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Weekly birding round-up: 19 - 25 Sep 2023

Pinch me, I think I’m dreaming.

Did that really just happen?

Apparently yes. And if the week just gone was real and not a fever dream, it was by a country mile the best single week ever for Nearctic vagrancy to Britain. There’ve been other years over the decades that have cumulatively notched up some big hitters in the course of the autumn – 1985 springs irresistibly to mind – but if nothing else rare lands in Britain and Ireland in the remainder of 2023, the year would still go down in the record books as the year that surpasses all others.

National firsts, both actual and honorary; blockers unblocked; immense self-finds… we had it all last week. A period of intense migratory activity in America coincided with Hurricane Lee (no, really…) tracking up the eastern seaboard of the USA, and then spilling out into the Atlantic on the skirts of a low pressure system with tightly packed isobars and ample fast-moving, warm, humid air. Almost literally, by the time it reached us, the perfect storm for a superb period of British and Irish birding.

Strap yourselves in. We’re in for some turbulence.

As we’ll see shortly, by last weekend Toby Phelps might have been considering he was having a good week. What, after all, could be better than finding Britain’s third-ever Magnolia Warbler? Certainly, given how many people successfully connected with it, by the time 23rd dawned there were ample folk who owed him an unblocking debt of gratitude. That debt was about to get significantly more profound…

For Toby wasn’t quite done with us, the week, or St Govan’s Head (Pembrokeshire) yet. Eclipsing even Will Miles, the mighty American warbler finder of St Kilda fame, in the morning of 23rd he discovered yet another warbler on St Govan’s Head – and this one was a first for Britain.

Nothing less than our first ever Canada Warbler, the cherry on top of the unforgettable cake of the past week. Ireland was blessed with a bird that spent almost a week on Loop Head (Co.Clare) way back in October 2006, but a British bird had been resolutely unforthcoming. Until now.

The consternation of successful Magnolia Warbler twitchers nearby would have been considerable as the news broke. For some Bay-breasted Warbler twitchers, an unthinkable American warbler treble was on the cards – a first, second and third record for Britain, all in one unforgettable day in an unforgettable week of wonders.

There was no sign of the bird on 24th but then, on 25th, there it was once more. For what good that might do us… For where twitches are usually fairly hazard free, with jeopardy limited to some mild passive aggression, this one comes with a proper health warning – the area closes intermittently as it’s in an MOD live fire range area. Realistically, opportunities to see the bird in the week ahead will be extremely time limited.

 

There are few birds on the British more freighted with controversy than Bay-breasted Warbler. It sits in an exclusive club – you can fill in the inferred blanks here for yourselves – that have single historic records that, back in the day, were deemed good enough to warrant admission to the British list but, subsequently and perhaps more starkly with every passing year, feel… well… maybe a bit uncomfortable. Or is that just a lingering taste of sour grapes from those who never saw the birds in question…

Britain’s one and only accepted bird didn’t get off to a particularly good start. The account of the bird’s discovery was hard reading, not least for those birders resident in or visiting West Penwith on 1st October 1995. Found around 10am, news of the bird in question – evidently an American wood warbler, whatever it was – didn’t, due to a variety of unfortunate circumstances, filter out into the wider world until rather later in the day. In a nutshell, too late for anyone to meaningfully try to help relocate it.

But it was filmed which, back in 1995, was something of a novelty. The editorial comment in British Birds that accompanied the account of the bird’s discovery was a fascinating read and opened something of a window on the lens through which rarity records, and national firsts in particular, are viewed and assessed:

“Single-observer reports are always scrutinised more carefully by the BOURC, and the Committee makes every effort to investigate them very thoroughly… photographs of single observer records are analysed for evidence that might support the claimed location…

“There was no intention to impugn the integrity of the finder, but the Chairman of the BOURC considered that it was essential that the video should be analysed for evidence of fraud."

What followed then was an account of the video analysis that was undertaken, both technical and botanical, to ascertain whether anything seemed amiss. The video was considered to be genuine in and of itself; and the plants that could be identified in it, while not impossible to have been present in North America, were considered ‘very unlikely’ to have occurred together in a film made in North America.

So, all in all, a thorough analysis was undertaken, and Bay-breasted Warbler was admitted to the British list. That was almost 30 years ago, and no further sign of another bird was forthcoming. Was that 1995 bird such an anomaly? The lack of subsequent records wasn’t, arguably, doing it any favours.

Perhaps events of this week will help to assuage any doubters – hot on the heels of another outrageous American wood-warbler found elsewhere in Pembrokeshire the previous day, more of which anon, a stonking Bay-breasted Warbler was found on Ramsey by Alys Perry on 21st. Frustratingly, access to the island was declared problematic until 23rd.

Happily, on 23rd the boats ran, allowing 160 twitchers to successfully visit the island, where the bird remained and showed impeccably well, judging by the mouth-watering images and delighted accounts of the twitch shared on social media that evening. Alas, the weather was set to close in again from 24th, and there was no sign of it there during that day, but there it was again, so near and yet so far, on 25th.

One of the great British blockers had fallen and the memory of the Land’s End bird of 1995 may finally be absolved and laid to respectful rest.

 

By the time said Bay-breasted Warbler was found on 21st, Pembrokeshire was already drawing a crowd for another wood-warbler, and this one arguably one of the most bobby-dazzlers of their kind at this time of year – an absolute peach of a Magnolia Warbler, found in the evening of 20th on St Govan’s Head by an understandably elated Toby Phelps.

Only the third for Britain, this one, and like the Bay-breasted, also a first for Wales. Unlike the Ramsey bird, this one was on the Welsh mainland and that meant that, with it still present on 21st-24th, one of the great blockers of British birding was about to fall for those making the trek west.

