Meanwhile, in Greater Manchester, the confiding first-winter PIED-BILLED
GREBE is still performing well often directly in front of the hide at
Hollingworth Lake Country Park – walk 18 minutes SE of the main car park and
Visitor Centre to the far SE corner of the lake. See photos above.

 

At the opposite end of the country in West Cornwall, the Lost Gardens of
Heligan still retain their greatest attraction in the form of the confiding
first-winter AMERICAN GREEN HERON.

 

A PALLAS'S LEAF WARBLER was trapped and ringed at Kew Villa, Kilnsea (East
Yorks), early morning, with another on Bardsey Island (North Wales) and a
further in Horseshoe Plantation, Beachy Head (East Sussex) (and following one
recently at Gibraltar Point NNR, Lincs), with a YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER at
Caerlaverock WWT (D & G) and a very late WRYNECK in South Devon at Sheldon,
east of the A379 in scrub below the car park at Labrador Bay.

 

The juvenile LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER was still present at Lodmoor (Dorset)
today, commuting between the pools in front of the viewing shelter and those at
the east end of the main marsh adjacent to Beachdown Way; a female SMEW was also
at the reserve. In East Anglia, the juvenile AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER remains in
Blakeney Harbour (Norfolk).

 

The first-ever STONE CURLEW for North Ronaldsay (Orkney) was a surprise
find today and typical of the avian gems that any South-easterly blows in.
Likewise a WOODLARK on Inner Farne (Northumberland) was exceptional.

 

The typically confiding GREY PHALAROPE remains for a fourth day on the tiny
flash south of the River Aire, at Bradley Ings, close to the footpath at SD 998
469 at Cononley (North Yorks) with another in Lancashire at Walney Island. A
SURF SCOTER was in Fishguard Harbour (Pembs) today, lingering between the inner
breakwater and the Fishguard Fort

 

Both the adult and juvenile ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD continue to forage the
Burnham Overy Dunes (North Norfolk) with another near Willingham (North Lincs)
and at least one on the moorland near Guisborough (Cleveland).

 

The COMMON CRANE continues at Castlemartin Corse (Pembs), with another at
Nigg Bay (Inverness), with GLOSSY IBISES at the River Otter, Budleigh Salterton
and at Exminster Marshes RSPB (South Devon) and the GREAT WHITE EGRETS
at Pitsford Reservoir (Northants) and Humphrey Head saltmarsh (Cumbria). That at
Brancaster Saltmarsh and Titchwell RSPB (North Norfolk) failed to show today
whilst yesterday's Starcross CATTLE EGRET relocated to Bowling Green Marsh RSPB
(South Devon) today.

 

Inland LONG-TAILED DUCKS remaining include single immatures at Pugney's
Country Park, Wakefield (West Yorks), Rockford Lake, Blashford Lakes HWT
(Hants) and at Swavesey Lake, Fen Drayton Lakes RSPB (Cambs), whilst a
RED-NECKED GREBE is present for a second day at Cutt Mill House Pond (Surrey)
and SLAVONIAN GREBES at Audenshaw Reservoirs (Greater Manchester) and at a
number of sites in NW England. At Farmoor Reservoir (Oxon) this afternoon,
a GREAT NORTHERN DIVER was new in, whilst the Broadwater Sailing Club Lake
(Middlesex) juvenile drake VELVET SCOTER remains, as well as immatures at Filby
Broad (Norfolk) and King George VI Reservoir (Surrey). A drake SMEW was on the
Motel Pit at Far Ings NR (North Lincs) today, with a redhead on Crookfoot
Reservoir (Cleveland) and another off of the dam at Belvide Reservoir (Staffs).
Much farther north, a redhead is on Loch of Kinnordy RSPB (Angus/Dundee).

 

The wintering flock of at least 55 LAPLAND BUNTINGS is still to be found in
the winter stubble fields just inland of the coastal footpath at Happisburgh
(Norfolk), whilst on the north coast, at least 20 SHORE LARKS are roaming the
saltmarsh at Holkham Gap.

 

The Yare Valley TAIGA BEAN GEESE are very early back this winter, perhaps a
precursor of another severe winter to come, with 37 today at Cantley Marshes
RSPB (Norfolk). Up to 221 are back in the Slammannan area of Forth District in
Central Scotland.

 

In IRELAND, a first-winter SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER is showing well at
Ballycotton (County Cork) but the recent AMERICAN COOT in County Mayo did not
get reported today.

