Weekly birding round-up: 4 - 10 Jun 2024
A spell of cooler weather during the last week – and when we say ‘cooler’, that’s a bit of an understatement as it brought snow in the higher extremities of Scotland – acted as something of a damper on fresh, exciting birding finds in recent days. There was a sense that we were settling in now for the quiet lull before seabird action begins to stir off British and Irish coasts. But never say never. June can spring some big surprises. It just didn’t last week.
As a glance at the headlines reveals, both the Irish and English stars of the show remained on offer this week, more or less throughout. Starting in Ireland, the country’s first ever Yellow-crowned Night Heron remained at Belcarra (Co.Mayo) until 10th, with just one day drawing a blank – there was no sign of it there on 6th, a minor hiccup that was soon put behind us as normal service resumed until week’s end.
If the local rumours are to be believed that this bird has been present in the area for some considerable time before being outed onto the national bird radar and collective conscience, we might reasonably assume it’s likely to be a long-standing feature in the news in these parts for some time to come.
Such complacency won’t be forthcoming for something as famously fickle and mobile as a rare tern. It doesn’t take much for any tern to set off over the horizon for a while, or for good – they’re eminently mobile, after all. It comes, then, as a pleasant surprise this week to see the Bridled Tern still finding Coquet Island RSPB (Northumberland) very much to its liking throughout the week until 10th. Time alone will tell when the Northumbrian novelty will wear off for it but, in the meantime, it’s going down a treat with birders from near and far.
Not quite a fixture these days, but near enough still, the adult Double-crested Cormorant was still to be seen on Colgagh Lough (Co.Sligo) on 4th and again on 7th and 10th.
Elsewhere in Ireland, a Leach’s Petrel was noted on the Skellig Islands (Co.Kerry) on 6th.
Numbers of Balearic Shearwater picked up a little this week, with 23 birds seen on 4th from Downderry (Cornwall); and three off Portland (Dorset) on 5th.
Skuas meanwhile were a dwindling commodity – two Long-tailed were seen from North Uist (Western Isles) on 4th, and a singleton that day at Lochnindorb (Highland & Caithness); and a probable Pomarine Skua off Rum (Highland & Caithness) on 4th preceded a confirmed bird from the ferry between Oban and Mull (Argyll & Bute) on 8th. On 10th one of the former species was reported passing Titchwell RSPB (Norfolk); and singletons of the latter species from Skelbo (Highland & Caithness), and Kenfig Sands (Glamorgan).
Mobile Purple Heron(s) enlived Somerset in recent days, with sightings coming on 4th from Meare Heath, Shapwick Heath NNR, and Ham Wall RSPB. Ham Wall RSPB again gave a sighting on 8th. A further bird was noted at Combe Valley CP (East Sussex) on 6th and, on 9th, London landed a bird at Rainham Marshes RSPB. On 10th a final bird for the week was seen over Newsham Lake (Lincolnshire).
A Night Heron was also on the move in Devon on 7th, passing over Teignmouth just after midnight that morning. Another was seen on 5th and 8th-10th at Saltholme RSPB (Cleveland). On 9th a bird was seen at Waterworks NR (London) and, on 10th, a fresh bird at Cahore Marsh (Co.Wexford).
The bulk of our notable long-legged beasties this week were Glossy Ibis, which nudged towards double figures once more. Norfolk contributed sightings from Stiffkey again on 4th, Blakeney Freshmarsh on 5th, Cley NWT again on 6th and 8th-9th, Ken Hill Marsh on 7th still, and Hickling Broad NWT on 9th where three birds were noted. One passed over Bluntisham (Cambridgeshire) on 6th, with a bird seen at Ouse Fen RSPB on 9th; while Oxfordshire again sported a bird at Otmoor RSPB on 4th-9th. The Minsmere RSPB (Suffolk) bird was still present there on 8th. One was again seen in Lincolnshire at Alkborough Flats NR on 9th. To the north, one settled at North Cave Wetlands YWT (East Yorkshire) on 6th-8th, while one was present at Fairburn Ings RSPB (West Yorkshire) on 5th. Ireland’s only sighting was the individual still present at Cahore Marsh on 5th-8th, joined by a second bird there on 9th-10th.
