Barolo Shearwater-Meols-14th September 2010

Where do I start! After a good lie in after a night shift Allan Conlin phoned me to say that a Wryneck had been found on the North Wirral coast so I got myself ready and soon arrived on site.The bird was very flighty but we eventually got onto it sat in the bottom of a bush.After good views me and Allan decided to do a seawatch off Meols promenade.After setting up our scopes we soon connected with our first Leach's Petrels of the year and then a Black Tern,when Allan got onto a bird and is words were “OH SHIT”I replied with what have you got“He replied LITTLE SHEARWATER”I got on the bird straight away I couldn’t believe my eyes,watching as the bird passed us.This was an amazing sight and I was in a state of shock! Thankfully Allan had only seen this species a few weeks ago in Lanzarote so I was so glad he was stood birding with me and picked the bird up as I was on the phone at the time being mithered by work,Allan was constantly going through the jizz of the bird has it flew past us! What a day and one i'll never forget!

Me And Al After Our Great Find

There have been numerous sightings of Little shearwater in the Uk but if accepted this will only be the second record for Cheshire and Wirral the last one being in 1977 June 29th to July 2nd  which was there for 4 days at Rostherne Mere but everyone thought it was a Manx Shearwater until it became sick on the 29th June. It was then caught on the 2nd July and died on the 3rd July, P. a. baroli, and is now at Manchester Museum

EASTERN OLIVACEOUS WARBLER OLD FALL PLANTATION-FLAMBOROUGH HEAD-EAST YORKSHIRE 01/09/2010

Just as I was leaving off work this afternoon the pager went off “Eastern Olivaceous,Flamborough Head”!I soon made arrangements and picked up Malc Curtin up on the way. We made good progress and were on site within three hours but the bird was being very elusive. After a good twenty minute wait the bird eventually showed flittering around in an Apple tree.We got great views of the bird and couldn’t believe how long billed and pale the bird was. This was the first record of this species for East Yorkshire and thankfully I had seen it as they are truly a rare bird to pin down in Britain. 

Birders On Site

There are 18 previous records of this species in Britain and Ireland

 

2009 Jun 21 Shetland 1 day Plantation and Chalet, Fair Isle, 21st June, trapped, photo. 

2008 Sep 23 to Sep 25 Shetland 3 days Harrier, Foula, first-winter, 23rd–25th September, photo. 

2008 May 17 Dorset 1 day Portland BO, 17th May, trapped, photo. 

2006 Sep 24 to Oct 1 Co.Cork 8 days Cape Clear Island, 24th September to 1st October, photo. 

2003 Aug 31 Dorset 1 day Portland, first-winter, trapped, 31st August, photo. 

2002 Aug 24 Essex 1 day Dengie, trapped, 24th August, photo (Birding World). Pending / not submitted 

2002 Aug 18 to Aug 28 Shetland 11 days Sandwick/Hoswick, Mainland, adult, 18th to at least 28th August, trapped 18th August, photo. 

2000 Sep 13 to Sep 21 Aberdeens 9 days Collieston, 13th to 21st September, trapped 15th September, photo. 

1999 Sep 18 to Oct 9 Co.Cork 22 days Cape Clear Island, first-winter, trapped, 18th September to 9th October. 

1999 Jul 4 to Jul 5 Dorset 2 days Portland Bill, 4th to 5th July, trapped 4th July. 

1998 Sep 24 to Oct 8 Isles of Scilly 15 days St Agnes, 24th September to 8th October, photo. 

1995 Aug 12 to Aug 13 Suffolk 2 days Benacre, 12th to 13th August, photo. 

1995 Jun 5 to Jun 13 Shetland 9 days Fair Isle, 5th to 13th June, trapped 5th June, photo. 

1985 Oct 17 to Oct 27 Isles of Scilly 11 days St Mary's, 17th to 27th October, photo. 

1984 Oct 16 to Oct 26 Isles of Scilly 11 days St Mary's, 16th to 26th October, photo. 

1977 Sep 16 Co.Cork  1 day Dursey Island, trapped, 16th September, photo. 

1967 Sep 27 Kent 1 day Sandwich Bay, trapped, 27th September. 

1967 Sep 24 to Sep 26 Fife 3 days 

Isle of May, trapped, 24th to 26th September, when killed by Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor, now at National Museums of Scotland (NMSZ 1968.73).