Weekly birding round-up: 15 - 21 Mar 2022
A little bit of everything this past week, with some warm sunny days, clear skies and touches of overnight frost, and even a dusting of Saharan sand leaving the full moon blood red and windows smeared with dust. Obviously just the conditions for a boreal finch to turn up…
The week’s rarest reported bird was also, comfortably, the most frustrating too. A Pine Grosbeak anywhere in Britain, let alone a male in southern England, would always be a popular draw. We need only look back to the last bird on Shetland in 2013 to see how many birders were prepared to brave a lumpy couple of nights on the overnight ferry to daytrip it.
The report of a male Pine Grosbeak in a Woolacombe (Devon) garden on 15th will, then, have raised more than a few pulses. Accompanied by a blurry photo, appetites were whetted…
Yesterday (15.3) this male PINE GROSBEAK was briefly in a private garden nr. Woolacombe, North Devon. Access was not possible and it has not been seen today. Only the finder & his neighbour saw it. If it is seen again I will try again to arrange access. pic.twitter.com/35bWqKsRCv
— Wildlife In Devon (@wildlife_devon) March 16, 2022
…but alas, that was all we had to go on. News of the initial sighting broke the day after the bird had been seen, and no further sign of it was forthcoming in the days that followed.
The timing’s not bad, anyway. Looking at Britain’s admittedly small sample of previous records – just 12 birds, eight of which have been post-1950 – there’s been a prior March example, also in Shetland, present for a month in Lerwick on 25th March – 25th April 1992. The location’s interesting though – this would be the first British record away from the eastern side of the country. All of which, in the subsequent absence of said bird, is rather moot from the perspective of a nation’s keen birders.
Happily, there was ample compensation for those birders in the lingering form of the Belted Kingfisher still in Lancashire this week on the River Darwen at Roach Bridge, seen daily there right throughout the week until 21st – the very definition of a crowd-pleaser. Almost an obliging one, even.
It took a few days this week for any news to filter out of Co.Leitrim concerning the ongoing presence of the recent Double-crested Cormorant at Doon Lough but, sure enough, there it was again on 18th-21st, still all present and correct.
Ireland’s dominance of the rare seabirds was complete with another sighting of the regular Pacific Diver again off Crookhaven (Co.Cork) on 19th.
White-billed Divers meanwhile were the sole preserve of Scotland, with one lingering off Burghead (Moray) still on 15th, another seen from regular site Papa Westray (Orkney) on 17th and, back in Moray, one off Cullen on 19th followed by three there on 20th were just the warm-up for seven birds present on 21st.
A Little Auk was from Chanonry Point (Highland) on 18th.
Glossy Ibises were very much on the move again this week, with high numbers nationally featuring some fresh accumulations of birds. Nowhere was this better illustrated than at Dungeness (Kent), where the not unanticipated peak count of two birds on 15th rose, almost by the hour, through the day on 18th to a final peak count of 11 individuals, with nine birds still present the following day. In Cornwall, at the other end of the week on 21st, a flock of 13 birds was seen flying north over Bedruthan Steps.
Nor were these the only double figure tallies, for on the Isle of Wight the settled flock of 11 birds was still present until 20th at least. Further appreciable gatherings amongst the 85 or so birds logged across Britain and Ireland as a whole included six still present at Berry Fen (Cambridgeshire) on 15th-19th, seven again at Walmsley Sanctuary CBWPS (Cornwall) on 20th, and five still present in Devon at Fremington on 15th-18th.
Kicking off the honkers and quackers for another week, the adult Ross’s Goose remained in the Newtonhill area of Aberdeenshire on 15th, but wasn’t reported thereafter. Now the species has finally made it onto the British list, there’s been some renewed interest in them, and this particular bird has proved both timely and quietly rather popular.
In Norfolk, the Red-breasted Goose remained around Cley on 15th-17th, and was last seen heading west over Blakeney on 18th before reappearing at Blakeney Freshmarsh again on 21st.
