Review of the Week: 19–25 November

Isabelline Wheatear, Seaton Snook, Cleveland (Photo: David Aitken)

Isabelline Wheatear, Seaton Snook, Cleveland (Photo: Ron Hindhaugh)

Isabelline Wheatear, Seaton Snook, Cleveland (Photo: Sam Viles)

Putative Ehrenberg's Redstart, Kilnsea, East Yorkshire (Photo: Martin Standley)

Desert Wheatear, Montrose, Angus & Dundee (Photo: John Anderson)

Both American Coots remained glued to their respective chosen waterbodies: Lough Gill, Co Kerry, and Loch nam Feithean at Balranald, North Uist. The former also continued to host one of three drake Lesser Scaup across our islands, the others still in Cardiff Bay, Glamorgan, and at Llangorse Lake, Powys — read an article on the fascinating history of this nasal-saddled bird here. Ring-necked Ducks were limited to a female at Glencar Lake, Co Leitrim, on 19–20th and a drake still at Lough Gara, Co Sligo. Ferruginous Ducks lingered at Brogborough Lake, Beds, and Blashford Lakes, Hants, to 20th and 21st respectively.

In addition to five continuing birds, new Green-winged Teal this week were as follows: at Kilburn NR, Derbys, Bowling Green Marsh, Devon, and Seabank, Co Louth, on 22nd; New Passage, Glos, on 22–23rd; Vane Farm, Perth/Kinross, on 22–25th; Grove Ferry, Kent, on 23rd; Mersehead, Dumfries & Galloway, on 23–24th; and Quoile Pondage, Co Down, on 25th. The Blue-winged Teal was still near Ashington, Northumberland, as were American Wigeon in Cornwall, Highland, North Uist and Shetland.

American Wigeon, Loch of Collaster, Mainland, Shetland (Photo: Hugh Harrop)

Five Surf Scoters (including four drakes) remained off Old Colwyn, Conwy, on 24th with two (1 drake) off Hermitage, Co Louth, on 22nd. Drakes remained off Holkham, Norfolk, and the Lothian coast, with a female at Black Rock Sands, Gwynedd, on 19th and the youngster still on the Suffolk side of the Stour Estuary.

Snow Geese were with Pink-footed Geese at Keith, Perth/Kinross, on 19th and Colloway Marsh, Lancs, on 22–24th. Black Brants loitered in East Yorkshire, Norfolk and Essex, the latter county claiming three including two at Holliwell Point on 21st. Orkney's Red-breasted Goose remained near Tormiston to 24th at least; a Richardson's Cackling Goose was still on Islay on 19th and the Lesser Canada Goose was still on the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve on 20th.

The Black Stork seen last week in Essex then Suffolk was noted over Waxham, Norfolk, on 20th and then over Bradwell, just south-west of Great Yarmouth, on 24th. Anglesey's Purple Heron showed extremely well at Capel Gwyn at times throughout the week and was still there on Tuesday. The only Glossy Ibis this week was the resident bird at Frampton Marsh, Lincs, while another resident still in situ was the Hillsborough, Co Down, Cattle Egret — incidentally, today marks the third anniversary of its first appearance. Another was still at Burton Mere, Cheshire, and two continued at Dungeness, Kent, where there were also at least seven Great White Egrets.

Purple Heron, Capel Gwyn, Anglesey (Photo: Mr P. Greenall)

The only shorebirds of real note this week were again the continuing Lesser Yellowlegs at Poulnasherry Bay, Co Clare, and Hayle Estuary, Cornwall. A handful of Grey Phalaropes were seen including a lingering bird inland at Tophill Low, E Yorks, to 22nd.

The Franklin's Gull continued to roost regularly at Blashford Lakes, Hants, and even came in quite early on 24th and 25th — perhaps suggesting that it's now using a closer site during the day. The adult Bonaparte's Gull was again at Dawlish Warren, Devon, on 23rd and another adult was off the Farne Islands, Northumberland, the same day. The Forster's Tern returned to Galway Bay once again, being seen off Kinvarra on 23rd. Ring-billed Gull numbers were low: a first-winter was at Sennen Cove, Cornwall, on 24th, with the Scilly bird still on St Mary's on 23rd; adults remained in Co Wicklow, Hampshire and Highland.

Ring-billed Gull, Gosport, Hampshire (Photo: David Aitken)

Two Hoopoes remained on the south coast: at Portland, Dorset, and Dawlish Warren, Devon, both to 24th. A Richard's Pipit flew over Titchwell, Norfolk, on 19th and a lingering bird was near Heamoor, Cornwall, from 20th; the bird at Cloughton Wyke, N Yorks, was joined by a second on 24th and both were still there on Tuesday.

Richard's Pipit, Cloughton Wyke, North Yorkshire (Photo: Frank Moffatt)

A pleasant scattering of Dusky Warblers included new birds on St Mary's, Scilly, on 19th and another on nearby Tresco on 23–24th; lingering birds remained at Landguard, Suffolk, and Portland, Dorset, to 20th and at Kelynack Valley, Cornwall, throughout the week. The bird last seen at Hollesley Marshes, Suffolk, on 19th was perhaps that at nearby Boyton Marshes on 20th, but that could equally have been a different bird. At least 13 Yellow-browed Warblers were seen nationwide; as tends to be the case in late November, most were in the south and south-west although one was at Holm, Orkney, on 23rd. Twos were at Broadsands, Devon, and Gunwalloe, Cornwall.

The Rose-coloured Starling was again in the Bishopton area of Bristol on 24th and 25th though it could be elusive; another good garden find was a Common Rosefinch in Cobh, Co Cork, on 23rd — it lingered until the week's end. The two Penduline Tits were reported again at Strumpshaw Fen, Norfolk, on 19th. Serins were over Dungeness, Kent, and Porthgwarra, Cornwall, on 19th and 20th respectively; two were at Winspit Valley, Dorset, on 20th. A Little Bunting was at Nanjizal Valley, Cornwall, on 20th, while around 20 Great Grey Shrikes were almost all birds on established winter territories.

Great Grey Shrike, Iping Common, West Sussex (Photo: Dorian Mason)

The standout overseas record this week was of an African Desert Warbler that had been present on private land near Alphen aan den Rihn, Netherlands, on 12–19 November. This is the first Northern European record of a species that has only previously made it as far north as Spain and, in context, must be one of the most sensational records of the year. Hot off the press is the news that the bird has been relocated this morning (26th), and no doubt a large-scale twitch will quickly form.

African Desert Warbler, Alphen, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands (Video: Vogeldagboek)

Other records included the drake Hooded Merganser still on the outskirts of Reykjavík, Iceland, and the adult Ivory Gull still at Nazaré, Portugal, until 19th. In the Azores both American Coot and Greater Yellowlegs were found on Pico, while an impressive record of a first-winter Lesser Crested Tern came from the Atlantic coast of France: the bird lingered at Tarnos, Landes, from 22–25th.