Weekly birding round-up: 3 - 9 Sept 2024
Autumn came roaring out of the starting blocks this week, with the first appreciable fall of the season on the east coast, and our seasonal account of Yellow-browed Warbler amongst others finally opened.
While there were some rarer gems tucked in with the dozens of Wryneck et al, the week’s headline birds weren’t passerines – though there’s plenty of time for that yet in the coming weeks of September and October.
This week’s opening headliner is that rare thing, these days – a county first, no less. With a little over 100 accepted past records of Little Crake sitting on the British books to the end of 2022, one might be forgiven for thinking that most counties might have notched up at least one by now… but not Wiltshire, it turns out.
A bird found at Cotswold Water Park on 7th remained on show there into the evening, but alas wasn’t to be seen thereafter. One for the local birders and those from further afield who were quick out of the blocks on the day, then.
Little Crake from Twitchers Gate in the Cotswold Lakes @CWPRangers @CotsLakesTrust @CWPBirds @WiltsBirdClub @SwindonWS @BTO_Wilts pic.twitter.com/10P6A2pesW
— Chris Snook (@ChrisSnook12) September 7, 2024
By no means the rarest of Nearctic waders on this side of the pond, there’s still something of a lustre about a Wilson’s Phalarope in these parts – they’re just about annual in Britain, though there are some blank years – just enough perhaps to maintain their allure.
And while Lancashire & North Merseyside birders could, on the one hand, count themselves blessed since the turn of the century, for they’ve had five birds since 2008, they might also recall that within living memory there was the long drought between their last bird of the 20th century, a four-day bird at Martin Mere on 30th September – 3rd October 1991, and their first of the 21st century, a two-day individual at Seaforth on 3rd-4th June 2008.
You can’t take them for granted, Wilson’s Phalaropes. Lancashire & North Merseyside have a dozen past records since their first in 1967, and to that haul can add another this week, a first-winter bird found on 5th-8th at Marshside RSPB. Any rarity that includes a weekend in its tenure is always going to attract some admirers, and this was certainly the case with this dapper wader this week.
The decent seabirds just kept on coming this week, albeit perhaps in somewhat more modest numbers than of late. We kick off in Ireland where it was Kilcummin Head’s (Co.Mayo) turn to score a Scopoli’s Shearwater, seen from there on 4th. Sure enough, in the fullness of time, the indomitable Bridges of Ross (Co.Clare) responded with another bird on 9th.
Kilcummin Head also laid claim to the best of the week’s 15,200 or so Great Shearwater, with a mighty tally of 6,000 birds noted from there on 4th; given a run for its money by Pendeen (Cornwall) on 8th, where 4,686 birds were logged. From a Dorset perspective, 700 birds seen heading east past Portland on the morning of 9th was notable.
Where Cory’s Shearwater were concerned lately, numbers contracted sharply, with around 5,100 logged around Britain and Ireland as a whole. Bridges of Ross (Co.Clare) had the best of it, with 1,100 seen there on 3rd.
Balearic Shearwater remained fairly constant, with some 1,300 birds again noted over the course of the week, with Portland (Dorset) enjoying the best daily counts, peaking with 450 off there on 4th.
A Fea’s Petrel sp was seen passing north off Flamborough Head (East Yorkshire) on 6th; and another sighting came on 9th heading west at Strathy Point (Highland & Caithness).
Our Wilson’s Petrel this week were initially all found at sea – three birds off Seven Heads (Co.Cork) on 3rd, and one from the Scilly pelagic of 3rd. As the week drew to a close, four were seen from Bridges of Ross (Co.Clare) on 9th; and three again that day from the Scilly pelagic team.
We return to Kilcummin Head (Co.Mayo) for the best of the week’s Leach’s Petrel counts – here 440 birds were noted on 4th. Across the rest of Ireland and Britain during the week, a further 40 birds were logged, firmly underlining Kilcummin’s dominance in their regard.
