Weekly birding round-up: 1 - 7 Jun 2021
And that’s a bingo… The mercury soared this past week, the wind blew gently in from the south and east, and the sharp pointy end of spring migration really began to make itself felt with quality shorebirds and passerines alike. Some may have been fleeting and transitory but, for birders in northern and southern England alike, there were a couple of settled crowd-pleasers on offer.
You always remember the first time… and, where adult, summer-plumaged Red-necked Stints are concerned, mine was the jewel in the crown of a particularly memorable August weekend back in 1995, a weekend that featured an epic rolling twitch that started in Kent, took us speculatively to Cornwall, and then saw us racing to Suffolk for an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler… a bird we laid eyes gratefully upon only for the pagers to light up with breaking news of a Red-necked Stint up at Newbiggin-by-the-Sea (Northumberland).
An overnight drive later, we’d got what is, for my money, the prettiest of all peeps under our belt, only to learn of a Lesser Grey Shrike back down in Kent… so off we went again. It was, by any standards, a crazy weekend, but a brilliant one too. I’ve really fond memories of that particular stint… those snow-white underparts and that weathered red-brick neck are seared indelibly on my memory.
At the time, that Red-necked Stint was Britain’s fourth only example of its kind – a truly mega bird, both aesthetically and numerically. Subsequently, in the intervening quarter of a century, we’ve been blessed with just three more birds – one on Shetland in 2000, a two-day bird in Cambridgeshire in 2001, and a one-day bird in Dorset in 2010. All of which means they’ve retained their considerable cachet.
This week, Northumberland roared again, with an absolutely stonking adult Red-necked Stint discovered in the evening of 5th on the Blyth estuary – a bird that, obligingly, went on to linger there into the week’s close on 7th. Finder Alan Curry’s images, hot off the press, were utterly mouth-watering…
The mighty Blyth Estuary finally came up trumps this evening. Fingers crossed it lingers tomorrow for anyone giving it a go. pic.twitter.com/WX7dAtRnjU
— Alan Curry (@Yellowbrow) June 5, 2021
On the basis of the small precedent provided by our previous British and Irish records, we’ve come to think of Red-necked Stints as creatures of late summer in these parts – this week’s bird is the first June record of its kind. As dawn broke on the new week on 8th, there was no further sign of this popular bird… here’s hoping we don’t have to wait quite so long for the next twitchable example.
It really felt like a matter of when not if we might land a White-tailed Lapwing this year though, of course, there’s really no accurate divination of a bird quite this rare in a British context – they’re on a par for rarity with the aforementioned Red-necked Stint, with just six accepted British birds to date.
That said, 2021 has been an excellent year for wayward birds seen throughout Europe, so the auguries were definitely good for us. April saw one found in Bulgaria; May, two in Cyprus, and singletons in Romania, Sweden and Finland. Those Scandinavian birds suggested they might be drawing a little nearer to these shores…
News broke this week of a bird seen briefly in Kent at the venerable Stodmarsh NNR in the morning of 2nd – found by Bryan East, the bird was mobbed by the local, nesting, Lapwings and flew south to be lost to view, never to be seen again.
Kent does, of course, feature fondly in the memories of many a birder where White-tailed Lapwings are concerned, as our most recent British example, the touring bird that dropped into Lancashire, London and Gloucestershire beforehand, finished its British sojourn with an 11 day stay at Dungeness RSPB – many a birder went there to see this confiding bird nailing juicy leeches in the shallows of Dunge.