Our first Magnolia Warbler dates back to 27th-28th September 1981, on St Agnes (Scilly). As the years subsequently elapsed with no further records, it had firmly assumed the status of a massive blocker, to the joy of those who caught up with it, and the chagrin of those who came afterwards…

Then, late on 23rd September 2012, what should Fair Isle Bird Observatory assistant warden Jason Moss find on the cliffs of the island but Britain’s second Magnolia Warbler. Fabulous for those who happened to be on the island that evening but, as it was gone by the following day, not much use to anyone else, and a particularly painful bird for those of us who had left the island earlier in the day…

A 30 year wait for Britain’s second record, then. Happily this week, our third had only waited a mere decade before turning up. And where else but Pembrokeshire, given other events of the week, for this and the Canada and Bay-breasted Warblers weren’t all the county had to offer – more of which in due course.

The Welsh Magnolia Warbler story didn’t begin and end in Pembrokeshire for, on 24th, news broke of another bird – this one in Glamorgan, at Briton Ferry. Incredibly, it was possible to see two of these ultra-rare birds in the space of one day in Wales, and both remained present as the week closed on 25th.

 

We need to take a breather now, and switch our attention further north to the Western Isles – while we might be forgiven for thinking all the action this week was to be had in Wales, Scotland wasn’t without its moments, especially on 23rd.

By the time 23rd dawned, Barra was already enjoying a good time of it, with two Red-eyed Vireos and a Tennessee Warbler under its belt. By nightfall, it was looking like a good day on Corvo there, courtesy of the combined efforts of Ian Ricketts, and Bruce and Kathy Taylor.

Two more Red-eyed Vireos in Castlebay took the total present on the island that day to at least four birds, but there was a significantly rarer vireo on the horizon that morning with them beside the pitch in Castlebay – Scotland’s first ever Philadelphia Vireo, and only the second of its kind ever to be seen in Britain.

Our first owes itself to another memorable autumn, 1987, when a bird spent 10th-13th October on Tresco (Scilly). With almost 40 years having elapsed subsequently, that was firmly in blocker territory too. And then 2023 happened.

Unfortunately the weather broke down as the day progressed on Barra and, while the two new Red-eyed Vireos were still to be seen in the same vicinity, the Philadelphia was laying low, and wasn’t to be seen there latterly.

 

We’ve a lot to thank Scotland for where Ovenbirds are concerned in a British context. It was Scotland, after all, that gave us our British first, half a century ago on Out Skerries (Shetland), a bird seen there on 7th-8th October 1973.

Five more birds have followed for Britain, and the last two were both Scottish – one apiece for Barra (Western Isles) on 23rd-24th October 2011, and on Papa Westray (Orkney) on 6th October 2013.

Another part of Scotland was to be blessed with one of these charismatic Nearctic warblers this week, with the discovery on 23rd of a bird on Rum (Highland & Caithness), an excellent find by Sean Morris.

The same deteriorating weather, the exposed location in which the bird was found, and the availability of denser and more suitable habitat elsewhere on the island meant that there was sadly but unsurprisingly no further sign of it the following day at the original point of discovery.

 

Back to Barra (Western Isles) for a moment in this jam-packed series of headlines, and what’s probably the second Tennessee Warbler of the autumn in the wake of the bird that spent 15th-18th out on St Kilda.

Found by Bruce Taylor on 21st, and seen again during the incredible day of 23rd, it’s temptingly convenient to assume that the Barra bird is one and the same as the St Kilda individual. In any normal week, that would be a not unreasonable working hypothesis… but as nobody needs telling, this is no normal week.

Were any corroboration needed for the likelihood of multiple displaced Tennessee Warblers being involved, quite apart from a cornucopia of other warbler species seen, there was a second bird of its kind found this week – Ireland’s second ever example, picked out on Inishbofin (Co.Galway) by Peter Phillips on 23rd, and still present there on 25th, sharing its chosen garden with a Baltimore Oriole for good measure. Inishbofin was the home of Ireland’s first too, seen there on 6th-7th October 2020. A fine rare bird for Ireland, then, but not the rarest warbler to be seen there this past week…

But before we head to Ireland, back to Barra we go on 24th where the irrepressible Bruce Taylor found yet another Tennessee Warbler on the magic isle, which remained there the following day too.

 

There was a first for Ireland in the offing in recent days, albeit a frustratingly brief one.

Birders present on Skellig Michael (Co.Kerry) on 20th were in the right place at the right time, as Ireland’s first ever Blackburnian Warbler was set to drop down in the late morning – but not for long, as shortly after the news broke the bird took off and headed south.

Seen again on the island later in the afternoon, there was no sign of it there on 21st. A true mega anywhere in Europe, let alone Ireland, so a fabulous bird – and where blockers were falling in Britain, Ireland had potentially just created a new blocker all its own.

 

And still the warblers kept on coming. In any normal week the next items on the headline agenda would have been the opening salvoes of the weekly headlines, but on this most remarkable of weeks they’re (honourably) consigned to make up the rest of the field.

And we’re back to Wales again where it was Bardsey’s (Gwynedd) turn to have a share of the outrageous limelight. There’s only been one prior Welsh record of Black-and-white Warbler, a one-day bird present on Skomer (Pembrokeshire) on 10th September 1980. For one to be trapped and ringed this week on Bardsey, on 21st, would therefore have been notable in and of itself...

…but for a second bird to be trapped and ringed on the island on 23rd was taking things to a new and preposterous level. This was the week that just kept on giving in Wales. And there’s still more to come.

Yet that second Bardsey bird wasn’t even the second example of the week, for on 21st another bird was found, this time down on Tresco (Scilly). Scilly? Remember that place?

Yes, Scilly. We overlook it or write it off at our peril, as we should well know by now. If Wales was getting a direct hit of Nearctic passerines this week, surely there’d be something on Scilly. Maybe something other than their eighth record of Black-and-white Warbler?

 

If that Scillonian Black-and-white Warbler wasn’t proving cooperative – and it wasn’t, for there was no further sign of it on Tresco on 22nd, the day after its discovery – nor was the next Nearctic warbler in the archipelago behaving any better, or at least not to begin with.

