UK400 Club Rare Alert for Monday 18th February 2008
February 19, 2008
This is the UK400 Club Rare Alert for Monday 18th February 2008, issued at 2000 hours, and published in association with Rare Bird Alert Pagers (www.rarebirdalert.com) and Birdguides (www.birdguides.com), as well as utilising information gleaned from the Regional Birdlines, local email groups, websites and individual observers. It is the most detailed and authorititive RBA available and produced at frequent intervals for British Birding Association members.
As has been the case for the past 40 days, the continuing highlight is the adult male WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW in Cley-next-the-Sea village in North Norfolk. Raising over £5,730 for the local church restoration fund, this particularly popular straggler is now favouring the seed-covered specially landscaped area immediately west of the Holt Road, directly opposite the gardens in which it was originally discovered. Although afternoon lighting conditions are not great for viewing/photography, the bird can be seen a lot easier now, and is performing perhaps once every 20 minutes (and down to 20 yards). Once again, please park sensibly on the ‘Cley Triangle’ and respect all residents’ privacy.
A summary now follows of other vagrants/scarcities to be found in Britain
Some 55 CATTLE EGRETS remain, including three well north in Cumbria (by the River Eden near Townhead Farm at cNY 372 583; view from the trackbetween Grinsdale and the church), Cheshire (near New House Farm, Higher Poynton, at SJ 941 845; park in the layby by the phone box and follow footpath adjacent to German Lodge for 300 yards to view cattle field on right) and North Lincolnshire (in sheep fields north of the A157 and 300 yards east of the Post Office in Legbourne). Elsewhere, up to 20 remain near Drift Reservoir (Cornwall) (the largest number to have ever been seen in a single group in Britain), 1-2 by the Golden Lion Causeway at Stithians Reservoir (Cornwall), ten 3 miles NE of Looe (Cornwall) opposite Downend Country House at SX 283 576, 1 at Warleigh Point (Devon) and another at Saltram Park, Plymouth (Devon), 3 in South Devon (with cattle in fields north of Church Lane in Powderham at SX 963 849, with 5 together east of North Petherton, Bridgwater (Somerset), a mile south of M5 junction 24 and a long-stayer in cattle fields by the entrance track to Britford Water Meadows (Wilts) (SU 166 278). At least 3 continue to roost at Radipole Lake (Dorset), with 2 near Buckler’s Hard (Hants), 2 near East Lavant (West Sussex) (SU 864 079), and singles at Harbridge Church (Hants) (SU 144 112), at Chichester GP Vinnetrow Lane and another at Pddinghoe Levels (West Sussex).
The 2nd-winter GLOSSY IBIS, white-plastic ringed (6PJ - 7′094505′) as a nestling at Fao colony, Coto Donana (Spain), remains in North Lincolnshire 1.5 miles NNW of Howden’s Pullover car park, with another 2nd-winter, present in Britain for over two years, at Warton Marsh, Lytham St Annes (Lancs). A GREAT WHITE EGRET still remains on the Ouse Washes (Cambs) - at Dunkirk Drain.
In Cumbria, one of Norfolk’s overwintering ROSS’S SNOW GEESE has relocated on its way north to Abbey Town, where it can be located amongst large numbers of Pink-footed Geese west of Abbey Cowper Farm (cNY 153 513), whilst a first-winter SNOW GOOSE remains with Greylag Geese between Finstown and Kirkwall at Quarterness (Orkney) and an adult white morph on Heigham Holmes (Norfolk). The Solway adult RED-BREASTED GOOSE visited Easton (Cumbria) with Barnacle Geese on 17th, whilst two colour-ringed Red-breasted Geese of presumably suspect origin, including one recently at Abberton Reservoir, remain at Trimley Marshes SWT (Suffolk).The 8 TUNDRA BEAN GEESE remain at North Warren RSPB (Suffolk), with 3 at Welney WWT (Norfolk), 1 at Slimbridge WWT (Gloucs) and another at Gibsmere, between Hilston and Tunstall (East Yorks) whilst 6 flew SSW over Old Goole (East Yorks) today. A TAIGA BEAN GOOSE continues to be reported from Reydon Marshes (Suffolk).