Around 125 Pomarine Skua and 55 Long-tailed Skua were noted across the region this week, down somewhat on previous weeks’ tallies, but respectable nonetheless and a just reward for those who ignored coastal bushes and stared, instead, out to sea in recent days.
And there was always the possibility of something scarcer still being picked up on those sea-watches - several White-billed Diver hoved into view lately: off Cairnbulg (Aberdeenshire) on 3rd; on 6th off Eyemouth (Borders) and Longhoughton Steel (Northumberland); and on 7th passing Unst (Shetland).
Finally, finishing with a flourish, a Brown Booby was seen passing Sandwich Bay (Kent) on 8th.
On to the long-legged beasties, and we start again in Kent where the recent Night Heron remained at Oare Marshes KWT (Kent) on 3rd-9th; while the recent North Cave Wetlands YWT (East Yorkshire) individual was again seen there on 3rd.
In Suffolk, the recent Purple Heron remained present at Gifford’s Flash on 3rd-9th, with a further sighting at Carlton Marshes SWT on 4th.
Some half a dozen Glossy Ibis continued their respective residencies in Britain and Ireland alike this past week. Starting in Ireland, a bird remained at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) on 3rd-9th, and another at Lough Gal (Co.Roscommon) on 4th. British lingerers remained at Fremington Pill (Devon) on 4th-8th; Dungeness (Kent) on 4th-8th; Otmoor RSPB (Oxfordshire) on 3rd-9th; Breydon Water (Norfolk) on 4th; and Deeping Lakes LWT (Lincolnshire) on 3rd-8th. A further bird was reported from Fishlake Meadows HIWWT (Hampshire) on 7th.
A Spotted Crake at Dagenham Chase LNR on 4th was an excellent London bird; another was identified from a sound-recording at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) on 8th; and a probable was seen briefly at Attenborough NR (Nottinghamshire) on 8th also.
Lastly, a Corncrake was present on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 7th.
Still extending his late summer residency into the cooling days of autumn, the drake Stejneger’s Scoter remained present off Musselburgh Lagoons (Lothian) this week on 6th-7th.
In Essex, the first-summer drake Canvasback was still to be seen at Abberton Reservoir on 3rd-9th.
In Essex, the first-summer drake Canvasback was still to be seen at Abberton Reservoir on 3rd-9th.
The eclipse drake Lesser Scaup remained on Belvide Reservoir (Staffordshire) on 3rd-9th.
A drake Ring-necked Duck was found at Wellington GPs (Herefordshire) on 7th.
Mild intrigue surrounds the mounting numbers of Ferruginous Duck in these parts this week – can they all be vagrants, or were some from closer to home? A female was seen at Standford Reservoir (Northamptonshire) on 3rd, while a drake was present at Etton-Maxey Pits (Cambridgeshire) on 3rd-9th; a female was also seen in Cambridgeshire, at Ouse Fen RSPB on 4th-8th; while a possible bird at Shawell (Leicestershire) on 7th had firmed into three individuals – a female, and two juveniles – on 8th-9th.
Finally, in East Yorkshire the Blue-winged Teal remained at Tophill Low NR on 3rd-8th.
Outside the headlines, the pick of the weekly waders was still the elusive male Hudsonian Godwit, by no means a reliable fixture but still present on the saltmarsh near Flint Castle (Flintshire) on 3rd-5th.
In Lincolnshire the Baird’s Sandpiper was once again seen at Frampton Marsh RSPB on 4th-5th; while another dropped in briefly at Ferrybridge (Dorset) on 6th.
Cornwall’s two recent Semipalmated Sandpiper were again to be seen this week – the juvenile still on Hayle Estuary on 3rd, and the adult still present at Marazion on 3rd-7th. A further lingering bird remained on South Uist (Western Isles) on 3rd.
