PACIFIC SWIFT - East Yorks

June 22, 2008

Three lucky observers censusing breeding Little Terns at Beacon Lane Ponds, Kilnsea (East Yorks), witnessed a PACIFIC SWIFT flying strongly south with an early returning passage of Common Swifts this afternoon (1543-1544). It flew over the ponds and then headed south towards the Observatory and Warren area. Despite alerting Observatory staff immediately, nobody else on the peninsular was able to relocate the bird.
Elsewhere today, the LESSER GREY SHRIKE remains in Norfolk Broadland, favouring the Oak trees and fenceposts SE of Eastfield Farm, east of Hickling village (please place £1.00 per person in bucket as access has been specially arranged and granted by the farmer), whilst nearby, the adult male RED-BACKED SHRIKE continues on Clink Road, Sea Palling. A EUROPEAN BEE-EATER flew north over Belton Common this afternoon, whilst the two ringed ROSEATE TERNS continue to visit Arnold’s Marsh, Cley NWT.
The two CATTLE EGRETS remain at Slimbridge WWT (Gloucs) (visible from the Holden Tower), along with the first-summer RING-BILLED GULL and 2 presumed wild Egyptian Geese, whilst in neighbouring Avon, the adult gull resembling smithsonianus continues at Herriott’s Bridge, Chew Valley Lake.
A WHITE STORK of unknown origin was present at Tophill Low Watton NR (East Yorks) this afternoon, with the regular pair of HONEY BUZZARDS and NORTHERN GOSHAWKS showing well from the Raptor Watchpoint at Wykeham Forest (North Yorks).
The long-staying singing male RED-BACKED SHRIKE is still present in the picturesque Shopham Bridge river valley, 2 miles SSE of Petworth (West Sussex) (SU 983 184)
In Scotland, the adult male COMMON ROSEFINCH continues to visit the feeders intermittently at the ”Real Food Cafe”, Tyndrum, just off of the A82 5 miles NW of Crianlarich (Forth).
A EUROPEAN BEE-EATER was at Brandon Marsh NR (Warks) this morning, being seen in flight and heard over the golf course and visitor centre on two occasions.
In Cheshire, the breeding pair of BLACK-WINGED STILTS at Neumann’s Flash lost their one surviving youngster (of three) due to predation on Friday evening.
A summer-plumaged RED-NECKED GREBE has spent the day on Staines Reservoirs North Basin (Surrey).
Large numbers of irrupting COMMON CROSSBILLS continue to be seen throughout the country.
In IRELAND, an adult summer LAUGHING GULL flew north towards Elly Bay from Aghleam Bay on The Mullet (Co. Mayo) at 1720, the adult FORSTER’S TERN remains at Tacumshine (Co, Wexford), whilst a RED-NECKED PHALAROPE and Cory’s Shearwater flew south past Bridges of Ross (Co. Clare).

Rare Bird Alert for Saturday 21st June

June 21, 2008

This is the UK400 Club Rare Bird Alert for Saturday 21st June 2008, issued at 2200 hours and published in association with Rare Bird Alert Pagers (see www.rarebirdalert.com for details) and utilising information gleaned from Regional Birdlines, www.Birdguides.com, local email groups and individual observers.

A first-summer male LESSER GREY SHRIKE remains for a second day SE of Eastfield Farm, 2 miles east of Hickling village (Norfolk) at TG 438 234 (Andy Kane). It is showing well on fence posts and in small Oak trees and is best accessed from the farm at the far end of Eastfield Road. The farmer has very kindly granted parking at the farm and after walking past the farm, continue east for 150 yards and then south for 250 yards to the isolated building. Special access is £1.00 per person.

Nearby, the long-staying male RED-BACKED SHRIKE continues in Clink Road, Sea Palling, showing well in bramble scrub and Willows west of the road, just beyond the last few cottages. On the north coast, 4 Eurasian Spoonbills (3 adults and an immature) remain on Cley NWT North Scrape.

Seabirds today included a CORY’S SHEARWATER off Kinnaird Head (Aberdeenshire) for 5 minutes this afternoon, 7 Balearic and 350 Manx Shearwaters off Portland Bill (Dorset) and 2 Sooty Shearwaters off Flamborough Head (East Yorks).

In Dumfries-shire, the rehabilitated COMMON CRANE continues to recover at Caerlaverock WWT after colliding with power lines last week, whilst in Forth, the male COMMON ROSEFINCH remains 5 miles NW of Crianlarich off the A82 at Tyndrum, where it is regularly visiting a bird feeder at the ”Real Food Cafe”.

The long-staying GLOSSY IBIS remains at Marshside Marsh RSPB (Merseyside), with a North American Green-winged Teal nearby at Inner Marsh Farm RSPB (Cheshire).

In Avon, an adult white-headed gull showing some characteristics of smithsonianus remains at Chew Valley Lake at Herriott’s Bridge, with the first-summer drake SURF SCOTER still off Dawlish Warren NNR (South Devon).