Will this latest bird be found again? If not in Kent, then maybe elsewhere? Time will tell…
Fittingly fleeting for such a dynamic species, Scilly’s third ever Little Swift was seen briefly in the late evening of 2nd over Porth Hellick on St Mary’s, before flying off with a gang of Swallows. The previous two Scillonian birds came in quick succession on St Mary’s on 17th May 2002 and 28th April 2003 – another was surely overdue, but local birders would have hoped for a little more chance to connect with it…
This week’s Little Swift story was not to end quite there, however, for the following morning saw the discovery of a bird, presumably the same individual, now in Cornwall over St Agnes – though this time in the company of House Martins. Historically Cornwall has fared only a little better than Scilly for Little Swifts, with just three birds to its credit, the most recent of which was way back in 2004 – and all of which were, predictably, one-day birds. Emphatically not an easy species to catch up with – they’re the classic right-place, right-time rarity.
Happily for all concerned, the next of our headline birds doesn’t tend to be such a slippery customer. Spring or early summer River Warblers, while still top-drawer rarities, have the pleasing habit of settling down for a while if they’ve found themselves in some suitable habitat.
Returning to where we began the headlines, in the hot, heady summer of 1995, another River Warbler set up shop for over a month in the depths of Scotsman’s Flash in Wigan (Greater Manchester) followed, in 1996, by two long-staying birds in Northumberland and Staffordshire respectively. Back then, the Somerset Levels as we know them today were just a gleam in the eye of dedicated ecologists – but now, they’re a very different kettle of fish indeed, home to rare breeding bitterns, egrets and herons, testament to decades of hard work and dedication.
Small wonder then that a wayward River Warbler, finding itself in the pleasant surroundings of Ham Wall RSPB, would choose to set up shop and linger there a while. One found there, a showy bird in full spooling song, on 4th remained present this week until 7th – a county first, but surely not the last.
The River Warbler showed really well for everyone at Ham Wall today. It was good to see lots of Twitter friends there too.@somersetbirds pic.twitter.com/HoxpFkVNMO
— Rob Murphy (@TorquayBirding) June 5, 2021
Interesting seabird sightings were pretty thin on the ground this week, with no news from Co.Kerry to burnish what was, given it’s the first week of June, a fairly typical showing.
Three White-billed Divers were seen – once more in Shetland, at the regular wintering site that, this year, held a regular duo – one was seen off South Nesting this week on 2nd and 7th, with two again on 6th – and one more off Lewis (Western Isles) on 6th-7th.
Staying in Shetland, the returning Long-tailed Skua was once more seen over Boddam on 1st; further individuals were seen further south in Scotland this week at Tarbat Ness (Highland) on 1st and off Reay (Highland) on 3rd; while, on 2nd, one was seen from Spurn (East Yorkshire).
Portland (Dorset) supplied most of our sightings of Pomarine Skua - a single bird on 1st, and two on 3rd; and a single Balearic Shearwater on 5th. Further Poms were seen on 6th at Walney (Cumbria), where four birds were noted; off The Lizard (Cornwall); and back in Dorset in Weymouth Bay.
The weekly long-legged beasty news was still dominated by Black Storks plural – not least in Cornwall where a succession of sightings throughout the week between St Ives and Truro and, on 1st, near Bodmin, revealed there to be two mobile birds in the county. At the opposite end of the south coast, sightings came this week from Kent at South Foreland on 3rd and, on 5th and 6th, over Sellindge.
Some dozen Glossy Ibises were noted in recent days – at Blacktoft Sands RSPB (East Yorkshire) still on 1st; at South Walney NR (Cumbria) on 1st; at Dungeness (Kent) still on 1st-7th; at Marshside RSPB (Lancashire) still on 3rd-5th; at Lackford Lakes SWT (Suffolk) on 4th-7th; at Coombe Hill Meadows NR (Gloucestershire) on 5th; at Otmoor RSPB (Oxfordshire) again on 6th-7th; and over Hale (Cheshire) on 6th. On 7th the weekly tally almost doubled with five birds seen on Ouse Washes (Cambridgeshire).
A Night Heron was logged on St Mary’s (Scilly) on 3rd; a possible Squacco Heron was seen in flight over Kirkby-on-Bain GPs (Lincolnshire) on 1st.
