January 2003: an overwintering Pallid Harrier in Norfolk, a Blyth's Pipit in Nottinghamshire and a Forster's Tern in Argyll kept most birders happy. Perhaps the highlight of the month however was the arrival of a Two-barred Crossbill in Buckinghamshire at the end of the month. With overwintering goodies including the returning Redhead and Black Scoter in Wales, along with Ross' Goose and half a dozen Lesser Scaups the month held a typical winter fair. February 2003: most popular birds of the month were a dark-breasted Barn Owl in Norfolk and a Lesser White-fronted Goose in Gloucestershire. Irish birders were luckier however with a Thayer's Gull in Donegal and a Killdeer in Cork. North Yorkshire birders recorded a couple of White-billed Divers. Elsewhere, a Black Kite in Hampshire, a Little Bunting in the Forest of Dean and a Two-barred Crossbill in Buckinghamshire continued to over-winter. March 2003: an influx of Cranes in the early part of the month signalled that birds were on the move again. Two Sardinian Warblers arrived in Norfolk, but bird of the month was to be a fine male Pallid Harrier that arrived for two days in Cornwall at the end of the month. Other good birds continued to linger from the winter including the Buck's Two-barred Crossbill and the Norfolk Dark-breasted Barn Owl whilst London birders were enjoying a fine Lesser Scaup in Regent's Park. April 2003: bird of the month was a male Taiga Flycatcher in East Yorkshire - a first for Britain. The county also scored with a male Pallid Harrier on the 1st. Quality birds elsewhere included a Little Swift over the Isles of Scilly, a Crag Martin in Sussex and a White-headed Duck in Buckinghamshire. Good numbers of Alpine Swifts, Red-rumped Swallows and Black Kites put winter firmly behind us.
January 2003
February 2003
March 2003
April 2003
May 2003 was as good as ever with Britain's first Audouin's Gull gracing Dungeness in Kent for three days. But the outlying islands had the best of the rest with a Thick-billed Warbler, Slate-coloured Junco, White-throated Sparrow and Scops Owl all choosing Shetland whilst Ireland scored with its first White-crowned Sparrow in County Cork. A second White-throated Sparrow turned up on the Wirral for birders less inclined to travel north. With five Pallid Harriers, five Little Bitterns, and five Thrush Nightingales, May's birding delights were more than a handful for most birders ! June 2003 and another first for Britain - a long awaited Black Lark was identified on the 1st and stayed for over a week on South Stack, Anglesey. In all likelihood it probably arrived in May. With a Turkestan Shrike in Somerset and a Steppe Grey Shrike on the Isle of Man birders could have been forgiven for thinking they were 'birding the central asian republics'. A White-throated Sparrow on Fair Isle and a Lesser Grey Shrike in Norfolk topped a supporting cast that also included the likes of Iberian Chiffchaff in Devon, two Black-headed Buntings on Skomer and in the Highlands, and the first Fea's Petrel of the season. July 2003 and english birders were enjoying a superb summer plumaged Lesser Sandplover in Hampshire. But the english did not have it all their own way with a Bridled Tern in Angus for the scots and a first ever Redhead on Cape Clear Island for the Irish. Back on the mainland a juvenile Great Spotted Cuckoo took a two week vacation at Spurn much to the delight of photographers. Other good birds included Solitary Sandpiper on Scillies, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper in County Cork, Steppe Grey Shrike on the Isle of Man and a Scops Owl at the month's end on Fair Isle. August 2003: a male Snowy Owl arriving mid-month on the Outer Hebrides certainly kept photographers happy although a Least Sandpiper in Hertfordshire was equally obliging and certainly higher up the rarity status. County Clare produced some great seawatching with Fea's Petrel and multiple Wilson's Petrels on the 21st-22nd. By the month-end a Booted Warbler in Norfolk and an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler in Dorset were a signal of the hastening passerine migration.
May 2003
June 2003
July 2003
August 2003
September 2003: were you there ? Shetland delivered a fistful of classic 'sibes' at the month's end with White's Thrush, Red-flanked Bluetail, Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler, Lanceolated Warbler and Olive-backed Pipit as well as nearctic Swainson's and Gray-cheeked Thrush whilst Orkney landed a Sykes Warbler (see photo) ! But perhaps the best bird of the month was Britain's third Two-barred Greenish Warbler on Scilly. Accompanying these major rarities were multiple Yellow-breasted Buntings, Booted Warblers, Paddyfield Warblers and Blyth's Reed Warblers, not forgetting the record invasion of 150+ Pectoral Sandpipers. October 2003 continued the theme of the previous month with eastern passerines arriving in force, only to be countered from the west by the likes of Britain's third Savannah Sparrow (Fair Isle), Blackpoll Warbler (Outer Hebrides) , Myrtle Warbler (Orkney), Northern Parula (Waterford), Common Yellowthroat (County Clare), two Bobolinks and three Red-eyed Vireos. Britain's second Taiga Flycatcher (Shetland) and fourth Siberian Rubythroat (Fair Isle) headed the outer island cast from the east that also included three Red-flanked Bluetails, three Black-throated Thrushes, four Pied Wheatears, three Pechora Pipits and a White's Thrush. Non passerines included the second American Black Tern of the autumn in Wales. November 2003: highlights included a long awaited but short staying American Robin on Bardsey. But could birders have predicted what December would bring ? An American Coot on Shetland was another great find, but like the Robin was not alone.....As many as nine Desert Wheatears were joined by a brief untwitchable Desert Warbler. Two wintering Sardinian Warblers settled down to enjoy the entertainment at Skegness, Lincolnshire. A Pied-billed Grebe arrived on Scilly, a Forster's Tern in Ireland and two Redheads returned this winter, the returning Welsh bird, and a female identified on the Outer Hebrides. December 2003: so the predictor finally got it right ! And not just once but twice....Oxfordshire birders were the toast of the country when they found a Baltimore Oriole in a suburban garden, whilst a fungal forey in Cornwall turned up the winter's second American Robin at Godrevy and, staying through to 2004, was the first to be twitchable on the mainland for many a year. With a Rufous Turtle Dove in Highland and many of November's long stayers settling down, there was hardly time for any Christmas shopping.
September 2003
October 2003
November 2003
December 2003
You can search over 4,000 photos from 2003 for other rare birds - simply go to any gallery and use the search feature on the left hand bar. Many thanks to all the photographers who have 'showcased' their work in 2003

Check out 'the predictor' and today's hot bird - click here

The Very Best of British Birding - 2003 Review

(roll your cursor over each image for a summary of the month's highlights -
or click on any image for a larger version)

Photos from top left: Ross' Goose copyright Jim Lawrence; Dark-breasted Barn Owl copyright Nigel Blake; Lesser Scaup copyright Adrian Webb; Taiga Flycatcher copyright Brett Richards; Audouin's Gull copyright Nigel Blake; Black Lark copyright Barry Stewart; Lesser Sand Plover copyright Jim Lawrence; Snowy Owl copyright Paul Hackett; Sykes Warbler copyright Tony Disley; Yellow-rumped Warbler copyright Alan Clewes; American Coot copyright Paul Sclater; Baltimore Oriole copyright Adrian Webb