Rare Bird Alert - Issue 38
December 3, 2007
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This is the UK400 Club Rare Bird Alert for Friday 30th November 2007, issued at 2100 hours, and published in association with Rare Bird Alert Pagers (www.rarebirdalert.com) and utilising 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.
The highlight once again is the juvenile WHITE-TAILED SEA EAGLE in Hampshire, frequenting the Cholderton area, and observed in flight several times today. The bird is marked with four rings, an orange over blue on the left leg denoting its age (born in 2007) and a white over black on its right leg (denoting country of origin). Bjorn Helander, a senior scientist at the Swedish Museum of Natural History and a co-ordinator of the White-tailed Sea Eagle colour-ringing programme, very kindly informed me that this bird was born and ringed in Finland or Sweden this July and would shortly supply me with full details.
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Issue 38
Rare Bird Alert November 30th
December 1, 2007
This is the UK400 Club Rare Bird Alert for Friday 30th November 2007, issued at 2100 hours, and published in association with Rare Bird Alert Pagers (www.rarebirdalert.com) and utilising information gleaned from the Regional Birdlines, Birdguides, websites, local email groups and individual observers.
The highlight once again is the juvenile WHITE-TAILED SEA EAGLE in Hampshire, frequenting the Cholderton area, and observed in flight several times today. The bird is marked with four rings, an orange over blue on the left leg denoting its age (born in 2007) and a white over black on its right leg (denoting country of origin). Bjorn Helander, a senior scientist at the Swedish Museum of Natural History and a co-ordinator of the White-tailed Sea Eagle colour-ringing programme, very kindly informed me that this bird was born and ringed in Finland or Sweden this July and would shortly supply me with full details.
DETAILED VIEWING INSTRUCTIONS
Leave the A303 at Cholderton and head SE on the B3084 towards Grateley and Over Wallop. A temporary viewing area has been granted immediately east of the B3084 and north of the copse at SU 245 427 (OS Landranger 184), with special parking available closeby. Alternative parking for 7 venicles is in the layby at SU 246 424 and a further 20 vehicles on the crossroads ‘waste ground’ at SU 247 423. The eagle can show very well from the designated viewing area, which is clearly marked out by police tape. There are two sheep carcasses in the field at SU 246 430, attracting the eagle (most often in the mornings) and an assortment of other raptors (including Red Kite, Peregrine, Merlin and HenHarrier) and 6-7 Common Ravens.
From the viewpoint, it is possible to walk north towards the A303 and view adjacent woodlands. Today, the bird was seen several times soaring over woodland east of the A338 between Tidworth and Shipton Bellinger.
In NE Scotland, one of the recently reintroduced White-tailed Sea Eagles is currently showing well to the south of St Fergus Cemetery (Aberdeenshire) at approximately NK 117 508. The bird has a white wingtag with the letter F inscribed on it (per Dominic Funnell).
In West Sussex, last winter’s adult RED-BREASTED GOOSE has returned, consorting with 1,200 Dark-bellied Brent Geese in winter wheat at East Head, NW of West Wittering, whilst a single CATTLE EGRET remains for a 4th day at Upton Country Park, Poole (Dorset). Further CATTLE EGRETS include up to 6 in the Upwey, Weymouth area (Dorset) (with 5 roosting at Radipole Lake RSPB some evenings) and 5+ in Cornwall (3 east of Sancreed at Treganhoe Farm, 1-2 at Tresvennack Farm, St Buryan, at SW 444 283 and 1-2 at Cross Lanes, NNE of Mullion, opposite Skewes Farm at SW 691 216).
The two first-winter male DESERT WHEATEARS have remained all week, with one east of Burniston (North Yorks) adjacent to the path midway between Cromer Point and Long Nab car park (In Burniston, take Rocks Lane just beyond the Three Jolly Sailors public house and use the car park before the gully and walk south) and another at Horsey (Norfolk), showing down to a few feet just west of the dune-slack, 0.75 miles NE of the Nelson’s Arms public house.
The weather today (and predicted this weekend) was too inclement for diver watching in Mount’s Bay, Marazion (Cornwall) and consequently there was no sign of the returning adult PACIFIC DIVER (present since 23rd). At the opposite end of the country, an adult and juvenile WHITE-BILLED DIVER were seen off Hamars Ness, Fetlar (Shetland), on 28th.
In addition to the respectable number of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS in Scotland (including 45 in Aberdeen and 40+ in Dundee), the pick of the far north continue to be the returning adult BONAPARTE’S GULLS (just south of the Ugie Estuary, Peterhead, and at Fishtown of Usan), the adult winter Ring-billed Gulls in Stromness (Orkney) and at Dingwall Leisure Centre (Highland) and the LESSER YELLOWLEGS at Montrose Basin (Angus).