Purple Herons, meanwhile, continued to be fairly numerous, with around a dozen birds noted: in Ireland at Dunworly Marsh (Co.Cork) still on 1st-3rd; on the Isle of Wight at Brading Marsh RSPB again on 2nd; at Earls Barton GPs (Northamptonshire) still on 2nd-3rd; and, on 5th-7th, in Suffolk at Carlton Marshes SWT and Westwood Marshes, and in Kent at Seasalter on 5th. On 6th more individuals were found in Hampshire at Fishlake Meadows HIWWT; in Cleveland at Dorman’s Pool; another at Strumpshaw Fen RSPB (Norfolk) in flight; one was reported from Leighton Moss RSPB (Lancashire) and, in East Yorkshire, sightings came from Sammy’s Point and Patrington Haven.
Purple heron, taken at Carlton marsh. I feel special! ???? @LowestoftLizard pic.twitter.com/WDTTUmBked
— Rhianna (@ronmayron) June 5, 2021
Singing Corncrakes were heard this week at Welney WWT (Norfolk) on 1st and, in Shetland, at Rerwick on 4th-6th.
The week was owned, however, by the Spotted Crakes of Wheldrake Ings YWT (North Yorkshire) – seven singing males were heard overnight on 1st and 3rd, with five still in voice on 5th.
Compared to the preceding week, the week just gone was positively knee deep in ducks of note. No mere Ring-necked Ducks for us – though there were two, the drakes at respectively Loch of Brow (Shetland) still on 1st-7th, and on Loch Oire (Moray) still on 3rd-5th – nope, we had some variety to sink our teeth into once again.
Out in Co.Wexford, a Green-winged Teal was present at Tacumshin on 4th-6th.
A possible American Wigeon was seen on 4th in Ayrshire on Garnock Floods SWT.
The drake King Eider remained in Aberdeenshire on the traditional site of the Ythan estuary on 5th-6th, while young drakes were seen in Shetland off Unst at Baltasound on 4th-7th, and on Rerwick beach on Mainland on 4th.
A drake Surf Scoter flew past Kilcoole (Co.Wicklow) on 5th.
And finally, our honorary waterfowl, the adult male Pied-billed Grebe on Loch Feorlin (Argyll & Bute), was again seen there on 7th.
Having recently held onto a Collared Pratincole at Cliffe Pools RSPB until 31st, the appearance of a possible bird elsewhere in Kent at Stodmarsh on 2nd was far from beyond the bounds of possibility. What was definitely something of an eye-opener was the appearance of two Collared Pratincoles in the county a few days later – two birds being found at the redoubtable Dungeness RSPB on 6th. Have there ever been two birds seen together in the UK?
Rhetorical question – the answer’s yes, but not lately. Two were seen together at Exmouth (Devon) on 7th September 1851, and two were shot at Breydon (Norfolk) on 20th May 1827. Being that far back in the mists of time, and obscured by a thriving market in specimens for gentleman collectors, one always views such records with a soupçon of cynicism… but as this week proved, strange things can happen.
And didn’t they just the following day, when belated news of two birds at Rye Harbour NR (East Sussex) on 5th was followed by the dawning realisation that there were now three Collared Pratincoles present at Dunge…
In Suffolk, the two recently arrived Black-winged Stilts remained at Trimley Marshes SWT on 1st.
Temminck’s Stints showed a distinctly northerly bias this week, with the most southerly bird of all being that still present at Loch of Strathbeg RSPB (Aberdeenshire) on 1st-2nd. Shetland scored three birds – one apiece for Mainland, at Graven on 3rd-4th; and Foula and Out Skerries on 5th.
Hugh Harrop Shetland Wildlife.
Shetland also accounted for our only Dotterel, over Collafirth Hill on 2nd…
…and a Lesser Yellowlegs at Scatness on 6th. Another of the latter was seen at Nosterfield NR (North Yorkshire) again on 5th.
Hugh Harrop Shetland Wildlife.