Norfolk continued to dominate sightings of White-rumped Sandpiper, with a succession of records as the week wore on – at Titchwell RSPB on 3rd-7th; at Snettisham RSPB again on 5th; and at Brancaster Staithe on 5th. A further English sighting came from Saltholme RSPB (Cleveland) on 7th. Irish birds were seen at Rush (Co.Dublin) on 6th still; and at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) on 5th.
Tacumshin also retained one of its recent Pectoral Sandpiper on 3rd-5th; while another Irish bird was found at The Cunnigar (Co.Waterford) on 7th; and on 8th at Kilcoole (Co.Wicklow). British birds remained at Hickling Broad NWT (Norfolk) on 3rd, and Belvide Reservoir (Staffordshire) on 3rd-9th; and another was found on 3rd on South Uist (Western Isles). Further new birds came on 7th from Siblyback Lake (Cornwall); on 8th on Westray (Orkney); and on 9th at Dungeness RSPB (Kent), and Davidstow Airfield (Cornwall), with two reported at the latter site as the day wore on.
Another week, another Irish Buff-breasted Sandpiper - this time at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) on 5th-9th. British birds can’t be far behind now…
The week’s only Temminck’s Stint was a bird at Oare Marshes KWT (Kent) on 6th-9th, with it or another seen across the Swale at Elmley NNR on 8th also.
The recent Long-billed Dowitcher remained at Quoile Pondage NR (Co.Down) on 4th-7th; while another was seen again on Sanday (Orkney) on 6th-7th; a bird at The Cull (Co.Wexford) on 8th-9th; and a final bird in Lancashire & North Merseyside at Martin Mere WWT on 9th.
A Lesser Yellowlegs was found at St Aidan’s RSPB (West Yorkshire) on 8th; and Adwick Washlands RSPB (South Yorkshire) on 9th.
Seven American Golden Plover were seen this week – one on 3rd in flight over Frampton Marsh RSPB (Lincolnshire); another on 4th again at Titchwell RSPB (Norfolk), with a further report of it present still on 8th; the recent adult still on South Uist (Western Isles) on 5th-9th; one again on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 8th; two on Tiree (Argyll & Bute) on 9th; and one further gilding Tacumshin’s (Co.Wexford) excellent week for Nearctic waders on 5th.
Dotterel began to make themselves more widely known to us once again this week as autumn passage of their ilk picked up. Singletons were seen or heard at The Lizard (Cornwall) on 3rd; on 4th at Bromley (London) and Great Ormes Head (Conwy); on 4th-5th at Landguard NR (Suffolk); on 6th at Trimley Marshes SWT (Suffolk); on 6th and 7th on Skokholm (Pembrokeshire); on 7th at Stiperstones (Shropshire); on 8th at Kilnsea and Spurn (East Yorkshire); and a final bird reported on 9th at Foel Grach (Gwynedd). Four birds were seen at Mewslade Bay (Glamorgan) on 7th.
Eleven Grey Phalarope were noted across Britain and Ireland this week, with a peak count of five birds seen off St Ives (Cornwall) on 8th. A quartet of single Red-necked Phalarope were also found – birds seen at Frampton Marsh RSPB (Lincolnshire) on 3rd; at Old Moor RSPB (South Yorkshire) on 4th-5th; and on 6th at Lade GPs (Kent) and Hartlepool Headland (Cleveland).
Around 95 Sabine’s Gull were seen in Britain and Ireland as a whole this past week – down considerably on the numbers of the past few weeks, but still a chunky return on the whole. The best single site count came from Kilcummin Head (Co.Mayo) on 4th, where 21 birds were noted passing by.
Ireland also supplied a couple of Ring-billed Gull in recent days – the adult still at Blennerville (Co.Kerry) on 5th-9th; and another at Lahinch (Co.Clare) on 4th.
Also on 4th, the recent Bonaparte’s Gull was still to be found on Mull (Argyll & Bute).