A PECTORAL SANDPIPER again at Caerlaverock WWT (Dumfries & Galloway) is very late, and a single LESSER CANADA GOOSE (form parvipes and therefore part of the Greater complex) is present with Pink-feet in the Cromarty Firth, just south of Dingwall (at NH 555 574). An amazing spectacle is that of over a million wintering Common Starlings in the Gretna Green area (D & G) (best viewed from the Gretna Service Station on the M74 or from the small layby on the Gretna/Kirkpatrick road).
A first-winter drake LESSER SCAUP continues to show well in Toft Bay, Draycote Water (Warks), with wintering GREAT WHITE EGRETS at Leighton Moss RSPB (Lancs) and Mockbeggar Lake (Hants), SPOTTED SANDPIPER at Lisvane Reservoir (Glamorgan), LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER at Bowling Green Marsh, Topsham (South Devon) and GREY PHALAROPE in Blyth Harbour (Northumberland).
A handful of North American Green-winged Teals are being seen, with single drakes at Neumann’s Flash, Sandbach (Cheshire), Rush Hills Scrape, Hickling (Norfolk) and on the Hayle Estuary (Cornwall), with both ROSS’S SNOW GEESE and LESSER SNOW GEESE still with wide-ranging Pink-footed Geese flocks in East Norfolk.
Both WILSON’S SNIPES continue to show well on Lower Moors pools, St Mary’s (Scilly), with rare passerines represented by a GREATER SHORT-TOED LARK at Long Nanny Burn, Seahouses (Northumberland) and 10+ Lapland Buntings at Salthouse Beach (Norfolk). An AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER was identified amongst European Golden Plovers at Slimbridge WWT (Gloucs) on 28th.
Inland divers and grebes providing good views include an adult Great Northern Diver at Clowbridge Reservoir (Lancs) (28th-30th) and juveniles at Pitsford Reservoir (Northants) (26th-30th), Blithfield Reservoir (Staffs) (26th), Chew Valley Lake (Avon) (27th) and Ibsley Water/Rockford Lake (Hants) (30th), a Red-necked Grebe at Abberton Reservoir (Essex), Slavonian Grebes at Weir Wood Reservoir (West Sussex) (26th-30th), Grafham Water (Cambs) (26th-29th) and Rutland Water North Arm (Leics) (26th-27th) and Black-necked Grebes at Ibsley Water (Hants) (at least 15th-30th) and at Staines Reservoirs (Surrey) (4 birds). Six Long-tailed Ducks include first-winter drakes at Rutland Water Dam (Leics) (26th-27th) and Williamthorpe Ponds NR (Derbyshire) (27th-30th) and female/immatures at Balgray Reservoir (Clyde) (26th-30th), High Rid Reservoir (Gtr Manchester) (27th-30th), Brooklands Lake, Worthing (West Sussex) (26th-30th) and Helston Loe Pool (Cornwall) (26th-30th).
In IRELAND, the adult winter FORSTER’S TERN remains at Cruisetown Beach (Co. Louth), with 1-2 RICHARDSON’S CANADA GEESE with Barnacles at Ballyconnell (Co. Sligo) and drake BARROW’S GOLDENEYE at Qouile Pondage NR (Co. Down).
Rare Bird Alert - Issue 37
November 29, 2007
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This is the UK400 Club Rare Bird Alert for Tuesday 27th November 2007, issued at 2200 hours and published in association with Rare Bird Alert Pagers (for details, please visit www.rarebirdalert.co.uk) and utilising information gleaned from Regional Birdlines, local email groups, websites and individual observers. All Irish rare bird news is by kind courtesy of John Coveney and BINS.
A juvenile WHITE-TAILED SEA EAGLE has been frequenting the Cholderton Lodge Estate, east of Cholderton and south of the A303 (Hampshire) since at least Sunday 18th November and has been returning to a dead Sheep thrown out for it by kind-hearted organic farmer Mr Edmunds and has returned daily since at least Friday.
