The first few weeks of autumn were characterised by a series of noteworthy falls and a sprinkling of American vagrants, but had lacked a real star item on the rarity front. That wrong was well and truly righted this week, as Bempton Cliffs RSPB, East Yorkshire, scored big with a Pale-legged Leaf Warbler from 25th – the first live record of this species for the Western Palearctic (WP).
First seen briefly by the finder, Andy Hood, on Wednesday, it was initially called as an Arctic Warbler before its 'bullfinch-like' call prompted suspicions of Eastern Crowned Warbler – a species which had already occurred at the reserve back in 2016. After being regularly heard but not identified several times on 26th, it clicked for local birder Trevor Charlton the following afternoon and was promptly broadcast as a Pale-legged Leaf Warbler. Recordings of its call showed it to have a frequency of 5.8 khz, ruling out the closely related Sakhalin Leaf Warbler (which calls at a frequency of 5.4 khz or below).
Pale-legged Leaf Warbler, Bempton Cliffs RSPB, East Yorkshire (Ian Curran).
The second confirmed record for Britain and the wider WP, the first was found freshly dead on St Anges, Scilly, on 21 October 2016, with DNA subsequently confirming the identification. One in a garden at Portland, Dorset, on 22 October 2012 predated this, though it remained silent – meaning it wasn't possible to rule out Sakhalin Leaf Warbler. Pale-legged Leaf Warbler breeds in extreme eastern China and North Korea, migrating to the Malay Peninsula for the winter.
The wider Flamborough Head recording area produced some great eastern migrants during the week, including an obliging Siberian Stonechat just a short walk from the warbler. A Red-flanked Bluetail was a welcome find near South Landing on 28th and shared the stage with an adult male Red-breasted Flycatcher – one of at least six in the recording area. Other sightings included Hoopoe, Dusky Warbler, Icterine Warbler, Marsh Warbler, Common Rosefinch and no fewer than 30 Yellow-browed Warblers.
Siberian Stonechat, Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire (Tom Tams).
Four species – White's Thrush, Pechora Pipit, Lanceolated Warbler and Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler – sit high on every birder's target list when they visit Shetland. These are synonymous with the archipelago and occur far more frequently there than elsewhere in Britain. Amazingly, three of the four occurred just days apart on Mainland Shetland and were well watched by visiting birders. A Pechora Pipit found at Quendale from 28th provided excellent views in iris along the burn. This latest individual means that the archipelago boasts a total of 95 confirmed sightings – a massive 82% of all accepted records.
Pechora Pipit, Quendale, Mainland, Shetland (Rebecca Nason).
Two of the other Shetland specialities were both made available on 24th thanks to skilful finding by one team of birders. A Lanceolated Warbler at Levenwick came first, followed shortly after by a Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler at Maywick. Visitors to both Northern Isles bird observatories also enjoyed Lanceolated Warbler sightings: one at close range on Fair Isle on 23rd and another trapped on North Ronaldsay, Orkney, the following day.
Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler, Maywick, Mainland, Shetland (Penny Clarke).
Lanceolated Warbler, Fair Isle, Shetland (Alex Penn).
Impressively, ringers on St Mary's, Scilly, caught a Paddyfield Warbler for the second week in succession on 24th – the island's third in two years. A Western Bonelli's Warbler on Tresco was another boon for Scilly birders. Unexpectedly, the first-winter Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler at Tynemouth, Northumberland, resurfaced on 24th and continued to provide brief glimpses for some lucky observers until 26th.
Western Bonelli's Warbler, Tresco, Isles of Scilly (Peter Garrity).
Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler, Tynemouth, Northumberland (Iain Johnson ).
Mainland Arctic Warblers were at Spurn, East Yorkshire, and Crail, Fife, with a further two in the Northern Isles. A Blyth's Reed Warbler reached Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire, with the species also seen in Shetland (two) and the Outer Hebrides. Three Marsh Warblers were elsewhere, with a continuing Greenish Warbler in Cleveland and Melodious Warbler still in Cornwall. A Dusky Warbler was in Northumberland.
Arctic Warbler, Spurn YWT, East Yorkshire (Tate Lloyd).
Blyth's Reed Warbler, Haroldswick, Unst, Shetland (David Cooper).
Yellow-browed Warblers were everywhere along the east coast this week, from Kent in the south to Caithness and Shetland in the north. A fair few had penetrated inland too, including a respectable three in Wiltshire and four in Nottinghamshire. Two were mistnetted during the same net round at Warnham LNR, West Sussex, on 29th, with two also trapped at Stanford Reservoir, Leicestershire.
Yellow-browed Warbler, Hartlepool Headland, Cleveland (Chris Downes).