An adult ROSE-COLOURED STARLING was at Rhosneigr Golf Course (Anglesey) last night whilst shortly after dawn this morning, the singing male MELODIOUS WARBLER was controversially trapped and ringed a mile south of Oswaldtwistle near Jackhouse Reservoir (Lancs) and has not been seen or heard since.

In IRELAND, a drake LESSER SCAUP is at Kinnego Bay, Oxford Island NNR (Co. Armagh).

Citril Finch on Fair Isle

June 6, 2008

A male Citril Finch was found today on Fair Isle at the south end of The Haa, it has been singing and was present up to 7.55 PM when it flew off in the company of two Twite.

Fair Isle Information

Trumpeter Finch - Norfolk

June 3, 2008

A first-summer male TRUMPETER FINCH has been present on Blakeney Point (Norfolk) since Sunday 1st June, frequenting a rich area of Thrift flowers, 250 yards SE of the Seawatching Hide. This area is best observed from a distance from the dune-edge bordering the shingle beach, the finch being readily detected as it busily feeds on seeds on the open area of shingle beach at the base of the ridge.

To access this area, it is best to walk out at low tide along the beach, 2.2 miles west of the Cley West Bank Beach car park, taking between 27 minutes (if you run all the way) to 1 hour 15 minutes (if you take a more leisurely walk). There are many nesting Oystercatchers, Ringed Plovers and Little Terns on the upper shingle ridge west of the car park, so please take extreme care when walking away from the tideline. Alternatively, there are regular boat trips to Blakeney Point from Morston Quay, costing just £8.00 return, and these can be pre-arranged and booked with ‘Bishop’s Boats’ on 01263 740 753.transparent;”>This bird constitutes the first-ever Trumpeter Finch for Norfolk and represents the 13th British record

Previous Occurrences in Britain (see Evans, Rare Birds in Britain and Ireland, pages 465-466). Those highlighted # were widely twitched.

# 1971 Suffolk Minsmere Dunes, first-summer male, 30th May intermittently to 19th June (British Birds 67: 342 & 70: 45-49: Ibis 120: 410).

1971 Sutherland Handa Island, 8th-9th June (British Birds 67: 342 & 70: 45-49; Scottish Bird Report 1971: 160; 1973: 279).

1981 Orkney Sanday, male, 25th-29th May (British Birds 76: 523; Scottish Bird Report 1981: 49).

# 1984 West Sussex Church Norton, Pagham Harbour, first-summer male, 19th-23rd May, when taken by a Eurasian Sparrowhawk (British Birds 78: 581; 79: 299-300, 580).

1985 Essex Foulness Island, 21st September (British Birds 79: 580; 80: 499-500).

1987 Northumberland Holy Island, male, 1st August (British Birds 81: 589).

1992 Caithness Balnakeil, near Durness, male, 4th June (British Birds 86: 528-529, plates 198-199; Scottish Bird Report 1992: 67).

# 2005 Suffolk Landguard Point, first-summer male, 21st-26th May (British Birds 100: 97, plate 35).

# 2005 Kent Whitstable, male, 24th-25th May (British Birds 100: 97

2005 Kent North Foreland, male, 9th June (British Birds 100: 97).<

# 2005 Kent Dungeness Beach, male, 11th-13th June (British Birds 100: 97).

2008 Outer Hebrides North Rona, first-summer male, 25th May.

** Black Lark ** Mega Alert **

April 20, 2008

Record Image

Black Lark twitch Winterton, Norfolk

April 20th 2008

Black Lark - Winterton Dunes - Norfolk - present till dusk

** Mega Alert **

April 20, 2008

 20th April 2008

Calandra Lark - Fair Isle - Shetland at 3.30 PM

LOCAL MEGA - ROSS’S GULL in Lancashire

March 31, 2008

An adult ROSS’S GULL is present at Marton Mere LNR, just east of Blackpool (Lancs), showing well from the Fylde Bird Hide. The bird was first seen shortly after 12.30 and is still present at 2.20pm.

ACCESS INSTRUCTIONS

From the M55 junction 4 follow diversion then signs to Blackpool Zoo. Once here, use the car park and walk east to the mere; DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH THE CARAVAN PARK.

Rare Bird Alert issue 6

March 11, 2008

To Read The Full Issue Right Click and Save As to Download

Issue 6 - 2008

Rare Bird Alert Issue 3 2008

This is the British Birding Association Rare Bird Alert for Monday 10th March 2008, issued at 1700 hours and published in association with Rare Bird Alert Pagers (www.rarebirdalert.com) and utilising additional information gleaned from Birdguides, the Regional Birdline network, local email groups and websites and individual observers. All Irish rare bird news is by kind courtesy of John Coveney and BINS

One of the most intense storms of the winter arrived over Southern Britain overnight,
bringing heavy rain and gale force winds (reaching 95 mph on the Isle of Wight, 82 mph
on the Mumbles, Swansea and 77 mph on Scilly). Coinciding with high spring tides, the
south coast took some battering, particularly Devon and Cornwall. Despite its potency,
few birds of interest arrived in its wake, with seawatching in Dorset and South Devon
yielding little more than a handful of Balearic and Manx Shearwaters, Pomarine Skuas
and Sandwich Terns.

Download the full report Issue 6 - 2008

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