A Northern Parula was found on St Martin’s in the late morning of 23rd but, by the late afternoon, there was no further sign of it to be seen. It’s been a fair while since our last British bird, that which settled on Tiree (Argyll & Bute) on 25th-29th September 2010, so this individual might have been expected to raise some interest, had it only been more obliging. That said, the keenest listers could barely complain they’d been poorly served elsewhere this week.

In the end, it turned out this week’s bird was merely toying with us, for it was seen again and showed well on St Martin’s on 25th. For many a Scilly debutante, this will be a grand start to their Scilly season.

 

It would be thoroughly churlish to complain about this glut of wood-warblers but, for the sake of variety if nothing else, it was fine to see some American variety on the passerine front this week. And no less colourful than said warblers, for Ireland landed Baltimore Orioles. Yes, orioles plural…

Inishbofin (Co.Galway) kicked things off with a bird found on there on 21st-25th. Or was that two birds? Photos indicated a bird seen less than a mile from the first individual was, in fact, a different bird altogether.

Two birds in one week would be good going. Three birds in the space of a week is beyond reckoning, but of course the week in question is uncharted territory for British and Irish birders alike. A further bird, the first for Co.Antrim, was found on Rathlin Island on 22nd-23rd.

 

It seems, by this stage, such a very long time since last Tuesday. So much has occurred in the meantime. But let’s cast our minds back to 19th and what, for a brief moment, felt like the birding event of the week – the first, and highly anticipated, Cliff Swallow to be found alive and kicking in Britain this autumn.

(You’ll recall, of course, that the preceding week closed with a Cliff Swallow corpse picked up on a vessel at Seaforth Docks (Lancashire & North Merseyside) on 17th. And we could hardly forget the double figures of birds that graced Iceland in recent weeks, the birds that raised our hopes in the first place for another British or Irish record…)

We might not have anticipated the first live bird of the year being found on the east coast of England – after all, first landfall for any Nearctic bird is likely to be further west. Then again, Cleveland, East Yorkshire and Suffolk have all enjoyed Cliff Swallows in the past, and there was no denying what was hawking over North Foreland (Kent) on 19th – the county’s first Cliff Swallow.

There it remained into 20th, to the delight of birders both local and from further afield. On 20th another British bird was found, in the perhaps more anticipated quarters of St Mary’s (Scilly), a bird that stuck around until 21st, and handed over the baton to yet another notable bird for Wales this week – one seen at Sker Point (Glamorgan) on 22nd.

But what about Ireland? To date, the country had but the one past Cliff Swallow, and that dating back to the big American vagrant autumn of 1995 – a bird that spent just the one day at Dunmore Head (Co.Kerry) on 16th November of that year. Surely a second Irish record was on the cards.

Well, yes – and there it was on 20th, conveniently close to Keating’s Bar at Kilbaha (Co.Clare). By 21st there were two birds there, one of which stayed until 22nd.

If these were unprecedented riches, what followed were beyond the dreams of avarice. In Co.Cork on 21st birds were seen at Garinish Point and Kealkil, and a further probable at Cape Clear. Another was found on 22nd in Co.Wexford at Tacumshin. On 23rd, another probable at Kilcullen (Co.Kildare). Co.Cork returned to the fore again on 24th, with birds found at Lough Clubir and Lough Aderra – the Lough Clubir bird remaining there on 25th.

There was never a better opportunity to find a Cliff Swallow in Ireland, let alone to catch up with somebody else’s. Like the rest of the remarkable fall of the past week, we’ve no sense whether this will be a once in a lifetime event or not…

 

Back now to where we began the headlines, and that’s in Pembrokeshire where, on Skokholm, the county’s third Bobolink was discovered on 21st. Both the county’s prior records were offshore and in October, on Skokholm on 13th-14th October 1999, and on Skomer on 8th-11th October 2010. Sadly this week’s bird, after initially showing well on 21st, began to become more mobile along the north cliffs of the island as the day wore on, and wasn’t prepared to extend its stay any further than that one day.

Another bird, however, was reported this week from Nash Point (Glamorgan) on 22nd. That, were it to be accepted, would be the county’s second record. The Skokholm individual, however, was far from the rarest bird on that particular island this week…

But before we get to that, still another Bobolink was found this week, on St Agnes (Scilly) on 25th – unfortunately a fleeting bird that didn’t settle for long.

 

Given that Britain’s first Empidonax flycatcher, the Alder Flycatcher found at Nanjizal Valley (Cornwall) on 8th-9th October 2008, was followed in fairly short order by Acadian Flycatcher in 2015 and Yellow-bellied Flycatcher in 2020, it’s perhaps been overshadowed by its more illustrious and recent congeners.

But that’s unduly harsh, for Alder Flycatcher remains a properly rare bird here in Britain. Since the Cornish bird we’ve just had one more record, the popular individual that spent 25th-27th September 2010 on Blakeney Point (Norfolk) – which is almost 15 years ago, gone by in the blink of an eye, and a salutary reminder that they’re still a mega bird with serious pulling power.

And where else was going to get one this week than Pembrokeshire? An Empidonax flycatcher sp found on Skokholm on 20th was to divide opinion, as is their wont in North America, let alone for British birders less familiar with them than their American counterparts. Could it be another Acadian? Or another Alder? Cases were cautiously advanced for both, though opinion seemed to favour the latter species.

Still present on the island on 21st, it was trapped and ringed there that day, and on closer inspection its identity was resolved once and for all as the first Alder Flycatcher for Wales, and hence Pembrokeshire, and only the third ever for Britain. Unlike the here today, gone tomorrow Bobolink this week on Skokholm, this bird did the decent thing and hung around on the island until 24th.

Meanwhile, as the week wore on, another Empidonax flycatcher sp was seen – found at Cilan Head (Gwynedd) on 23rd, seen briefly there that morning, and again on 24th, albeit the bird in question was frustratingly elusive and hard to view. Another Alder, or could Wales possibly add two Empids to the national list in the space of one week?

 

This was, truly, the week that kept on giving. Which is wonderful for birders, obvs, but not so great for your own correspondent when he’s trying to wrap things up for the week and the great birds just keep on coming right until the close of play…

Such mithering will cut no mustard with birders in East Yorkshire this week for, on 25th, a keenly anticipated and much-appreciated opportunity arose to catch up with a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper in the county, with the discovery of an adult bird at Blacktoft Sands RSPB in the early afternoon of 25th.

