Al Orton's Birding & Wildlife Blog

Monday, November 09, 2026

BirdGuides Review of the Week: 2nd-8th November 2026

After a turbulent end to October, calmer weather conditions set in for the first week of November. Meteorologically calmer, that is, for the persistent easterly airflow that took hold this week delivered a truly thrilling spell of late autumn birding that will live long in the memory for those lucky enough to be out in the field. Read more>

Sunday, November 08, 2026

Latest Cheshire & Wirral Bird News

9th November

Hoylake

Glossy Ibis-Juvenile again in flight over marsh from end of Beach Road

Pickerings Pasture

Little Stint-Two on River Mersey below car park (WA8 8LP)

8th November

Burton Marsh

5 Short-eared Owl.

Hoylake Shore

Glossy Ibis on marsh still, between Beach Road and Kings Gap.

Leasowe Lighthouse

Woodcock flew south.

Hilbre

4 Pochards flew south, 2 Puffins off the north end, and a Woodcock.

Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB

Short-eared Owl-Two; use RSPB car park off Puddington Lane (CH64 5SF; open 09:00-17:00, £7 entrance fee for non-RSPB-members)

Gowy Meadows

Little Bunting-One reported yesterday.

Glossy Ibis-Hoylake-8th November 2026

I travelled up to the North Wirral coast this morning to look at a job I have lined up for the coming days and decided to call in at Hoylake afterwards to try to see a juvenile Glossy Ibis that has been around for the last few days.

After parking the car, I headed down towards the beach, where I eventually found a few birders who had also been looking for the bird and had managed to see it.

Birders on site

Eventually, the Glossy Ibis was spotted moving through the grass, although it was always quite difficult to get a decent view. I managed to get a few distant photos which certainly won't win any awards, and it was also nice to see some of the local residents taking an interest in the bird, which is always great to see.

On the walk back to the car, a few returning wintering Brent Geese were spotted, rounding off what had been a good morning's birding.

Brent Geese

Saturday, November 07, 2026

Latest Cheshire & Wirral Bird News

7th November

Hoylake Shore

Glossy Ibis on marsh still, between Beach Road and Kings Gap.

Parkgate

Hen Harrier (ringtail) flying south.

Hilbre Island

Slavonian Grebe.

Burton Mere Wetlands

30+ Great White Egrets and 9 Cattle Egrets.

Neston Marsh

Russian White-fronted Goose-One in fields south of The Harp Inn with Pink-footed Geese.

Woolston Eyes NR (permit only)

Water Pipit-One briefly on No 3 Bed from John Morgan Hide; reserve open from 08:00-16:00, permit and key obtainable at www.woolstoneyes.com

6th November

Hoylake Shore

Glossy Ibis on marsh off Beach Road this morning; 2 Snow Buntings flew into marsh off Tennis Courts (east of Lifeboat Station)

Parkgate

3 drake Pochards on Boathouse Flash.

Heswall Shore

1050 Shelduck, 900 Pintail, 400 Teal, 4300 Oystercatcher, 750 Lapwing, 155 Golden Plover, 4000 Knot, 3500 Dunlin, 60 Bar-tailed Godwit, 670 Curlew, 860 Redshank at high tide.

Astbury Mere CP

Greater Scaup.

Acre Nook Sand Quarry

Slavonian Grebe-Adult again

5th November

Hoylake

Glossy Ibis-One on the beach.

Glossy Ibis

Widnes

Ruddy Shelduck-Drake still on the River Mersey mudflats off Spike Island.

Sandbach Flashes

Hen Harrier-Ringtail flew over Pumphouse Flash; park along Clay Lane.

Woolston Eyes NR (permit only)

Hawfinch-One at No. 4 Bed but mobile; reserve open from 08:00-16:00, permit and key obtainable at www.woolstoneyes.com.

Hilbre

537 Brent Geese (1 dark-bellied) and 2 Purple Sandpipers.

A Probable Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler – Easington, East Yorkshire

I was leaving work in Oxfordshire this morning and heading home when news broke that a Bonelli’s Warbler, found in a garden at Greenfield Bungalows, Easington, East Yorkshire, the previous morning, had been seen again. There had also been reports of it calling, and BirdGuides subsequently put the news out as an Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler. I couldn't get over that day, so I tried not to get too excited and carried on heading home, although I was certainly keeping a close eye on the news!

Bonelli’s Warbler was split into two species in 1997, with Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler (Phylloscopus orientalis) separated from Western Bonelli’s Warbler (Phylloscopus bonelli). The two look remarkably similar, and when one is flitting around in the foliage, there isn't a great deal to separate them by appearance alone. Their calls are much more useful when trying to establish which species is present.

Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler breeds across south-eastern Europe and parts of western Asia before migrating to Africa for the winter. It is a fairly plain-looking warbler, with grey-green upperparts and pale underparts, and can easily be overlooked among other small leaf warblers. For birders hoping to identify one in Britain, listening carefully is particularly important. The calls of the two species are noticeably different. Eastern Bonelli’s gives a short, sharp 'chup', while Western Bonelli’s has a softer, two-part call. This was why I wasn't completely convinced by the identification at first. Although reports mentioned the bird calling, I wanted to know whether the sound had definitely been attributed to the bird itself. Any recordings would be particularly useful when the record is assessed by the British Birds Rarities Committee (BBRC).

The bird wasn't seen again until late afternoon, when it put in a brief appearance before disappearing once more. It was already sounding like this was going to be a seriously elusive bird! Access was also becoming an issue, with reports of birders entering private land and upsetting local residents, eventually resulting in the police being called. Not an ideal situation, and hopefully something that could be sorted out so people could enjoy the bird without causing further problems for those living there.

I'd already missed the 2014 bird at Scalloway in Shetland by just one day, having left for home before it turned up. Other opportunities in Shetland and Kent had also passed me by because of work commitments, while a bird reported in Lincolnshire this autumn had only been heard and was awaiting a decision on its identification. After missing out on several opportunities, I wasn't going to let another one slip through my fingers. With another chance to see this scarce visitor, I decided to head over the following morning and make a day of it around Spurn. There were plenty of other good birds being reported in the surrounding area, so even if the Bonelli’s Warbler proved elusive, there was still plenty to look for.

Jenna and I left home at 4.00am, but things didn't quite go to plan. Just after 5.30am, while heading across the M62 towards Spurn, we suffered a blown tyre. Not exactly what you want when you've got a long journey ahead and a rarity waiting at the other end! Thankfully, Green Flag were excellent and arrived within the hour, taking us through to Kwik Fit in Huddersfield, which opened at 8.00am. After a quick change of tyre, we were finally back on the road by 9.00am.

There had been no further news of the bird during the journey, so we were beginning to wonder whether it would still be around when we arrived. Then, just as we were about a mile from Easington, news came through that the bird was still present. Unbelievable timing! We parked up and made the short walk towards the garden, where I met up with Jason Oliver and Tony Barter, who very kindly put me straight onto the bird. A big thanks to both of you!

Probable Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler

Birders on site

The bird showed several times in an apple tree directly in front of us, flitting restlessly among the leaves and behaving just like a typical Phylloscopus warbler. It was constantly on the move but occasionally came out into the open, giving us some decent views. I never heard the bird call while I was on site. I understand that sound equipment had been set up in the garden, although I can't confirm exactly what was being used or whether any recordings were obtained. Hopefully, any suitable recordings and the observations made by those who heard the bird will help establish its identity when the record is assessed by the BBRC.

With the Bonelli’s Warblers seen, Jenna and I moved on to check the surrounding area. We managed some fantastic views of both Pallas’s Warbler and Hume’s Yellow-browed Warbler, two cracking birds that added even more to the day.

Pallas’s Warbler

Hume’s Yellow-browed Warbler

With time getting on, we decided to call back at Easington for another look at the probable Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler, which was still showing really well. We enjoyed a few more views before eventually heading off.

Despite the blown tyre and the early start, it had turned into another brilliant day in Yorkshire. Having missed previous opportunities to see this species, I was really pleased to have finally caught up with a probable Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler. Hopefully, any sound recordings and personal observations will provide the evidence needed to establish its identity and allow the BBRC to reach a decision.

Wednesday, November 04, 2026

Latest Cheshire & Wirral Bird News

4th November

Hoylake

Glossy Ibis-One on the beach.

Glossy Ibis

Parkgate Marsh/Gayton Sands RSPB

Ringtail Hen Harrier, 12 Marsh Harriers, Merlin, 3 Kestrels and 2 Barn Owls this morning.

Tuesday, November 03, 2026

A Portland afternoon – Red-headed Chestnuts and Snow Bunting

After finishing work this morning, I headed down to Portland in Dorset for the afternoon, where Martin Cade, the Bird Observatory Warden, had trapped six Red-headed Chestnut moths over the last couple of nights and kindly saved a few for me to see.

Red-headed Chestnut

The Red-headed Chestnut is a scarce migrant to Britain, originating in mainland Europe, where it occurs across central and southern Europe. Most British records come from the south and south-east of England, although it has turned up further inland and occasionally much further north. It's mainly recorded during October and November and remains an uncommon moth in Britain, so it's always a good species to come across.

After a brew and taking some photos of these scarce moths, I headed down to the Bill Lighthouse, where I got cracking views of a Snow Bunting. It wasn't at all bothered by my presence and showed really well.