UK Rare Bird Alert October 23rd
This is the UK400 Club Rare Bird Alert for Tuesday 23rd October 2007, issued at 2200 hours and produced in association with Rare Bird Alert Pagers (www.rarebirdalert.co.uk) and utilising information gleaned from the Regional Birdlines, www.Birdguides.com, the local email groups and individual observers.
A first-winter ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK remains for a second day on St Agnes (Scilly), feeding with Chaffinches in the sunflower fields between Barnaby Lane and Covean, whilst on neighbouring St Mary’s, BLACKPOLL WARBLERS continue to survive in Pottery Lane (Garrison) and in the Higher Moors Pumping Station Clump. The second of two WILSON’S SNIPES on Lower Moors this October remains today, showing well in front of the hides (an adult from 3rd-20th October and a second individual from 20th-23rd October – Tony Duckett, James Lidster, Pete Aley, Ashley Fisher, et al). The Rosehill GREY-CHEEKED THRUSH was still present on 22nd, whilst Red-breasted Flycatchers remain in Lower Moors and in Carreg Dhu Garden, near Longstone. On Tresco, an extremely confiding first-winter BLYTH’S PIPIT continues at Old Grimsby (in fields by the School and on the adjacent playing field), with the BLYTH’S REED WARBLER still ‘tacc-ing’ in Green Bay, at the south end of Bryher.
In East Yorkshire, an extremely elusive first-winter RED-FLANKED BLUETAIL remains for its 4th day at Flamborough Head, frequenting the Old Fall Hedgerow and Plantation. Wherever it goes, the bird is constantly harassed by resident Robins and as a result, is extremely mobile and elusive and covering a wide circuit. Park in the designated car park just west of the Old Fall Hedgerow (£2 parking fee). Further north, a GREATER SHORT-TOED LARK was present SE of Saltwick Nab today (North Yorks), at cNX 929 093.
With continuing SE winds, Rough-legged Buzzards have been arriving in small numbers from Scandinavia, along with increasing numbers of Chaffinches, Bramblings, Siskins, Mealy Redpolls, Woodpigeons, Blackbirds, Fieldfares, Redwings and Goldcrests. Much rarer are the PALLAS’S LEAF WARBLERS, of which 16 or more have arrived in recent days, including 2 on Scilly and singles at Holland Haven (Essex), Hartland Point (North Devon), Kenidjack Valley and Lizard Church & Soap Coves (Cornwall), Reculver Blue Dolphin Caravan Park (North Kent), Thorpeness and Landguard NR (Suffolk) and at Beachy Head (East Sussex), and DUSKY WARBLERS (singles on Fair Isle and in Cot Valley, Cornwall).
A LITTLE BUNTING was with House Sparrows at Milton, Tiree (Argyll) today, with 2 ROSS’S SNOW GEESE at Montrose Basin LNR (Angus), a juvenile AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER at Aberlady Bay (Lothian) and Bluethroat on Fair Isle. A late PECTORAL SANDPIPER was with European Golden Plovers for a 2nd day 5 miles south of Mallaig (Highland) just south of Traigh Golf Course.
In South Wales, the long-staying juvenile SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER remains on Pickle Ridge Ponds, adjacent to the Gann Estuary (south of Dale, Pembrokeshire), with a juvenile COMMON ROSEFINCH showing well for a 2nd day on The Gower just SW of Pitton on the NW side of Mewslade Valley.
An adult white morph ROSS’S SNOW GOOSE remains with up to 78,000 Pink-footed Geese in North Norfolk, showing again today on Holkham Freshmarsh, with a Barred Warbler just inland of Thornham feeding in Elders near Ringstead Road at TF 724 420.
A very late juvenile PURPLE HERON remains at Ashcott Corner NR, Shapwick Heath (Somerset), with a drake LESSER SCAUP nearby at Blagdon Lake and another near Mere (Wilts) at Stourhead NT. The huge success of Rainham Marsh RSPB (Essex/London) continues, with both CATTLE EGRET and GREAT WHITE EGRET on the Aveley Lagoon environs again today. Further GREAT WHITE EGRETS include long-staying adults at Leighton Moss RSPB (Lancs) and Mockbeggar Lake (Hants), whilst the ever-present GLOSSY IBIS continues at Marshside Marsh RSPB (Merseyside).
Although there was no sign today of the BLYTH’S PIPIT near Sennen (Cornwall) (present on 20th-22nd), the Richard’s Pipit was still present and the juvenile AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER was again in fields south of the A30 and east of the B3284 at SW 778 488 (3 miles north of Truro). Another Richard’s Pipit was at Walney Island (Cumbria), whilst juvenile ROSE-COLOURED STARLINGS remained on Lundy (North Devon) and St Agnes (Scilly) and 40 or so Yellow-browed Warblers were between Shetland and Scilly.
A BAR-HEADED GOOSE considered to have arrived with Siberian Barnacle Geese has been present at Caerlaverock WWT (Dumfries & Galloway) since early October. There is also a lone RICHARDSON’S CANADA GOOSE in with the 27,000 wintering Barnacle Geese.
The Rose-breasted Grosbeak on Scilly represents the 430th species of 2007
A DUSKY WARBLER at Ballycotton (Co. Cork) is the current talking point in Ireland, with the GREAT WHITE EGRET still at Lough Beg (Co. Derry). Rare wildfowl, indicating the arrival of the Irish winter, include SURF SCOTER at Blanket Nook, Ring-necked Duck on Inch Island Lake and drake LESSER SCAUP on Lough Fern (Co. Donegal).