There have been just three previous records of the species in the county – the first, a one-day bird at Blacktoft Sands on 17th September 1982; the second, also a one-day bird, at Sammy’s Point on 8th September 2007; and the last, all of two days at Patrington Haven and Kilnsea on 22nd-23rd August 2010. Another bite at the cherry, even for some more vintage Yorkshire listers, would be most welcome.

Happily this week’s bird played the game, and showed well at Blacktoft Sands RSPB until dusk. Whether it stays much longer remains, at the time of writing, to be seen. Could this be the recent Montrose Basin (Angus) individual relocating further south? That bird was last seen there on 12th September – if it is one and the same bird, that begs the question of where it’s been in the interim period. For Yorkshire birders, that’s fairly academic.

 

We finish the opening salvoes with a passerine from a very different vector to those with which it shares the headlines – and one that, arguably, is perhaps rarer than all of them. Albeit not from a British statistical perspective. There’s never been a Canada Warbler in Britain before, after all. Just one previous Bay-breasted Warbler, and a mere two prior Magnolia Warblers.

And there have been hundreds of past Yellow-breasted Buntings in Britain. Time was when they were a staple of almost every autumn, and not just in Shetland – they used to turn up fairly regularly elsewhere in Britain too. My second ever example of the species ran between the legs of my tripod on Portland (Dorset) in September 1993…

But oh the times and the fortunes of the species they have changed in the past 50 years. Specifically, in the past 20 years and, crucially, in the past decade.

Now classified at Critically Endangered by Birdlife International, extensive and sustained trapping of birds, augmented by intensified agriculture and negatively changing land use, has driven catastrophic and rapid declines in the global population. What was once an annual bird here is now far from it, and perhaps doomed to local extirpation in parts of its range, or worse still.

Our last bird was found about as close to home for me as it’s possible to be, short of being on my croft, a mile away from me on Whalsay on 22nd-23rd September 2018. It’s not a species I’ve now any realistics hopes of adding to the house list, though once I might have entertained those daydreams 30 years ago. Frankly, it’s one that a new generation of birders might never get a chance to catch up with in Britain as a whole, the way things are going.

That said, there’s a glimmer of a chance presenting itself this coming week for, as night fell on 25th, news broke of a juvenile Yellow-breasted Bunting on Lundy (Devon) that afternoon. The MV Oldenburg sails in the morning of 26th… And while it might not have the heady glamour of your Nearctic warbler, this bunting’s well worth the effort if you’ve not seen one before. It’s got blocker written all over it.

 

Seabirds. You remember them, right? The not-terribly-colourful things that hang around the wobbly, wet stuff? The things we’ve spent the last few weeks eulogising about?

Turns out we may have allowed ourselves to get a little carried away there. The birding year had much bigger plans in store for us this autumn. But still, there they were this past week and, among their number, some birds that in any normal week would have grabbed our attention.

Starting with Brown Booby, the Cleveland adult bird remained a constant from South Gare on 19th-24th. On 25th she headed north, being noted from various points in Co.Durham, Northumberland and Lothian. She was joined in the news by the immature bird again seen in Scotland off Inchmickery (Lothian) on 19th, and a further possible individual seen distantly passing Walmer (Kent) on 23rd.

Ireland’s resident mega, the settled adult Double-crested Cormorant, remained present on Doon Lough (Co.Leitrim) on 23rd-24th.

It was Ireland that gave us what, potentially, could have been yet another seabird with a strong claim for a place firmly amongst the week’s headlines – a candidate Zino’s Petrel seen off Galley Head (Co.Cork) on 19th.

A different bird, a Fea’s Petrel sp was seen the same day along the Co.Cork coast off Cape Clear. Another was noted from Brandon Point (Co.Kerry) on 20th.

Single Wilson’s Petrel sightings came from Cornwall this week where, on 20th, a bird was seen from Hannafore Point and Penlee Point respectively.

Fair numbers of Leach’s Petrels were seen in recent days, with around 125 birds noted. Of those, a count of 20 birds from Bridges of Ross (Co.Clare) on 20th was notable.

Potential Scopoli’s Shearwaters weren’t quite done with us yet, with a probable seen from Pendeen (Cornwall) on 19th, and a possible off Berry Head (Devon) on 20th.

A probable Barolo Shearwater was seen passing Cley (Norfolk) on 25th, albeit distantly offshore.

Numbers of large shearwaters continued to dwindle, with around 3,300 Cory’s Shearwaters and 4,000 Great Shearwaters logged over the course of the week. Balearic Shearwaters, on the other hand, were in the ascendant, with some 5,250 birds reported, of which 1,041 off Berry Head (Devon) in the morning of 20th was the highest single site tally returned.

Numbers of skuas were dropping somewhat, with around 85 Pomarine and 50 Long-tailed noted – one wonders, however, if as the week went on there may have been a little less observer effort expended looking out to sea from headlands, and rather more attention spent searching the actual headlands themselves…

Coming to the party late in the week, on 25th a White-billed Diver was seen heading south past the Farne Islands (Northumberland).

 

The week was a busy one once again for Glossy Ibis, with a little over 20 birds noted collectively across Britain and Ireland. Starting in the latter country, Co.Wexford was making all the running, with a single bird at Tacumshin on 21st, and three once more at Lady’s Island Lake on 20th. In Britain, one was seen in Cornwall at Freathy on 23rd; three were again the peak count at Fremington Pill (Devon) on 22nd and 25th; four remained at Titchfield Haven NNR (Hampshire) on 19th, with three present on 21st-25th; the regular Dungeness (Kent) two birds had increased to three there by 23rd-24th; another was seen in Kent at Sandwich Bay on 22nd; two remained in Suffolk at Aldeburgh Town Marshes on 20th-22nd; one was seen in Suffolk over Minsmere RSPB on 22nd; another was seen at Carrside Carrs (Co.Durham) on 24th-25th; and, well inland, two wandering birds were seen over Warren Hills (Leicestershire) on 22nd, and one at Carsington Water (Derbyshire) on 25th.