 

A party of 6 BEARDED TITS remains at the Lingstown Reedbed, Tacumshin
(County Wexford) where the juvenile NORTH AMERICAN HEN HARRIER can still be
found as well as the elusive CETTI'S WARBLER. In neighbouring County Waterford,
the three EURASIAN SPOONBILLS were again in Dungarvan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Best wishes

 

Lee

 

This past week or so has also seen the addition of AMERICAN BITTERN (1-2 in
Cornwall), NORTH AMERICAN HEN HARRIER (Tacumshane Lake, County Wexford),
YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO (found dead on Orkney) and DESERT LESSER WHITETHROAT
(trapped and ringed at Sumburgh Quarry, Shetland – see Roger Riddington's superb
images above)

 

DIRECTIONS: If twitching from Rosslare Harbour,
continue on the N25 for about 3 miles and then take the SECOND turning left in
Tagoat – the R736. Continue west along this road towards Tomhaggart and after 4
miles turn left on to the L7113. This brings you down to a crossroads where you
turn right for the roost-site or left to the main Tacumshane Lake proper. Turn
right (west) and after 0.6 miles, there is a left turning opposite a 5-bar metal
gate. This is the narrow lane that takes you down to the extensive reedbed and
park after 0.8 miles at the end of the lane (there is an old trailer with a few
wooden stakes on it on the other side of the electric fence here). There is a
slight rising to the ground here where the reedbed can be overviewed. The Marsh
Hawk tends to hang around this area from 0800-1000 hours and return again just
after 1600 hours and is the most reliable location in which to see it.

 

At other times, it may be seen from the East End car park or Forgotten
Corner. For access to both of these sites, drive back to the road from the
Lingstown reedbed and turn right. You are aiming for Tacumshane Castle which is
just three miles to the east. Continue along this road until it eventually
merges with another road from the left and after driving through the small
hamlet, look out for a turning on the right marked 'cul-de-sac'. From here, you
will see the ruined castle on your right. Forgotten Corner is at the end of the
road that goes straight down whilst the track off to your left (east) leads down
after about a mile to the East End car park. The Marsh Hawk is frequently seen
from both locations. A long-staying GLOSSY IBIS favours a dyke close to the East
End car park.

 

Marsh Hawk is an exceptionally rare bird on this side of the Atlantic with
the only previously photographed juvenile being recorded on St Mary's (Scilly)
from 22 October 1982 until 7 June 1983. There are a number of other records
purporting to be of this form, the most convincing of these being the juvenile
that spent a day touring St Mary's (Scilly) on 16 October 1979.

 

Elsewhere in the Republic of Ireland, the second-year INDIAN HOUSE CROW
remains in residence in Cobh Town Centre (County Cork), showing well in the
vicinity of the monument and the Papa John's restaurant. The regularly returning
adult SABINE'S GULL is also a major attraction, often to be located on Cobh
Harbour quayside.

 

Well the weekend saw a spice of activity in the UK, with the Walmsley
Sanctuary (Cornwall) first-winter AMERICAN BITTERN doing an unpredicted bunk
overnight on Saturday (after showing exceedingly well from the Tower Hide since
the middle of last week) and yet another late autumn SQUACCO HERON making an
appearance – this time in Northumberland at Morpeth town centre (residing on the
river upstream of the old mill accessed from the Whorral Bank and ranging
between the library and the blue footbridge at Low Stanners – NZ 204 862). The
other bird remains present in Angle Harbour in Pembrokeshire, often showing down
to a few yards.

 

Another big surprise on Sunday following the switch to NW winds was the
discovery of yet another first-winter ASIATIC BROWN SHRIKE in Britain – and the
second for Yorkshire. It spent the afternoon frequenting scrub skirting the golf
course, about 800 yards north of the clifftop car park. It disappeared overnight
following very cold, clear conditions in the first half of the night.

 

Another star bird was yet another RED-FLANKED BLUETAIL – this time in East
Kent and at Denge Marsh Road for most of Saturday – the 30th to be recorded
this autumn. A PALLAS'S LEAF WARBLER was trapped and ringed at Kew Villa,
Kilnsea (East Yorks), today, with another seen briefly at Titchwell Marsh RSPB
(Norfolk)

 

Also fresh in was a juvenile/first-winter LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER at Lodmoor
NR (Dorset) – which moved today to the North Pools at Radipole Lake RSPB, whilst
other Nearctic waders include the first-winter LESSER YELLOWLEGS at Port Meadow,
Oxford (Oxon) and juvenile AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVERS at Blakeney Harbour/Cley NWT
(North Norfolk) and on the Exe Estuary, just south of the Turf Hotel near
Exminster (South Devon).

