Autumn's shaping up nicely

A little bit of seabird movement this evening off West Cornwall with 5 CORY'S SHEARWATERS seen from the return Scillonian crossing. Also a male RED-BACKED SHRIKE in Sutherland - NNE of Ullapool at Strathcanaird east of the A835 (NC 154 021). Also a note to say that 402 species have now been recorded in Britain and Ireland this year.

 

Otherwise, the adult COLLARED PRATINCOLE still distantly on Minsmere scrape (Suffolk) and the LESSER YELLOWLEGS at Frampton Marsh RSPB (Lincs) but no sign today of the adult BLACK-WINGED PRATINCOLE present recently at the north end of Ouse Washes RSPB reserve (Cambs) (the bird recently at Cley & Titchwell, north Norfolk). A family of BLACK-WINGED STILTS have bred successfully in Suffolk Breckland and can be seen at Cavenham Pits, although the 6 birds spend most of their time on the breeding marsh in the gravel pit complex, not visible from any public rights of way. The family party of 5 also remain in West Sussex at Medmerry RSPB, Bracklesham Bay.

Collared & Black-winged Pratincoles (LGRE)

Black-winged Pratincole in flight (Martin Sidwell)

 

Still numerous GLOSSY IBISES about, as well as post-breeding GREAT WHITE EGRETS, while the ROSS'S GULL remains at Bowling Green Marsh RSPB (South Devon) and an adult summer BONAPARTE'S GULL remains on the Swale at oare Marshes NR, Faversham (Kent).

 

The weekend saw the appearance of a few SPOTTED CRAKES as well as a nice adult TEMMINCK'S STINT at Titchwell RSPB.

 

On the butterfly front, the MONARCH remains in Ruckinge (Hamstreet) and SCARCE TORTOISESHELLS continue to be located but not twitchable.

BRIDLED TERN moves north

The Inner Farne BRIDLED TERN flew north from the islands and appeared at Port Seton, east of Edinburgh (Lothian), early afternoon of 9th and has spent most of today in the ternery east of North Berwick NE of the A198 at the east end of Seacliff Bay at St Baldred's Boat (accessed from the beach car park at Auldhame at NT 610 850). Meanwhile, one of last summer's SWINHOE'S PETRELS was trapped overnight on Fair Isle in the early hours of 9th.

 

A breeding-plumaged SPOTTED SANDPIPER continued to show well all day south of Motherwell at Baron's Haugh RSPB (Clyde), with the first adult WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER of the autumn at the mecca that is Tacumshane Pools (County Wexford). PECTORAL SANDPIPERS remain at Haroldswick Pools, Unst (Shetland) and St Peter's Pool, Braebuster Ness, Deerness (Orkney), while Cley's bird was still present on 9th.

 

The drake LESSER SCAUP reappeared at Tittesworth Reservoir, Leek (Staffs) with Tufted Ducks this afternoon, with that still present on Blagdon Lake (Somerset) too.

 

Following one reported past Sheringham (Norfolk) at 0755 yesterday morning, another (or same) CORY'S SHEARWATER was sighted off Winterton North Dunes (Norfolk) today. Otherwise, a BLACK KITE circled over Ventnor (Isle of Wight) with 2 Common Buzzards and a calling male CORNCRAKE was heard for its second consecutive morning at Beal (Northumberland). The first-summer ROSS'S GULL remains at Bowling Green Marsh RSPB, Topsham (Devon) while a drake SURF SCOTER remains with Common Scoter off Murcar Golf Course (Aberdeenshire).

 

Still numerous GLOSSY IBISES about including one today at Newington's Hagg Lane (Notts), as well as regulars at Otmoor RSPB (Oxon), Stanpit Marsh (Dorset), Milnthorpe (Cumbria) and Frampton Marsh (Lancs). A CATTLE EGRET continues at Hillsborough (Co. Down) in Northern Ireland.

Other than a flyover SERIN at Beachy Head (East Sussex) this morning, little to shout about. The adult BLACK-WINGED PRATINCOLE that relocated to Holywell Pond (Northumberland) with Lapwings last night flew off strongly to the north at 1030 hours and was not seen again and the adult summer SPOTTED SANDPIPER that spent yesterday afternoon and evening on the Clyde at Baron's Haugh RSPB, Motherwell (Clyde) was NOT seen today.

 

The 2nd-summer BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON is again showing reasonably well in Pittville Park, Cheltenham (Gloucs) (GL50 4LB) while an array of GLOSSY IBISES include singles at Stanpit Marsh (Dorset), March Farmers (Cambs), Frampton Marsh (Lincs), Fairburn Ings (West Yorks), Loch Leven (Tayside), Dungeness (Kent) and Ulpha Meadows, Grange-over-Sands (Cumbria) and at Carlton Marshes SWT (Suffolk) (the latter bearing a white darvic ring from Coto Donana, Spain). Numerous GREAT WHITE EGRETS around including one commuting between Otmoor RSPB and Farmoor Reservoir's Pinkhill Scrape in Oxfordshire and another at Kenfig NNR (South Wales), with 20-28 SPOONBILLS still at Cley NWT (Norfolk) and the adult again at Spade Oak GP, Little Marlow (Bucks).

 

The first-summer COMMON CRANE remains at Arram Carrs (East Yorks) (TA 053 448), as does the PECTORAL SANDPIPER at Cley NWT, whilst on Shetland, the island of Unst continues to host both the LESSER GREY SHRIKE at Baltasound and the PECTORAL SANDPIPER at Haroldswick Pools, this latter site also producing a MARSH WARBLER today

BLACK-BROWED ALBATROSS IN DORSET !!