In Cornwall, the juvenile Purple Heron remained at Marazion Marsh RSPB on 21st-24th; on 21st, additional birds were found at Ham Fen (Kent), and Garretstown (Co.Cork); and another was found on 23rd in Lancashire & North Merseyside at Newton-in-Bowland.

Back in Ireland, two Night Herons were noted passing over Tralee (Co.Kerry) in the evening of 21st.

The juvenile Black Stork put in another appearance at Frampton Marsh RSPB (Lincolnshire) on 22nd-25th.

A Spotted Crake was found at Napton Reservoir (Warwickshire) on 19th; while migrant Corncrake were seen on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 20th and 21st, and Brownstown Head (Co.Waterford) on 21st also.

 

Our honkers and quackers this week began to exhibit a little more variety than of late, not least amongst the former with a handful of early reports of species that, in the weeks and months to come, will be all too familiar to us on a weekly basis.

Waddle forwards, then, the Black Brant reported from Courtmacsherry (Co.Cork) on 21st…

…and the Snow Goose reported from Vane Farm RSPB (Perth & Kinross) on 22nd followed, on 24th, by one passing over Old Portlethen (Aberdeenshire) with Pink-footed Geese; and, on 25th, another near Carstairs Junction (Clyde), and a blue morph in Lancashire & North Merseyside at Pilling Marsh.

Inishmore (Co.Galway) gave us a drake American Wigeon on 21st-22nd. On 24th more were forthcoming – one reported from Berry Fen (Cambridgeshire); another at Kilnsea Wetlands NR (East Yorkshire); and another at Banks Marsh NNR (Lancashire & North Merseyside); the latter two birds were still present as the week drew to a close on 25th.

At least one of the recent duo of Blue-winged Teal remained at Tophill Low NR (East Yorkshire) on 19th. Additional birds were to be seen this week at Frampton Marsh RSPB (Lincolnshire0 on 20th-21st; and Frankfield Loch (Clyde) on 21st.

The drake Ferruginous Duck was again noted at Draycote Water (Warwickshire) on 21st-25th.

A Ring-necked Duck was present at Llwyn-on Reservoir (Glamorgan) on 20th, with a female on 24th-25th at Lisvane Reservoir, a possible drake at Thurrock Thameside Nature Park (Essex) on 24th, and a drake reported on 25th from Talybont Reservoir (Powys).

In Scotland, either a White-winged or Stejneger’s Scoter was seen briefly from Musselburgh (Lothian) on 20th. One might, in the light of the confirmed drake Stejneger’s Scoter seen off there on 23rd, assume that individual accounts for the sighting earlier in the week, but this is Musselburgh, after all, where both are eminently possible, so perhaps not…

Musselburgh also gave us the immature drake Surf Scoter again on 20th-23rd; while additional drakes this week were seen at Blackdog (Aberdeenshire) on 23rd-25th, off Roseisle (Moray) on 24th-25th, and in Brandon Bay (Co.Kerry) on 20th still. The Roseisle bird was joined by a second drake there on 25th.

Finally, the second-summer drake King Eider remained at Musselburgh Lagoons (Lothian) on 19th-25th.

 

Inevitably, with westerly winds dominating proceedings this week, there were going to be some Nearctic waders in the offing, and so it proved.

Lesser Yellowlegs made a notable arrival, with several new birds found to augment existing Irish birds. The latter comprised individuals still in Co.Donegal at Inch Island on 19th and Blanket Nook on 20th-21st; and at Rosscarbery (Co.Cork) on 19th-20th. New birds were seen in Wales on Skokholm (Pembrokeshire) on 20th, and on the Gann Estuary (Pembrokeshire) on 22nd-23rd and again on 25th; at Frampton Marsh RSPB (Lincolnshire) on 20th-25th; a possible briefly at Tynemouth (Northumberland) on 20th; another in Norfolk at Buckenham Marshes RSPB on 24th; and back in Ireland at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford), where one bird present on 21st-23rd was joined there on 23rd by a second individual.

A possible Wilson’s Snipe on St Mary’s (Scilly) wasn’t such a surprise either, and this or another individual will surely be resolved and forthcoming in the days and weeks to come.

Our three recent Long-billed Dowitchers were all still present and correct this week – at Cley NWT (Norfolk) on 19th-20th (and Stiffkey on 22nd); on Orkney’s Sanday on 21st-22nd; and in Co.Cork at Clonakilty on 19th-23rd.

Clonakilty was enjoying a good week for waders, with a Semipalmated Sandpiper found there on 20th-21st. Another Irish bird was found at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) on 22nd; while the recent individual remained on Benbecula (Western Isles) on 19th-21st.

Frampton Marsh RSPB (Lincolnshire) was also having a good spell for westerly waders with, in addition to its Lesser Yellowlegs this week, a White-rumped Sandpiper also present on 22nd-25th.

Barra (Western Isles) has featured heavily already in this week’s Round Up and, on 19th, it still retained its recent Baird’s Sandpiper, a bird that was shortly to be somewhat overtaken and overshadowed by events. Additional birds elsewhere this week were found on Tiree (Argyll & Bute) on 22nd-25th; and at Hoylake (Cheshire & Wirral) on 20th-21st, with a further report of the latter there on 22nd. A further probable bird was reported from Cley NWT (Norfolk) on 25th, but couldn’t be relocated subsequently.

In Cleveland, the recent Temminck’s Stint remained at Saltholme RSPB on 19th-21st.

Buff-breasted Sandpipers maintained a steady presence here in recent days. Lingering birds remained on St Kilda (Western Isles), where two stuck around on 19th-22nd; and Foula (Shetland), which retained a singleton on 19th-23rd. New arrivals were found at St Govan’s Head (Pembrokeshire) on 21st, Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) on 21st-23rd, on 24th at St Govan’s Head again where two birds were picked up coming in off the sea and, on 25th, at Loop Head (Co.Clare), Brownstown Head (Co.Waterford), and North Ronaldsay (Orkney). Another possible was reported from Bryher (Scilly) on 25th.