The first-winter drake LESSER SCAUP continues with Tufted Ducks in Toft Bay, Draycote Water (Warks), with two more (females) on Shetland and another at Coot Loch, Benbecula (Outer Hebrides).
The only regular North American Green-winged Teals at the moment are drakes at Woodhorn Flash (Northumberland) and Marshside Marsh RSPB (Lancs), although singles still remain at Seamill Water Treatment Plant, Ayr (Ayrshire) and on Shetland. The drake AMERICAN WIGEON remains in Angle Bay (Pembs), with Ring-necked Ducks in Somerset and in North Buckinghamshire (Foxcote Reservoir). Up to 3 adult drake SURF SCOTERS remain off Dornoch Beach car park (Highland), with two off Ruddon’s Point, Largo Bay (Fife) and singles in Bay of Kirkwall (Orkney) (off Quarterness between Romberry Point and the fish cages at HY 430 140) and a female off Dawlish Warren (South Devon).
The 11 COMMON CRANES (10 adults and a first-winter) continue in stubble west of the B9103 and north of the A96 bear Elgin (Moray), with a further three in Cithness and an adult north of Elie (Fife) SE of Balbuthie Farm. A single remains with Whooper and Bewick’s Swans in fields south of Welney WWT (Norfolk)
A juvenile ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD continues to range between Scolt Head Island and Burhnam Norton sea wall (Norfolk), with another still present at Capel Fleet Marshes, Isle of Sheppey (North Kent).
Rare waders include the overwintering LESSER YELLOWLEGS in Angus at Montrose Basin LNR (at Rossie Spit, along with a Pied Avocet), WILSON’S SNIPE on Lower Moors, St Mary’s (Scilly) and SPOTTED SANDPIPERS near Kinneil Sewage Farm and at Lisvane Reservoir (Cardiff).
In Derbyshire, the juvenile gull present previously at Dix Pit in Oxfordshire, continues to show well near Duckmanton, favouring mainly Poolsbrook Lake. This bird resembles Thayer’s Gull in some aspects of its plumage but is clearly a hybrid). In Avon, the 2nd-winter FRANKLIN’S GULL continues to pre-roost at Herriott’s Pool, Chew Valley Lake.
At Llys-y-Fran Reservoir (Pembs), the adult Ring-billed Gull is still present, along with 3 Iceland Gulls, the juvenile Black-throated Diver and the Black-necked Grebe. Another Welsh Ring-billed Gull, a first-winter, was seen at Lamby Lake (Glamorgan) today.
In Central Norfolk, a DARK-BREASTED BARN OWL remains at Wacton Common, showing well from 1530 onwards most evenings over the rough fields left of the pond. It roosts by day in the decaying barn behind the first house after the cattle grid. A further bird was seen well at Cotswold Water Park Pit 95 this evening.
A popular BLACK-BELLIED DIPPER is still present in East Yorkshire, favouring the stream by Mill House in Watton (park in layby by the Tophill Low Reservoir turning, cross the A164 and take the footpath along the stream for about 600 yards.
A RICHARD’S PIPIT continues at Howden’s Pullover (North Lincs) with another very elusive bird at Lower Trevollard Farm, Saltash (Cornwall) (SX 384 583) with an EASTERN YELLOW WAGTAIL still wintering in the same fields as the last-mentioned individual.
Three HUME’S LEAF WARBLERS include a new bird in Norton Churchyard, Stockton-on-Tees (Cleveland) (NZ 443 221) (take the A1027 west from the A19 and turn left at the first roundabout) and long-staying birds in Cot Valley (near Cot Manor) and at Tehidy Country Park, Camborne (SW 649 432) (both Cornwall), whilst of local interest, is a very showy Firecrest on Laundry Lane, Alvecote (Warks) (at cSK 249 051), whilst YELLOW-BROWED WARBLERS include one in Central Park, Plymouth (South Devon) (SX 474 558) and another at Nansloe Farm Sewage Works, Helston (Cornwall). A further bird is present for a 3rd day in Herefordshire, at Bartonshaw Sewage Works (SO 522 388). At least 15 SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFFS are wintering in Southern Britain, including 2 by Sandhurst Sewage Farm (Berks).
