The week at a glance:
- Glaucous-winged Gull in London.
- Black-eared Wheatear in Argyll.
- Subalpine Warbler in Cornwall.
Glaucous-winged Gull: Beddington Sewage Farm in London (photo: Johnny Allan).
Perhaps surprisingly the 3rd-year Glaucous-winged Gull was relocated once again. The blue-ringed bird, originally trapped near Gloucester prior to Christmas last year and then relocated in Carmarthen in early March, was again picked out amongst its congeners, this time at Beddington Sewage Farm in London. The bird was seen for a short period on the afternoon of the 18th; many will be hoping for an obliging performance on this occasion, but maybe the gull will continue to lead observers a merry dance?
Wryneck: Portland, Dorset (photo: Lee Fuller).
Wryneck: Portland, Dorset (photo: Lee Fuller).
Subalpine Warbler: Rame Head, Cornwall (photo: Chris Buckland).
Subalpine Warbler: Rame Head, Cornwall (photo: Chris Buckland).
Ring Ouzel: W. Yorks (photo: Sean Gray).
Ring Ouzel: Heswall, Cheshire (photo: Steve Round).
Little Bunting: Amwell GPs, Herts (photo: Simon Wilson).
Shore Lark: Coldharbour, Kent (photo: Steve Coates).
Grasshopper Warbler: Auchnasaul, Argyll (photo: Bill Jackson).
Although southern vagrants are still in short supply, summer visitors started to pour in with good numbers of scarcer species such as Ring Ouzel and Grasshopper Warbler in some areas. Unfortunately most of the rarer species that did arrive did not put in extended stays. A male Black-eared Wheatear briefly at Kilmelford (Argyll) was an excellent find on the 12th and a male Subalpine Warbler at Rame Head (Cornwall) on the 16th was to be expected. A possible Savi's Warbler was at Netherfield Lagoons (Notts) on 18th and a White-spotted Bluethroat was at Vange Marshes (Essex) on 14th. Red-rumped Swallows were at Collieston (Aberdeenshire) on 16th and Dublin (Co. Dublin) on 18th, whilst there were around eight each of Wrynecks and Hoopoes, mostly along the south coast, and Serins were at Portland (Dorset) on the 12th, 16th and 18th and Hengistbury Head (Dorset) on 15th. An Icterine Warbler was at Bishopstone Gulley (Kent) on 16th and a Richard's Pipit passed over Brean Down (Somerset) on 15th. A Little Bunting was briefly at St. Aldhelm's Head (Dorset) on 13th and the long-staying male remained at Amwell GPs (Herts), as did the male Pallas's Warbler at Wouldham (Kent). In Cornwall both the Yellow-browed Warbler at Penzance and Dusky Warbler at Newquay continued their stays. Away from parties in Norfolk and Kent there were Shore Larks on Cape Clear (Co. Cork) and Lizard Point Cornwall), plus Collieston (Aberdeenshire) and single Lapland Buntings were on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) and North Uist (Outer Hebrides) with two at Cley (Norfolk).
Spotted Sandpiper: Hayle, Cornwall (photo: Chris Cook).
Laughing Gull: Countess Weir, Devon (photo: Chris Buckland). | Killdeer: Banna Minn, Shetland (photo: Dougie Preston). |
The Killdeer was again at Banna Minn, Mainland (Shetland) and a 1st-summer American Golden Plover was at Tacumshin (Co. Wexford). A male Kentish Plover graced Dawlish Warren (Devon) on 16th as did a Temminck's Stint at Buckenham Marshes (Norfolk) on 15th along with the wintering bird still at Slimbridge (Glos). Long-stayers included the Grey Phalarope at Cross Ness (London), Spotted Sandpiper on the Hayle Estuary (Cornwall), Lesser Yellowlegs at Rosscarbery (Co. Cork) and Long-billed Dowitchers in Co. Louth, Essex and Kent.
White Stork: Bishop Middleham, Durham (photo: Mark Newsome).
Spoonbill: Blacktoft Sands, E. Yorkshire (photo: Darren Starkey).
Great Northern Diver: Draycote Water, Warks (photo: Steve Seal).
The Laughing Gull remained in south Devon as did the Forster's Tern in Co. Galway. A possible Baltic Gull was reported from Chew Valley Lake (Somerset), Kumlien's Gulls remained on Scilly and Co. Antrim and just four Ring-billed Gulls were reported. Two Pomarine Skuas passed Bowness-on-Solway (Cumbria) and five likewise off Balranald (Outer Hebrides). Two White-billed Divers were off Lewis, with others on Shetland off Unst and Laxo. Several mobile White Storks presented the usual 'shall I/shan't I' ticking conundrum for their observers; a Great White Egret passed over Norwich (Norfolk) on 16th whilst the Cattle Egret remained at the Otter Estuary NR (Devon). A Snowy Owl was on Lewis (Outer Hebrides) and the Black-eared Kite remained in Norfolk to at least the 12th, with a Black Kite reported from Grove Ferry (Kent) on 18th. Around a dozen Spoonbills were noted, including three on the Taw Estuary (Devon).
Bearded Tit: Titchwell, Norfolk (photo: Dean Eades).