Pectoral Sandpiper also held steady and firm, with some 30 individuals noted across Britain and Ireland over the course of the week. Once again, some sites boasted multiple birds – two were still present on Myroe Levels (Co.Derry) on 21st; while two remained at Aldeburgh Town Marshes (Suffolk) on 20th, rising to three birds present there on 22nd.

Rounding off the sandpipers, a Spotted Sandpiper was found at Howth (Co.Dublin) on 22nd-25th.

American Golden Plovers pushed towards double figures, attention paid to Golden Plover flocks at this time of year paying dividends. Settled birds remained in Shetland on Whalsay on 19th-25th; in the Western Isles on North Uist on 19th-20th, and Lewis on 19th-22nd; in Northumberland on Holy Island on 20th-25th, and Beal on 23rd and 25th; and at Blanket Nook (Co.Donegal) on 19th-21st. Additional birds were found at Ballycotton (Co.Cork) on 21st-22nd; on 22nd on Inishbofin (Co.Galway) and at Seasalter (Kent); on 23rd on Iona (Argyll & Bute); another was reported from Orkney Mainland at Loch of Tankerness on 24th, with two birds present there on 25th; and finally, on 25th a bird was found in Cornwall at Men-an-Tol.

Lingering Dotterel remained as the week began on Bryher (Scilly), where two were still to be seen on 19th-25th, and at Bredon Hill (Worcestershire), where one bird hung on until 21st also. Additional single birds were noted at Oare Marshes KWT (Kent) on 22nd, Foryd Bay (Gwynedd) on 23rd, and Men-an-Tol (Cornwall) on 25th.

A couple of Red-necked Phalaropes were seen this week – one at Keyhaven Marshes (Hampshire) on 22nd-24th and Pennington Marshes on 25th, and another reported past Pendeen (Cornwall) on 22nd.

Powerful westerlies meant, of course, Grey Phalaropes blown within sight of land and, in some cases, well inland too – a number of freshwater bodies in England were graced by one of these elegant waders in the space of the past week. Overall, some 110 birds were recorded this week, with a couple of notable seawatch tallies amongst them – in Ireland, 20 birds were seen from Bridges of Ross (Co.Clare) on 20th; while Britain’s best was a count of 10 birds from Pendeen (Cornwall) on 22nd.

 

As is so often the case, where Grey Phalaropes go, Sabine’s Gulls inevitably follow – good numbers of one usually mean decent tallies of the other. Around 50 birds were logged over the course of the past week – the best of which were half a dozen seen from Bridges of Ross (Co.Clare) on 20th.

In Ireland, the adult Bonaparte’s Gull remained at Kinnegar Shore (Co.Down) on 19th-21st; and another adult was seen in Co.Cork at Garrylucas on 21st-22nd.

A handful of Glaucous Gulls blew in lately. One remained on South Uist (Western Isles) on 19th-25th; additional birds were seen in Oban (Argyll & Bute) on 19th; from the ferry between Ullapool and Stornoway (Highland & Caithness / Western Isles) on 20th; in Dunnet Bay (Highland & Caithness) on 23rd; from the ferry between Oban and Mull (Argyll & Bute) on 23rd; and on Shetland Mainland at Wester Skeld on 25th.

Their more elegant white-winged counterpart, Iceland Gull, was represented this week by a bird found on Rathlin Island (Co.Antrim) on 22nd, and another on Barra (Western Isles) on 25th.

Down in Dorset the first-summer Forster's Tern was seen in Poole Harbour at Arne RSPB on 21st-24th again.

A juvenile White-winged Black Tern was found on 20th at Gormanstown (Co.Meath).

Finally, a Whiskered Tern was found in Kent heading south over a site with no general access near Tonbridge on 24th.

 

The week just gone was a strong one for Pallid Harriers, with several birds seen from Shetland in the north to Kent and the Isle of Wight in the south. Starting in Shetland, a juvenile lingered around the Tingwall area on 21st-22nd – a solid find by Dave Fairhurst and Judd Hunt, but probably scant compensation for the latter leaving his native Wales for a fortnight on the eve of a once-in-a-birding-lifetime event such as the last few days have been. (Judd’s WhatsApp messages have deteriorated over the days this week from “This is almost too much for me to bear" to a rather more pithy “#### my life!").

Another Shetland sighting came on 23rd further south, floating around the Quendale area of Mainland; and on 24th, up the road at Sandwick; presumably the same wandering bird accounted for sightings on 25th from Spiggie and Quendale again. In Essex, the juvenile was still at Wallasea Island RSPB on 19th-25th, with a further sighting at East Tilbury on 21st. A juvenile reported at Cliffe Pools RSPB (Kent) on 19th-20th presumably accounts for that found on 23rd at Northward Hill RSPB. Finally, a juvenile was seen on the Isle of Wight at Ventnor Downs on 22nd, and in Norfolk again at Snettisham CP on 24th; followed, on 25th, in Norfolk by sightings at North Point Pools and Warham Greens.

Providing a salutary lesson to us all to give these boa’d raptors a long hard second glance, the juvenile seen on 17th at Insh Marshes RSPB (Fife) proved, this week on 19th, to be a hybrid Pallid x Montagu’s Harrier after all.

An extremely smart juvenile Red-footed Falcon was a popular bird at Eglingham Moor (Northumberland) on 18th-25th. Another juvenile was found in Kent at South Foreland on 23rd.

Lastly, an unconfirmed report came of a Black Kite in Gloucestershire at Severn Beach on 25th.

