Review of the Week: 15th-21st March 2007

The week at a glance:

• Pacific Diver still in Pembrokeshire.
• Gyr Falcon and White-billed Diver still in Cornwall.
• Five American Herring Gulls reported.

White-billed Diver: Hayle Estuary, Cornwall (photo: Keith Simpson).

With the weather doing its best to remind us that we still do get wintry spells occasionally, even in spring, most migrant activity ground to a halt. It was left to the late winter leftovers to attract most of the attention. The juvenile Pacific Diver remained at Llys-y-Fran Reservoir (Pembroke) throughout the week, as did the White-billed Diver on the Hayle Estuary (Cornwall) to the 20th. Shetland hosted White-billed Divers at Symbister, Whalsay from 16th to 17th and Laxo, Mainland on 17th. The elusive Gyr Falcon was at Pentire Point (Cornwall) daily to the 17th, and again on 21st, but refused to perform well for its admirers.

Five American Herring Gulls were seen during the week, with first-year birds on Tiree (Argyll) and Lewis (Outer Hebrides), up to two first-years at Mousehole (Cornwall) and the 4th-winter still at Nimmo's Pier (Co. Galway). The 1st-winter Laughing Gull at Countess Weir (Devon) was on show all week, providing a nice diversion for birders on their way to/from the southwest. A 1st-winter Bonaparte's Gull was at Midleton (Co. Cork) on 20th and 20 Ring-billed Gulls were reported, with four each at Sandymount (Co. Dublin) and Nimmo's Pier. White-winged gulls remained conspicuous in certain areas, with a whopping 50 Iceland Gulls at Killybegs (Co. Donegal) on 17th, plus a handful of Kumlien's Gulls including an adult briefly on the Hayle Estuary (Cornwall). Strong winds provided some unseasonable seawatching. There were several Leach's Storm-petrels between Gwynedd and Clwyd; seven passed Uisaed Point (Argyll) on the 18th, on which day one was off Stonehaven (Aberdeenshire). A European Storm-petrel passed Sheringham (Norfolk) on 21st and an adult Pomarine Skua in Cleveland on the 20th flew south past Hartlepool and was then relocated off South Gare; another was seen off Rhos Point (Conwy) on 18th. Small numbers of Little Auks included 33 passing the Butt of Lewis (Outer Hebrides) on the 18th with 16 there on the 19th, and a handful were noted elsewhere, with six passing Whitburn (Durham) on 20th.

Hoopoe: Knighton, Somerset (photo: Nathan Casburn).	Shore Lark: Holkham, Norfolk (photo: Steve Fletcher).

A Hoopoe at Knighton (Somerset) from 18th to 21st was the only new 'scarcity' of note. The Little Bunting remained at Amwell GPs (Herts), with the Black-throated Thrush again reported from Rothesay (Bute) on the 18th. The Dusky Warbler was last reported in Newquay (Cornwall) on the 16th and the possible 'Central Asian' Lesser Whitethroat continued at Lelant (Cornwall). Four Yellow-browed Warblers included long-staying birds at Southwick (W. Sussex), Andover (Hampshire), Plymouth (Devon) and Penzance (Cornwall) and four Siberian Chiffchaffs were noted. Four Great Grey Shrikes included birds at Grimes Graves (Norfolk), Ogston Reservoir (Derbyshire), Perthcelyn (Glamorgan) and Parkend (Gloucestershire) and several flocks of Waxwings lingered on, with up to 31 at Longforgan (Perth and Kinross) and 20 each at Attlebridge (Norfolk) and Cramlington (Northumberland). Of two Lapland Buntings, one was a notable inland bird briefly at Willington GPs (Bedfordshire) whilst the other was more expected at Cresswell (Northumberland). Small parties of Shore Lark remained in Norfolk, where flocks were seen at Snettisham, Holkham, Cley and Caistor-on-Sea, along with four still in Kent at Coldharbour and singletons still in Northumberland and West Yorkshire.

Two Snowy Owls remained on Lewis (Outer Hebrides), the White-tailed Eagle was last reported from Loch of Strathbeg (Aberdeenshire) on the 17th and Rough-legged Buzzards included birds in Norfolk and Kent. An adult Night Heron was still on St. Mary's (Scilly) and the Glossy Ibis was still present at Lytham St. Annes (Lancs) to at least the 16th. A colour-ringed White Stork was at Wold Newton (E. Yorks) to the 18th (this bird was present in the Midlands and Northeast last year) and it, or another, was at Burgh-le-Marsh (Lincolnshire) on 20th and 21st. The long-staying Cattle Egret remained in Devon, a Common Crane was still at Cropredy (Oxon) and up to five Spoonbills were still in Dorset, plus singles in Cornwall, Scilly, Gwynedd and Co. Kerry. In London the Grey Phalarope remained at Crossness LNR as did the Temminck's Stint at Slimbridge (Glos). Four Long-billed Dowitchers included birds still in Kent, Essex, Co. Louth and Anglesey and the Spotted Sandpiper was an ever-present on the Hayle Estuary (Cornwall).

The two adult Red-breasted Geese continued to attract visitors to Wells-next-the-Sea (Norfolk) and eight Black Brants included two each at Wells-next-the-Sea (Norfolk) and Farlington Marshes (Hampshire). Four Snow Geese included both the blue and white morph at North Slob (Co. Wexford) and others at Skinburness (Cumbria) and Craobh Haven (Argyll), plus vagrant Canada Geese in Northumberland and Argyll. The drake Barrow's Goldeneye remained in Forth to at least the 15th and a King Eider was at Symbister, Whalsay (Shetland) on 17th. Lesser Scaup included two still on Benbecula (Outer Hebrides), plus one at Blagdon Lake (Somerset) and another at Belturbet (Co. Cavan). A drake Ferruginous Duck was reported from William Girling Reservoir (London) on the 17th and 13 Ring-necked Ducks were noted, plus seven American Wigeon and 10 Green-winged Teal. The regular drake Surf Scoter remained in Fife and a drake was at Balbriggan (Co. Dublin).