Storm Babet dominated in an unsettled October week which introduced gale-force winds and torrential rain to jap counties, particularly in Scotland. The storm noticed wind speeds attain as much as 110 kph as brisk easterlies battered north-east England and Scotland. However, they did carry them some glorious vagrants from Fennoscandia and central Europe, in addition to offering some uncommon seawatching alternatives alongside North Sea coasts.
It is probably shocking, then, that the rarest hen of the week arrived from the south, with Britain’s first Western Olivaceous Warbler in Shetland at Skibberhoull, Whalsay, on 20-Twenty first. The identification of this refined Iduna did not turn into clear till its second day, which means that twitchers from the British mainland missed out. The species is difficult to separate from the carefully associated Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, with helpful identification options together with a cumbersome, ‘swollen’ invoice, uniform sandy-brown colouration on the wings and upperparts, and lack of a wing panel. Helpfully, the hen was trapped and ringed on its second day, permitting it to be confirmed on biometrics and for a DNA pattern to be obtained. This species, which is a breeding customer to North Africa and Iberia, has occurred solely twice earlier than in northern Europe, following birds at Eggegrund, Sweden, in September 1993 and Heligoland, Germany, in November 2022.
Western Olivaceous Warbler, Whalsay, Shetland (Bethan Clyne).
Flamborough Head in East Yorkshire sparked the most important twitch of the week and one of many largest of the autumn up to now when a information of a possible Red-headed Bunting got here to mild on Twenty first. It was really first seen and photographed on Nineteenth; nevertheless, the invention of a Siberian Stonechat in the exact same spot simply minutes later noticed the bunting promptly forgotten about!
Away from grownup males, the species is extremely tough to separate from Black-headed Bunting, which means the identification took time to resolve fully. The most essential options clinching the identification are a gray mantle with broad, arrow-shaped black streaks and outstanding, triangular head streaking that continues down the nape and into the mantle streaking (neither of those is outwardly proven by Black-headed Bunting). The hen additionally has a greenish-yellow rump exhibiting no brownish or rufous tones, with additional pointers in direction of Red-headed Bunting together with two or three skinny streaks on the high of the breast and a plain, uniform face, exhibiting no distinction between the throat, submoustachial stripe and ear coverts.
Red-headed Bunting, Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire (Tom Hines).
Retained juvenile median coverts and a white fringe to the inside tertial (additionally a juvenile characteristic) assist to age the hen. Some images additionally seem to point out reddish feathers starting to seem within the face across the eye and within the crown, however others do not and it is not completely clear whether or not or not that is an artefact of some pictures. If confirmed as current, these – plus the rump color and lemon-yellow undertail coverts – assist to establish it as a male. Despite being a juvenile, its heavy put on may be defined by the truth that each Red-headed and Black-headed Buntings full their post-juvenile moult as soon as they attain the wintering grounds, which means they do not seem as contemporary or well-groomed as most autumn passerines.
The species was widespread in captivity till the export ban in 1982 and this corresponded with a lot of escaped birds (with small flocks often even showing at websites equivalent to Portland, Dorset). As a outcome, the taxon presently finds itself languishing in Category D of the British record, though a overview was just lately prompted by the British Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee (BOURC) to find out whether or not the species ought to be added to Category A. The frequency of occurrences has quickly decreased for the reason that ban and there are solely 4 extra data for the reason that flip of the century – at Baldhoun, Isle of Man, on 16-17 June 2001, Cattawade, Essex, on 21 May 2002, Monreith, Dumfries and Galloway, on 8-9 June 2004, and Out Skerries, Shetland, from 2-8 October 2010.
Red-headed Bunting, Out Skerries, Shetland, 4 October 2010 (Chris Turner).
East-coast seawatchers have been handled to an incredible spectacle throughout Storm Babet on 20-Twenty first – supplied they might stay upright! The coasts of Fife and Lothian bore the brunt of hurricane-force winds, which pushed excessive numbers of Leach’s Storm Petrels shut inshore. Some 23 websites across the Firth of Forth boasted sightings, together with a mammoth 70 previous South Queensferry, Lothian, and 34 off Musselburgh. Further south, 5 have been off Cut End, Lincolnshire, with birds famous as far south as Essex. An spectacular seawatch at South Queensferry on twentieth additionally noticed the location file 21 Grey Phalaropes, 4 Little Auks and three Long-tailed Skuas.
Little Auk, Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, Northumberland (Frank Golding).