In terms of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS, celebrity birds include 3 at Upsall Grove, Fairfield (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland) and another in Allestree village (Derbyshire), whilst a flock of 12 flew south over Cobalt Business Park, Newcastle-upon-Tyne (Northumberland).
It has been an excellent winter for NORTHERN GREY SHRIKES with at least 25 birds still utilising territories, including one by Hollins Farm entrance, Padiham (Lancs) (viewable from Grove Lane at SD 811 348) and others at Speech House Woodland, Forest of Dean (Gloucs) (cSO 618 114), Thursley Common (Surrey), Wishmoor Bottom (Berks), Llys-y-Fran Country Park (Pembs), Wicken Fen (Cambs), Morden Bog (Dorset) and Clumber Park (Notts). At least four remain in the New Forest (Hants).
Up to 6 LAPLAND BUNTINGS remain with Skylarks in stubble at Thornham (Norfolk), with 20+ at Flamborough Head (East Yorks), and the male still at Sturt Pond (Hants), whilst the single SHORE LARK remains with Skylarks on saltmarsh at Rye Harbour NR (East Sussex).
IRELAND
In County Galway, the Nimmo’s Pier/Galway Harbour area continues to attract a juvenile NORTH AMERICAN HERRING GULL, 3 different adult RING-BILLED GULLS, up to 17 Iceland Gulls and 3 Glaucous Gulls, with the neighbouring coastline and Mutton Island Causeway attracting the adult winter FORSTER’S TERN at high tide. At least 20 CATTLE EGRETS remain in Ireland (including 8 at Clogheen Marsh, Cork), with an adult female SNOWY OWL between Spiddal and Marycullen (Co. Galway) on 15th and the AMERICAN BUFF-BELLIED PIPIT still at Redbarn Strand, Youghal (Co. Cork). In Northern Ireland, the adult drake BARROW’S GOLDENEYE remains at Quoile Pondage NR.
Rare Bird Alert Issue 3 2008
February 6, 2008
To Read The Full Issue Right Click and Save As to Download
This is the UK400 Club Rare Bird Alert for Monday 4th February 2008, utilising information gleaned from the Regional Birdlines, local email groups and websites, www.Birdguides.com and Rare Bird Alert pagers (www.rarebirdalert.com). All Irish rare bird news is by kind courtesy of John Coveney and BINS
UK Rare Bird Alert Feb 4th 2008
February 5, 2008
This is the UK400 Club Rare Bird Alert for Monday 4th February 2008, issued at 2200 hours and produced with reference to Rare Bird Alert Pagers www.rarebirdalert.com and by gleaning information from the Regional Birdlines, Birdguides.com, individual websites, local email groups and individual observers.
The GLOSSY IBIS first seen near Moggs Eye on 31st January was relocated today in the Highland Cattle enclosure near Howden’s Pullover (North Lincolnshire). The bird was showing well feeding in the wet grass in the SE corner of the enclosure about 30 yards in from the dunes.
DETAILED VIEWING INSTRUCTIONS
It is not possible to see the Glossy Ibis from the seawall as there is a high bank concealing the scrape area and field where it is feeding. It is best to walk along the seaward side of the scrub between the scrape and the foreshore and enter through a narrow track, stopping well short of the paddock fencing.
The entrance to the track is marked with a green Castrol oil drum. It is imperitive that birders do not enter the cattle field from the control tower end as the Glossy Ibis is very wary and flushes easily. Great care is also needed to keep low below the horizon as any break agitates the bird.
Park at Donna Nook Stonebridge car park and walk south along the dunes for 1.5 miles. Continue for 600 yards beyond the last control tower keeping the scrub to your right, then look out for the Castrol drum and carefully enter at this point.
The ibis has a metal ring on the right leg and a white plastic ring on the left leg, bearing the inscription ‘6PJ’ It represents the first Lincolnshire record since May 1976, following immatures shot and killed at Read’s Island in autumn 1869 and Skegness on 9th September and 27th October 1881. More recently, one was seen at North Cotes on 29th September 1923 and another at Rimac on 5th November 1975. In May 1976, a bird first seen at Gibraltar Point on 16th was relocated at Wisbech Sewage Farm later in the day, where it remained (and was well twitched, being the first gettable bird ever) until 18th May.