Keeping it Nearctic a while yet, the American Golden Plover remained at Exminster Marshes RSPB (Devon) on 1st-4th, while two more were present at Tacumshin (Co.Wexford) on 5th, with one remaining on 6th.
Returning to Shetland, a Pectoral Sandpiper was found by my erstwhile Round Up colleague, Mark Golley, on Unst at Baltasound on 1st; while another was present on Sanday (Orkney) on 2nd-3rd.
A Lesser Yellowlegs was seen on Shetland at Grutness on 6th-7th.
A couple of Red-necked Phalaropes were logged this week – the female remained in Northumberland at Grindon Lough on 1st-7th, while the male bird was still present at Pennington Marshes (Hampshire) on 1st.
Once again heading up the bin bag botherers this week, the settled first-winter American Herring Gull remained at Newlyn (Cornwall) on 2nd-5th.
In Shetland, a first-summer Ring-billed Gull was a good find out on Foula on 3rd – they’re far from annual up here.
With the advent of warm weather and the nearing of midsummer, white-wingers suddenly were a thing of the past. Just four Glaucous Gulls were logged – at Boisdale on South Uist (Western Isles) on 4th-7th, on Inch Island (Co.Donegal) on 4th-5th, at New Deer (Aberdeenshire) on 5th, and on 7th at Loch Etive (Argyll & Bute).
Iceland Gulls were only a little more numerous, with Scilly holding onto probably the best of them – birds being logged daily on St Mary’s until 3rd, and on Tresco on 1st and St Martin’s on 2nd. Elsewhere, one was seen at Dungeness (Kent) on 3rd-4th; at Ballyvoile (Co.Waterford) on 2nd-4th; on Portland (Dorset) on 4th; two were at Durness (Highland) on 5th; one at Portmahomack (Highland) on 7th, and a final possible bird was present at Titchwell RSPB (Norfolk) on 4th.
Belated news came as the week drew to a close of a White-winged Black Tern at Loch Spynie (Moray), apparently present recently for some days.
A small arrival of Red-footed Falcons was no great surprise, given the tenor of other south-easterly origin birds that were turning up this week, but that’s to take nothing away from the pleasure seeing, let alone finding, one of these charismatic falcons brings. First-summer males were seen on 1st at Hawthorn Dene (Co.Durham); on 3rd at Staveley YWT (North Yorkshire); on 4th at Hickling Broad NWT (Norfolk); and on 5th at Easington (East Yorkshire). Hickling Broad also provided a female on 5th-7th; while a first-summer male was found on 5th in Suffolk at Westwood Marshes, remaining there until 7th. On 6th a first-summer male was seen over Sheringham, and a female in Kent over Worth Marsh.
A juvenile Pallid Harrier was seen at an undisclosed location in Aberdeenshire on 2nd. As usual with any harrier in Scotland or northern England, we wish it the very best of luck…
Montagu’s Harriers were found this week at Pennington Marshes (Hampshire) on 2nd; at Spurn (East Yorkshire) on 2nd and 3rd; and at Harty Ferry (Kent) on 5th-6th.
Shetland supplied a couple of sightings of Rough-legged Buzzard - one was seen on Unst on 1st, while a probable bird was noted on Mainland at Sandness on 5th.
Black Kites were, once more, widely scattered in their sightings this week – on 2nd, a possible bird was seen in Gloucestershire at Winchcombe; on 3rd, one was seen over Chorley (Lancashire), sightings from Ceredigion came in the morning from Llangrannog and in the afternoon at Aberaeron, and one was reported from Tuddenham (Suffolk); Kentish sightings came on 5th from Eastry and Postling, and one more possible bird was noted that day in Cambridgeshire at Gamlingay. On 6th one was seen over Oakham (Leicestershire), while another possible bird was seen in Kent over Hamstreet. On 7th one was seen at Dungeness (Kent), and another at Shute (Devon).
Finally, a Snowy Owl was reported this week from Dundalk (Co.Louth) on 2nd.