In Northumberland, Newbiggin-by-the-Sea hosted a notable Grey Phalarope gathering of its personal, with as much as 12 dancing within the surf over the weekend. Despite the species being widespread on the east coast, only one was discovered inland – to Foulridge Reservoirs, Lancashire. Small numbers of Little Auks have been additionally broadly scattered in jap areas between Orkney and Lincolnshire. One previous Thorpeness, Suffolk, was the furthest south. Two breeding-plumaged White-billed Divers have been off the east coast – at Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire, on 18-Nineteenth and Port Seton, Lothian, on twenty second.
Grey Phalaropes, Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, Northumberland (Frank Golding).
White-billed Diver, Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire (Lee Johnson).
Three juvenile Long-tailed Skuas have been blown up the River Humber so far as the Humber Bridge, although it was Little Gull that was by far essentially the most ubiquitous species to be blown shut inshore. A mega depend of 1,600 was logged heading east previous Sheringham, Norfolk, on Twenty first and numbers made their manner inland throughout central and southern England, in scenes extra akin to their look in spring south-easterlies.
Little Gull, Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, Northumberland (Frank Golding).
Seabird motion was in any other case concentrated within the South-West, peaking with an grownup South Polar Skua previous St Ives, Cornwall, on thirteenth and a Scopoli’s Shearwater photographed off Scilly on fifteenth. A final-ditch try for the Red-footed Booby earlier than the Sapphire is beached for winter upkeep noticed it current and proper on Bishop Rock on twenty second, the identical day a first-winter Bonaparte’s Gull was on St Mary’s. The Dorset Forster’s Tern, Cornwall Azores Gull and Co Leitrim Double-crested Cormorant have been all famous this week.
Azores Gull, Skewjack, Cornwall (Mark Ferris).
A biblical irruption of Continental Coal Tits has been underway throughout Fennoscandia for a number of weeks – together with an outrageous 69,000 over Hanko, Finland, on 2nd – with the frontrunners reaching Britain in recent days. The first two harbingers reached East Halton, Lincolnshire, on 14th, whereas a mass arrival within the Shetland since Nineteenth totalled an incredible 104 birds, together with no fewer than 14 on Fair Isle. In Orkney, 4 have been on North Ronaldsay, with two extra on Mainland. In mainland Britain, in the meantime, birds have been at South Shields, Durham, and Flamborough, East Yorkshire (three).
Continental Coal Tits, Fair Isle, Shetland (Georgia Platt).
A small run of sensible Fennoscandian subspecies reached Shetland this week – a Black-bellied Dipper was excessive on the cliffs at Easter Lother, Fair Isle, from twentieth, no less than two Northern Bullfinches have been on Mainland and Northern Treecreepers at Helendale, Mainland, and Valyie, Unst. Additional Northern Treecreeper candidates have been in Northumberland and on Tiree, Argyll. At least 4 Coues’s Arctic Redpolls have been throughout the islands amongst a welcome inflow of Mealy Redpolls, with a Hornemann’s Arctic Redpoll on Unst.
Northern Treecreeper, Baltasound, Unst, Shetland (Robbie Brookes).
Swifts this late within the autumn are all the time prone to be Pallid and three have been confirmed this week: over Kingsgate, Kent, West Runton, Norfolk, and Minsmere RSPB, Suffolk. Additional Common or Pallid Swifts not recognized to species stage have been over Norfolk, Suffolk and Hampshire; extra shocking for the time of 12 months was an Alpine Swift over Cley Marshes, Norfolk, on Twenty first.
Brilliant to see this Pallid Swift at West Runton Beach Car Park this afternoon with @BLI_Jim!! Another lifer. Also plenty of Little Gulls east.@NorfolkWT @NorfolkBirds pic.twitter.com/JMrlQLj1g1
— Toby’s Birding (@TSbirding) October 21, 2023
Storm Babet additionally delivered a run of stellar passerine finds to the mainland east coast, together with a few Pied Wheatears – birds at Montrose Basin, Angus, and Lowestoft, Suffolk. This was overshadowed in Suffolk by the county’s first Great Snipe since 2010 at Gunton on twentieth, although it might solely be seen by the finder. Three Red-flanked Bluetails, 4 Red-breasted Flycatchers and 4 Olive-backed Pipits have been additionally alongside the east coast, with Bluethroats in Lincolnshire and Shetland. A White’s Thrush, in the meantime, proved a welcome deal with for resident birders on Papa Westray, Orkney, on 18th.
Pied Wheatear, Montrose Basin, Angus & Dundee (Dan Pointon).