Elsewhere in Lincolnshire, a CATTLE EGRET was seen 3 miles SE of Louth at Legbourne (off Station Road).
CATTLE EGRETS also remain in West Cornwall (up to 18 between Drift and Sancreed near Treganhoe Farm, 5 SW of Newquay near Trennistick Farm and 2 by the Golden Lion causeway at Stithians Reservoir), with 5 more in South Devon (3 on the Kingsbidge Estuary and 2 on Exminster Marshes RSPB) and 2 still in West ussex (at Piddinghoe Levels and by Vinnetrow Lake, Chichester GP).
The long-staying 2nd-winter GLOSSY IBIS remains in Lancashire at Warton Bank, and the GREAT WHITE EGRETS at Thorpeness Meare (Suffolk) and on the Ouse Washes RSPB (Cambs) east of Pymoor and just east of Dunkirk in the main drain 300 yards north of the bridge.
The first LEACH’S PETREL of 2008 was this evening by the dam at Pitsford Reservoir (Northants) (present from late afternoon until 1610) (Neil McMahon), whilst the PACIFIC DIVER remains for its second winter at Llys y Fran Reservoir (Pembs).
In terms of wildfowl, ROSS’S SNOW GEESE include singles SSW of Stalmine (Lancs) west of A588 Carr Lane in fields east of High Gate Lane at SD 369 444 and on the Halvergate Marshes (Norfolk), the adult RED-BREASTED GOOSE remains at West Wittering (West Sussex) and an adult drake FERRUGINOUS DUCK at Loscoe Dam, Heanor (Derbyshire). Last winter’s drake FALCATED DUCK has returned to the River Exe (South Devon), where it has been associating with Mallard, Common Teal and Eurasian Wigeon by Countess Wear Pools (per Matthew Knott). This bird is now in adult plumage, but contrary to BBRC report, was in first-winter plumage last November.
A first-winter LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER remains for a third day on The Fleet at Rodden Hive, Langton Herring (Dorset), with the first-winter SPOTTED SANDPIPER still at Lisvane Reservoir (Cardiff) and LESSER YELLOWLEGS at Montrose Basin LNR (Angus).
A continental Dark-breasted Barn Owl, present since December 2007, has been showing very well at Wacton Common, SSW of Long Stratton (Norfolk). View from just beyond the cattle grid at TM 185 905.
A BOHEMIAN WAXWING remains in Littlethorpe Close, Strensall (West Yorks), with NORTHERN GREY SHRIKE at Amberley Wild Brooks (West Sussex) and HUME’S LEAF WARBLER still at Tehidy Country Park, Camborne (Cornwall) (in bushes by the first pond by the cafe at SW 649 432).
The long-staying LAPLAND BUNTING remains in stubble at Cut Bridge, Sturt Pond (Hants).
UK400 Rare Bird Alert - January 2008
January 30, 2008
To Read The Full Issue Right Click and Save As to Download
This is the UK400 Club Rare Bird Alert for
Rare Bird Alert 25th January 2008
January 26, 2008
This is the UK400 Club Rare Bird Alert for Friday 25th January 2008, issued at 1800 hours and published in close association with the Regional Birdlines, and utilising information gleaned from Rare Bird Alert Pagers (for enquiries, contact 01603 456700, or consult www.rarebirdalert.com), Birdguides, local email groups and individual observers.
Throughout all of January the star attraction has been the adult WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW in Cley village (North Norfolk), still showing well today. It frequents the seed-strewn driveway leading up to the houses just north of the Three Swallows public house (almost opposite the phone box) at the extreme south end of the village. Park sensibly on the village green and respect the privacy of the residents. Over £3,500 has been raised for the restoration of the church; all donations gratefully received on site.
Highlights of the rest, the majority of which are long-staying rarities
In Pembrokeshire, a PACIFIC DIVER has returned for a second winter on Llys-y-Fran Reservoir, 6 miles NE of Haverfordwest and east of the B4329. It favours the north end viewable from the hide at c SN 037 257 and is now in its second-winter plumage, with a much more striking neck ‘bracelet’ than last winter. A Black-throated Diver is also present on the reservoir (for comparison) and a NORTHERN GREY SHRIKE can be found between the car park and the hide.