Bird of the day was undoubtedly the BLACK-BROWED ALBATROSS that flew east past Portland Bill (Dorset) at 7am then east past Durlston Country Park (Dorset) at 8.30am. Martin Cade photographed the bird as it glided past the Bill. Also in Dorset, a HOOPOE was seen in the grounds of the Sandford Lane Industrial Estate in Wareham, whilst in neighbouring Hampshire, a male RED-BACKED SHRIKE was at Pig Bush, New Forest.

 

In County Durham, Chris Bell relocated the BLACK-WINGED PRATINCOLE that had been touring the Northeast since June at Hurworth Burn Reservoir, 2.5 miles east of Trimdon. It was consorting with a small flock of post-breeding Lapwings and was present throughout the day.

Black-winged Pratincole, Hurworth Burn Reservoir, County Durham, 5 July 2014 (Mark Newsome/Whitburn Birds)

The SHORT-TOED SNAKE EAGLE was seen again briefly, drifting over Denny Lodge Inclosure (New Forest) at 10am (Wayne Purcey).

 

Elsewhere, the first-summer ROSS'S GULL remained in situ at Bowling Green Marsh RSPB, Topsham (South Devon) but there was no sign all day of the Bridled Tern on Inner Farne (Northumberland) - presumably on a fishing trip again. Up to 170 Roseate Terns are now present on Coquet Island. The drake LESSER SCAUP remains at Blagdon Lake (Somerset), as does the ROSE-COLOURED STARLING near Burnley (Lancs) in the parkland opposite 40 Middlesex Avenue. The PECTORAL SANDPIPER was present at Cley NWT Reserve (Norfolk) until mid-afternoon, with 22 EURASIAN SPOONBILLS still feeding. Plenty of GLOSSY IBISES still to be seen (9 in all) with 3 adult BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERONS and 2+ LITTLE BITTERNS in the Shapwick Heath area (Somerset) and the 2 adult BLACK-WINGED STILTS still at Bracklesham Bay (West Sussex). A couple of singing male MARSH WARBLERS remain on Fair Isle.

 

A WILSON'S STORM PETREL - the first of the year - was seen from a pelagic SW of Galley Head (Co. Cork) on 29th June, while the first-summer LAUGHING GULL has returned to Ballycotton Pier.

PEC 'PIPER at Cley

The only 'new' bird today was a PECTORAL SANDPIPER at Cley Marsh NWT (Norfolk) on Pat's Pool, while on 2nd July, a drake BLUE-WINGED TEAL was reported from Lound GP (Notts) and a LEACH'S PETREL was trapped and ringed overnight on Fair Isle (Shetland) (no Swinhoe's yet!)..

 

Otherwise, the hottest day of the year thus far (82 degrees fahrenheit in some areas of SE England) yielded a reasonable list of long-stayers (but minus the Short-toed Snake Eagle, last reported heading north from Pig Bush, New Forest, at 1100 hours on 2nd) -:

 

TEMMINCK'S STINT (and LONG-TAILED DUCK) still near the Cronkley Inlet at Derwent Water (Northumberland), with the adult BRIDLED TERN again on Inner Farne. Calling CORNCRAKE still just east of Flamborough village (East Yorks), first-summer ROSS'S GULL at Bowling Green Marsh RSPB (Devon) and ROSE-COLOURED STARLING in Burnley (Lancs). Drake LESSER SCAUP remains at Blagdon Lake (Somerset), with a long list of resident GLOSSY IBISES - Vane Farm RSPB (Tayside), by the River Bela near Milnthorpe (Cumbria), Fairburn Ings (West Yorks), Frampton Marsh RSPB (Lincs), March Farmers (Cambs) and Stanpit Marsh (Dorset); 20 Spoonbills still at Cley.

 

In IRELAND, Ballycotton Marsh (Co. Cork) recorded both first-summer LAUGHING GULL and GLOSSY IBIS today.

SHORT-TOED SNAKE EAGLE remains in Hampshire

Short-toed Snake Eagle carrying Grass Snake (Matt Eade)

The SHORT-TOED SNAKE EAGLE reappeared over the woodland at Pig Bush, east of Beaulieu Road Station (New Forest, Hampshire), at around 0900 hours this morning, then showed on and off for just over an hour, retreating to a sheltered perch at 1010 after catching an Adder. It then reappeared at 1415, spending 20 minutes circling over the bog, and later at around 1600 hours. The first-summer female RED-FOOTED FALCON was also still present - at Porthgwarra Moor (Cornwall).

 

The BRIDLED TERN reappeared again on Inner Farne today (as expected) while censusing revealed the presence of 82 pairs of ROSEATE TERN on Coquet Island (Northumberland) - the highest number of breeding pairs since 2009. A pair of ROSEATE TERNS also spent much of the day at Belvide Reservoir (Staffs), flying off eventually at 1850 hours (others were seen at Seaforth NR, Merseyside, and at Cemlyn Lagoon, Anglesey).

 

In South Devon, the first-summer ROSS'S GULL continued its summer sojourn at Bowling Green Marsh, Topsham, with the ROSE-COLOURED STARLING still NW of Burnley (Lancs) SE of the A671 favouring the rooftops of Surrey Avenue BB12 8AN.

 

Otherwise, much of a muchness, with the LESSER SCAUP at Blagdon Lake (Somerset), the 2 RUDDY SHELDUCKS at Pitsford Reservoir (Northants), the COMMON CRANE at Leven Carrs (East Yorks), 5 GLOSSY IBISES (including one reappearing at Willow Tree Fen LWT, Lincs) and a female SURF SCOTER at Blackdog (Aberdeenshire).

 

In IRELAND, Dave Suddaby discovered an adult breeding-plumaged AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER on The Mullet (Co. Mayo) this evening - at Blacksod on Tarmon Hill.