 

Given how the headlines shaped up this week, it’s no surprise that we start the passerines with the Nearctic also-rans – though, frankly, finding any of these would be a proper adrenaline buzz, and they’re all superb self-found stuff. Not least Red-eyed Vireos, and the week was a stellar one for them…

We have to kick them off on Barra (Western Isles) where, as we learned in the headlines, numbers rose from two birds present on 21st-22nd to four birds on the island on 23rd, and an incredible five birds confirmed on the isle by 25th. Other sites also boasted multiples – Lundy (Devon) held one bird on 20th-25th, but two on 22nd at least; and Clare Island (Co.Mayo) also had one bird on 21st, but two on 22nd. Making sense of the rest of the singletons found this week, we’ll begin in Ireland, where birds were seen on Skellig Michael (Co.Kerry) on 21st; on Inishbofin (Co.Galway) on 21st; and on Inishmore (Co.Galway) on 22nd.

Scilly landed a few birds – one apiece for Bryher on 19th, St Mary’s on 21st-22nd, and Tresco on 21st. Cornwall didn’t miss out – here birds were found near Sennen Cove on 21st and in Nanquidno Valley on 22nd. In addition to the Lundy birds, Devon also got a mainland bird at Prawle Point on 22nd. A bird trapped and ringed on Portland (Dorset) was a superb county bird on 23rd-24th, the fifth county record for the species, and only the second in the present century.

Heading north, it was inconceivable this week that Wales would miss out on a Red-eyed Vireo and, sure enough, there was one found at Sker Point (Glamorgan) on 21st. This was the first for Glamorgan, and a well-received bird at that.

On 25th a further flush of birds were found – on Scilly on St Martin’s and Bryher; and trapped and ringed on Calf of Man (Isle of Man).

Last but not least, we finish the week’s Red-eyed Vireos where we began them, in the Western Isles, where a bird was seen on South Uist on 23rd-25th; one on Eriskay on 25th; and yet another on Barra on 25th.

Staying in the Western Isles a moment, the first American Buff-bellied Pipit of the autumn was found on St Kilda on 21st-23rd, joined there by a second individual on 23rd; at least one of the duo remained present on 24th. Surely many more of these will be coming out of the woodwork in the days and weeks to come.

Back to warblers now, though not of the colourful Nearctic variety, and we have to start in Ireland where, in addition to Co.Waterford’s first Paddyfield Warbler - still present at Brownstown Head on 21st-25th – it was the turn of Mizen Head (Co.Cork) to deliver the warbler goods in some style. Starting on 20th-21st, a Western Bonelli’s Warbler; then on 21st an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler; and then, on 22nd-25th, an Iberian Chiffchaff.

Perhaps the least said about Shetland’s fortunes this past week, the better. It wasn’t exactly bad up there – far from it, really – but it couldn’t possibly hold a candle to swathes of the rest of Britain and Ireland’s long western coastlines. The week began with a Lanceolated Warbler still proving delightfully cooperative on Fair Isle on 19th-22nd, and another found on the isle on 24th-25th; and a fresh Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler was found on Foula on 20th.

If Shetland was landing anything this week, it was Blyth’s Reed Warblers - birds were found in the archipelago on Fair Isle on 19th-25th, Unst on 19th and 23rd, North Roe on 22nd, Bressay and Out Skerries on 24th; and on Mainland at Swinister Burn on 22nd, and Gremista and Hestingott on 23rd. Away from Shetland, another was seen on North Ronaldsay on 19th-21st still; and a further possible at West Thurrock Marshes (Essex) on 21st.

Scarcer by far at this time of year now, a Marsh Warbler was to be seen in Shetland on Mainland at Quendale on 19th-20th and again on 24th.

Yellow-browed Warblers weren’t setting the world on fire just yet, with around 70 birds noted nationwide over the course of the week.

A Greenish Warbler was found on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 20th-23rd; and another at Cruden Bay (Aberdeenshire) on 22nd.

Fair Isle held onto an Arctic Warbler on 19th still; further birds were found this week also in Shetland on Unst on 19th-22nd, and on Yell on 21st-22nd and 24th-25th.

Melodious Warblers didn’t quite make it into double figures this week. Birds remained at Hook Head (Co.Wexford) on 21st, and St Ann’s Head (Pembrokeshire) on 21st-23rd; and fresh faces were found in Cornwall at Porthgwarra and Nanjizal Valley on 20th; also in Cornwall on The Lizard on 21st; at Porth Meudwy (Gwynedd) on 21st also; and on 22nd on Bryher (Scilly) and at West Bexington (Dorset).

An Icterine Warbler started the week still present at Kilbaha (Co.Clare) on 20th; and additional birds were seen on 19th-25th on North Ronaldsay (Orkney), Garinish Point (Co.Cork) on 21st, and Unst (Shetland) on 24th.

Some 40 Barred Warblers were seen over the course of the week, with Shetland particularly well-represented amongst their number. Both Unst and Whalsay held three birds on 19th alone.

It was Shetland that had the pick of the national shrikes this week, in the form of a smart adult male Turkestan Shrike trapped and ringed on Fair Isle on 23rd, present there since the day previously, and still on the island on 24th-25th.

Red-backed Shrikes more or less made it to double figures. One was present on St Mary’s (Scilly) on 19th-20th; one was settled in Nanjizal Valley (Cornwall) on 20th-21st; another at Loch of Spiggie (Shetland) on 20th-24th; at Landguard NR (Suffolk) on 21st-25th; Sennen Cove (Cornwall) on 21st; on Shetland Mainland at Swining on 23rd-25th; Cruden Bay (Aberdeenshire) on 23rd; and on North Ronaldsay (Orkney), where two birds were present on 23rd.

A Woodchat Shrike lingered at Marazion Marsh RSPB (Cornwall) on 20th-25th.

Marazion also gave us a Hoopoe on 19th-25th still; and additional birds were seen in Cornwall at Crows-an-wra on 20th, and Cot Valley on 21st; at Aldlingham (Cumbria) on 21st-24th; and Oundle (Northamptonshire) on 22nd. The week was also notable for confirmation that the species has bred again successfully in Britain this year, in Leicestershire, the first British breeding attempt since 1996.

A shade over 40 Wryneck were logged this week, with Scilly still ankle-deep in them, and Lundy (Devon) alone scoring four birds on 19th.