DETAILED VIEWING INSTRUCTIONS
Leave the A303 at Cholderton and head SE on the B3084 towards Grateley and Over Wallop. Hampshire Constabulary negotiated with the owners of the estate for special access arrangements and these were duly accepted. A temporary viewing area has been granted…
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Pechora Pipit Update - Rare Bird Alert Issue 36
November 24, 2007
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This is the UK400 Club Rare Bird Alert for
The PECHORA PIPIT at Goodwick Moor, Fishguard (Pembs), has been extremely difficult today and may have found a new feeding area - the majority of people on site today (c100) did NOT see it or have ‘tickable’ views. It was initially located shortly after dawn at 0745 and remained in view at very close range for about 15 minutes. It then disappeared and was seen very briefly (by one person) in flight at 1000. It was then relocated in its favoured area at 1445 but showed well for just two minutes before flying off towards Manorowen. It was then seen again briefly at 1545 (Mike King) (per Richard Dobbins, On-site Management)
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Rare Bird Alert - Issue 35
November 22, 2007
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This is the UK400 Club Rare Bird Alert for Tuesday 20th November 2007, issued at 2000 hours and published in association with Rare Bird Alert Pagers (www.rarebirdalert.co.uk for details) and utilising information gleaned from the Regional Birdlines, websites, local email groups and individual observers.
Bird of the day without doubt was a PECHORA PIPIT in Pembrokeshire, showing well from dawn until dusk and representing the first twitchable individual on mainland Britain since birds at Filey NCCP (North Yorks) and St Levan (Cornwall). It was initially found yesterday and may well have been present some time, appearing fairly settled in its chosen habitat. It is frequenting some medium length grass and shows down to a few yards. As news broke early this morning, some 38 birders outside of South Wales connected today, including Matthew Deans, Steve Nuttall, Lol Carman, Bob Chalkley, Ian Lewington and Dan Pointon. Local birder David Astins managed some decent images (see below).
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MEGA- PECHORA PIPIT
November 22, 2007
Click here for directions and images of the Pechora Pipit
Along with 135 others, visited Goodwick Moor today (21st November 2007) and of course was not disappointed. The PECHORA PIPIT was showing EXCEPTIONALLY WELL from at least 0745-1100 hours (and again from 1315-1535 hours). The bird really is superb and I recommend all of you to take the trouble to travel down and see it. Pechora Pipit is a very rare bird indeed away from the Northern Isles and this may well be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to enjoy such wonderful views of this Siberian vagrant. It seems extremely well settled and could, if the European Robin and weather allow, remain for an extended period, perhaps even overwinter (the habitat is typical of that where the species winters in SE Asia).
The bird was found by local birder Adrian Rogers on Monday afternoon, after he visited the site in the hope of connecting with a Firecrest seen on Sunday.Although unsure of the bird’s identity, Adrian and two further local birders (Steve Berry and Carl ?) stood in heavy rain observing the bird for an hour to 1600 hours before confirming it with Paul Grennard and David Astins early next morning (Tuesday 20th).
Click here for directions and images of the Pechora Pipit
Rare Bird Alert - Issue 34
November 17, 2007
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This is the UK400 Club Rare Bird Alert for Friday 16th November, issued at 2200 hours and published in association with Rare Bird Alert Pagers (see www.rarebirdalert.co.uk for details) and utilising information gleaned from the Regional Birdlines, Birdguides, websites, local email groups and individual observers.
In Suffolk, the family group of 4 PENDULINE TITS (adult pair with two young) remain at Dingle Marshes. DIRECTIONS: Park near Walberswick village on Lodge Lane at Hoist Covert and walk south for half a mile to view the reedmace adjacent to the footpath 250 yards south of the ruined windmill at approximately TM 487 733.
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Rare Bird Alert - Issue 33
November 16, 2007
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This is the UK400 Club Rare Bird Alert for Tuesday 13th November 2007, issued at 2000 hours and published in association with Rare Bird Alert Pagers (see www.rarebirdalert.co.uk for details) and utilising information gleaned from Regional Birdlines, websites, local email groups and individual observers.
In Suffolk, a party of 4 PENDULINE TITS is present for a third day at Dingle Marshes, Walberswick, showing well by the footpath between Little Dingle Hill and the shingle bank. Up to 9 Water Pipits remain in the area, as well as 5 Twite and a small herd of 6 Bewick’s Swans.
A very late Wryneck was recorded today on Bardsey Island (Caernarvon), whilst other new birds today included a LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER on Seal Sands (Cleveland) and an adult RED-BREASTED GOOSE at Caerlaverock WWT (Dumfries & Galloway) (the latter site hosting some 10,400 of this year’s 29,815 Barnacle Geese on the Inner Solway, as well as an adult and juvenile Greenland White-fronted Goose).
In the Outer Hebrides, a pristine-plumaged but exceptionally tame juvenile grey morph GYRFALCON remains for a third day, favouring somewhat urban surroundings between Stornoway Ferry Terminal and the airport (Lewis) (some expert commentators have suggested that the bird exhibits some Saker genes which would mean the bird is an escape). It cannot be confirmed whether the bird is ringed or not or is bearing jesses…
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