We’ve got to start the passerines in Shetland with Fair Isle’s second Calandra Lark of the year – a bird that, just like the first, seems to be finding the island much to its liking, if the ongoing duration of its stay is anything to go by. Still present this week until 4th, there will surely have been one or two birders tempted to give it a try…
We’ve all manner of wonderful warblers to divert us this week, so let’s kick off with our first Western Bonelli’s Warblers of the year – one on Skokholm (Pembrokeshire) on 2nd hotly followed by another on Mizen Head (Co.Cork) on 3rd.
The singing Iberian Chiffchaff remained on territory in Suffolk at Foxhall Heath on 5th.
Resident and visiting birders to Shetland were treated to the unusual sound of a Paddyfield Warbler in song at Vadsgarth on Mainland on 3rd.
Blyth’s Reed Warblers were arriving this week in fair numbers, with one in Somerset on 2nd at Langport kicking off a tremendous week to come for the county where scarce and rare warblers were concerned. Other birds this week were seen on Fair Isle (Shetland) on 1st; on 3rd on Out Skerries (Shetland), North Ronaldsay (Orkney), and Whitburn CP (Co.Durham); on 4th on East Burra (Shetland); and on 5th at Ollaberry and out on Foula (Shetland), with two birds at the latter location. A further possible bird was seen on Blakeney Point (Norfolk) on 1st.
Marsh Warblers, meanwhile, were being found left, right and centre, with some 40 birds in all logged. A good proportion of these were seen and heard in Shetland – Fair Isle accounted for four birds on 3rd and 5th, while three were present on Unst on 5th.
The Great Reed Warbler remained this week at Besthorpe (Nottinghamshire) on 1st-7th. Further birds were present at East Chevington NWT (Northumberland) on 4th-7th, and on Shetland at Sumburgh on 4th and Quendale on 7th. A final bird was found in Cambridgeshire on 7th in song at Little Wilbraham Fen.
Our headlining River Warbler at Ham Wall RSPB (Somerset) this week was joined at the site by a Savi’s Warbler in song on 4th.
The prior week’s male Sardinian Warbler remained at Sumburgh (Shetland) on 1st.
At the other end of Shetland, a couple of Subalpine Warbler sp cropped up on Unst – one at Haroldswick on 1st, and another at Norwick on 3rd.
A Western Subalpine Warbler was trapped and ringed on Calf of Man (Isle of Man) on 1st, and caught again there on 4th. A male Eastern Subalpine Warbler was present on Anglesey at Carmel Head on 1st.
Rounding off the warblers, some 25 Icterine Warblers were noted in recent days – and once more, Shetland enjoyed the lion’s share of them, with all but five birds logged up there. Bressay enjoyed the peak count, with four seen on the island on 4th; while three were seen on Out Skerries on 3rd.
Another classic late spring migrant was very much to the fore this week – around 60 Red-backed Shrikes were seen nationwide. There was an inevitability to there being some scarcer shrikes out there too – 12 Woodchat Shrikes were found over the course of the week.
Northerly birds were seen on Fetlar (Shetland) on 4th and Papa Westray (Orkney) on 5th-6th; and Wales did particularly well for the species, with records coming from Tregaron Bog NNR (Ceredigion) on 1st-3rd, Skomer (Pembrokeshire) on 1st-2nd, and near Carmarthen (Carmarthenshire) on 4th. Elsewhere, birds were seen on 2nd at Saltholme RSPB (Cleveland), on Great Wilbraham Common (Cambridgeshire) on 2nd, on Calf of Man (Isle of Man) on 2nd, on Isle of May (Fife) on 3rd, at Hadstone Dunes (Northumberland) on 5th, and on Portland (Dorset) and at Goswick (Northumberland) on 7th.