An unbelievable Radde’s Warbler file concerned one in landlocked Bedfordshire, at Ampthill Park on Twenty first. Perhaps equally outstanding, it is not even the primary county file! Two extra have been on the East Yorkshire coast, with one additionally on St Mary’s, Scilly. Dusky Warblers have been at Whitburn Coastal Park, Durham, and on Westray, Orkney, whereas a Melodious Warbler was in Cornwall. Worthy of an honorary point out is a Yellow-browed Warbler picked up by a Motus Tower at Dungeness NNR, Kent, between 1 am and a pair of am on 18th that had beforehand been tagged at Vlieland, Netherlands, on 8 October.
Some 18 Richard’s Pipits was an honest quantity, with totals alongside the east coast reaching double figures. A Shore Lark west over Strumpshaw Fen RSPB, Norfolk, on seventeenth was a notable ‘vis-mig’ file, with others at eight websites between Borders and Kent. Otherwise, a Red-throated Pipit was on St Mary’s, Scilly, and a Greater Short-toed Lark continued on Harris, Outer Hebrides. A Little Bunting over Eashing, Surrey, on sixteenth was essentially the most noteworthy of 18 logged this week.
Shore Lark, Minsmere RSPB, Suffolk (Sam O’Donnell).
Little Bunting (entrance) and Lapland Bunting, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly (Sam Goddard).
Seven Great Grey Shrikes was a welcome whole, notably if a couple of go on to spend the winter in Britain. Islay, Argyll, retained a Lesser Grey Shrike all through and Red-backed Shrikes have been in Scilly, Durham and Caithness. Waxwings arrived in numbers alongside the east coast as far south as Norfolk and 20 reached Ireland, together with a single flock of 18 at Inch Island Lake, Co Donegal. Totals of 5 Common Rosefinches, 5 Rosy Starlings, 9 Wrynecks and 10 Hoopoes have been amassed.
Lesser Grey Shrike, Sanaigmore, Islay, Argyll (Joe Graham).
Rosy Starling, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly (Richard Stonier).
While it was every week that led birders to look east, New World guests continued to grace the BirdGuides sightings web page. The American Yellow Warbler remained at Hoswick, Mainland Shetland, all through, as did the Black-and-white Warbler on Inishbofin, Co Galway. The second was briefly joined by a Grey-cheeked Thrush on twentieth – the primary Catharus thrush to be recorded within the county. Bryher, Scilly, hosted a Red-eyed Vireo.
American Yellow Warbler, Hoswick, Mainland, Shetland (Bethan Clyne).
Black-and-white Warbler, Inishbofin, Galway (Sam Viles).
The week’s most distinctive string of Nearctic finds, nevertheless, got here within the type of no fewer than three Green Darner dragonflies on Scilly, with a feminine on Bryher on Nineteenth adopted by two females on St Agnes on twenty second. These are the primary data in Britain for the reason that 1998 inflow. One extra – additionally a feminine – was on Ouessant, France, this week. An American Painted Lady butterfly was on St Mary’s on twenty second.
Green Darner, Bryher, Isles of Scilly (Barry Reed).
Afton, Isle of Wight, was the surprising locale for a fly-over Rough-legged Buzzard on twentieth, with birds at Saltholme RSPB, Cleveland, and Quendale, Mainland Shetland. One close to Kilnsea, East Yorkshire, early on Twenty first moved to an intensive space of set-aside at Stone Creek that afternoon, the place it was joined by a young Pallid Harrier late on twenty second. Further Pallid Harriers have been at Wyke Down, Dorset, Lundy, Devon, with the Cornish Northern Harrier once more at Goonhilly Downs on sixteenth.
New Purple Herons have been at Whelford, Gloucestershire, and St Mary’s, Scilly, with one nonetheless in Cornwall. Both Cornwall and Somerset retained Squacco Herons at the beginning of the week.
Purple Heron, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly (Scott Usher).
The first Long-billed Dowitcher for Sussex since 1992 – a juvenile – was broadly appreciated at Cuckmere Haven, East Sussex, from 16-18th. Cornwall boasted a brand new hen at Walmsey Sanctuary and the long-staying grownup was once more in North Norfolk. A Buff-breasted Sandpiper was again at Tacumshin, Co Wexford, with three Lesser Yellowlegs persevering with and the American Golden Plover whole reaching 13. Semipalmated Sandpipers have been once more in Lincolnshire, Co Dublin and Co Cork, with White-rumped Sandpipers in Cos Cork and Londonderry. A few juvenile Baird’s Sandpipers briefly graced Clonakilty, Co Cork, with others at Harper’s Island, Co Cork, and South Slob, Co Wexford. The Spotted Sandpiper lasted at Lough Gill, Co Kerry, till sixteenth; two Eurasian Dotterel and 5 Pectoral Sandpipers have been additionally reported.