A Glaucous Gull remained on Orkney’s Mainland at Stenness on 5th; 1st; meanwhile Iceland Gull were reported again in London at Creekmouth in Barking Bay on 5th, and at Nairn (Highland & Caithness) on 3rd.
Finally, juvenile White-winged Black Tern remained at Dungeness RSPB (Kent) on 3rd-5th and again on 9th, and at Calshot Marshes NR (Hampshire) on 3rd; while another was found in Somerset at Shapwick Heath NNR on 5th; and a further bird on 9th at Theale GPs (Berkshire).
Pick of the week’s raptors was the restless second-winter female Pallid Harrier, found initially at Scaling Dam (Cleveland) on 4th, and latterly haunting the Spurn / Easington / Kilnsea / Welwick broader area of East Yorkshire on 6th-8th before, on 9th, being seen back at Scaling Dam.
The male Red-footed Falcon remained at Ards Forest Park (Co.Donegal) on 3rd; another was present in Kent at Seasalter on 8th; and still another on 9th at Kilnsea (East Yorkshire).
Ireland also retained a Black Kite at Cape Clear (Co.Cork) on 3rd; while English sightings came from Kent at Bockhill Farm on 3rd and South Foreland on 4th.
If one Swallow does not a summer make, the same could be said of a singular Yellow-browed Warbler in autumn. Happily this week the first of the autumn’s keenly anticipated passage of these charming birds numbered several individuals found. The first, one hopes, of many to come. The annual autumn honours went this year to Spurn (East Yorkshire), with a bird reported just after midday on 7th the first of the autumn; this was followed on 7th by further sightings at Kilnsea (East Yorkshire) and Holme Dunes NOA (Norfolk), and an unconfirmed report inland at Pangbourne (Berkshire). On 8th more birds were found – at Rosyth (Fife); Holme Dunes NWT (Norfolk); Greenham Common (Berkshire); and a further bird reported from Martham (Norfolk).
Also marking the gathering pace of autumn passage, our first Dusky Warbler of the season felt early on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 7th-8th.
Greenish Warbler meanwhile enjoyed a strong showing amidst the deluge of other commoner passerines onto the east coast – in total, 20 birds were logged over the course of the week.
Shetland notched up a couple of Arctic Warbler too – one on Unst on 3rd, and another on Whalsay on 4th.
Unst also features this week for Blyth’s Reed Warbler, with one bird on the island on 4th-7th joined there by a second individual on 7th. Elsewhere down the English east coast birds were found at Holkham Pines (Norfolk) on 5th, and Flamborough (East Yorkshire) on 7th.
North Ronaldsay (Orkney) landed a Marsh Warbler on 3rd-5th.
Icterine Warbler scraped into double figures this week with 11 birds noted across the region. Melodious Warbler were much scarcer fare – birds were found on 7th-8th on Sanday (Orkney); on 7th on St Mary’s (Scilly); and on Brownstown Head (Co.Waterford) on 8th-9th.
A probable Booted Warbler was found on 8th at South Shields (Co.Durham); while a confirmed bird was present on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 8th-9th.
A shade over 30 Barred Warbler were seen lately – Fair Isle (Shetland) contributing a good chunk of those records, with numbers mounting to four present on there on 7th; while North Ronaldsay (Orkney) also sported four birds on 4th.
For really substantial numbers, however, we need look no further this week than Wryneck, for at least 125 birds were logged lately.
Around 40 Red-backed Shrike were noted in recent days, again reflecting the quality of the fall the east coast experienced. Bolstering the recent Woodchat Shrike, still present on The Lizard (Cornwall) on 3rd, a further first-winter bird was found at Aultgrishan (Highland & Caithness) on 5th-9th.
A probable pallidirostris Steppe Grey Shrike was photographed at Belhaven Bay (Lothian) on 9th.
Up on Orkney the recent Hoopoe remained at Tankerness on Mainland on 4th.
A Bee-eater was kicking around the Easington area (East Yorkshire) on 6th.