Rarer shrikes still were available – or rather, some were. The lingering Lesser Grey Shrike at Whitby (North Yorkshire) on 1st-2nd was doing the decent thing… unlike the bird found within sight of your own correspondent’s home at Skaw on Whalsay (Shetland) on 3rd by rarity magnet Pete Stronach – no sooner found than it had hightailed over the horizon, inadvertently flushed by the passing van of one of my neighbours, never to be seen again…
And so to more colourful fare… starting with Hoopoes, just three birds were seen this week – one on The Lizard (Cornwall) on 1st-5th, another at Brading Marsh RSPB (Isle of Wight) on 4th, and one at Chandler’s Ford (Hampshire) on 7th.
Keeping track of Bee-eaters was altogether more challenging, with at least 20 birds logged nationally – of which the largest aggregation, a flock of nine birds in Yorkshire, seemingly fragmented and coalesced once more as the days wore on. 10 more were reported from Peterhead (Aberdeenshire) on 5th. I wonder if we’ll get another breeding attempt somewhere this year?
With seven birds found in the prior week, we suggested a Rose-coloured Starling irruption might be on the cards. This week, that prophecy was amply borne out, with some epic numbers logged nationwide in Britain and Ireland alike. Around 120 birds were found in the past week and, amongst that chunky tally, there were even small flocks to be seen – five birds were seen passing over South Foreland (Kent) on 2nd; four birds were seen at Sandwich (Kent) on 3rd; four were in a Bideford (Devon) garden on 3rd; and trios were seen at Holyhead (Anglesey) on 2nd, Kilcoole (Co.Wicklow) on 3rd, and Fair Isle (Shetland) on 6th. Presumably we’re in for plenty more bubblegum pink action in the week(s) to come…
There was gold to be found too for another week, with some 30 Golden Orioles noted over the course of recent days – and, once again, a good few of these were heard in song too.
Just a handful of Wrynecks were seen lately – one on Fair Isle (Shetland) on 1st: an inland bird, at Carlton (Bedfordshire) on 4th; and one on Yell (Shetland) on 7th.
The prior week’s Red-rumped Swallow remained on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 1st; two were found at Mizen Head (Co.Cork) on 2nd, one of which lingered until 5th.
Three Bluethroats were found this week – two of which were on Shetland’s outer isles. One was seen on Foula on 2nd-3rd and the other off the opposite coast of Mainland, on Out Skerries on 3rd-4th. The balance was a bird seen on Lewis (Western Isles) on 7th.
Bressay, so often a Shetland island understudy compared to the big guns, came good this week with a Red-flanked Bluetail trapped and ringed at Gorie on 3rd. This particular remote but lush site will, one of these days, deliver an absolute monster. It feels like a first for Britain waiting to happen…
Fetlar, no stranger itself to a quality passerine, may have hit the jackpot in the closing hours of 7th, with a strikingly monochrome Eastern Stonechat sp that’s looking good for a probable hemprichii / variegatus Caspian Stonechat.
Shetland’s Mainland, meanwhile, produced the goods with a Thrush Nightingale in the famous sunken garden at Grutness on 3rd.
A Red-breasted Flycatcher was found on Spurn (East Yorkshire) on 1st, and another on Fair Isle (Shetland) on 6th, while another was reported briefly from Quendale (Shetland) on 7th.
Eight Grey-headed Wagtails were seen this week – one remained on St Kilda (Western Isles) on 2nd; and further sightings came from Fair Isle (Shetland) on 1st-3rd, Out Skerries (Shetland) on 1st-3rd, Spurn (East Yorkshire) on 1st, Boldon Flats NR (Co.Durham) on 4th, Papa Westray on 6th and, on 5th, North Ronaldsay (Orkney), where two birds were present.
A male Blue-headed Wagtail was present at Fail Loch (Ayrshire) on 5th, another at Hollesley Marshes RSPB (Suffolk) on 6th, with a further probable at Druridge Pools NR (Northumberland) on 2nd and a probable on Skokholm (Pembrokeshire) on 6th.
A possible Citrine Wagtail was at Seaton Carew (Cleveland) on 3rd.