Corncrake were still finding reason to sing at Welney WWT (Norfolk) this week, with at least four birds rasping away there on 7th.
A Rubicon was crossed where honkers and quackers were concerned during the past week, with a further reduction in numbers of notable birds.
We’ll start in Ireland, where the resident drake Black Duck remained on Cross Lough (Co.Mayo) on 4th-9th.
In Scotland an American Wigeon was found on 10th at Balormie Pig Farm (Moray).
A Green-winged Teal was again seen in Lincolnshire at Alkborough Flats NR on 8th.
In Shetland, drake Ring-necked Duck were noted in the south of Mainland around Scatness on 6th again, and up on Unst at Uyeasound on 7th-10th. Elsewhere, drakes remained in Wales at Llyn Brenig (Denbighshire) on 6th-7th, and on the Devon/Cornwall border at Lower Tamar Lake still on 5th. A fresh bird was found at Muckrush (Co.Galway) on 8th.
A drake Lesser Scaup was found on Loch Gelly (Fife) in the evening of 8th, and remained there until 10th.p>
It was another good week for fans of a well-marked American Golden Plover, with adults available to be enjoyed at Tealham Moor (Somerset) on 5th-7th, and in Pagham Harbour (West Sussex) on 5th-9th.
Pectoral Sandpiper put in a good showing, with sightings on 7th from Stenhouse Reservoir (Fife), Loch of Kinnordy RSPB (Angus), and Inch Island Lake (Co.Donegal).
In Clyde, a female Red-necked Phalarope was brightening up Baron’s Haugh RSPB in 5th, and Balgray Reservoir on 6th. Another was seen on 9th at Nosterfield NR (North Yorkshire).
In Cambridgeshire a female Black-winged Stilt was on Ouse Washes on 8th-10th, with another county sighting on 9th at Wicken Fen NT.
A Temminck’s Stint was found at Balormie Pig Farm (Moray) on 8th-10th.
Finally, at Frampton Marsh RSPB (Lincolnshire) the first-summer Lesser Yellowlegs was still present on 4th-9th.
It was, once again this week, all about the terns.
Let’s start in Ireland, where the Elegant Tern was once more seen on Inis Doire (Co.Mayo) on 7th.
In Co.Dublin the adult male Least Tern was still present around Portrane on 4th-7th and again on 9th-10th.
To England next, and in the southwest the Gull-billed Tern was proving settled at Shapwick Heath NNR (Somerset) on 4th-6th. Back in Ireland two were seen on 8th at Lady’s Island Lake.
An adult Whiskered Tern was found in Lincolnshire at Bain GPs and Woodhall Spa Airfield LWT on 7th-8th, reportedly still at Woodhall Spain Airfield LWT again on 9th.
In Northumberland the adult female surinamensis American Black Tern remained at Long Nanny on 4th-10th, making for a fine tern double with our settled headliner on Coquet Island RSPB.
A Caspian Tern was found in Carmarthenshire on 8th around Llangennech.
Onto the gulls, a second-summer Ring-billed Gull was present at Blennerville (Co.Kerry) on 4th-6th.
Glaucous Gull meanwhile were seen in Shetland on Yell on 5th, and on neighbouring Unst on 6th; and over Birsay Moors RSPB (Orkney) on 8th.
Shetland also gave us the week’s only Iceland Gull, a bird loafing at Sumburgh Farm on Mainland on 10th.
Another week that featured a handful of Red-footed Falcon was always going to be a pleasing one for those who connected with this charming raptor. Birds were seen in recent days at Winterton North Dunes (Norfolk) on 5th, and Walberswick NNR (Suffolk) on 5th-6th, with another probable seen on 5th at Boulmer (Northumberland).
A probable Montagu’s Harrier was seen on 5th over Wivenhoe (Essex). Confirmed birds were noted on 5th at Horsey (Norfolk), on 7th at Spurn (East Yorkshire), and still present at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) on 6th-9th.