 

Another milestone discovery was an adult THAYER'S GULL at Pitsea Landfill
in Essex, where gull enthusiast Steve Arlow chanced upon and photographed this
bird whilst sifting through many thousands of feeding birds on Saturday morning.
The Landfill is strictly private with no access outside of the North Thames Gull
Ringing Group.

 

In Cornwall, the first-winter AMERICAN GREEN HERON continues to attract
admirers with its continued residency at the Lost Gardens of Heligan, often
favouring the pool overlooked by the hide (for full directions, ask at the
entrance kiosk and obtain a detailed map).

 

In Southwest Norfolk, the long-staying and very confiding GLOSSY IBIS
remains at Welney, frequenting the tiny decoy pool just north of the power
lines. From Welney village, drive north for a mile to the first sharp right hand
bend and then follow the track alongside the Hundred Foot Drain for a further
mile to view. Not that far away, in Cambridgeshire, the CATTLE EGRET continues
at the fields adjacent to Red Gate Farm at Guyhirn. Other CATTLE EGRETS include
a long-staying bird by Withybush Airfield at Poyston (Pembs) and that in the
cattle field opposite the parking place next to the yellow half-mile car park
sign at Donna Nook (North Lincs).

 

The BOHEMIAN WAXWING invasion continues unabated, with the Inverness area
of Northern Scotland harbouring 2,500 or more birds. The total number involved
far exceeds 6,000 and as the weeks progress and berries run out, many flocks
will drop further south and west.

 

RED-NECKED GREBES are hard to come by these days and at present the only
bird inland is that at Cheddar Reservoir (Somerset). Meanwhile,
Suffolk's major attraction throughout the autumn – the drake KING EIDER now
moulting into its second-winter plumage – continues to get seen daily offshore,
generally between Minsmere Sluice and Dunwich Beach car park.

 

A few rare wildfowl are on offer including single drake North American
Green-winged Teals at Caerlaverock WWT (Dumfries & Galloway) and Cley NWT
Reserve (Norfolk), the pair of SURF SCOTER off Ynyslas car park (Ceredigion) and
both FERRUGINOUS and RING-NECKED DUCK at Chew Valley Lake Stratford Bay (Avon).
A female NORTH AMERICAN WOOD DUCK of unknown provenance was with a large number
of Mallard and Common Teal on the sewage works pool and adjacent Pwll Penarth NR
pool (Powys) this morning, whilst the adult RUDDY SHELDUCK which arrived with
Dark-bellied Brent Geese in Langstone Harbour (Hants) is now consorting with
Eurasian Wigeon at Farlington Marshes HWT.

 

A GREY PHALAROPE still remains on the West Scrape at Minsmere RSPB
(Suffolk) today, with the two first-winters still at Cley NWT (Norfolk).

 

A RICHARD'S PIPIT continues for a second day at Sleddale (Cleveland),
frequenting fields by Sleddale Farm, whilst gathering for winter perhaps are the
24 SHORE LARKS in Holkham Bay (North Norfolk).

 

A few ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARDS are still surviving in Norfolk, including one
near Abbey Farm, Flitcham, and another in the Burnham Overy Dunes area, whilst
northerly winds produced some heavy movements of LITTLE AUKS in the North Sea,
with 147 in just over an hour south past Girdle Ness (Aberdeenshire) and
800 past Fife Ness (Fife)..

 

In NORTHERN IRELAND, a drake FERRUGINOUS DUCK was at Corbet Lough (County
Down) today.

 

All the very best

 

Lee

 

Kind regards

 

LGRE

 

American Kestrels are not that common in captivity but there is some
captive breeding programmes underway. Contacts to the Registry are currently
being made to check to see if any American Kestrels have recently been lost.

 

Interestingly, of the 7 records of this form I listed in 1990 (Evans, Rare
Birds in Britain 1800-1990, page 103), only ONE now remains as acceptable – a
juvenile that wintered on the Isles of Scilly from 22 October 1982 to 7 June
1983. As such, this is one real mega in terms of European appearances.

 

Next off, the AMERICAN BITTERN present at Trewey Common Pools,
Zennor (West Cornwall), since at least last Monday failed to put in an
appearance this morning, leaving 70 or more observers disgruntled. It had been
seen by 430 observers since news of its presence was released on Thursday.

 

That other Nearctic heron, the AMERICAN GREEN HERON, continues its stay
unabated though, showing well once again to allcomers at the Lost Gardens of
Heligan SE of St Austell (Cornwall).

