On Sunday evening, news emerged that a Song Sparrow, Melospiza melodia, had been photographed earlier that morning on the East Yorkshire coast at Thornwick Bay. Despite concerted efforts by local birders the following day, the bird could not be relocated, and optimism quickly waned.
I had previously seen a Song Sparrow on Fair Isle, Shetland, in 2018, so adding another was not a pressing priority. However, reports that the bird was still present today—coupled with the fact that my colleague Steve Tomlinson, working with me in Oxfordshire, still required the species—proved too tempting to ignore.
After completing an early-morning bird survey, we headed north, arriving at Thornwick Bay in the early afternoon. A sizeable crowd was already assembled on arrival, reflecting both the bird’s rarity and its apparent accessibility.
We soon connected with the sparrow, which showed exceptionally well, allowing prolonged views through the scope. This constituted my second Song Sparrow for Britain, and the bird’s cooperative nature enabled observers to appreciate the bold streaking, central breast spot and overall structure that clinched its identification. Thanks are due to Adam Arch for providing excellent scope views.
Birders on site on arrival
The significance of the Thornwick Bay individual was underscored by the fact that the last widely accessible Song Sparrow was a three-day bird at Seaforth, Lancashire, in October 1994. As such, it was unsurprising that birders travelled from considerable distances to see it.
A high-quality rarity, a memorable afternoon on the coast, and a welcome opportunity to catch up with familiar faces not seen for many years.
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