A handful of the recent regular Black Brants were again noted this week. On the east coast, one was still in East Yorkshire at Skeffling on 16th-21st, with one at Welwick on 20th; Cley (Norfolk) retained a bird on 15th and again on 21st; an Essex sighting came from Blue House Farm EWT on 19th and South Fambridge on 20th; and a bird was again noted on the north Kent coast at Seasalter on 18th-20th. The only south coast bird this week was one again on Thorney Island (West Sussex) on 17th.
Possible Grey-bellied Brants were seen in recent days in Dublin (Co.Dublin) again on 16th, and Lurgangreen (Co.Louth) on 16th also.
Staying in Ireland a moment, three blue Snow Geese remained at South Slob (Co.Wexford) on 15th-20th. White morphs remained in Britain at Slimbridge WWT (Gloucestershire), where three birds were still to be seen on 15th-17th; around Loch Spynie (Moray), where three birds were still present on 16th; and at Loch of Boardhouse on Orkney, where a single bird was to be found on 19th.
Onto The Goose Formerly Known As Canada, and starting with interior Todd’s Canada Geese - one remained at Cross Lough (Co.Mayo) on 18th-19th, sharing the area with an hutchinsii Richardson’s Cackling Goose on 18th. Further examples of the latter were logged in Co.Sligo, where two birds were seen at Ballintemple on 17th-18th and Lissadell on 18th again; one was still present at Ballintemple on 21st.
In perhaps a sign that winter was loosening its grip at long last, only one of the two recent drake Baikal Teals was to be seen this week – the Somerset bird appearing to have done a bunk, leaving us with just the Swine Moor (East Yorkshire) individual still on 15th-21st.
In Ireland, the drake Black Duck was still present on Cross Lough (Co.Mayo) on 18th.
An American Wigeon was found on 20th in Lincolnshire at Alkborough Flats NR.
Ten Green-winged Teals were logged this week – English birds at Oare Marshes KWT (Kent) still on 15th and at Grindon Lough (Northumberland) on 16th-18th; Scottish individuals at Loch of Strathbeg RSPB (Aberdeenshire) still on 15th, Tain (Highland) still on 15th, Inganess (Orkney) still on 18th, and on Barra (Western Isles) still on 20th, where two birds remained; and Irish birds seen at East Coast NR (Co.Wicklow) on 15th-21st still, and Cahore Marsh (Co.Wexford) and Blennerville (Co.Kerry) on 19th still.
Numbers of Ring-necked Ducks held firm for another week across Britain and Ireland, with around 50 birds in all recorded in recent days. Pick of the bunch remained the half dozen birds still present at Margam Opencast (Glamorgan) on 18th-21st; British trios were again seen on Tiree (Argyll & Bute) on 16th-21st, King’s Myre (Perth & Kinross) on 19th-20th, at Siblyback Lake (Cornwall) on 15th-21st, and on 20th-21st in Nottinghamshire at Cromwell Quarry; while in Ireland a quartet were seen on 21st in Co.Donegal at Tamur Lough, and three were still at Lough Yganavan (Co.Kerry) on 21st.
Scotland continued to retain fair numbers of Lesser Scaups, with eight birds seen around the country this week. Three remained on Islay (Argyll & Bute) on 18th; two were still present at Woodend Loch (Clyde) on 15th-20th; and single birds were still on Lewis (Western Isles) on 16th-21st, and again in Ayrshire at Creoch Loch on 16th-18th. A final drake was found on 21st in Dumfries & Galloway at Castle Loch NR.
Both recent seaduck stars were still present off the east coast in recent days. Northumberland’s drake Black Scoter remained off Cocklawburn Beach on 15th-20th and Cheswick Sands on 20th-21st; and, in Lothian, the drake White-winged Scoter was still ranging around Fisherrow on 18th-19th.
Surf Scoters meanwhile didn’t quite scale the dizzy heights of double figures nationally this week. Four were seen from Pendine (Carmarthenshire) on 16th still, and three off Musselburgh (Lothian) again on 19th; and a single bird was noted from Roseisle (Moray) again on 17th.