On Shetland, at least three WHITE-BILLED DIVERS are wintering, with the regular adult in Nesting Bay off Kirkabister Church, and another two birds off Hamars Ness on Fetlar.
Unprecedented numbers of January BALEARIC SHEARWATERS are being seen, with up to 20 birds semi-resident in the English Channel off Portland Bill (Dorset), whilst rare herons include four wintering GREAT WHITE EGRETS, with singles on Loch Grogarry, South Uist (Outer Hebrides), commuting between Thorpeness Mere and North Warren RSPB reserve in Suffolk, on the Ouse Washes at Pymoor Drain (Cambs) and the old faithful red-ringed bird from northern France at Mockbeggar Lake (Hants).
At least 53 CATTLE EGRETS remain in southern Britain, with up to 18 still frequenting Treganhoe Farm, near Drift (Cornwall), 5 in the Wadebridge area (Cornwall), 7 SW of Newquay near Trennistick Farm east of Crantock Plains Touring Park (Cornwall), up to 5 in Southcott Valley near Bideford (North Devon), 2 at Exminster Marshes RSPB (South Devon), 5-6 in Dorset (north of Weymouth at Holywell Farm SY 654 830), 2 still in Somerset (singles just SW of Leigh-upon-Mendip and at Wet Moor), 5 in Sussex (2 south of Ivy Lake, Chichester and 3 together by Acton’s Farm), 1 in Hampshire (between Harbridge and Harbridge Green near North End Farm), 1 in Gloucestershire (at Fretherne) and 1 in NW Britain south of Neston at Burton Marsh (Cheshire).
Three adult white morph ROSS’S SNOW GEESE are wintering in Norfolk this winter, with one regularly roosting at Holkham Grazing Marshes at dusk, with an adult white morph LESSER SNOW GOOSE also wintering with up to 130,000 Pink-footed Geese. Four more SNOW GEESE are wintering in Scotland. 63 TAIGA BEAN GEESE remain in the Yare Valley at Cantley Marshes RSPB (Norfolk), whilst the most reliable TUNDRA BEAN GEESE are 3 at Welney WWT (Norfolk) and 7 at North Warren RSPB, Aldeburgh (Suffolk). The adult RED-BREASTED GOOSE continues to consort with 1,186 Dark-bellied Brent Geese at West Wittering (West Sussex) (viewable from the access road to West Wittering beach car park - £2.00 access charge), whilst a female AMERICAN WOOD DUCK (of presumed captive origin) remains at Loch Morlich (Speyside) (this bird is consorting with Mallards at the sailing club car park and feeds on bread).
The only AMERICAN WIGEONS in Scotland are single drakes on Loch Bee, South Uist (Outer Hebrides) and on Maywick Loch (Shetland) (first-winter), whilst in the south, drakes remain on the Isle of Man and at Angle Bay (Pembs) (a drake was seen at Westwood Pool, Worcs, on 22nd). Drake LESSER SCAUPS remain at Coot Loch, Benbecula (Outer Hebrides), Draycote Water (Warks) and at Sutton Courtenay GP (Oxfordshire), with a female on Shetland at Papil Water, Fetlar, whilst up to 4 RING-NECKED DUCKS remain in Scotland (and 5 elsewhere). A first-winter drake remains off Girdleness (Aberdeenshire), whilst twitchable SURF SCOTERS include the resident bird in Largo Bay off Ruddon’s Point (Fife) and a first-winter female off Dawlish Warren (South Devon).
1-2 ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARDS remain on the Isle of Sheppey (Kent), whilst in North Scotland, a vagrant flock of 11 COMMON CRANES remains in stubble at Baillesland farm (NJ 253 662) near Gordonsward (Moray). Three further birds continue near Wick (Caithness).
