this week, went to the flock of nine birds seen heading over Blashford Lakes HWT (Hampshire) on 22nd.
In West Sussex the juvenile Purple Heron remained on show at Pagham on 19th, but wasn’t reported from there again thereafter. A possible bird was reported from Eyebrook reservoir (Leicestershire) on 24th.
Fair Isle (Shetland) landed a late Spotted Crake on 19th.
It’s always a joy to feature a mildly contentious honker or quacker in the weekly doings on the rarity duckpond and, for once, it’s not a Hooded Merganser… Nope, this week we’ve got the perennial bridesmaid and never the bride of the British list – a Ross’s Goose. Quite what one would have to do to be given the benefit of the doubt is a good question… The bird seen this week in Angus on the Montrose Basin on 20th-23rd will, presumably, fare little better than any that have gone before…
Other white honkers were kicking around still this week - Snow Geese were seen on 20th-24th at Loch Spynie (Moray), where three individuals lingered; on 20th-22nd on South Uist (Western Isles); on 23rd and 25th at Hightown (Merseyside); and on 24th at Altcar Moss (Lancashire).
Single Black Brants remained on The Fleet (Dorset) on 19th-25th and off Seasalter (Kent) on 19th; and another was seen in Dorset at Arne RSPB on 22nd.
A possible Grey-bellied Brant was seen in Highland on 20th near Culloden.
And so to The Goose Formerly Known As Canada, which was again having a strong showing this past week. In Scotland, interior Todd’s Canada Geese were noted on 20th-21st at Nigg Bay and Loch Eye (Highland), on 21st-24th again at Montrose Basin (Angus), and a further bird was seen on Tiree (Argyll & Bute) on 20th-25th; another bird was noted in Lancashire at Banks Marsh NNR again on 22nd; and, in Co.Mayo, one was seen at Termoncarrgh Lough on 25th.
Cackling Geese meanwhile were logged on Islay (Argyll & Bute) on 19th-24th and on North Uist (Western Isles), where two birds were seen on 19th at Balranald RSPB.
Moving onto the quackers, the drake American Wigeon remained settled at Barleycraft Lake (Cambridgeshire) on 19th-20th, and Needingworth Quarry Lakes on 21st; a female was seen in Ireland at Termoncarragh Lough (Co.Mayo) on 21st; and a drake at Frampton Marsh RSPB (Lincolnshire) on 25th. Two birds were present at Termoncarragh Lough (Co.Mayo) on 25th, while on nearby Cross Lough the drake Black Duck remained in situ.
The Blue-winged Teal once again reappeared at Neumann’s Flash (Cheshire) on 21st-22nd.
Some Green-winged Teals finally put in an appearance – the first of many in the weeks and months to come, of course. Birds this week were noted at North Cave Wetlands YWT (East Yorkshire) on 22nd-25th; on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 19th-22nd; at Blennerville (Co.Kerry) on 23rd-24th; and on 24th at Kilcoole (Co.Wicklow). Another probable was reported on 23rd from Ham Wall RSPB (Somerset).
A couple of Ferruginous Ducks were found this week – a female at Belvide reservoir (Staffordshire) on 22nd-25th, and a drake at Needingworth Quarry Lakes (Cambridgeshire) on 23rd.
On 24th, Lesser Scaups were found in Somerset at Chew Valley Lake and, briefly, on the sea off Gugh (Scilly). The former remained at Chew on 25th, while the Scillonian bird had relocated to Tresco that day.
Fair numbers of Ring-necked Ducks were once more noted this week, not least in Cornwall where the two drakes at Dozmary Pool still on 20th rose to four drakes present on 21st-25th, and two were seen at Siblyback Lake on 24th. Further English individuals remained at Priory Pond (Surrey) on 19th-23rd, and Fishmoor reservoir (Lancashire) on 19th-23rd; with another seen at Southfield reservoir (East Yorkshire) on 25th. In Wales, one remained at Cardiff Bay (Glamorgan) on 21st, while a drake was seen on Teifi Marshes NR (Ceredigion) on 22nd-25th. Scottish sightings came from Yell (Shetland) still on 20th-24th, Loch Spynie (Moray) on 22nd, and Tiree (Argyll & Bute), where two were noted on 25th. Ireland, meanwhile, enjoyed birds on Inch Island Lake (Co.Donegal) on 19th, with two there on 24th; at Lough Beg (Co.Derry) on 22nd; and Moylan Lough (Co.Donegal) on 22nd-25th.
Sightings of drake King Eider came on 23rd from both Spey Bay (Moray) and Ravensheugh Bay (Lothian), the former site holding its bird on 24th-25th; and from Port Seton (Lothian) on 25th.
