During the last few days (20-21 July), a COLLARED PRATINCOLE has been
present at Pulfin Bog/High Eske NR, 2.5 miles north of Beverley and just east of
Arram (East Yorkshire).

 

DIRECTIONS: Park sensibly and courteously on the
road close to the Crown and Anchor public house in Tickton village then walk
north along the river and under the road bridge for 1.5 miles to view the
reclaimed gravel workings. This area is also good for OTTERS.

 

This morning, an adult LESSER YELLOWLEGS appeared 8 miles SE of York (North
Yorks) at Wheldrake Ings YWT showing from the reserve's Pool Hide (yesterday a
LESSER YELLOWLEGS was on the Eden Estuary, Fife, at Edenside at high tide
briefly with Common Redshanks). Nearby, the two adult COMMON CRANES remain south
of Goole (East Yorks) in fields south of Moorfields Farm.

 

In Norfolk, last week's Cley summer-plumaged adult AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER
was relocated this morning at the east end of Breydon Water, where it was still
showing at 0800 hours, whilst an adult PECTORAL SANDPIPER remains for a 5th day
at Dungeness ARC Pit (Kent).

 

Other than rare waders, recent highlights include the continuing near-adult
FRANKLIN'S GULL on Orkney Mainland at Holm at Howes Wick in fields near the old
church (HY 510 008) and the GREAT WHITE EGRET in Suffolk – moving between Hen
Reedbeds SWT reserve, Southwold, and Minsmere RSPB Island Mere. A GREAT WHITE
EGRET, presumably the regularly returning colour-ringed adult, was at Mockbeggar
Lake (Hants) yesterday.

 

One of this year's fledgling CATTLE EGRETS was recently at Colyford Common
LNR (South Devon) and perhaps the same at Lodmoor RSPB (Dorset) on 21 July

 

Up to 18 EURASIAN SPOONBILLS have recently been at Cley NWT Reserve (North
Norfolk), generally feeding on Pat's Pool. The reserve has also hosted at least
2 Continental Black-tailed Godwits, an adult Curlew Sandpiper, an adult Little
Stint, 12 Marsh Harriers, numerous Bearded Tits, 3 Little Gulls and 10+
Yellow-legged Gulls.

 

Seawatching at Porthgwarra (Cornwall) has got off to a good start, with
BALEARIC SHEARWATERS being seen daily (up to 36), large numbers of Manx
Shearwaters, a few early SOOTY SHEARWATERS, some 15 CORY'S SHEARWATERS, the
first GREAT SHEARWATER of the autumn (on 20 July), small numbers of European
Storm Petrels, Atlantic Puffins (up to 11) and the odd POMARINE SKUA.

 

A fabulous pale morph adult POMARINE SKUA was an excellent find for a local
patch-worker at Bill Oddie's old stomping ground of Bartley Reservoir near
Frankley (West Midlands) – the bird showing well before being hounded by Lesser
Black-backed Gulls from 0800-1250 hours when it flew off strongly SE.

 

On the passerine front, a couple of female RED-BACKED SHRIKES have
straggled to Orkney – on North Ronaldsay and at Deerness respectively – and
COMMON CROSSBILLS continue to penetrate in large flocks right the way across the
country.