Rare Bird Alert - 2010 - Review of the year

2010 Rarity Review of the Year - Part 2 - July to December

July

A Black-headed Bunting at Oldshoremore, Highland on 1st opened the month but it was a singing River Warbler at Thorpe Marshes, Norfolk from 2nd-15th that stole the show.

A male Little Bittern at Ham Wall, Somerset - present since 25th May - had been joined by a female and, for the first time in Britain since 1984. At least one juvenile was seen there from 23rd July.

Seawatchers logged a King Eider at Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire on 2nd (later present at Filey, North Yorkshire until 25th then off the Norfolk coast from 27th) and Fea's Petrels off Porthgwarra, Cornwall on 5th and Grassholm, Pembrokeshire on 11th.

The White-tailed Plover seen in late May reappeared on 7th at Rainham Marshes, London before visiting Slimbridge, Gloucestershire on 9th-10th and finally Dungeness, Kent on 11th-21st.

A Franklin's Gull lingered around Chasewater, Staffordshire from 15th until 1st August, a Spotted Sandpiper was at Dunster, Somerset on 17th, a Whiskered Tern arrived at Saltholme, Cleveland on 28th (and remained until 25th August before visiting Venus Pool, Shropshire on 29th August) and a Lesser Yellowlegs lingered in Cheshire at Inner Marsh Farm from 31st until 16th August.

White-tailed Lapwing, Rainham Marshes, London (© Tim Corke)

River Warbler, Thorpe Marshes, Norfolk (© Jack Levene)

King Eider, Filey, Yorkshire (© Dave Mansell)

Spotted Sandpiper, Dunster, Somerset (© Gary Thoburn)

Wilson's Petrel, Isles of Scilly (© Joe Pender)

August

The month began with adult Semipalmated Sandpipers at Port Carlisle, Cumbria until 5th (present since 28th July), Lodmoor, Dorset on 3rd-5th, Blacktoft Sands, East Yorkshire on 9th then Alkborough Flats, Lincolnshire on 18th-24th, before early juveniles arrived at Dawlish Warren, Devon on 23rd-25th and Tyninghame, Lothian from 27th until 15th September.

Other rare waders comprised Long-billed Dowitchers at Caerlaverock, Dumfries and Galloway on 2nd and between Neumann's Flash, Cheshire and the Dee Estuary on 25th-30th, Pacific Golden Plover on South Uist, Western Isles on 4th-12th, Baird's Sandpiper at Lound, Nottinghamshire on 6th-10th, Lesser Yellowlegs on Scilly on 9th-16th, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper at Patrington Haven and Kilnsea, East Yorkshire on 22nd-23rd and Broad-billed Sandpiper at Mersea Island, Essex on 22nd-27th before the best of all, a Red-necked Stint Ferrybridge, Dorset briefly on 27th. A Glossy Ibis was at Stanpit Marsh, Dorset on 12th-14th before relocating to Keyhaven, Hampshire until 15th, with it or another in the Cotswold Water Park, Gloucestershire from 27th.

Sykes's Warblers at Hadston Carrs, Northumberland on 15th-16th and on Unst, Shetland on 16th-17th proved popular with other rare passerines including a Paddyfield Warbler on Unst, Shetland on 6th and 23rd, Thrush Nightingale on the Farne Islands, Northumberland on 14th, Citrine Wagtails at Spurn, East Yorkshire on 15th and at Ogston Reservoir, Derbyshire on 28th-30th, Arctic Warblers on Fair Isle, Shetland on both 14th-15th and 31st and on Unst on 18th, and a Lesser Grey Shrike at Kelling, Norfolk on 17th-19th.