Given the arrival of multiple Cliff Swallows in Britain and Ireland this past week, anyone finding a Red-rumped Swallow will have doubtless had a momentary additional flutter of adrenaline… One was seen at Godlingstone Heath (Dorset) on 21st, and additional reports came on 23rd from Skokholm (Pembrokeshire) and near Austerfield (South Yorkshire).

Speaking of would be screamers, had the possible Pacific or White-rumped Swift seen briefly over the Wincanton (Somerset) sewage works on 24th only coalesced into something firmer, we’d have had yet another headline bird on our hands this week.

An Alpine Swift was found on 24th at North Gare (Cleveland).

On Lundy (Devon), the juvenile Rose-coloured Starling was still present on 19th. Another was seen this week on Skellig Michael (Co.Kerry) on 20th-21st, somewhat eclipsed by the Blackburnian Warbler there.

A Short-toed Lark was found on St Agnes (Scilly) on 25th.

Bluethroats were almost the sole preserve of Shetland this week – outliers seen on Unst on 19th and Foula on 22nd; and Mainland birds at Quendale on 19th and 24th, Fladdabister on 23rd, and Sound on 23rd-25th. North Ronaldsay (Orkney) also got a bird on 24th-25th.

In East Yorkshire, the Red-flanked Bluetail remained at Sammy’s Point on 20th-21st.

A couple of lingering Red-breasted Flycatchers began the week still present with us, on Flamborough (East Yorkshire) on 19th-21st, and Holy Island (Northumberland) on 19th-20th. Additional birds were widely scattered, seen in Shetland on Unst on 19th-25th, and St Ninian’s Isle on 23rd; on St Martin’s (Scilly) on 23rd-24th; and on 24th in Lerwick and Sandwick (Shetland), and on North Ronaldsay (Orkney), the latter bird remaining on the island on 25th.

Shetland also gave us a couple of Citrine Wagtails lately – one at Spiggie on 21st, and a particularly easy and showy bird on the outskirts of Lerwick on 21st-25th.

The best of the wagtails, however, weren’t on Shetland. Norfolk scored an Eastern Yellow Wagtail at Salthouse on 23rd; and Co.Clare an iberiae Spanish Wagtail at Kilbaha on 21st.

Back on Shetland, a Red-throated Pipit wasn’t lingering at Quendale on 19th.

Still a scarce commodity at this point in this autumn, a Richard’s Pipit was found on 24th flying through Cayton Bay (North Yorkshire).

A mere 15 Common Rosefinch nationwide this week were a poor showing, given the time of year. Unst (Shetland) remained a stronghold for them, with four still present at Norwick on 19th at least.

If they were a little thin on the ground, the same couldn’t be said for Little Buntings, with Shetland their heartland in recent days – of the 20 birds logged nationwide, the only non-Shetland birds were two present on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 20th, and one at Spurn (East Yorkshire) on 21st. In Shetland, it was once again Out Skerries that had the highest tally, with three birds again noted on there on 21st.

Fair Isle (Shetland), meanwhile, landed something somewhat scarcer in the bunting line – a Rustic Bunting on 22nd.

Finally, and rarer still, Co.Waterford’s first Black-headed Bunting remained at Brownstown Head on 19th-20th.

 

We’ll ignore the Azores for now, being as they’re so much closer to America than Europe, and stick with the exciting news closer to home, where the recent largesse enjoyed by British and Irish birders was spilling over into the near continent on 25th, with a Black-and-white Warbler found on 24th in Zeebrugge – a first record for Belgium.

France meanwhile is no stranger to a Red-eyed Vireo, but they’re nonetheless always a welcome find wherever one occurs – this week, that was on Ouessant on 23rd. A Brown Booby was seen on 24th at Pointe du Vivier.

In Italy, a Western Reef Egret was seen at Laghetto del Frassino on 24th.

Spain’s good seawatching fortunes continued unabated this week, with a Zino’s Petrel seen from Estaca de Bares on 19th. A White-backed Vulture settled on the cliffs at Casares on 19th-20th.

On the Canary Islands, the recent Cliff Swallow was still present on Fuerteventura on 21st.

Another Cliff Swallow was back where it all began in the Western Palearctic a fortnight or so ago, on Iceland, at Sandgeroi on 24th, and yet another at Kopasker on 22nd-25th. A White-winged Scoter was again seen at Keflavik on 21st.

Continuing to push the WP boundary outwards in the news, the White-faced Whistling Duck remained on Cape Verde’s Sal on 24th… and a Three-banded Plover was found in Georgia at Adjara on 23rd.

There’s no further prevarication necessary. It’s time for the Azores news which, for once, was good but not startlingly better than Wales…

News from the archipelago gradually ramped up as the week wore on. On 21st, Terceira gave us a Short-billed Dowitcher; then, on 21st, Corvo announced itself open for business with a Blackburnian Warbler followed, on 22nd, by Chestnut-sided and Black-and-white Warblers.

On 24th the ante was significantly upped on Corvo, with a haul of five Cliff Swallow, three apiece of Red-eyed Vireo and Common Yellowthroat, two apiece of Black-and-white Warbler and Ovenbird, and single American Redstart, Tennessee Warbler, Northern Parula, and Baltimore Oriole. Pico, that day, landed a Northern Parula. On 25th Corvo gave us Chestnut-sided Warbler, Yellow Warbler and, most notably, Connecticut Warbler - the latter just the second Western Palearctic record ever.

It’s fair to say the season’s under way out there in the mid Atlantic.

 

Normally I’d dwell on successfully predicting a bird of the calibre of Magnolia Warbler in the preceding week’s concluding remarks but, frankly, given what else turned up in the past week it was hardly an act of inspired divination. We could – we should! – strike better than that while the iron’s still white hot.

Let’s shoot for the stars in the coming week. Even if it’s not newly arrived in the days to come, there’s an outside chance surely that Britain or Ireland’s first, and long and hotly-anticipated Black-throated Green Warbler is out there for the finding…

Jon Dunn
26th September 2023

 

Many thanks to all this week's contributors for your photos and videos

 

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