In Lothian, the first-winter drake King Eider was again seen from Musselburgh on 18th-21st; the drake was still off Nairn (Highland) on 19th-20th; and one of the recent trio of Shetland drakes was again seen from Uyeasound on Unst on 16th.
Alas, a drake Bufflehead found on 21st in Inverness (Highland) transpired to be an escapee. After the winter we’ve just had for Nearctic wildfowl, we wouldn’t have been in the least bit surprised had a wild bird rocked up…
Finishing off with our honorary waterfowl – the American Coot was still present on Lough Yganavan (Co.Kerry) on 16th-17th while, in Co.Wexford, the recent individual was once again to be found at Tacumshin on 15th-18th.
It almost goes without saying that the – can we call it resident? – White-tailed Lapwing, having found a nice new site in Lincolnshire at Frampton Marsh RSPB, was sitting tight there this week. Of course it was. This bird’s clearly in it for the long haul in Britain. And this week, that meant it was seen daily at Frampton until 21st.
In Somerset, the German colour-ringed Kentish Plover was still hanging around Burnham-on-Sea on 15th and again on 20th.
In Lancashire, the Long-billed Dowitcher was still at Fluke Hall on 16th.
It’s been a while since we had the full set, but we finish the shorebirds with all three wintering Lesser Yellowlegs again noted in the course of recent days – one at Minsmere RSPB (Suffolk) still on 15th-21st and, in Ireland, birds still at at Rahasane Turlough (Co.Galway) on 18th, and at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) again on 19th-20th.
The pick of the week’s gulls ‘n terns were, once again, in Ireland’s Co.Galway where, on Mutton Island, the first-winter Ross’s Gull was seen again on 16th and, at Traught, the adult Forster’s Tern was still present on 15th-17th. The latter bird was once more seen at Kinvarra on 21st.
Ireland gave us four Ring-billed Gulls this week – single birds at Tralee Bay Wetlands Centre on 19th and Enniskillen (Co.Fermanagh) on 15th-20th, and two in Cork (Co.Cork) on 19th. In England, birds remained at Chew Valley Lakes (Somerset) on 15th-21st, on the Hayle estuary (Cornwall) still on 16th, and at Blashford Lakes HWT again on 19th. Scottish sightings came from Lothian, at Holyrood Park on 15th-21st and at Eastfield again on 18th.
Numbers of Glaucous Gulls took a tumble this week, with some 25 birds noted nationally, a drop of about half on the preceding week’s total. Iceland Gulls were similarly reduced in numbers, down to about 50 birds in all – of these, the highest single site count was comfortably made on Lewis (Western Isles), where seven were seen on 15th.
In Cornwall, the smart adult Kumlien’s Gull remained at Newlyn on 15th-20th, while the juvenile bird was still present up on Barra (Western Isles) on 17th. In Ireland, adults were again seen at Omey Island (Co.Galway) on 15th, and in Co.Kerry at Tralee Bay Wetlands Centre on 17th and Black Rock Strand on 21st; and a further adult was seen on 21st in Co.Antrim at Portballintrae.
In Ireland, the juvenile Northern Harrier remained in Co.Offaly at Lough Boora Parklands on 15th-20th.
The year’s first Black Kite was reported heading north over Galmpton (Devon) on 19th, swiftly followed by another reported going east over Brighstone (Isle of Wight) on 20th. More to follow in the weeks to come…
Absent from the news for weeks, good news came from St Kilda (Western Isles) on 20th – the adult female Snowy Owl has come through another winter.
Away from Lancashire, our week’s passerines were a fairly denuded bunch, but with some star quality nonetheless amongst them. Rarest of the lot was comfortably the male Desert Wheatear found on 20th on the south coast at Goring Gap (West Sussex), an arrival heralded by deposits of Saharan sand across southern England in the preceding days. We tend to think of them as a classic late autumn arrival, but March birds aren’t wholly unprecedented – there’ve been seven previous early birds, the most recent of which was one that spent a few days on Scilly on St Agnes on 21st-26th March 2015. This week’s bird, however, is only the second ever spring record for Sussex, the last being an individual at Beachy Head on 17th-21st April 1966, so this will have been a welcome find for county birders at the weekend.