A uncommon Irish Ferruginous Duck file noticed one at Inch Island Lake, Co Donegal, on Nineteenth, whereas the perplexing run of Midlands data continued with a feminine at Clifton Pits, Worcestershire, on seventeenth. Both Blue-winged Teal remained at Tophill Low NR, East Yorkshire, with extra totals together with 5 American Wigeon, three Green-winged Teal and 16 Ring-necked Duck. New Surf Scoter have been off Suffolk, Devon, Scilly and Caithness, with a lingering hen within the Outer Hebrides.
Red-breasted Geese persevered at Budle Bay, Northumberland, and on Islay, Argyll. Five Snow Geese have been reported and Taiga Bean Geese numbers at Fannyside Lochs, Clyde, peaked at 116. Another was with Pink-feet at Thorne Moors NNR, South Yorkshire, with a Black Brant at Langton Herring, Dorset.
Surf Scoter, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly (Sam Goddard).
Western Palearctic
Undoubtedly essentially the most extraordinary file of the week hailed from Eastern Europe, the place an Ovenbird was stunningly trapped and ringed at Chituc, Romania, on seventeenth. Unsurprisingly, that is solely the third file for mainland Europe after birds in Norway in 2003 and France in 2019. Other jap European ‘firsts’ would come with a Western Black-eared Wheatear in Poland and a Baird’s Sandpiper in Belarus, whereas a Ross’s Goose over Cape Põõsaspea was the second file for Estonia. A Pied Bush Chat at Batumi was a primary for Georgia, with an Oriental Skylark current the identical day.
Baikal Teal, Lørenskog, Viken (Simon Rix).
Also mounting a problem for essentially the most surprising file of the week was information of Norway’s first Middle Spotted Woodpecker. Found on Senja within the Arctic Circle, it was greater than 1,000 km from the species’ typical vary. Surely a British file is on the playing cards within the close to future? An eclipse drake Baikal Teal visited Lørenskog on sixteenth. In Iceland, an American Redstart was at Hellnar and an elusive Swainson’s Thrush visited Selvogur, although it was the Great Spotted Woodpecker at Grindavík that attracted essentially the most curiosity from twitchers.
Tree Swallow, Corvo, Azores (Zbigniew Kajzer).
Action within the Azores was characterised by an unprecedented fall of Catharus thrushes, with a minimal depend of no less than 12 Swainson’s on Corvo on Nineteenth, in addition to three Grey-cheeked Thrushes. Another action-packed week on the well-known island included a task name of Tree Swallow, American Cliff Swallow, two White-eyed Vireos, two Ovenbirds, Tennessee Warbler, Baltimore Oriole, three Indigo Buntings, two Scarlet Tanagers, three Bobolinks, 4 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Common Nighthawk, 4 Red-eyed Vireos and a Yellow-crowned Night Heron.
At least three Swainson’s Thrushes have been on Flores, with additional sightings comprising a Grey-cheeked Thrush, Ovenbird, Common Yellowthroat, Bobolink, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Red-eyed Vireo, two Hudsonian Whimbrels, Green Heron, Great Blue Heron and a lingering Yellow-crowned Night Heron. Additional Swainson’s Thrushes have been on each Pico and Terceira.
Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Corvo, Azores (Zbigniew Kajzer).
A Yellow-billed Cuckoo on Île-d’Yeu, France, on twentieth was sadly discovered lifeless the next morning, with an immature Red-footed Booby additionally discovered lifeless on Groix. Île d’Ouessant hosted a Brown Shrike and Blyth’s Pipit. Germany’s fourth Swainson’s Thrush was on Sylt on fifteenth, with a Stejneger’s Scoter, Ross’s Goose and Brown Shrike in Denmark. Two Ross’s Geese continued in Belgium.
In Spain, a South Polar Skua and Brown Booby flew previous Luanco, Asturias, on 14th and the Belted Kingfisher remained at Lekeito. Surprisingly, a Corncrake discovered lifeless on third is the primary confirmed file for Gibraltar. Linosa, Italy, held a Moussier’s Redstart and the White-faced Whistling Duck was once more on Sal, Cape Verde.