A first-winter Brown Shrike was photographed on Fair Isle, Shetland, on 25th. It later relocated to North Ronaldsay, Orkney, on 26th, where it was widely welcomed by resident island birders – the last bird in 2019 was found freshly dead after being hit by a car. A popular Red-backed Shrike at Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire, was one of three in Britain. An isabelline shrike species was still on Foula, Shetland, with the Lesser Grey Shrike departing Essex after Monday.
Red-backed Shrike, Houghton Regis Chalk Pit, Bedfordshire (Adrian Roach).
Only the second Red-flanked Bluetail of the autumn was at Spurn on 24th. All but three of the week's Red-breasted Flycatchers were along the east coast between Norfolk and Fife or in the Northern Isles, with the remainder in Cornwall and Scilly (two). A new Siberian Stonechat was at Donna Nook, Lincolnshire, with one not identified to species level at Saltburn, Cleveland. Others continued in Norfolk, Lothian, Shetland and the Outer Hebrides. An apparent Little Bunting sound-recorded over Wallington, London, on 19th would prove an excellent record if confirmed. Others were in Caithness and Shetland.
Red-breasted Flycatcher, Donna Nook, Lincolnshire (Mark Johnson).
Siberian Stonechat, Donna Nook, Lincolnshire (Mark Johnson).
A Golden Oriole was notable on Mainland Shetland on 24th. A bumper three Hoopoes were in East Yorkshire, with others in Essex and Norfolk. Other notable passerines included a Greater Short-toed Lark on Lundy, Devon, three Richard's Pipits, two Rosy Starlings and 10 Wrynecks, while Ortolan Buntings in Scilly (two) and Northumberland extended their stays. Three Bluethroats included one at Freswick, Caithness. Unfortunately, a probable Eastern Yellow Wagtail at St Helens, Lancashire, on 21st wasn't relocated.
Ortolan Bunting, St Agnes, Isles of Scilly (Mark Leitch).
Rosy Starling, Lizard (village), Cornwall (David Collins).
Bluethroat, St Mary's, Isles of Scilly (Mark Leitch).
One of the week's most remarkable finds saw a second Northern Harrier join the lingering male at Tacumshin, Co Wexford, from 25th. Almost unbelievably, it proved to be a second mature male – the first such occurrence of two birds on this side of the Atlantic. It differs from the first bird owing to more extensive black primaries and less heavily marked underwing coverts, auxiliaries and flanks. They were joined on site by a Black Kite on 26-27th. A juvenile Pallid Harrier U-turned over Spurn on 23rd before settling near Welwick, while the female remained in Norfolk. Red-footed Falcons were in Dorset and Kent.
Northern Harrier, Tacumshin, Wexford (James Lawlor).
Pallid Harrier, Kilnsea, East Yorkshire (Martin Standley).
Red-footed Falcon, Elmley NNR, Kent (Benji Stedman).
On 27th, the Hudsonian Godwit resurfaced in Cheshire for the first time since 20 August, having last been sighted near Flint Castle, Flintshire, on 10 September. It spent a brief period on the River Mersey off Hale before heading south. The first-winter Wilson's Phalarope was still at Old Hall Marshes RSPB, Essex, until 25th; also lingering was the Long-billed Dowitcher at Exe Estuary, Devon.
Wilson's Phalarope (front bird) and Spotted Redshank, Old Hall Marshes RSPB, Essex (Paul Chamberlain).
Three White-rumped Sandpipers included one at Kilnsea Wetlands, East Yorkshire, while Baird's Sandpipers were in Co Donegal and Co Wexford. Surprisingly, a juvenile Spotted Sandpiper at Cameron Reservoir from 25th became the first record for Fife. Three Buff-breasted Sandpipers were together on South Uist, Outer Hebrides, with others on Tiree, Argyll, and at Tacumshin, Co Wexford (two). The American Golden Plover totaliser reached 11 birds.
Spotted Sandpiper, Cameron Reservoir, Fife (Harry Bell).
An Eurasian Stone-curlew at Alturlie Point, Highland, on 23rd continues Scotland's incredible run of records in 2024. A total 16 Eurasian Dotterel included a late flock of 10 at Little Scoat Fell, Cumbria, on 25th. Elsewhere, a Temminck's Stint lingered at Minsmere RSPB, Suffolk, and Pectoral Sandpipers were at 11 sites.
Eurasian Dotterel, Tresco, Isles of Scilly (Mark Leitch).
Pectoral Sandpiper, Fair Isle, Shetland (Alex Penn).
Two Spotted Crakes were in Scilly and a couple of Corncrakes at Tingwall, Mainland Shetland, attracted attention from visiting birders. Another sheltered under a car at Cleadon, Durham, and one was flushed in Cornwall. On 28th, a Black Stork flew south over Chichester Harbour, Hampshire.
