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Unprecedented numbers of GREAT SHEARWATERS

September 11, 2007

This is the UK400 Club Rare Alert for Tuesday 11th September 2007, issued at midnight and published in association with Rare Bird Alert Pagers (www.rarebirdalert.com), the most practical and efficient service for disseminating bird news.

Unprecedented numbers of GREAT SHEARWATERS have been recorded in the North Sea and North Atlantic, with peaks of 7,114 west past Butt of Lewis (Outer Hebrides) on 8th, 4,473 past Annagh Head on The Mullet (Co. Mayo) on 10th and 3,071 past Tory Island (Co. Donegal) on 9th. In fact, numbers have been consistently high off Lewis since 8th, with 211 past on 9th, 1,076 on 10th and 250+ today.

Elsewhere in Scotland, record numbers have occurred, with 150+ west off North Ronaldsay (Orkney), several off Shetland and 73 south past Griminish Point, South Uist (Outer Hebrides), with further records ‘smashed’ in Northeast England, with Flamborough Head (East Yorks) logging 4 on 10th & 31 on 11th, Whitburn Coastal Park (Durham) 3 on 11th, Newbiggin (Northumberland) 13 on 11th, Mappleton (East Yorks) 9 on 11th and Spurn Point (East Yorks) 6 on 11th.

Further south, Norfolk produced at least 16 on 10th (including 16 past Sheringham and 1-3 birds off Holme, Blakeney Point, Cley Beach and Weybourne) and 3 on 11th (Sheringham) and at least 3 entered the Thames Estuary (Kent), being noted off Shellness Point (Sheppey) and Reculver.

Associated with this phenomenal movement was a probable SCOPOLI’S SHEARWATER off Butt of Lewis on 10th (video-filmed by Martin Scott) and a FEA’S SOFT-PLUMAGED PETREL north past Whitburn Coastal Park (Durham) on 11th (at 1748 hours), whilst an impressive number of SABINE’S GULLS were encountered (including at least 9 past Butt of Lewis, 8 past Flamborough Head and 9 past Sheringham) as well as LONG-TAILED SKUAS, POMARINE SKUAS, Sooty Shearwaters, Leach’s Petrels and Atlantic Puffins.

Away from the seawatching, yet another AUDOUIN’S GULL was discovered – this time an adult at the power station outfall at Hinkley Point in Somerset. Initially watched from 1920-1945 on 10th, it reappeared the following evening from 1930. A BLACK STORK was also a good find – drifting over Trebehor, Polgigga (Cornwall) at 1700 and later feeding in a field south of the A30 between Rospannel Farm and Boscarne Farm, Crows-an-Wra at 1800.

The ‘Barra Boys’ scored their first find of autumn 2007 with a BOOTED WARBLER at Castlebay, whilst juvenile Nearctic waders pushed in by the Newfoundland front included single BAIRD’S SANDPIPERS at Eshaness (Shetland) (10th-11th), Sandwick (Shetland) (9th-10th) and Butt of Lewis (Outer Hebrides) (10th), BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS at Eshaness (Shetland) (9th-11th), Baleshare (Outer Hebrides) (11th), The Range, South Uist (Outer Hebrides) (8th-10th), St Kilda (Outer Hebrides) (10th), Loch a’Phuill, Tiree (Argyll) (4 juveniles) and Predannack Airfield, Lizard (Cornwall) on 9th-10th, moulting adult AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVERS at The Range, South Uist (8th), Deerness (Orkney) on 8th-10th, by the River Humber, East Butterwick (North Lincolnshire) on 6th-11th (two birds) and St Agnes (Scilly) (10th), a SPOTTED SANDPIPER on Porthellick Pool, St Mary’s (Scilly) (until at least 11th) and some 6 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, including a confiding juvenile at Titchwell Marsh RSPB (Norfolk).

Other avian highlights on 11th included a Grey Phalarope on Staines Reservoirs North Basin (Middlesex) and Barred Warbler at Spurn Point (East Yorks), with a juvenile PURPLE HERON at Stanwick GP (Northants) remaininf for at least a second day

Of the rest (long-stayers and recent highlights), the first-summer Black-throated Diver remains at Draycote Water (Warks), a scattering of Black-necked Grebes have started moving slowly south inland, juvenile BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON remains albeit elusively in Alexandra Park, Hastings (East Sussex), GREAT WHITE EGRETS at Leighton Moss (Lancs) and Westhay Moor (Somerset), juvenile PURPLE HERONS at Frensham Little Pond (Surrey), Meare Heath (Somerset) and Aller Moor (Somerset), a BLACK STORK briefly on the Isle of Sheppey (Kent) on 10th, 2nd-winter GLOSSY IBIS at Marshside Marsh RSPB (Merseyside), BLACK KITE at Nocton Heath (Lincs), juvenile PALLID HARRIER at Loch of Hillwell (Shetland) (to at least 8th), 25 or so southbound European Honey Buzzards, Spotted Crakes at Ladywalk NR (Warks) (2 birds), Marazion Marsh RSPB (Cornwall) (4+ birds), Farlington Marsh (Hants) (2), Maldon Tip (Essex) and Rainham Marsh RSPB (Essex), 21 adult COMMON CRANES at Heigham Holmes (Norfolk Broadland), juvenile Dotterel at Oare Marshes NR (Kent) (7th-10th), Temminck’s Stint at Farlington Marsh Lagoon (Hants), juvenile Red-necked Phalarope at Wicken Fen (Cambs) (7th), juvenile WILSON’S PHALAROPE at Stanpit Marsh, Christchurch Harbour (Dorset) (7th-8th), adult SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER on the River Humber off Sammy’s Point, Kilnsea (East Yorks) (from 1335-1445 on 8th), 2nd-winter LAUGHING GULL at Countess Wear Pools, Exeter (South Devon), juvenile CASPIAN GULL at Dungeness Beach (Kent) (8th-11th), juvenile WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN off Dungeness Outfall (Kent) (until 8th), several Wrynecks, a GREATER SHORT-TOED LARK on Browarth Down, St Agnes (Scilly) (10th-11th), RED-RUMPED SWALLOW (juvenile trapped in Barn Swallow roost at Haseley Manor, Isle of Wight, on 9th), two first-winter CITRINE WAGTAILS on Fair Isle (Shetland), GREENISH WARBLER by Hastings Castle (East Sussex) (7th), Red-backed Shrike on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) (9th-11th), juvenile WOODCHAT SHRIKE at Birling Gap, Beachy Head (East Sussex) (9th) and on St Martin’s (Scilly) (8th-9th), adult ROSE-COLOURED STARLING on Unst (Shetland) and NORTHWESTERN REDPOLL at Skaw, Unst (Shetland) (10th-11th).

In Ireland, the juvenile WILSON’S PHALAROPE remains for its 4th day at Belfast Harbour RSPB (Co. Down), with a BLACK KITE at Tacumshin (Co. Wexford) on 8th-9th, LESSER YELLOWLEGS & BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER on Tory Island (Co. Donegal) on 8th, BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER at Mweenish Island, SE of Galway on 9th, AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER near Burtonport on 9th and a WILSON’S PETREL 5 miles NW of Tory Island on 10th.

Lee G R Evans
British Birding Association
UK400 Club, Rare Birds Magazine, Ornithological Consultant and Conservationist
Discussion Forum/Email Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/
Email Address: LGREUK400@aol.com
Website Address: www.uk400clubonline.co.uk

Written by Admin · Filed Under UK400 Club Rare Bird Alerts 

















































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