Pied Flycatcher: Muggleswick Common, Durham (photo: Mark Newsome).
Wood Warbler: Loch Lomond, Clyde (photo: Ian Fulton).
The Barrow's Goldeneye continued in Forth, as did the male in Co. Down, and two Lesser Scaup were still on Benbecula (Outer Hebrides) with one still in Edinburgh (Lothian). The Marbled Duck remained in Gloucestershire, there were American Wigeon in Norfolk and North Yorkshire and four Green-winged Teal were reported. There were King Eider on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) and Burghead (Moray/Nairn) and two Surf Scoter were in the Sound of Taransay (Outer Hebrides) with another in Spey Bay (Moray/Nairn). The Red-breasted Goose again put in an appearance at Haugh of Blackgrange (Forth) on 15th, the sole Black Brant was reported from the Witham mouth (Lincolnshire) and the Snow Goose remained on Shetland.
Kingfisher: Halifax, W. Yorks (photo: Sean Gray).
Curlew: Warley Moor, W. Yorks (photo: Sean Gray).
Treecreeper: Sherwood CP, Notts (photo: Ray Purser).
John Anderson: http://www.pbase.com/crail_birder
Bill Aspin: http://www.eastlancashirebirding.net
Mike Atkinson: http://mikeatkinson.net
Ian Barnard: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/sussex.birder
Bill Baston: http://billbaston.com
Richard Bedford: http://www.richardbedford.co.uk
Steve Blain: http://www.steveblain.co.uk
Nigel Blake: http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/birdphotos/index.htm
Paul Boulden: http://southdevonbirds.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/
Will Bowell: http://www.wanderingbirders.com
Paul Bowerman: http://www.severnsidebirds.co.uk
Paul Bowyer: http://www.ukbirds.net
Andy Brett: http://www.freewebs.com/andybrett/
Andy Bright: http://www.Digiscoped.com
Martin Cade: http://www.portlandbirdobs.btinternet.co.uk
Graham Catley: http://pewit.blogspot.com/
Mark Caunt: http://www.AngusBirding.com
John Coveney: http://www.clarebirdwatching.com/index.php
Kit Day: http://www.kitday-uk.com/
Eric Dempsey: http://www.birdsireland.com/
Lee Dingain: http://www.leedingain.co.uk
Jon Dunn: http://www.surfbirds.com/blogs/Stercorarius/
Dean Eades: http://www.pbase.com/dean_eades/root
Andrew Easton: http://home.clara.net/ammodytes/
Graham Eaton: http://www.eatonphotography.co.uk
Stuart Elsom: http://www.stuartelsom.co.uk
Steve Evans: http://www.powow.com/birds2004/
Katie Fuller: http://bogbumper.blogspot.com
Ian Fulton: http://www.pbase.com/ianfulton
Sean Gray: http://www.grayimages.co.uk
Peter Hadfield: http://www.manxbirdphotography.co.uk
David Hatton: http://www.kowapower.com
Josh Jones: http://www.wanderingbirders.com
John Judge: http://www.draycotebirding.co.uk
Paul and Andrea Kelly: http://www.irishbirdimages.com/
Matt Latham: http://www.mattlathamphotography.com
Jack Levene: http://www.birdingimages.com
Micky Maher: http://www.aardfoto.co.uk/
John Malloy: http://mysite.freeserve.com/JohnMalloyBirdPhotos
Brian Mcgeough: http://www.pbase.com/bmcgeough/british_birds
Tony Mills: http://www.notjustbirds.com
Jerry O'Brien: http://www.BirdsofBerkshire.co.uk
Charlie Moores: http://www.charliesbirdblog.com
Mark Newsome: http://www.whitburnbirding.co.uk
James Packer: http://www.somersetbirder.co.uk
Mike Pennington: http://www.nature.shetland.co.uk
Ken Plows: http://www.kenswildlifepics.co.uk
Ray Purser: http://www.pbase.com/02purser/images
Marc Read: http://www.marcread-pix.com
Tristan Reid: http://www.solwaybirder.org.uk
Steve Round: http://stevenround-birdphotography.com
Gerald Segelbacher: http://www.digiscoping.uk.md
Craig Shaw: http://craigsukbirdpictures.bravehost.com/
Deryk Shaw/FIBO: http://www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk
Tom Shevlin: http://wildlifesnaps.com/
Peter Simpson: http://www.blueskybirds.co.uk
Matt Slaymaker: http://www.mattslaymaker.co.uk
Oliver Smart: http://www.smartimages.co.uk
George Spraggs: http://www.bird-watching.co.uk
Simon Stirrup: http://www.simonstirrup.co.uk/
Garry Taylor: http://www.spurnbirdobservatory.co.uk/
Glen Tepke: http://www.pbase.com/gtepke
Phillip Tomkinson: http://www.philliptomkinson.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk
Stephen Tomlinson: http://www.digitalbirds.co.uk
Sue Tranter: http://www.suesbirdphotos.co.uk/
Steve Williams: http://www.hilbrebirdobs.co.uk
Simon Wilson: http://www.bakewellbirder.co.uk/
Chris Wormwell: http://www.iombirding.co.uk
Dylan Wrathall: http://www.planetthanet.org