Surf Scoters remained fairly few and far between – single birds being seen on Fair Isle still on 19th-20th, off Musselburgh (Lothian) still on 23rd, and in the Sound of Taransay off Harris (Western Isles) again on 21st-22nd. One more was found in Lothian on 24th off Gullane Point and, on 25th, in Ireland a juvenile bird was seen on Cross Lough (Co.Mayo).
Still showing absolutely no signs of abandoning the charms of Blacktoft Sands RSPB (East Yorkshire), the settled White-tailed Lapwing remained present there throughout this past week until 25th, and once more heads up our introduction into the week’s scarce and rare waders.
Showing similar fidelity in Co.Cork, the Semipalmated Plover remained at Crookhaven on 19th-23rd.
The adult Pacific Golden Plover was still to be seen in Co.Kerry at Blennerville on 22nd-24th, sharing the site with an adult American Golden Plover for good measure.
Further Irish American Goldies were logged in recent days at Omey Island (Co.Galway) on 20th still; at Rosscarberry (Co.Cork) on 23rd; and Cashen (Co.Kerry), where two juveniles lingered on 20th-23rd. One more remained at Steart WWT (Somerset) on 21st-24th still; and the Shetland bird was again seen at Fleck on Mainland on 25th.
Steart WWT also held onto a Baird’s Sandpiper on 19th; while the recent Nottinghamshire individual remained on 19th at Misson.
The juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper in Cornwall remained at Hayle Estuary RSPB on 19th-20th.
Numbers of Pectoral Sandpipers crept into double figures again this week, with England laying claim to the lion’s share of records. One remained on 19th at Oxey Marsh (Hampshire), with further sightings at Pennington Marshes on 21st and 25th, and Normandy Marsh on 22nd; one was still present at Budle Bay (Northumberland) on 20th; another lingered on 20th-21st at Lytchett Fields RSPB (Dorset); on 22nd-25th one was seen at Frampton Marsh RSPB (Lincolnshire); one was found on 22nd in West Sussex at Pulborough Brooks RSPB; and another was found on 23rd-25th at Port Meadow (Oxfordshire). On Orkney, one was present at Skara Brae on 22nd-23rd; one was found in Clyde at Balmore Pond on 25th; and the week’s sole Irish sighting came from Annagh Marsh (Co.Mayo) on 22nd.
On St Mary’s (Scilly) the juvenile Spotted Sandpiper was still to be seen on 20th-25th.
Co.Derry provided sightings of Long-billed Dowitcher again this week, at Lough Beg on 20th-22nd and on the Bann estuary on 22nd still; the Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) bird remained present on 25th.
Cornish sightings of Lesser Yellowlegs came again from Walmsley Sanctuary CBWPS on 21st and Clapper Marshes on 19th-23rd. Elsewhere this week birds were again noted at Lough Gash (Co.Clare) on 19th, Kilcoole (Co.Wicklow) on 19th-21st, and Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) still on 25th, with another Irish record at Tramore Backstrand (Co.Waterford) on 19th. On 24th one was found in Northumberland at Monks House Pool, while another possible that day was present in Lancashire at Marshside RSPB.
In Aberdeenshire, at Loch of Strathbeg RSPB, the adult Greater Yellowlegs remained present until 20th.
Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) retained the recent Wilson’s Phalarope on 19th.
Finally, some 45 Grey Phalaropes were logged this week, with a settled bird at Titchwell RSPB (Norfolk) proving popular on 19th-25th still, and a peak count of five birds noted from Fife Ness (Fife) on 22nd.
Some 20 Sabine’s Gulls seen this past reflected the upturn in Grey Phalarope numbers – many were single birds, but duos were logged from St Ives (Cornwall) on 21st and Pendeen (Cornwall) on 22nd, and three were seen from Strumble Head (Pembrokeshire) on 21st also.
The adult Ring-billed Gull remained at Blackrock (Co.Louth) on 21st.
The adult Bonaparte’s Gull was again seen at Long Strand (Co.Cork) on 25th.
Numbers of both white-wingers were on the up this week, with some 25 Glaucous Gulls and 10 Iceland Gulls noted over the course of recent days. Peak count of the former came from Orkney’s Papa Westray where five were seen on 22nd, closely followed by Unst (Shetland), which tallied four birds around the island as a whole on 21st. Peak count of the latter came from Killybegs (Co.Donegal), where three were seen on 25th.
In Co.Louth, the adult Forster’s Tern was once more seen at Soldier’s Point on 23rd-24th.
Pick of the week’s raptors was, by some margin, the juvenile Pallid Harrier found in Kent at Abbot’s Cliff on 23rd.
A ringtail Montagu’s Harrier, meanwhile, was found in Cambridgeshire at Little Wilbraham Fen on 19th.