Two Red-rumped Swallow were seen near Holt (Norfolk) on 4th.
The recent Rose-coloured Starling remained on the Isle of Man at Ballasalla on 4th; and another was seen in Hampshire at Beaulieu on 6th.
Both St Mary’s (Scilly) and North Ronaldsay (Orkney) enjoyed a Bluethroat this week on 7th-8th, the Scillonian bird remaining there on 9th.
Better was to come for Holme Dunes NWT (Norfolk) on 7th, for our first Red-flanked Bluetail of the autumn was found there that day.
Around 30 Red-breasted Flycatcher were seen this week – always a welcome autumn coastal find, and none more so than an adult male like that stonker that graced Kilnsea (East Yorkshire) on 6th-8th.
Fair Isle (Shetland) held onto its recent Citrine Wagtail still on 3rd-4th; and another was found on Blakeney Point (Norfolk) on 6th.
A Blue-headed Wagtail was present at Languard NR (Suffolk) on 7th, with a Grey-headed Wagtail also present there on 7th-9th. Further examples of the latter were found lately at St Levan (Cornwall) on 3rd; and Titchwell RSPB on 7th-8th, and Burnham Overy Dunes (Norfolk) on 7th; while a further probable was in Cornwall at Park Head on 6th.
A Tawny Pipit passed over Corton (Suffolk) on 7th; and a Richard’s Pipit over Gibraltar Point NNR (Lincolnshire) on 8th.
Despite the swelling numbers of other autumnal fare this week, Common Rosefinch remained relatively scarce, for now at least – a mere handful of birds were logged nationwide, on Fair Isle (Shetland) on 3rd-7th; at Spurn (East Yorkshire) on 4th; in Co.Durham on 7th at Trow Quarry and Hendon; on 8th on Foula (Shetland) and Tory Island (Co.Donegal); and on 9th on North Ronaldsay (Orkney).
Ortolan Bunting were on the move still – birds were seen and heard this week on St Mary’s (Scilly) on 3rd-4th and 7th; on 4th at Porthgwarra (Cornwall) and Pig Bush (Hampshire); on Portland (Dorset) on 6th and 7th; on 7th at Spurn (East Yorkshire) and West High Down (Isle of Wight); on 8th outside Easington (East Yorkshire); and on 9th at The Naze (Essex) and Landguard NR (Suffolk), with a further possible around Spurn (East Yorkshire).
A final marker for the change of seasons came from Kent this week, where a Little Bunting dropped in to Reculver on 6th-7th.
Starting the overseas news close-ish to home, in France the recent Hudsonian Whimbrel remained at Salin-de-Giraud on 3rd.
Down into Spain, the mighty Estaca de Bares was the place to be for South Polar Skua this week – notching up two birds on 3rd, one on 4th, and six on 5th. Two Barolo Shearwater were also seen from here on 4th.
A Sociable Lapwing was found in Poland on 7th at Siedliska-Kolonia.
Up in Denmark, the adult Sandhill Crane remained at Bygolm Vegle on 7th still.
Finally, out on the Azores… the recent Little Blue Heron remained on Terceira on 4th; and a Solitary Sandpiper was seen on Sao Miguel on 4th also.
Well, as we’ve just seen, early September is plenty time enough for a decent fall of birds from the east, so we can look to both eastern and western influences for the coming week with some modest cause for optimism.
PLEASE INSERT WINDY CHART HEREWhile low pressure systems off the Atlantic seem set to dominate the week ahead, historically speaking, we’re right in the heartland of when it was prime time for Yellow-breasted Bunting, back in the day. That day, depressingly, is long past as the species as a whole is in a parlous state thanks to hunting and changing land use in its breeding range. Any bird, nowadays, let alone one on the British mainland, would fire both the imagination and the engines of a many a birder. Might one come in ‘over the top’ this week?
Jon Dunn
10 Sept 2024
Many thanks to all this week's contributors for your photos and videos
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