SUMMARY OF BIRDS NEWS MAY 2023

May 31st

3 Black tern-Acre Nook Sand Quarry

Ruddy Shelduck-Burton RSPB

May 30th

5 Black Tern-Sandbach Flashes

Black crowned night heron-Sandbach Flashes

Black Crowned Night Heron

Common Scoter-Female still on north pool at Mere Farm Quarry

Eurasian Spoonbill-Immature still on flash at Bevyl Road-Parkgate

MEGA NEWS

RED-TAILED SHRIKE-West Rise Marsh-East Sussex

May 29

Common Scoter-Female still on north pool at Mere Farm Quarry

Eurasian Spoonbill-Immature still on flash at Bevyl Road-Parkgate

Spotted Flycatcher - Hilbre.

Spotted Flycatcher - Leasowe Lighthouse.

Spoonbill - Parkgate.

Spotted Flycatcher by Hampstons Well, Station Road - Burton.

Spotted Flycatcher - Gilroy NR, West Kirby.

MEGA NEWS

GREY HEADED LAPWING-Balemore-N Uist-Outer Hebrides

May 28th

Common Scoter-Female still on north pool at Mere Farm Quarry-Chelford

Pied Flycatcher-Male at A540 end of Puddington Lane-Puddington

May 27th

21 Black Necked grebe and 3 Garganey-Woolston Eyes

Garganey-Drake-Acre Nook Sand Quarry

Spotted Flycatcher along Park Lane,2 adult Mediterranean Gull on shore - Leasowe Lighthouse.

Spotted Flycatcher

(C)Pete Sutton

2 redhead Goosander,Red Kite drifted south,360 Oystercatcher,215 Ringed Plover,34 Grey Pover,70 Dunlin,171 Carrion Crow this morning - Heswall Shore.

Spotted Flycatcher and 2 Hobby - Leasowe Gunsite.

MEGA NEWS

GREY HEADED LAPWING-Balemore-N Uist-Outer Hebrides

May 26th

Common Scoter-Female still on north pool at Mere Farm Quarry-Chelford

MEGA NEWS

GREY HEADED LAPWING-Balemore-N Uist-Outer Hebrides

May 25th

Garganey-Drake-Acre Nook Sand Quarry

May 24th

Golden Oriole-Male reported over moving car on M56 between junction 10 and M6 at dawn-Appleton Thorn

Garganey-Drake-Acre Nook Sand Quarry

20 Black Necked Grebes-Woolston Eyes

Quail heard calling from Burton Point - Burton Marsh.

Spoonbill (sub-adult) - Parkgate Marsh.

Hooded Crow reported - Leasowe Lighthouse.

c10 Gannet feeding off Leasowe Gunsite.

May 23rd

Garganey-Drake-Acre Nook Sand Quarry

2 Quail singing off Harp Inn - Neston Marsh.

Cetti's Warbler and a Grasshopper Warbler - Decca Pools.

Cuckoo in tree by coastal paddocks - Leasowe Lighthouse.

Cuckoo singing behind Nets Cafe - Burton Marsh.

May 22nd

Temminck's Stint-Carr lane pools-Hale

Garganey-Drake-Acre Nook Sand Quarry

Common Quail-Singing male in field off Hale Gate Road-Hale

Garganey (drake) - Burton Mere Wetlands.

May 21st

Caspian Gull-three 1st-summers on sandbanks just west of old Runcorn bridge-Widnes

Little Tern-Two distantly over River Mersey off Marsh Farm-Frodsham Marshes

Garganey-Still on Rosemary's Flood-Sandbach Flashes

Garganey-Drake on flooded meadows-Wimbolds Trafford

Garganey-Drake-Acre Nook Sand Quarry

Little Tern-Two off Hale Shore midway between Within Way and lighthouse-Hale

Garganey (drake) and 6 Bar-tailed Godwit - Burton Mere Wetlands.

Hobby over and a Spotted Flycatcher in sea-front garden - Hoylake.

May 20th

Garganey-Sandbach Flashes

Garganey-Drake from John Morgan Hide on No 3 Bed-Woolston Eyes

Curlew Sandpiper-One on River Mersey off lighthouse-Hale

Osprey over at 2pm heading north - Meols.

Osprey over at 4pm - Neston Old Quay.

Wood Sandpiper and (probably 2) Spoonbill in heronry - Burton Mere Wetlands.

