Review of the Week: 21st-27th June 2007

The week at a glance:

• Long-staying rarities such as Hudsonian Whimbrel, Killdeer and Little Bittern.
• Scarce waders, including White-rumped Sandpiper, American Golden Plover and Buff-breasted Sandpiper.
• Unseasonable seawatching, with good numbers of Balearic Shearwaters along the south coast.
• Laughing Gull in Cambridgeshire.

This week's rare and scarce birds

Wheldrake Ings, N. Yorks Excessive amounts of rainfall fell in many areas, turning rivers into raging torrents. Here wildlife rich hay meadows lie under several feet of flood water - a familiar scene in many areas (photo: Russell Slack).

For many of us the weather was the unfortunate talking point of the week, causing widespread flooding across large swathes of northern and central Britain. Despite the midsummer date, if not weather, there were plenty of birds still being found, plus a number of long-staying rarities continued their residence.

The continued presence of the male Little Bittern at Titchwell RSPB (Norfolk) proved popular, though he was often typically elusive, but showed well on occasion. A Squacco Heron at Abbotsbury (Dorset) on 27th was presumably a wandering bird from earlier in the spring, and there were Glossy Ibis reports from Alvecote Pools (Warwickshire) on 18th and Blakeney (Norfolk) on 21st, plus the reliable long-staying individual still in Lancashire, at Newton Marsh. Several Great White Egrets included birds at Ham Wall (Somerset) on 22nd, Waxham (Norfolk) on 24th, Tamworth (Staffs) on 26th and Saltholme Pools/Dorman's Pool (Cleveland) from 27th.

A trickle wader of movement was already evident, and scarcities included a Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Ballycotton (Co. Cork) from 22nd-25th, an American Golden Plover on the Boyne Estuary (Co. Louth) on 26th and a White-rumped Sandpiper at Freiston Shore (Lincs) on 25th. The Hudsonian Whimbrel continued to draw visitors to Walney Island (Cumbria) throughout the week, and on Shetland the long-staying Killdeer was still present at Clevigarth. Away from breeding areas a Red-necked Phalarope was present on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) on 27th.

Strong winds prompted seawatchers to dabble earlier in the season than would normally be expected; east-coast observers were rewarded with small numbers of European Storm-petrels and south-coast observers with good numbers of Balearic Shearwaters, including up to 70 off Portland Bill (Dorset). A Leach's Storm-petrel was off the Skellig Islands (Co. Kerry) on 24th, and a handful of single Pomarine Skuas were logged, but the prize seabirds were Long-tailed Skuas, with one off Melvaig (Highland) on 26th and another passing Craster (Northumberland) on 27th. In Norfolk stunning White-winged Black Terns were present at Welney 25th-26th and Cley from 26th-27th, a 2nd-summer Laughing Gull was a good find at Grafham Water (Cambs) on 24th, and the 1st-summer Bonaparte's Gull remained on South Uist (Outer Hebrides).

Alpine Swift: Titchwell, Norfolk (photo: Will Bowell).

An Alpine Swift at Titchwell (Norfolk) late on 24th relocated to nearby Hunstanton (Norfolk) on 25th and early on 26th, plus another was reported at Frogmore (Devon) on 25th. A Roller was reported from Seacombe Cliff (Dorset) on 26th and a Hoopoe was present in Harston (Cambs). Migrant Golden Orioles included singles at Bockhill Farm (Kent) and Rusper (W. Sussex), a Red-breasted Flycatcher was at Portland (Dorset) on 23rd and a Marsh Warbler trapped on Fair Isle (Shetland) on 25th, where the long-staying Lesser Grey Shrike also remained. A Black-headed Bunting was in an Exeter (Devon) garden on 22nd, a Subalpine Warbler on the Isle of May (Fife) from 21st-26th and a Rose-coloured Starling at Rousay (Orkney) on 24th. Five Red-backed Shrikes were noted, plus there were Common Rosefinches at Flamborough Head (E. Yorks) on 21st and Northam Burrows (Devon) on 23rd. There were two Serin at Portland (Dorset) on 22nd and one there on 27th with one at Selsey Bill (W. Sussex) on 26th. On the Outer Hebrides a probable Ashy-headed Wagtail was on Benbecula.

Montagu's Harrier: Digby Fen, Lincs (photo: Russell Hayes).

The pair of Montagu's Harriers at Digby Fen (Lincs) proved to extremely popular, allowing birders another privileged opportunity to watch these birds at close quarters in Britain. Three Surf Scoters were located off Aberdeenshire, a female American Wigeon was at Glaslyn Marshes (Gwynedd) and Ring-necked Ducks were at Avonmouth (Somerset) and Blithfield Reservoir (Staffs). On the Outer Hebrides a possible Lesser Scaup was on South Uist and the long-staying Marbled Duck remained in Gloucestershire.

Spoonbill: Minsmere, Suffolk (photo: Scott Mayson).

Photo of the week

It's always unusual to see flight shots taken head-on, but to capture such an uncommon and majestic species from this angle is very rare. You can certainly feel for the many small creatures who would have seen this as their final sight. With perfect composition and a plain white background, Sean has created a bold, graphic image.

Hen Harrier: Lancashire (photo: Sean Gray).

Other notable photos from the week