Franklin's Gull, Gailey Reservoir, Staffordshire (© Jim Almond)

Whiskered Tern, Saltholme, Cleveland (© Tristan Reid)

Lesser Yellowlegs, St.Agnes, Isles of Scilly (© Joe Pender)

Lesser Grey Shrike, Kelling, Norfolk (© Jon Evans)

Red-necked Stint, Ferry Bridge, Dorset (© Paul Baker)

Ortolan Bunting, Landguard NR, Suffolk (© Jon Evans)

September

The month opened with an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler at Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire on 1st-3rd with, nearby, a suspected Collared Flycatcher at Spurn, a Great Snipe at Spurn and Booted Warbler at Grimston on 4th, Western Bonelli's Warbler at Bempton Cliffs on 11th-12th, Roller at Easington on 12th-13th, Squacco Heron at Kilnsea on 15th, Fea's Petrel off Grimston on 17th and - best of all - a Brown Flycatcher at Buckton on 5th.

A Swainson's Thrush on Fair Isle, Shetland on 15th was the first Nearctic landbird to arrive and was followed by single Buff-bellied Pipits there on 20th-30th, at Yesnaby, Orkney on 27th and Eshaness, Shetland from 28th until 11th October, a Bobolink at Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir, Glamorgan on 20th, Britain's second Alder Flycatcher on Blakeney Point, Norfolk on 25th-27th and Scotland's first Northern Parula on Tiree, Argyll on 25th-29th.

Also on Shetland an Arctic Warbler on Fair Isle was the first of ten noted around the archipelago during September, along with five Citrine Wagtails, a Western Bonelli's Warbler on Whalsay on 9th-15th, two Paddyfield Warblers at Quendale (on 10th and 27th), an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler at Bigton on 11th-12th, Great Snipe on Foula on 11th-14th and Thrush Nightingale on Foula on 11th-16th, River Warblers at Quendale on 20th and Fladdabister on 30th, Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler on Fair Isles on 22nd-26th, White's Thrush at Sandwick on 26th, Blyth's Reed Warblers at both Quendale and Wester Quarff on 27th, a Lanceolated Warbler on Foula on 28th and an Olive-backed Pipit on Fair Isle on 30th.

Elsewhere in Britain rare passerines comprised six Citrine Wagtails, Booted Warblers at Bamburgh, Northumberland on 8th and Needs Ore Point, Hampshire on 12th-15th, Western Bonelli's Warblers on Lundy, Devon on 4th, on North Ronaldsay, Orkney on 10th and in Wells Woods, Norfolk on 26th-28th, Arctic Warblers at Holme, Norfolk on 6th-16th and South Uist, Western Isles on 8th, Lesser Grey Shrike on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly on 8th-13th, an Isabelline Shrike in Gosport, Hampshire on 10th-11th, a Great Reed Warbler at Slapton Ley, Devon on 25th, a Paddyfield Warbler at Icklesham, East Sussex on 27th, Blyth's Reed Warblers at East Hills, Norfolk on 28th and both Newburgh, Aberdeenshire and North Ronaldsay, Orkney on 30th and three Red-flanked Bluetails: at both Corton, Suffolk and Fife Ness, Fife on 28th, and at Pakefield, Suffolk on 30th.

Waders were represented by Wilson's Phalaropes at Hayle, Cornwall on 6th, Tresco, Scilly on 8th-15th, Grove Ferry, Kent from 9th into October, Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire on 13th-15th and Dowdeswell Reservoir, Gloucestershire on 29th-30th, a Broad-billed Sandpiper on the Tees Estuary, Cleveland on 10th-12th, Spotted Sandpipers on St Mary's, Scilly from 14th until 6th October, at St Ives, Cornwall on 18th and at Exminster, Devon from 9th until 10th October, Lesser Yellowlegs on South Uist, Western Isles on 18th-19th and Goldcliff, Gwent on 28th-29th, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper at Greatham Creek, Cleveland on 20th-21st and a Long-billed Dowitcher at Colliford Lake, Cornwall on 30th.

The best of the rest concerned a Bonaparte's Gull at Whitburn, Durham until 11th, Whiskered Tern at Rutland Water, Leicestershire until 16th, perhaps 40 Glossy Ibises (including 20 together at Budleigh Salterton, Devon from 7th-18th), a Snowy Owl on the Western Isles from 8th, Black Stork at Grantown-on-Spey, Highland on 9th-10th, the North Sea King Eider off Suffolk from 12th, a Blue-winged Teal at Risley, Cheshire on 16th-23rd and a Lesser Scaup at Draycote Water, Warwickshire from 24th until 17th October.