 

In North Norfolk, the two first-winter GREY PHALAROPES remain on North
Scrape at Cley NWT Reserve, along with the drake North American Green-winged
Teal at Daukes Hide and at least 7 SHORE LARKS on the shingle ridge between
Salthouse and Kelling Hard and 3 more by Cley North Hide. Further south and
close to the border with Cambs, the very confiding GLOSSY IBIS continues in the
field just SE of Welney village not far from the cattle pens just west of
the Hundred Foot Drain, whilst the juvenile AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER reappeared at
Cley Marshes NWT this afternoon on Pat's Pool. In neighbouring Suffolk, the
2nd-winter KING EIDER remains off Dunwich Cliffs.

 

PALLAS'S LEAF WARBLERS are now appearing again with one in the Long
Bank Hedge, Beacon Ponds (East Yorks) yesterday afternoon followed by two
together this morning in the wood at Berry Head (South Devon), another at the
west end of Holkham Pines (Norfolk) and one still present in the Observatory
garden at Portland Bill (Dorset).

 

The Isles of Scilly season is now drawing to a close with the last of the
600 or so of this autumn's birdwatchers now departing; avian remnants from last
week's half-term being the DUSKY WARBLER in the Higher Moors clump area of St
Mary's and the odd YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER.

 

In terms of this autumn's irruptions, that of the BOHEMIAN WAXWING remains
in full swing, with somewhere in the region of 6,000 birds displaced in Scotland
and more and more now dispersing further south. It really is going to be a
nightmare for Bird Information Service operatives ! Some single flocks were
noted at the weekend as containing over 2,000 birds – incredible numbers – and
today flocks of over 1,000 are still being recorded in Aberdeenshire..

 

Several juvenile ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARDS are still being seen, with up to 4
in the Sleddale area (Cleveland/North York Moors), two still in the Burnham
Overy Dunes area (North Norfolk) and the one in the Holland Haven (Essex)
area.

 

LAPLAND BUNTINGS too remain in abundance, with at least 60 in winter
stubble between Chare Ends and the quarry at Holy Island (Northumberland), 12 in
fields between Mwnt and Aberporth (Ceredigion) and 5 far west in stubble
opposite Tehidy CP (Cornwall).

 

BEARDED TITS are also in irruptive mood, with 2 at Flamborough Head (East
Yorks), 7 at Otmoor RSPB (Oxfordshire), at least 9 at Broom GP (Beds), 3 at
Amwell NR (Herts) and a male at Carsington Water (Derbyshire).

 

A YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER at Alexandra Park (London) was an excellent local
record, the bird moving within a tit flock at the western edge of the reservoir
as well as in the Conservation Area by the pool.

 

A female VELVET SCOTER remains inland on Filby Broad (Norfolk) whilst other
scarce wildfowl include a drake AMERICAN WIGEON from the Swantail Hide at
Wheldrake Ings YWT (North Yorks) and up to 3 FERRUGINOUS DUCKS at Chew Valley
Lake (Avon).

 

In Scotland, a LITTLE EGRET is still showing well on the Starnafin Farm
Pools at Strathbeg RSPB (Aberdeenshire), with a late GREATER SHORT-TOED LARK on
North Ronaldsay (Orkney) and another on the tarmac road at Halligarth, Unst
(Shetland).

 

A very long-staying CATTLE EGRET in Cambridgeshire was today in fields
south of the A47 between Guyhirn and Thorney Toll, whilst equally long-staying
are GREAT WHITE EGRETS at the Idle Valley NR (Notts) and at Blashford Lakes HWT
(Hants). Another CATTLE EGRET is still present today close to the Stonebridge
car park at Donna Nook (North Lincs) in the cattle field by Marsh Lane.

 

A GREY PHALAROPE also continues inland at Rutland Water (Leics),
frequenting the shoreline 500 yards west of Normanton Church, whilst the very
long-staying first-winter LESSER YELLOWLEGS can still be located on the
extensive flood meadows at Port Meadow, Oxford (Oxon). In North Lincolnshire, an
AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER is showing well for a second day at Freiston Shore RSPB,
with the juvenile in South Devon reappearing on the ebbing tide at the north end
of the Exe Estuary 200 yards south of the Turf Hotel on the west shore once
again.

 

Not much in the way of Rare Bird News other than the harrier coming out of
IRELAND today but at least 1 GLOSSY IBIS remains at Tacumshin East End Pools
(County Wexford). A YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER was noted at Hook Head (County
Wexford).