A few Black Kite also livened things up again – birds were seen at Stodmarsh NNR (Kent) on 4th, and on 6th at Dungeness (Kent) and Surlingham (Norfolk).
A wholly unconfirmed, report came of a Rough-legged Buzzard in Cornwall at Chysauster on 7th.
Most intriguing of all, a probable Booted Eagle dark morph was seen on 8th in Devon at Ashburton over the A38.
Starting with the colourful stuff that did its best to dispel the cold this week, Bee-eater continued to crop up here and there – on 4th in East Yorkshire at Kilnsea Wetlands NR and Easington; on 5th reported from Sandsend (North Yorkshire); on 6th a single bird at Bamburgh (Northumberland), and two in London at West Drayton; and singles on 7th in Lincolnshire at Gibraltar Point NNR and Frampton Marsh RSPB, and in Norfolk at Hunstanton. On 8th birds were seen at Newburgh (Aberdeenshire) and at Rye Harbour NR (East Sussex); while on 9th one was found at Martin’s Haven (Pembrokeshire). On 10th Aberdeenshire put on a proper show with numbers of birds at Belhelvie rising to eight individuals.
Golden Oriole put in another shift too – single birds were logged at Ventnor Downs NT (Isle of Wight) on 4th; East Chevington NWT (Northumberland) on 6th; at Dungeness (Kent) again on 6th; at Church Norton (West Sussex) on 6th; and on 7th at Wicken Fen NT (Cambridgeshire) and West Runton (Norfolk). Two were seen in Kent at Reculver on 4th. On 8th a bird was in song at Sandwich Bay (Kent); another was in song on 9th in Norfolk at Itteringham.
A Hoopoe was seen in Dublin (Co.Dublin) on 7th; and another in a Surrey garden at Farncombe on 9th-10th.
Island Waxwing were found on 9th on Barra (Western Isles), and on 8th on Unst (Shetland).
Seventeen Red-backed Shrike were reported over the course of the week. It’ll be fascinating, in the fullness of time, to learn what the birds sensibly not reported got up to.
A Woodchat Shrike was reported on 8th from Long Ditton (Surrey).
On Scilly, the Short-toed Lark remained around the airfield on St Mary’s on 4th-6th.
A late trickle of fresh migrant warblers drifted our way during the week, starting with a Greenish Warbler trapped and ringed at Gibraltar Point NNR (Lincolnshire) on 4th. A further bird was found in song in Essex on 8th at The Naze.
Also on 4th, Shetland scored a couple of Blyth’s Reed Warbler - on Foula and Fetlar – while another was found in song in Norfolk between Eccles on Sea and Sea Palling on 5th.
More unusually for Shetland, a Savi’s Warbler settled into Fetlar on 6th-10th. Other birds remained in song at North Cave Wetlands YWT (East Yorkshire) on 4th-10th, and again at Saltholme RSPB (Cleveland) on 5th and 9th-10th, another was reported singing at Pett Levels (East Sussex) on 5th, and an Irish bird was found in song at Cahore Marsh (Co.Wexford) on 9th-10th.
The Great Reed Warbler continued to belt it out at Ouse Fen RSPB (Cambridgeshire) on 4th-10th.
Marsh Warbler dwindled away this week, with birds seen and/or heard at Sandgarth (Shetland) on 4th; Lerwick (Shetland) on 5th still; at Flamborough (East Yorkshire) on 4th and 7th; at Saltholme RSPB (East Yorkshire) on 5th-8th and again on 10th; at Spurn (East Yorkshire) on 7th; at Minsmere RSPB (Suffolk) on 7th; and on Unst (Shetland) on 8th. On 9th one was singing at Landguard NR (Suffolk).
Shetland retained a handful of Icterine Warbler this week – two on Mainland at Brae still on 4th, with at least one still present on 5th-7th; one still on Whalsay on 5th; one still on Fair Isle on 4th-7th, with two present there by 10th; and a Fetlar bird on 8th-10th. A Welsh island bird was seen on Bardsey (Gwynedd) on 6th. A possible was in Norfolk on 8th at Hickling.