1 (probably 2) Spotted Flycatcher and a Grasshopper Warbler reeling - Leasowe Lighthouse.

May 19th

Garganey-Three (two drakes) on Rosemary's Flood-Sandbach Flashes

Common Quail-Singing male at Riverside Park yesterday evening but no sign or sound this morning-Macclesfeild

May 18th

Wood sandpiper-N04 bed-Woolston Eyes

Spoonbill-One flew high over Carr Lane Pools-Hale

Spoonbill - Parkgate Marsh.

Garganey (drake) - Burton Mere Wetlands.

MAY 17th

Wood sandpiper-N04 bed-Woolston Eyes

Quail off Old Baths - Parkgate Marsh.

Wood Sandpiper,Pectoral Sandpiper and Temminck's stint -Carr Lane Pools-Hale

Temminck's Stint

(C)Dan Foy

Wood Sandpiper and Pectoral Sandpiper

(C)Dan Foy

Garganey (drake)-Burton RSPB

Ruddy Shelduck-Again on Mersey at Spike Island-Widnes

Quail-Singing male still on marsh between Old Baths car park and The Boathouse- Parkgate Marsh.

MEGA NEWS

FORSTER'S TERN-Brownsea Island NT-Dorset

May 16th

Pectoral Sandpiper and Temminck's stint -Carr Lane Pools-Hale

Quail-Singing male still on marsh between Old Baths car park and The Boathouse- Parkgate Marsh.

Wood Sandpiper-Woolston Eyes

Garganey (drake)-Burton RSPB

MEGA NEWS

FORSTER'S TERN-Brownsea Island NT-Dorset

May 15th

Quail - Parkgate Marsh.

Common Scoter-Acre Nook Sand Quarry

Pectoral Sandpiper-Carr Lane Pools-Hale

Pectoral Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper and 1st Summer Little gull-Woolston Eyes

Ruddy Shelduck-again on river at Spike Island-Widnes

Caspian Gull-1st-summer off lighthouse then flew towards old Runcorn Bridge-Hale

Eurasian Spoonbill-Two at Decoy Marsh then flew to estuary-Hale

May 14th

Garganey (drake),Yellow Wagtail and a c30 Knot on the scrape-Burton RSPB

Pectoral Sandpiper-Carr Lane Pools-Hale

Blue Headed Wagtail-Male on field edge to east of lighthouse-Hale

Garganey-Drake again at Rosemary's Flood-Sandbach Flashes

Garganey

(C)Andy Firth

Osprey circling east of groyne at 0920am and a Tree Pipit over - Leasowe Lighthouse.

MEGA NEWS

WHITE WINGED SCOTER-Largo Bay-Fife

May 13th

Wryneck-N04 Tank-Frodsham Marshes

Wryneck

(C)Paul Crawley

Garganey-Drake again at Rosemary's Flood-Sandbach Flashes

Cuckoo flew east - Leasowe Lighthouse.

Black Guillemot (s/pl) off NE side then flew out

Black Guillimot

(C)Steve Williams

Western Cattle Egret,Osprey over also seen flying south over Denhall Lane mid-aftrnoon - Burton Mere Wetlands.

MEGA NEWS

WHITE WINGED SCOTER-Largo Bay-Fife

STEJNEGER'S SCOTER-Largo Bay-Fife

GREY HEADED LAPWING-Lossiemouth-Moray and Nairn

May 12th

Wood Sandpiper-On Town Lane flash viewed from bridge; also 1st-summer Caspian Gull on Hale Marsh-Hale

Garganey-Drake-Pumphouse Flash-Sandbach Flashes

6 Eider,2 Arctic Skua,Great Skua,40 Gannet and 21 Whimbrel - Hilbre.

Hobby by Nets Cafe - Burton Marsh.

2 Arctic Tern which flew towards Burton Point,Spoonbill and a Grasshopper Warbler - Burton Mere Wetlands.

Hobby over the boathouse pub this evening - Parkgate.

MEGA NEWS

STEJNEGER'S SCOTER

FORSTER'S TERN-Brownsea Island NT-Dorset

MOLTONI'S WARBLER-Portland -Dorset

May 11th

Garganey-Drake again at Rosemary's Flood-Sandbach Flashes

Curlew Sandpiper-Again on River Mersey east of lighthouse with wader flock-Hale

Eurasian Spoonbill-Boat house flash-Parkgate

MEGA NEWS

STEJNEGER'S SCOTER

FORSTER'S TERN-Brownsea Island NT-Dorset

May 10th

Quail calling by cycle track - Sealand.

