The week at a glance
- Amur Falcon again in Cornwall
- Swinhoe's Storm Petrel back on Fair Isle
- Caspian Tern still touring Britain
- Returning Stejneger's Scoter in Norway
- Grey-tailed Tattler lingers in the Azores
It was a week for welcome reappearances, in particular the first-summer female Amur Falcon in Cornwall. After a couple of unconfirmed rumours from localities within the county, Monday's report from St Buryan was understandably met with some scepticism, but happily proved legitimate. Although it disappeared from there during the warm afternoon hours, it was back on the outskirts of the village by early evening and showed until sunset. Given that it's now been in Cornwall almost a fortnight, perhaps a lengthy stay is on the cards — the big question is whether the bird will remain co-operative enough to show from public rights of way and not lose itself in the myriad of sloping hills and valleys of West Cornwall? Currently, the answer appears to be 'no', with negative news throughout 18th.
Amur Falcon, St Buryan, Cornwall (Photo: Jim Hutchins)
News from Fair Isle that a Swinhoe's Storm Petrel was trapped in the early hours of 14th was welcome, but was far from surprising given the island's run with this species in recent summers. It transpired that the caught individual was the first bird from 2013, not seen again there until 14–15 August 2016 (when it was trapped on consecutive nights). So far it hasn't reappeared and its form in previous years suggests it's unlikely to be twitchable.
Swinhoe's Storm Petrel, Fair Isle, Shetland (Photo: Ciaran Hatsell)
The only other truly mega news of the week was the reappearance of the American White-winged Scoter off the Aberdeenshire coastline on 12th, although the likelihood is that it never actually went anywhere. Also there were a couple of Surf Scoters and and the drake King Eider, with the female 'Queen' Eider still at Ynyslas, Ceredigion. Elsewhere the Pied-billed Grebe remained in Argyll.
King Eider, Dyfi Estuary, Ceredigion (Photo: Richard Stonier)
Pied-billed Grebe, Loch Feorlin, Argyll (Photo: Ian Fulton)
Seabird news was again sparse but Wilson's Storm Petrels were seen from Scilly pelagics on 13th and 17th, from a pelagic off Mousehole, Cornwall, on 15th and past Lizard Point on 17th.
Wilson's Storm Petrel, Scilly pelagic, Isles of Scilly (Photo: Joe Pender)
The UK status of Cattle Egret has been altered dramatically this summer. Following the announcement earlier this summer that the species was breeding in Cheshire, similar success has been announced from Somerset (nine juveniles from five nests) and Dorset (two pairs fledged four young) — it seems like they really are here to stay. Glossy Ibises were reported from Somerset, Essex and Suffolk with the latter county holding on to the [[Purple Heron (at Minsmere). A Night Heron was again reported from St Mary's, Scilly, with the adult still in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. A White Stork seen in West Sussex was apparently an escape from a proposed reintroduction scheme in the county …
Up to four European Honey Buzzards entertained visitors to the Wykeham watchpoint in North Yorkshire, with one from Welbeck watchpoint, Notts. Black Kites were reported from Kent, Greater Manchester, Durham and Suffolk.
The Bonaparte's Gull proved popular at Oare Marshes, Kent, throughout the week while post-breeding congregations of Mediterranean (e.g. 335 at Llanon, Ceredigion) and Little Gulls (e.g. 620 at Hornsea Mere, East Yorks) started to build up. A Gull-billed Tern was reported flying past Troon, Ayrshire, on 14th while the roving, red-ringed Caspian Tern popped up again on 15th — this time at Baston & Langtoft Pits, Lincs, where it lingered until the following morning before relocating to West Yorkshire on 18th. Primarily favouring Swillington Ings, it was also seen at Fairburn Ings. A White-winged Black Tern lingered on North Ronaldsay, Orkney — having first been seen last week, it was still there on 17th. In Co Wexford, the Forster's Tern was seen at Lady's Island Lake on 15th.
Bonaparte's Gull, Oare Marshes NR, Kent (Photo: Martin Bond)
Caspian Tern, Swillington Ings, West Yorkshire (Photo: Dave Hunton)
Wader passage was very much on the up this week, as the number of rarities showed. Northumberland's Long-billed Dowitcher stayed at Boulmer to 15th before relocating south to Cley, Norfolk, on 16th, where it became the first twitchable of its kind there since 1969. A Semipalmated Sandpiper was at Tacumshin, Co Wexford, from 13th but one of the week's most popular birds was a juvenile Marsh Sandpiper on show distantly at Cliffe Pools, Kent, from 12th onwards. A Collared Pratincole drew crowds to Aldeburgh, Suffolk, on 13th. A Broad-billed Sandpiper was on The Wash off Gibraltar Point, Lincs, early on 18th while another brief rarity in the county was the Lesser Yellowlegs at Saltfleetby All Saints. Other notable records included a fleeting White-rumped Sandpiper at Oare Marshes, Kent, on 15th, Pectoral Sandpipers in Northumberland, North Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Norfolk and the Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Kilnsea, East Yorkshire, to 12th. A Temminck's Stint near Llanon, Ceredigion, on 18th was a great July record for west Wales.
Semipalmated Sandpiper, Tacumshin, Wexford (Photo: Paul Kelly)
Collared Pratincole, Aldeburgh Marshes, Suffolk (Photo: Andrew Moon)
Long-billed Dowitcher, Boulmer, Northumberland (Photo: Jonathan Farooqi (Age 16))
The Laughing Dove remained on show around the churchyard at Sandon, Herts, to 17th and drew in a small stream of admirers from around the country. The group of European Bee-eaters remained on show at East Leake, Notts, all week with others at Crean, Cornwall, on 13th and Hartley Wintney, Hants, on 16th. The only Golden Oriole was at Frampton-on-Severn, Glos, on 18th.
Laughing Dove, Sandon, Hertfordshire (Photo: Paul Chamberlain)
The Savi's Warbler was still singing at Minsmere, Suffolk, on 13th. New Rose-coloured Starlings were found at Vatersay, Outer Hebrides, on 14th and Embo, Highland, on 17th. Other random records included a subalpine warbler on Westray, Orkney, on 14th and a male Red-backed Shrike at Idle Valley, Notts, on 12th.
Western Palearctic news
In the Azores, the Grey-tailed Tattler was again at Cabo da Praia, Terceira, on 15th but not subsequently. Also on the island, a Snowy Egret was found at Lagoa do Junco on 15th and was still there two days later.
Grey-tailed Tattler, Azores (Photo: Ruben Coelho)
Finland's first Oriental Pratincole was at Joroinen on 14th while the Stejneger's Scoter returned to Fauske, Norway, on 18th for its third summer. The Black-browed Albatross was still at Sylt, Germany, on 13th before being seen at sea off Hirtshals, Denmark, later that day. It or another was then seen from the Hull — Zeebrugge ferry on 16th.
Oriental Pratincole, Finland (Photo: Mika Bruun)
France's two star terns remained: the Elegant continued just up the coast from Calais while the American Royal was at Saint-Pair-sur-Mer, Manche, to at least 15th. In Italy a Brown Booby was seen at Bocca di Serchio, near Pisa, on 18th and will represent the fourth national record if accepted. A juvenile Yellow-billed Stork was seen in Israel's Harod Valley on 15th and a Swinhoe's Storm Petrel was photographed off Gran Canaria on 14th.
Elegant Tern, France (Photo: Klaus Drissner)