The British status of Yelkouan Shearwater has come a long way since it became the 600th species on the British list back in 2016. The discovery of one and then two off Portland, Dorset, in July 2020 sparked a major twitch, before a paper published in 2022 announced that genetic analysis does not support the treatment of Balearic and Yelkouan Shearwaters as separate species. One was reported flying past Berry Head, Devon, with 214 Balearic Shearwaters on 29th, with probables off Dungeness, Kent, on 25th and Pendeen, Cornwall, on 26th. A single lucky observer logged a presumed Barolo Shearwater heading west close inshore past Mousehole, Cornwall, on 25th.
Dungeness: Balearic Shearwaters passing The Point this morning. Late morning a juvenile/1w Caspian Gull was roosting on Burrowes in front of Norwegian ringed G.B.B.Gull JZ848. A juvenile Arctic Tern came past the fishing boats this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/RtcJOKZVQu
— Ploddingbirder (@plodingbirder) September 25, 2024
A juvenile Brown Booby south past Fife Ness, Fife, on 27th is the site's second after one in August 2023. A probable adult headed west off Achill Island, Co Mayo, on 24th, the same day that Fea's-type petrels were seen off Long Nab, North Yorkshire, and Skelling Michael, Co Kerry. Lizard Point, Cornwall, enjoyed heavy passage of more than 2,000 Great Shearwaters on 26th. A storm-blown Leach's Storm Petrel was deposited at Rutland Water on 28th, while an adult Sabine's Gull reached Foremark Reservoir, Derbyshire, on 24th. Grey Phalaropes were in Avon, Aberdeenshire and Cornwall.
No fewer than two adult Bonaparte's Gulls visited Crossfintan Point, Co Wexford, on 25th. Two adult Ring-billed Gulls resided at Blennerville, Co Kerry, and the adult Whiskered Tern spent another three days at Lough Beg, Co Londonderry.
Two Snow Geese resurfaced near Temple, Lothian, with others in Lancashire, Cheshire, Aberdeenshire and Moray. A Ross's Goose was at Fail Loch, Ayrshire, from 26th. The East Yorkshire Blue-winged Teal remained, as did three Ferruginous Duck and the Staffordshire Lesser Scaup. A new drake Lesser Scaup was at Inch Island Lake, Co Donegal. A drake Ring-necked Duck visited Windermere, Cumbria, with another on Lewis, Outer Hebrides.
Snow Goose (centre) with Pink-footed Geese, Banks Marsh, Lancashire (Stuart Darbyshire).
Lesser Scaup, Belvide Reservoir (permit only), Staffordshire (Steve Nuttall).
Western Palearctic
A real turn up for the books concerned the discovery of a Long-billed Murrelet off Brignogan-Plage, Finistère, on 29th, which must have astonished the two lucky seawatchers present. If accepted, it would become only the fourth European record after birds in Switzerland in 1997 and Devon and Romania in 2006. Also in France were a South Polar Skua at Audierne, Finistère, and the continuing Hudsonian Whimbrel in the Camargue.
The second Yellow-crowned Night Heron for Portugal was at Quinta do Lago, Algarve, on 28-29th – just a stone's throw from where the country's first was seen in 2020. Azores action peaked with an Alder Flycatcher on Corvo – the archipelago's first Empidonax flycatcher. It shared the island with a Bobolink, a Red-eyed Vireo and a Great Blue Heron. A seawatch off Flores scored a Trindade Petrel, while on land there were Least Sandpiper and Great Blue Heron. American Black Tern and Short-billed Dowitcher were the highlights on Terceira and a Greater Yellowlegs was on Pico.
Crested Honey Buzzard, Malta, Malta (Raymond Galea).
Two bumper days of South Polar Skua passage off Estaca de Bares, Spain, on 28-29th saw some 40 birds fly past onlookers. Another was off Cantabria. A Demoiselle Crane near Madrid is a strong shout for a wild bird. Adding some Saharan flair in Gibraltar were House Bunting and Sudan Golden Sparrow.
Sweden's third Brown Booby was off Falsterbo and a Brown Shrike visited Utö, Finland. The Sandhill Crane was still in Denmark, while Iceland scored an American Buff-bellied Pipit. A Pechora Pipit on Heligoland, Germany, was only the second national record. The Northern Mockingbird remained in Germany, while a Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler was trapped and ringed on Vlieland, Netherlands. Malta recorded its first Crested Honey Buzzard. A Lesser Yellowlegs reached Israel and American Golden Plovers were in Poland, Italy and the Czech Republic.
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