Whinchat - Leasowe Lighthouse.

Curlew Sandpiper-one with c 130 Dunlin on Mersey foreshore west of Hale Lighthouse-Hale

Ruddy Shelduck-Burton RSPB

MEGA NEWS

WHITE WINGED SCOTER-Largo Bay-Fife

STEJNEGER'S SCOTER-Largo Bay-Fife

FORSTER'S TERN-Brownsea Island NT-Dorset

BAIKAL TEAL-Macduff-Aberdeenshire

May 9th

Spoonbill - Burton Mere Wetlands.

Cuckoo,Hobby over coastal paddocks and a Whinchat - Leasowe Lighthouse.

2 Avocet-Budworth Mere-Northwich

5 Knot-Neumann's Flash-Northwich

Ruddy Shelduck-Burton RSPB

MEGA NEWS

SONG SPARROW-Bardsey Island-Gwynedd

WHITE WINGED SCOTER-Largo Bay-Fife

STEJNEGER'S SCOTER

FORSTER'S TERN-Brownsea Island NT-Dorset

May 8th

2 Western Cattle egret-Phalarope pool-Frodsham marshes

Wood Warbler (caught and ringed) - Hilbre.

Wood Warbler

(C)Chris Williams

Garganey (drake),Cuckoo and a report of a booming Bittern - Burton Mere Wetlands.

Garganey

MEGA NEWS

STEJNEGER'S SCOTER

GREY HEADED LAPWING-Long Nanny-Northumberland

FORSTER'S TERN-Brownsea Island NT-Dorset

May 7th

Garganey-Drake-Elton hall flash-Sandbach flashes

2 Puffin off north end then flew east, early morning - Hilbre.

Puffin

(C) Steve Williams

Black Redstart (fem/imm) and Great white Egret - Leasowe Lighthouse.

MEGA NEWS

WHITE WINGED SCOTER-Largo Bay-Fife

STEJNEGER'S SCOTER

Grey-Headed Lapwing-Long Nanny-Northumberland

May 6th

Garganey-Drake on easternmost pool along River Weaver embankment-Frodsham marshes

2 Wood sandpiper-Woolston eyes

2 Yellow Wagtail and a Whinchat in horse paddocks - Leasowe Lighthouse.

MEGA NEWS

WHITE WINGED SCOTER-Largo Bay-Fife

STEJNEGER'S SCOTER

Grey-Headed Lapwing-Long Nanny-Northumberland

May 5th

Osprey-Flew north-Rudheath-Northwich

Wood sandpiper-Then appeared to fly north-Woolston Eyes

Ruddy shelduck,Black Winged stilt-Burton RSPB

Black Winged Stilt

(C) Phil Woollen

MEGA NEWS

SHORT-TOED TREECREEPER-Dungeness NNT-Kent

WHITE WINGED SCOTER-Largo Bay-Fife

STEJNEGER'S SCOTER

Grey-Headed Lapwing-Long Nanny-Northumberland

Forster's Tern-Brownsea Island NT-Dorset

May 4th

420 Oystercatcher, 46 Ringed Plover, 32 Grey Plover, 300 Dunlin, 3 Sanderling, 158 Whimbrel, 85 Curlew, 13 Redshank - Heswall Shore.

Garganey,Cattle egret,Wood Sandpiper and 2 Spoonbill  - Burton Mere Wetlands.

Black tern-Elton hall flash-Sandbach flashes

Black tern-Acre nook sand quarry

2 Wood sandpiper,Arctic tern and Bar tailed godwit-flew south--Woolston Eyes

Ruddy shelduck-St helens canal over high tide-Widnes

MEGA NEWS

WHITE WINGED SCOTER-Largo Bay-Fife

STEJNEGER'S SCOTER

Grey-Headed Lapwing-Long Nanny-Northumberland

Forster's Tern-Brownsea Island NT-Dorset

May 3rd

Hobby over Kerrs Field,7 Wheatear in horse paddocks,Kingfisher along the R Birkett,Common Redstart (fem),Ring Ouzel,2 Whinchat,Garden Warbler,Lesser Whitethroat and a Yellow Wagtail - Leasowe Lighthouse.

Ruddy shelduck,Spotted redshank,Garganey and a Cattle Egret - Burton Mere Wetlands.