On Foula (Shetland), the recent Melodious Warbler remained in situ on 4th.
Our only Bluethroat this week was the territorial white-spotted male still at Slimbridge WWT (Gloucestershire) on 5th-10th.
The recent singing first-summer male Red-breasted Flycatcher remained at Ballater (Aberdeenshire) on 4th-8th, while the Carron Valley Reservoir (Forth) bird also remained in song on 6th-10th. Another occasional songster was found in Lerwick (Shetland) on 7th-9th.
A probable Richard’s Pipit flew over Fair Isle (Shetland) on 8th.
A handful of Rose-coloured Starling were seen this week – one lingering at Currock (Cumbria) on 4th-6th, and another at Aberystwyth (Ceredigion) on 4th-5th; and additional individuals on Skokholm (Pembrokeshire) on 4th, and at Bishops Lydeard (Somerset) on 7th.
A male Blue-headed Wagtail was seen at Winmarleigh Moss LWT (Lancashire & North Merseyside) on 7th, and again on 10th.
Foula (Shetland) was enjoying a week for attracting notable late spring passerines, and added to that number a singing Common Rosefinch on 6th. At the other end of the country, a singing male was found in Cornwall on 9th-10th on The Lizard.
Serin in recent days were seen at Gibraltar Point NNR (Lincolnshire) on 5th, at St Ishmael’s (Pembrokeshire) on 6th-7th, and Kingsdown (Kent) on 8th.
Lastly, a Little Bunting was found on Fair Isle (Shetland) on 8th.
Plenty to report from overseas this week, we’ll start in the Netherlands where the first-summer drake Canvasback remained at Vogelplas Starrevaart on 4th-10th; a Greenish Warbler was singing at Amsterdamse Waterleidingduinen on 7th; and a Sandhill Crane was seen over Oostvoorne on 6th.
No coincidence then that a Sandhill Crane settled at Skagen in Denmark on 7th-9th. The Steppe Eagle remained at Damsted on 6th, and a Pygmy Cormorant was seen at Slotsmosen on 5th-10th.
Norway meanwhile enjoyed a White-tailed Lapwing at Vaderbukta on 5th-6th.
In Finland the Wilson’s Snipe continued to display at Mielikkojarvi Iintutorni on 4th.
In Belgium, a pair of Baillon’s Crakes were seen in suitable breeding habitat at Viersel, Antwerpen
A boat trip off Iceland’s Husavik scored heavily with a Black-browed Albatross on 9th.
Back into mainland Europe, in Belgium the Green Warbler was still singing at Wenduine on 4th.
Poland’s male Red-headed Bunting remained at Hel on 4th.
The Calandra Lark was still present in Germany at Riedgraben Rottenburg on 4th.
A Pied Bushchat was found in Azerbaijan at Absheron on 4th.
Finally, close to home again, belated news of still another Indigo Bunting this year – a male bird found in the Channel Islands on Guernsey on 2nd.
We’re moving through the gears of the year now, heading into mid-June already. On the face of it, we could be forgiven for thinking notable passerines were done and dusted now until the autumn, but precedent tells us that’s not strictly true… 20 accepted historic records of Black-headed Bunting speak strongly of that species’ potential to occur in the coming week, while we certainly can’t ignore the five accepted White-throated Sparrow from the week ahead – given the autumn we enjoyed last year, it seems almost unthinkable there couldn’t be one out there, somewhere.
And on the subject of sparrows and the unthinkable… the coming week marks the anniversary of the Cley (Norfolk) Rock Sparrow, seen by the lucky few on 14th June 1981. To this day, unrepeated, and one of the ultimate blockers.
Should we get some south-easterlies to help waft things our way, the coming week is traditionally a strong one for both Red-footed Falcon and Squacco Heron, both species notching up solid double figure tallies of accumulated past records.
Also edging into double figures this week is a notable wader – 11 Terek Sandpiper have been found in the past in the coming week, for the most part down the length of the east coast of Britain. One, certainly, with some potential…
Jon Dunn
11 June 2024
Many thanks to all this week's contributors for your photos and videos
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