Friday Highlights

A blast of polar air is set to arrive for the weekend bringing with it strong northerly winds and some light snow showers. Little Auks may well fall victim of these conditions with a handful recorded today in the North Sea.

 

In fact, it is to Scotland where most activity currently falls, with 3 different SNOW GEESE being seen, with singles at Loch of Skene (Aberdeenshire), just SW of Beauly by the A862 (Moray) and with Barnacle Geese at Anthorn (Cumbria) and the border with England at Skinburness. The drake GREEN-WINGED TEAL remains at Caerlaverock WWT (Dumfries & Galloway) where also a drake RING-NECKED DUCK is showing well on the Whooper Pond. A COMMON CRANE remains for a third day in Highland in a field by the A99 south of the Loch of Wester, while near Forss, a juvenile GREENLAND GYRFALCON was picked up dead on Wednesday. A single BOHEMIAN WAXWING has reached South Uist (Outer Hebrides) at South Glendale while on Orkney, the adult male NORTHERN HARRIER remains on North Ronaldsay, with a ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD still at Lochindorb (Badenoch & Strathspey). The long-staying adult drake SURF SCOTER remains off Joppa (Lothian) while on Shetland, a first-winter LESSER SCAUP remains on Shetland.

 

Further south, a male DESERT WHEATEAR was on Eskmeals Beach (Cumbria) from 16th-18th, with strong NW winds producing a daily passage of LEACH'S PETRELS since Wednesday, culminating in 6 today past Leasowe Embankment (Wirral) with the odd one elsewhere and GREY PHALAROPE.

 

In Norfolk, a juvenile GLOSSY IBIS spent much of the week in a ditch south of the lake at Felbrigg Hall, with a late HOOPOE in horse paddocks NNE of the Hall Lane junction, west of the B1150 NE of Spixworth at Crostwick (TG 259 167) (since 14th). A juvenile PALLID HARRIER, initially roosting at East Hills, Wells-next-the-Sea, relocated to Snettisham RSPB on Wednesday, where it remained today. Three SHORELARKS about at Holme Dunes, a few Snow Buntings and 12 Twite at Thornham Harbour Creek. A BLACK BRANT remains at Cley NWT in the Eye Field.

 

Not much in the Midlands now that the EURASIAN CRAG MARTIN has departed Chesterfield (Derbyshire) (last seen on 19th), although a YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER at Russell's Hall Estate, Dudley (West Midlands) continues to show (park at the south end of Merryfield Road and follow gravel track SE towards the hospital to view - DY1 2PB).

 

A male EUROPEAN SERIN continues at Beddington Sewage Farm (Surrey) (permit access only)

 

In Avon, the GLOSSY IBIS remains at Pilning Wetland, Northwick Warth, with a first-year SURF SCOTER offshore of Blue Anchor, NE of Carhampton (Somerset). An adult RING-BILLED GULL continues to roost on Ibsley Water (Hampshire).

 

Along the South Coast, single GLOSSY IBISES are at Seaton Marshes and South Huish Marsh (South Devon), with an elusive DUSKY WARBLER at Dungeness RSPB (Kent).

 

In IRELAND, a ROSE-COLOURED STARLING is at East Pier, Howth (Co. Dublin), while the long-staying adult GULL-BILLED TERN continues at Tralee Bay Wetlands (Co. Kerry).