MEGA NEWS

WHITE WINGED SCOTER-Largo Bay-Fife

STEJNEGER'S SCOTER-Largo Bay-Fife

Grey-Headed Lapwing-Low Newton-by-the-sea-Northumberland

Forster's Tern-Brownsea Island NT-Dorset

May 2nd

2 Spoonbill which flew north,Long-billed Dowitcher,2 Hobby overhead,Cattle Egret and 5 Spotted Redshank- Burton Mere Wetlands.

2 Spotted Redshank and 2 Greenshank on flashes - Denhall Quay.

184 Whimbrel over high tide - Heswall Shore.

57 Whimbrel off Shore Cottage - Thurstaston Shore.

MEGA NEWS

WHITE WINGED SCOTER-Largo Bay-Fife

STEJNEGER'S SCOTER-Largo Bay-Fife

Grey-Headed Lapwing-Low Newton-by-the-sea-Northumberland

Forster's Tern-Brownsea Island NT-Dorset

PINE BUNTING-Papa Westray-Orkney

1st May

33+ Wheatear, 4 Whinchat (2m 2f), 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat and 2 Common Sandpiper between Burton Point/Burton Marsh.

2 Spoonbill on Boathouse Flash - Parkgate.

91 Whimbrel over high tide - Heswall Shore.

Hooded crow,Ruddy shelduck and 5 Spotted redshank-Burton RSPB

Eurasian Spoonbill-Two still on marsh south of Bevyl Road-Parkgate

MEGA NEWS

2 WHITE WINGED SCOTER-Largo Bay-Fife

STEJNEGER'S SCOTER-Largo Bay-Fife

Grey-Headed Lapwing-Low Newton-by-the-sea-Northumberland

Forster's Tern-Brownsea Island NT-Dorset

GREY HEADED LAPWING-LOW NEWTON BY THE SEA-NORTHUMBERLAND-01/05/2023

News broke early this morning of a Grey-headed Lapwing discovered at Newton-by-the-Sea, Northumberland, an announcement that immediately sent shockwaves through the British birding community. Fortuitously, I was already north of Warrington when the alert came through, and after a frantic two-and-a-half-hour drive, followed by a timely lift down the road from the car park courtesy of my good friend Dan Pointon, I soon found myself watching the bird.

What a stunning sight it was. Feeding quietly and alone in a sheep-grazed field, the lapwing looked strikingly out of place against the Northumbrian landscape. Its distinctive grey head, contrasting plumage and elegant structure left no doubt that this was something truly special.

Birders on site

The Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus is an East Asian wader, breeding across parts of eastern Russia, northeast China and Japan, and wintering primarily in Southeast Asia. Its appearance in Northumberland represents the first British record and only the fourth for the Western Palearctic. Previous occurrences include Turkey in 2018, followed by records in Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands in 2019, and Slovenia in 2021. An additional record from Salalah, Oman, in January 2012 places the species within the wider ‘Greater Western Palearctic’.

In recent years, the species has shown signs of a gradual expansion in its wintering range, both westwards and southwards. This broader pattern is reflected in an increasing number of long-distance vagrancy events, with birds recorded well outside the core range in locations such as Kazakhstan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia and Sri Lanka.

As with any record of this magnitude, questions regarding provenance were raised, and, understandably so concerns I shared myself initially. However, the Grey-headed Lapwing is not a species commonly kept by aviculturists, and its status as a long-distance migrant, combined with an apparent trend towards increasingly westerly movements, lends weight to the likelihood of a natural occurrence. As ever, the record will be assessed in due course.

Regardless, this was a cracking bird to witness and a memorable occasion, made all the better by the chance to catch up with familiar faces I hadn’t seen in years. A two-tick weekend—something I certainly don’t say very often 😎

SECONDS TO LATE YEARS IN THE MAKING

Having missed the Essex bird at Felixstowe by mere seconds back in November 2016, this particular tick had taken on a near-mythical quality. Surely, I told myself, the wait for this tart addition to the list had to end sometime.

That moment arrived tentatively on 23 April, when a first-winter Forster’s Tern dropped briefly into Lytchett Bay, Dorset. By evening, it had been relocated to the tern roost at Brownsea Island, spotted via the Avocet Hide webcam no less: modern birding at its finest. Almost certainly the same bird that had lingered at Sutton Bingham Reservoir, Somerset, weeks earlier, where it spent an afternoon before powering high and south, it began showing a predictable pattern, frequenting Lytchett Bay most mornings. An early raid was inevitable.