Brown Flycatcher, Buckton, Yorkshire (© Andrew Hood)

Black Stork, Grantown-on-Spey, Highland (© Dave Pullan)

Arctic Warbler, Holme next the Sea, Norfolk (© CJ Maynard)

King Eider, Dunwich, Suffolk (© Jon Evans)

Hornemann's Arctic Redpolll, Unst, Shetland (© Robbie Brooks)

Alder Flycatcher, Blakeney, Norfolk (© Richard Stonier)

Northern Parula, Tiree, Argyll and Bute (© Stuart Piner)

Wilson's Phalarope, Dowdeswell Reservoir, Gloucestershire (© Gary Thoburn)

October

The first of another eleven Nearctic landbirds discovered during October was a Swainson's Thrush at Levenwick, Shetland on 2nd-3rd before a Bobolink reached Skomer, Pembrokeshire on 8th-11th, Hermit Thrushes on Barra on 9th-16th and South Uist on 10th (both Western Isles), Red-eyed Vireo at South Uist, Western Isles on 10th-12th (with two together from 11th), Seaton Carew, Cleveland on 11th, St Agnes, Scilly on 14th-18th and a Grey-cheeked Thrush on nearby St Martin's on 19th.

Shetland's enviable haul continued with Black-throated Thrushes at Scalloway on 1st and Fair Isle on 23rd-28th, Booted Warbler at Quendale on 2nd, Black-headed Bunting on Out Skerries on 2nd-8th, Sykes's Warblers at Channerwick on 2nd-9th and Fetlar on 6th, Lanceolated Warblers on Fair Isle on 6th-7th, Unst 6th-7th and Out Skerries on 9th, Pallas's Grasshopper Warblers on Out Skerries on 8th and Fetlar on 9th, Western Bonell's Warbler in Lerwick from 11th until 1st November and Isabelline Shrike at Scousborough on 12th-16th, all alongside five Red-flanked Bluetails, four each of Blyth's Reed Warbler and Olive-backed Pipit and three Citrine Wagtails. Meanwhile, the Isles of Scilly produced a Black-headed Bunting on 7th, Black-eared Wheatear on 9th-13th, Pied Wheatear on 12th and another Spotted Sandpiper from 27th-31st. However, rare passerines weren't restricted to these two famous island archipelagos with Black-throated Thrushes at Melvich, Highland on 2nd and Kirkwall, Orkney on 16th, Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler at Whitburn, Durham on 9th, Isabelline Wheatear at Lowestoft, Suffolk and Isabelline Shrike at Gribraltar Point, Lincolnshire on 10th, Pied Wheatear on North Ronaldsay, Orkney on 10th-13th, Steppe Grey Shrike at Loch of Strathbeg, Aberdeenshire on 14th-18th, a Calandra Lark migrating over Spurn, East Yorkshire on 28th and totals of fifteen Red-flanked Bluetails, seven Penduline Tits and five Olive-backed Pipits. Incredibly, Britain's second Rufous-tailed Robin was picked up dead on North Ronaldsay on 2nd.

Other major rarities included a Baikal Teal at Chigborough Lakes, Essex on 2nd, Green Heron at Pentewan, Cornwall from 6th until 1st December, a Pallid Harrier at Holme, Norfolk on 9th, Solitary Sandpiper at Seaton, Devon on 10th-15th and a long-awaited American Bittern at Trewey Common, Cornwall on 25th-31st.

Rare waders included Great Snipe at Covehithe, Suffolk on 1st, Wilson's Phalarope at Welney, Norfolk on 2nd-12th, Lesser Yellowlegs on the Western Isles on 3rd-9th and Port Meadow, Oxfordshire from 14th until 8th November, and in Essex Semipalmated Sandpiper at Abberton Reservoir, Essex on 3rd-9th and Baird's Sandpiper at Holland Haven on 7th-21st. Late seabirds included Little Shearwaters passing Porthgwrra on 1st and Pendeen on 23rd (both Cornwall) and Fea's Petrels off both Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire and North Ronaldsay, Orkney on 16th.