Good numbers of Common Rosefinch continued to be seen nationwide, with some 30 birds logged over the course of recent days. Of these, three birds on Fair Isle (Shetland) were the highest single site tally.
A handful of east coast Serins were noted – a probable bird at Boulmer (Northumberland) on 2nd being followed by further sightings at Felixstowe (Suffolk) on 2nd, Kilnsea and Easington (East Yorkshire) on 5th, and in song at Dungeness (Kent) on 7th.
The week began with a Rustic Bunting on Lundy (Devon) on 1st, and this was followed by Shetland sightings from Foula on 4th and Mainland’s Swinister Burn on 5th-6th. On 7th further birds were seen on Fair Isle and Foula – the latter individual being a different bird to that seen earlier in the week.
An Ortolan Bunting was found on Dursey (Co.Cork) on 6th.
We draw near to a close with news of a male Black-headed Bunting reported from a Lelant (Cornwall) garden, said to have been present for a couple of days recently… while a male was found on The Naze (Essex) on 6th.
And we finish with belated news of a White-throated Sparrow at sea on 28th 124 miles east of Peterhead on the VOS Faithful.
Could this be one and the same bird that remained on Norwegian survey vessel Edda Flora off Rogaland on 7th, having been present there for at least four days by that point? We may never know, but that leads us neatly onto the overseas news…
There’s really no question about where we have to begin the overseas news this week, and that’s in Norway – and never mind the belated news of the country’s first Great Knot, photographed at Øksningen nature reserve on 29th May – nope, the big news this week was the flock of seven (SEVEN!) Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters found on Værøy on 4th. I know I’m not alone in saying I’d settle for just one…
Norway also got a Little Crake at Sorgenfrigropa on 31st May – 5th June, Sandhill Crane sightings at Geatnjajavri on 2nd-4th and Geadnje on 3rd and, on 7th, the Oriental Pratincole still at Orrevatnet but really, who cares… seven Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters… [sighs]
Finland’s sixth White-tailed Lapwing was found on 4th at Friskalanlahti, while the country’s fifth Trumpeter Finch was found at Jurmo Bird Observatory on 2nd.
A singing Western Bonelli’s Warbler was found in Denmark at Skagen on 3rd. Skagen also scored a brief Asian Red-rumped Swallow on 2nd.
Two Ross’s Geese were seen on Faroe at Vatnsoyrar on 1st.
On 6th, Poland got a Paddyfield Warbler at Hel, and a Booted Warbler at Jastarnia; and then, on 7th, a Caspian Plover at Gdansk.
And so to Holland, where the singing Scops Owl remained at Delft on 1st-6th, a Blue Rock Thrush passed over The Hague on 2nd, and a Lesser Spotted Eagle over Leende on 2nd.
Another Scops Owl was present in Belgium for its fifth day on 1st at Eprave; the country also landed a drake Falcated Duck at Stuivekenskere on 1st.
In France, two Elegant Terns were at Polder de Sebastopol on 1st.
A male Baltimore Oriole will have been a considerable surprise in Spain at Embalse de Talavan on 3rd – a national first if accepted.
Lastly, out on the Azores, a Bridled Tern was found on Graciosa on 5th.
As we set course for the middle of June, cracking (but attainable) passerines remain on my mind – the coming week remains a strong one for Rustic and Black-headed Buntings, while more Great Reed Warblers feel almost a formality, with 36 historic records for the days to come. Any of those feel distinctly possible.
And then there are Rose-coloured Starlings - after this past week, every local patch-worker has to be on high alert for one of these shocking pink and glossy black confections.
I can’t help myself though. I’ve got to shoot for the stars and dare to dream. Recent events in Norway mean it’s inescapable. If seven Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters can make it into the Arctic Circle, one can surely deign to grace our shores with its lysergic loveliness…
Jon Dunn
8th June 2021
Many thanks to all this week's contributors for your photos and videos
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