Forster’s Tern is, of course, a North American species, breeding widely across the continent’s interior wetlands and coastal marshes, from the Great Lakes to the Gulf Coast. In winter, it moves south to the Caribbean, Central America, and northern South America. In Britain, it remains a genuine rarity, with only a handful of records each year, most involving spring overshoots or long-staying individuals that quickly become the focus of intense attention. This bird’s prolonged stay in southern England was already notable and tantalising.

The morning, however, unravelled slowly. On arrival, there was no sign, and hours slipped by scanning Poole Harbour, optimism fading with every circuit. With reports stubbornly absent, I made a late call: an afternoon boat trip to Brownsea Island. For a Saturday, the lack of fellow birders was astonishing; apparently, I was the only one who really needed this bird.

It was my first visit to Brownsea Island, and the crossing itself felt like a small reward: calm, unhurried, and shared with just one other birder. 

Arriving on Browsea Island

Once ashore, there was no hesitation. I made straight for the tern hide, quietly hopeful that the bird might yet materialise during my three-hour window.

Twenty minutes later, it did.

Out of nowhere, the Forster’s Tern flew in and settled among the Sandwich Terns, preening casually as if it hadn’t been the cause of years of frustration. I watched in disbelief as it sat there, immaculate and unbothered, showing superbly for a full ten minutes before lifting off and drifting back out over Poole Harbour. At last, I had seen it.

Forster's tern, finally on the list!

A classic twitch, beautifully resolved, and in a setting that made the wait feel worthwhile. Brownsea Island delivered in every sense, and the Forster’s Tern was finally, definitively, on the list.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK-24TH APRIL-1ST MAY 2023

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WINTER AND EARLY SPRING BIRDS 2023

I haven't written any birds up this year, so I thought I'd add a few of the sightings I have seen this year.

January 

A Twite was present at Within Way at Hale in a flock of Linnets

3 Smew were present at Lapwing Hall pool, Chelford, along with this stunning drake

Snow buntings are now annual on the Wirral in the winter, and this bird showed really well at Derby pool-Wallasey

This Common Scoter spent a few days on West Kirby Marine Lake

  February

The first week in February, I spent in Fuerteventura and saw some cracking birds during the week. The star bird of the week was the red-billed tropicbird at Atlantico Mall, Caleta, which showed so well, with absolutely amazing views.

Other birds of note through the week were:

Barbary Partridge

Spanish Sparrow

Cream Coloured Courser

Houbara Bustard

Fuerteventura Chat

Egyptian Vulture

Kentish Plover

Black Winged Stilt

Lesser Crested Lark

Spectacled Warbler

Lesser Scaup

Trumpeter Finch

Laughing Dove

Sardinian Warbler

Black Bellied Sandgrouse

Stone Curlew

Hoopoe

A day out in North Wales produced Black grouse, Baikal teal, Ring-necked duck and 2 Surf scoters

Black Grouse

Surf Scoters

Baikal teal-Foryd bay

Ring-necked duck-Llyn Cefni

MARCH

Long-billed Dowitcher showed well at Burton RSPB

South-westerly winds extending across the Bay of Biscay from Iberia and North Africa at the start of the first week in March produced perfect 'funnel' conditions for a large-scale migrant arrival, although even more noticeable still was an extraordinary Alpine Swift influx across Britain and Ireland. 

When glancing at the BirdGuides sightings pages, it has been impossible to miss the scale of this record-shattering influx, with birds reported from more than 60 locations during the review period, including no fewer than 13 sites enjoying multiple birds. Ireland hosted the bulk of reports, with perhaps as many as 50 different birds, including an astonishing nine over Bray, Co Wicklow, on the 19th—the biggest flock ever recorded in Ireland. Six at Stanpit Marsh, Dorset, the previous day, meanwhile, is the largest modern-day flock recorded in Britain

Alpine swifts were reported from more than 60 sites during the week, and I managed to see one at Conwy RSPB.

What a cracking bird!

April

On Monday the 10th, an absolute mega bird turned up at Burton RSPB, a Savi's Warbler

Recording of the bird

(C)Phil Woollen

It has been a great year birding so far, and I have just added a Grey-headed lapwing in Northumberland and a Forster's tern at Brownsea Island in Dorset. Hopefully, I will add a few more quality birds before the summer's out.

Forster's Tern