Yet more discoveries comprised Black Stork at Eythorne, Kent on 10th, Squacco Heron in Angle Bay, Pembrokeshire from 10th until 15th November, Lesser Scaup and Blue-winged Teal in Dumfries and Galloway, Red-breasted Goose in Lancashire from 14th, a Franklin's Gull between Willington and Foremark Reservoir, Derbyshire from 28th until 5th November, a Pallid Swift at Dunwich, Suffolk on 30th and three King Eiders in northern Scotland.

Lanceolated Warbler, Unst, Shetland (© Mike Pennington)

Sykes's Warbler, Fetlar, Shetland (© Brydon Thomason)

Olive-backed Pipit, Stiffkey, Norfolk (© Penny Clarke)

Isabelline Wheatear, Lowestoft, Suffolk (© Jon Evans)

Western Black-eared Wheatear, St.Mary's, Isles of Scilly (© Jon Hall)

American Golden Plover, St.Mary's, Isles of Scilly (© Jon Hall)

Common Nighthawk, Horden, Co.Durham (© Mark Penrose)

Solitary Sandpiper, Seaton, Devon (© Tim Corke)

Pied Wheatear, St.Mary's, Isles of Scilly (© Jon Hall)

November

Early in the month a Thayer's Gull was photographed at Pitsea, Essex on 6th, the Cornish American Bittern was promptly relocated at Walmsley Sanctuary on 1st-6th, a Squacco Heron was at Morpeth, Northumberland from 6th-16th then died, but a Yellow-billed Cuckoo at South Uist, Western Isles was already dead when found.

Rare passerines included Red-flanked Bluetails at Denge Marsh, Kent on 6th and Linchmere, West Sussex on 7th (bringing the autumn tally to thirty individuals), a Brown Shrike visited Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire on 7th, an American Robin visited Exminster Marshes, Devon on 10th-18th, a Desert Wheatear at Seahouses, Northumberland on 14th-16th relocated to Burniston, North Yorkshire on 19th, and Hume's Yellow-browed Warblers were at Holme on 22n-23rd and Wells Wood from 29th until 3rd December (both Norfolk).

A Pied-billed Grebe at Hollingworth Lake, Greater Manchester on 7th-21st was well received, as were a lingering Long-billed Dowitcher at Lodmoor, Dorset from 7th until the year end, a Lesser Yellowlegs at Rutland Water, Leicestershire on 20th-28th and a Blue-winged Teal in Dumfries and Galloway at Threave from 26th until 8th December. A Ross's Gull passed Uisead Point, Argyll on 12th and a Pallid Swift was over Torquay, Devon briefly on 17th.

December

The highlight of the month was the reappearance of the Pacific Diver in Cornwall, present in Mount’s Bay from 2nd until the year end. Elsewhere, a Hume’s Yellow-browed Warbler showed in Wells Woods, Norfolk until 3rd, whilst Penduline Tits in Kent (at Dungeness on 4th) and Norfolk (Hardley Staithe) on 5th, a Gyr on Coll, Argyll on 6th and a Bonaparte’s Gull in County Durham at Castle Eden Dene on 20th were all brief encounters, and news of a Dark-eyed Junco at Waltham Abbey, Essex on 18th-19th only surfaced after the event.

Hard weather refugees included a Red-breasted Goose passing Dungeness, Kent on 2nd and another at Pett Level, East Sussex from 26th, and - more significantly - the first Lesser White-fronted Goose in Britain since 2003: present between Buckenham and Cantley Marshes, Norfolk with wintering Taiga Bean Geese; a traditional ‘carrier species’ for this globally threatened goose.

Other rarities present at the year end were a Glossy Ibis at Hungerford, Berkshire (with others in Devon, Glamorgan and Somerset during the month), single Lesser Scaups in Glamorgan, Gloucestershire and the Orkney Isles, and King Eiders in Moray and the Shetland Isles (where two were together from the 5th).

Rare Bird Alert
Dec 2010

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