A little frosty variety came in the form of a couple of Rough-legged Buzzards - one on 21st at Holkham Pines (Norfolk), and another the following day in Essex at Bowers Marsh RSPB.
The passerines section this week has to begin in Shetland with a couple of decent thrushes, though neither was widely available. The week kicked off in splendid style for Out Skerries stalwart Stephen Dunstan who, on 19th, scored one of the biggest prizes – the golden-spangled joy of a self-found White’s Thrush.
Last seen flying west towards Whalsay, I can ruefully vouch that no further sign of it was forthcoming… More frustration was to follow for resident and visiting birders on Shetland, as news emerged in the evening of 23rd of a Black-throated Thrush that was, judging by Richard Ashbee’s images of it, showing extremely well on Compass Head on 22nd. That would have been a popular bird had anyone known about it at the time.
In the absence of that, a Red-flanked Bluetail on Shetland Mainland at Voe on 22nd-25th was quietly popular with a steady stream of admirers. This was preceded by another, present on Fair Isle on 19th.
Also drawing small crowds in Shetland was the first Hume’s Warbler of the year, present at Boddam on 19th-25th. A Greenish Warbler also seen fleetingly there on 20th could not, sadly, be relocated subsequently – this was an intriguingly late record…
Still present, however, this week in East Yorkshire, the recent Two-barred Greenish Warbler remained at Spurn on 19th-20th – a crowd-pleaser in every sense.
On Hartlepool Headland, the Arctic Warbler was again seen on 20th-25th.
A Dusky Warbler remained at Barns Ness (Lothian) on 19th-22nd; with another found on 19th-22nd at Lower Kilminning (Fife).
A Radde’s Warbler on 19th in Shetland at Hoswick was followed, on 22nd-23rd, by a westerly individual in Cornwall at Cadgwith, and another on 23rd at Shingle Street (Suffolk).
Yellow-browed Warblers continued to be seen in what’s really very muted numbers – around 60 birds in all were logged nationwide this week.
A Pallas’s Warbler was found on 24th at Kessingland (Suffolk).
In Shetland, the recent Western Bonelli’s Warbler was again seen in private gardens at Tresta on 22nd and again on 25th.
Shetland enjoyed a good run of Blyth’s Reed Warblers in the early part of the week – on 19th, birds were found at Sumburgh, Loch of Voe, Loch of Spiggie, and on Fair Isle – the latter individual remaining on the isle until 21st. On 25th one was trapped and ringed at Nanjizal Valley (Cornwall).
In Orkney, an eastern stonechat sp was found on Eday on 19th; while a Bluethroat was present on Papa Westray on 19th also; and another of the latter species was found back in Shetland at Bakkasetter on 24th.
Red-breasted Flycatchers were very much the preserve of islands this week. Starting in Shetland, birds were seen on Mainland at Hoswick still on 19th, with another on Fair Isle on 19th also; while a bird was seen on Mainland at Voe on 24th-25th. On Orkney, one was found on Sanday on 19th and 24th. One lingered on Barra (Western Isles) on 19th-20th. In Ireland, one was present on Dursey Island (Co.Cork) on 20th. Lundy (Devon) also scored a bird on 20th; while Scillonian birds were seen on St Agnes on 20th-24th, Tresco on 22nd, and St Mary’s on 24th-25th.
A probable Eastern Yellow Wagtail was found in Suffolk at Carlton Marshes SWT on 23rd.
An American Buff-bellied Pipit remained on Benbecula (Western Isles) on 19th-20th.
Scilly continued to sport a few scarce pipits in the run up to the Blyth’s - Richard’s Pipit on St Mary’s and Bryher on 22nd, with one on St Mary’s on 24th also; a possible Red-throated Pipit over Watermill on St Mary’s on 22nd, followed by a confirmed bird on 25th; and a possible Olive-backed Pipit on St Agnes on 21st followed by a probable bird over St Mary’s on 23rd and a confirmed bird on there on 24th. A further OBP was recorded on Fair Isle (Shetland) on 19th.
Additional Richard’s Pipits were seen on 24th at Porthcurno (Cornwall) and Anderby Creek (Lincolnshire).
A shade over half a dozen Rose-coloured Starlings were logged again this week – birds seen in Kent at Hythe still on 19th-25th; at Barns Ness (Lothian) again on 19th-24th; in Paignton (Devon) still on 19th-22nd; at St Merryn (Cornwall) and Blackpool Airport (Lancashire) on 19th; at White Sands Bay (Lothian) on 23rd; and on 24th at Filey (North Yorkshire) again.
A Waxwing was heard only at Jarrow (Co.Durham) on 21st.