Playing second fiddle to said wheatear, the female eastern Stonechat sp considered to be probably a Stejneger’s was still hanging around Holme Dunes NWT on 15th-16th.
The week’s warblers began with a fresh sighting, after an absence of some time, of the Dusky Warbler in Kent at Fordwich on 15th; the Walthamstow Marsh NR (London) individual remained on view on 17th-21st.
East Sussex’s Hume’s Warbler was still present at Eastbourne on 16th-20th; it took until 19th for the Kentish individual at Bockhill Farm Wood to be reported once again. In Cambridgeshire, the Yellow-browed Warbler was still present at Milton CP on 19th-20th; and another was found in Dorset in Bridport on 21st.
In Somerset, just one of the settled trio of Penduline Tits was seen at Weston Airfield on 17th. Had the others gone, or were they still lurking unseen in the depths of the site? The answer came on 20th when all three were once more seen there. At least one remained there on 21st.
The West Runton (Norfolk) Short-toed Lark was still present there on 17th.
Four Great Grey Shrikes were again noted in the course of the week – in Denbighshire at Llyn Brenig still on 15th-20th; at Comberton (Cambridgeshire) still on 17th-21st; at Backley Bottom (Hampshire) still on 15th; and in Cropton Forest (North Yorkshire) still on 18th-21st.
In Highland, four Waxwings were still present at Nethy Bridge on 15th-18th, with three noted there on 19th, and two on 20th.
A Hoopoe was reported from an East Molesey (Surrey) garden on 17th.
In Cornwall, the Rose-coloured Starling remained at Lower Boscaswell on 15th-18th, while another in the county was seen at St Just on 18th; and a possible bird was seen in London at Surbiton on 17th.
A Richard’s Pipit was found in East Yorkshire at Welwick on 15th-19th.
The female Serin remained in Hertfordshire at Maple Cross on 15th-18th; and a male was seen going east over St Catherine’s Point (Isle of Wight) on 21st.
And finally, two Little Buntings were found in Norfolk on Kelling Heath on 21st.
Pick of the week’s overseas news was found in Spain in recent days, where the country’s first Black-faced Bunting was trapped and ringed at Ponteceso on 19th. Elsewhere in the country, a Sociable Lapwing remained at Laguna de Gallocanta on 16th, with two birds present there on 20th.
Coming closer to home, in Holland the settled Western Swamphen at Het Nieuwe Waterschap remained there on 18th-21st, and the Pygmy Cormorant was still present in Utrecht on 17th; while a Spotted Eagle was loitering around Fochterloo on 15th-19th.
In Germany, the meena Western Rufous Turtle Dove remained at Schonberg Nordost on 16th-20th, but the week’s biggest news concerned a significant influx of Pygmy Cormorants into the country – 10 were seen at Vogelschutzgebiet Garstadt on 14th, followed by an even more impressive 27 birds at Ochsenanger on 16th. We’ve yet to see our dreams with just one bird realised in Britain, but surely it’s just a matter of time…
The male Siberian Rubythroat remained in Sweden this week at Vargön on 16th-20th.
There you go, that’s the last week of March stretching out ahead of us. It’s a time when, with a fair following wind, good things can happen.
At this juncture, with its anniversary pending, and in the wake of a good year for Nearctic vagrancy, it’s worth remembering that it was during the coming week, back in 1969, that a smart adult male Evening Grosbeak was present on St Kilda (Western Isles) on 26th March. If you thought the Orcadian Varied Thrush was one of the ultimate unblockers, imagine the scenes when (not if!) one of these ultra-finches is found…
But no. That’s probably not on the cards. The coming week looks set to be settled, and increasingly warm and dry. Something drifting in from southern Europe, northbound, seems more likely than not. An Alpine Swift doesn’t feel like a big ask somewhere on the south coast in the days to come.
Jon Dunn
22 March 2022
Many thanks to all this week's contributors for your photos and videos
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