BLUE ROCK THUSH in Wales and Recent Sightings
April 11, 2007
A male BLUE ROCK THRUSH was discovered this afternoon in the picturesque Elan Valley, 4 miles SW of Rhayader (Powys). Initially seen at around 1.30pm, it showed well until 6.00pm, feeding in Caban Quarry. Park in the nearby visitor centre car park and walk 200 yards to view the quarry.
Also new in was a male WESTERN SUBALPINE WARBLER on Lundy Island (North Devon), showing well in Millcombe Valley, whilst a MARBLED DUCK with Gadwall, Teal and Shoveler remains for its 3rd day just west of Frampton-on-Severn at Saul Warth (Gloucs) (Park at Cadbury Bridge and walk south along the canal footpath to view the flooded meadows at SO 744 081 - do not leave the towpath).
A singing male PALLAS’S LEAF WARBLER remains for at least its 4th day a mile NE of Snodland (Kent) and a mile south of Wouldham in the area of the ponds (TQ 716 626) but is extremely elusive and difdficult to view.
On the Isle of Lewis (Outer Hebrides), an adult WHITE-BILLED DIVER remains off Port Skigersta, Butt of Lewis, with 3 Iceland Gulls still present in Stornoway Harbour. Nearby, one drake LESSER SCAUP remains on Benbecula at Coot Loch. Elsewhere in Scotland, a confiding first-winter drake LESSER SCAUP remains this evening in Edinburgh (Lothian) north of Holyrood Park on St Margaret’s Loch (NT 275 738), with the ever-present drake BARROW’S GOLDENEYE at Loch Venachar (Forth) (either at the dam or just west of the Yacht club). Just one male Capercaillie is visiting Loch Garten (Speyside) at present (access daily from 0530-0900 hours) with a lone first-year White-tailed Sea Eagle with 4-5 Golden Eagles in Findhorn Valley (Speyside).
In the South West, the long-staying first-winter LAUGHING GULL remains on pools north of Matford Roundabout (pre-roosting on the Exe Estuary just north of the playing fields), SPOTTED SANDPIPER on the Hayle Estuary, Red-necked Grebe at Stithians Reservoir (Cornwall) and Yellow-browed Warbler near Love Lane, Penzance (Cornwall), whilst Portland Bill (Dorset) has finally yielded some impressive falls of common migrants in recent days (1,000+ Willow Warblers, 750 Common Chiffchaffs, 75+ Northern Wheatears and smaller numbers of Pied Flycatcher, Common Redstart and Tree Pipit).
American Green-winged Teals remain at Tain Sewage Works (Highland), Eyebrook Reservoir (Northants) and Marshside Marsh (Merseyside), whilst Ring-necked Ducks include a splendid drake between Swadlincote and Newhall on Nadin’s Pond (SK 282 195) (park in the layby at the end of William Nadin Way by the Bison Concrete entrance and walk north) and female at Bough Beech Reservoir (Kent).
A transitional-plumaged Lapland Bunting remains at Flamborough Head (East Yorks) north of the golf course in the first ploughed field, whilst a Northern Grey Shrike remains west of Tain (Highland) between Edderton and the B9176 on roadside wires at cNH 672 828.
Two LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS remain, with singles on the Stour Estuary at Mistley Walls (Essex) and Oare Marshes NR (North Kent), whilst in London, the first-winter GREY PHALAROPE remains at Cross Ness, favouring the inlet 100 yards east of the incinerator and golf centre.
In Norfolk, a group of 9 Shorelarks remain on Cley Beach adjacent to Arnold’s Marsh, whilst a fall of over 25 Ring Ouzels took place today, including 10+ at Hunstanton/Holme, 6 at Kelling Quags and 4 at Burnham Overy Dunes.
The White Stork of suspect origin and bearing a yellow ring flew south over Spurn Point (East Yorks) and east over Donna Nook (North Lincs) early afternoon, whilst the Common Crane remains in Angus.
Black-necked Grebes in full breeding attire remain an attractive aside with up to 9 still at Staines Reservoirs (Middlesex), up to 16 at Hilfield Park Reservoir (Herts) and pairs at the Ouse Washes RSPB (Cambs), Abberton Reservoir (Essex) and Hanningfield Reservoir (Essex).
In IRELAND (all news kindly provided by Eric Dempsey of BINS), the female LESSER SCAUP has reappeared on Clea Lakes (Co. Down), with the adult Ring-billed Gull, 2 first-winter Glaucous Gulls and up to 15 Iceland Gulls all still at Belfast Lough RSPB and Whitehouse Lagoon. A 3rd-winter Kumlien’s Gull continues on Belfast Lough at Kinnegar Shore, as does the drake BARROW’S GOLDENEYE at Quoile Pondage NR (Co. Down), whilst recent sightings include LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS at Dundalk Docks (still present on 9th) and Lough Beg (Co. Derry) (10th), adult LAUGHING GULL at Blennerville Marsh (10th), 2nd-winter NORTH AMERICAN HERRING GULL at Blennerville (9th), Temminck’s Stint at Dundalk Docks (7th-8th) and LESSER YELLOWLEGS at Rosscarbery (Co. Cork) (still on 8th).
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