Bryher (Scilly) accounted for a few further bits and pieces this week – a Wryneck present on 21st, and a Red-backed Shrike on 21st-22nd – our only other Wryneck being one on 24th near Aberporth (Ceredigion).
A Great Grey Shrike was found on 19th in Shetland at Burn of Sound; another was found on 25th in Norfolk at Waxham.
A probable Pallid Swift was seen on Portland (Dorset) on 20th at Grove Cliffs.
A Short-toed Lark was found on 24th on St Agnes (Scilly) while, on 25th, an alpestris Horned Lark was seen on Dursey (Co.Cork).
A small late run of Hoopoes checked in this week – birds on Scilly on St Mary’s on 21st-24th, St Agnes on 22nd-24th, and Bryher on 25th; in Dorset at Lyme Regis on 21st and Lytchett Bay on 22nd-25th; in Brighton (East Sussex) on 24th; in Warwick (Warwickshire) on 25th; and with a further possible bird on 22nd in Cambridgeshire at Swaffham Prior Fen.
Three Penduline Tits were found on 25th in Somerset at Blake’s Pools.
Common Rosefinches dried up in the course of the week, with just a trio recorded – one on Mizen Head (Co.Cork) on 22nd, another on 23rd on Portland (Dorset), and one on 25th on North Uist (Western Isles).
hornemanni Arctic Redpolls were similarly a little thin on the ground. In Shetland, one lingered on Unst at Norwick on 19th-22nd; and another was seen on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 22nd.
A Serin flew over Easington (East Yorkshire) on 19th, while another was reported from St Mary’s (Scilly) on 24th.
Last, but not least, a scatter of Little Buntings were again logged in recent days – on Shetland Mainland at Brake, Pool of Virkie, Scatness and Fair Isle on 19th, with another on Fair Isle on 22nd-25th; and in East Yorkshire at Spurn and Beacon Ponds NR on 22nd. On 23rd one was found on Lundy (Devon), while on 24th further birds were encountered on Bryher (Scilly) and North Ronaldsay (Orkney), and a final bird was seen on St Mary’s (Scilly) on 25th.
The Azores’ fine recent run of Nearctic warblers showed little sign of abating any time soon this week, with the discovery of the Western Palearctic’s eleventh Black-throated Blue Warbler on Corvo on 19th-22nd – only two of those 11 birds have been found away from the Azores.
Other Corvo goodies included, two Red-eyed Vireos and a Scarlet Tanager on 21st; and two American Buff-bellied Pipits, a Semipalmated Sandpiper and a Blue-winged Teal on 22nd.
Elsewhere in the Azores, a Belted Kingfisher was present on Terceira on 20th-24th, and two Great Blue Herons remained present on 21st-24th; while the Green Heron was still on Flores on 19th-25th.
Turkey’s first Pintail Snipe was seen at Milleyha Wetland on 19th.
Closer to home, Holland’s first Eastern Olivaceous Warbler was present at Nieuwvliet-Bad on 20th-24th; a Cream-coloured Courser was found at Bergen aan Zee on 24th-25th; while the settled Pygmy Cormorant remained around Utrecht on 22nd-24th.
In France, the White-throated Sparrow was still present on Ouessant on 19th-24th while, also on 19th-21st, a Sociable Lapwing was seen at Chemin du Grand Badon. An American Buff-bellied Pipit was on Ile de Sein on 24th.
A Hawk Owl was present in Germany at Lamershagen on 24th.
A Brown Booby was noted in Spain off Estaca de Bares on 23rd.
A Stejneger’s Scoter was seen passing Finland’s Cape Poosaspea on 23rd, while a Black-throated Accentor was present on Aland on 19th.
Finally, on 18th, Norway’s third Semipalmated Plover was trapped and ringed at Makkevika.
Rather bleakly, we’re heading into the last week of October. An October that, while it’s certainly had some quality, hasn’t exactly delivered quantity where the supporting cast’s been concerned. Still, we shouldn’t grumble given some of the star birds we’ve been treated to.
But could October yet gift us something tasty? Well, yes…
The final week of the month has a few choice historic morsels from which to draw some inspiration. With a largely westerly flavour to the wind in at least the opening half of the week, the likes of a late-ish Yellow-billed Cuckoo doesn’t feel like an unreasonable call – there’ve been 10 prior records in the coming week.
More likely still, statistically, would be an overdue Grey-cheeked Thrush - 15 past records suggest it’s a distinct possibility.
And for a late warbler? What about a nice Myrtle Warbler? It’s not going to set the world on fire, in rarity terms, but it’s a cold, cold heart that wouldn’t warm to one of these charmers in the week ahead.
Jon Dunn
26 Oct 2021
Many thanks to all this week's contributors for your photos and videos
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