On the rare wader front, the LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER remains at Bowling Green Marsh, Topsham (South Devon), SPOTTED SANDPIPERS at Kinneil Lagoon, Grangemouth (Central) and Lisvane Reservoir (Cardiff) and LESSER YELLOWLEGS at Montrose Basin LNR (Angus) and Southwold Town Marshes (Suffolk)
Wintering RICHARD’S PIPITS include singles at Auchmithie (Angus) and Shingle Street (Suffolk), the BLACK-BELLIED DIPPER remains on Fair Isle (Shetland) and HUME’S LEAF WARBLERS at Cot Valley and Tehidy Country Park, Camborne, in Cornwall. The only YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER is an elusive bird near Jarrow Cemetery (Durham).
UK400 Rare Bird Alert - January 2008
January 10, 2008
To Read The Full Issue Right Click and Save As to Download
This is the UK400 Club Rare Bird Alert for Wednesday 9th January 2008, utilising information gleaned from the Regional Birdlines, local email groups and websites, www.Birdguides.com and Rare Bird Alert pagers (www.rarebirdalert.com). All Irish rare bird news is by kind courtesy of John Coveney and BINS
In North Norfolk, most hysteria surrounds a WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW wintering in gardens in Cley-next-the-Sea village. This bird was first seen last Thursday (3rd January), when it was visiting the back garden of the local vicar and his neighbours. It was joining an assortment of common garden species at regular intervals on the bird table and feeding station. After visiting a Norwich library, its identification was suspected, but a visit by Cley birder Richard Porter on Friday dispelled any doubts. Other Cley birders were informed of the bird’s presence on Saturday including Richard Millington, and, after much negotiation, it was realised that there was to be no repeat of what happened at Salthouse with the Chestnut Bunting, with birders trampsing up to an upstair’s bedroom to view. Richard and others painstakingly removed all evidence of food and feeders from the small, completely enclosed garden, and transferred it to the gravel driveway in the vain hope that this would entice the other feeding birds (and vagrant) to a location from which many hundreds of observers could view at a safe distance. By Sunday 6th January, all of this effort had worked and from mid morning, the White-crowned Sparrow fed with House Sparrows, Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Blackbirds and Robins on the drive…
Rare Bird Alert - Issues 40 & 41
December 18, 2007
To Read The Full Issue Right Click and Save As to Download
Issue 40            Issue 41
- 
This is the UK400 Club Rare Bird Alert for Monday 10th December 2007- issue 40 and Monday 17th December 2007 - issue 41 and produced by reference to Rare Bird Alert Pagers, Birdguides, the Regional Birdlines, websites and local email groups. All Irish rare bird news is by kind courtesy of John Coveney and BINS
To Read The Full Issue Right Click and Save As to Download
Issue 40 Issue 41
Rare Bird Alert - Issue 39
December 8, 2007
To Read The Full Issue Right Click and Save As to Download Issue 39
This is the UK400 Club Rare Bird Alert for Friday 7th December 2007, issued at 2200 hours, and published in association with Rare Bird Alert Pagers, and utilising valuable information gleaned from the Regional Birdlines, Birdguides, websites, local email groups and individual observers. All Irish rare bird news is by kind courtesy of John Coveney and BINS.
Following on from a Tri-colored Heron Egretta tricolor very recently on Gran Canaria (Canary Islands), the UK has finally yielded its first-ever naturally-arriving GREAT BLUE HERON Ardea herodias. Discovered by Ashley Fisher mid afternoon, the bird - a juvenile - showed well throughout the rest of the available daylight on Lower Moors pools, St Mary’s (Isles of Scilly) until dusk, delighting the 15 or so resident birdwatchers.
The bird had presumably arrived with the weather - a deep Atlantic depression straight in from North America. Although 19 have been recorded on the Azores previously, including eight individuals in autumn 2006, this species still remains a mega vagrant elsewhere in the Western Palearctic. It represents the 435th species recorded in Britain and Ireland in 2007.
To Read The Full Issue Right Click and Save As to
Download
Issue 39
UK400 Club Rare Bird Alerts
Latest Headlines
- Western Palearctic Master List Updated
- Lists Updated Nov 17th
- 2006 Highland Bird Report
- UK400 Club list Updates - NOV 15th
- 2009 subscriptions
- Life Lists Updated Oct 31st
- UK Master List Updated
- Lists updated Oct 2nd 2008
- PLEASE HELP TO SAVE RED-BREASTED GEESE WINTER FLOCKS IN BULGARIA
- Members Area updates
