2007 – Rarity Round-up

January

January got off to a steady start with the drake Ring-necked Duck at Grasmere in Cumbria. I also revisited Callander to see the wintering Barrow’s Goldeneye early in the month. Things really picked up laterally in the month; with a trip to Bingley in West Yorkshire on the 27th to see an American Robin. As would be expected, this bird was really good value and with a supporting cast of a Firecrest in the same town and a Shorelark at nearby Halifax it was a great end to the month.

February

February started as exciting as January had ended! A trip to Farnham Gravel Pits in Yorkshire on the 2nd was very successful, with excellent views of the UK’s first confirmed record of Pacific Diver. Then a trip to Norfolk produced a superbly confiding Lesser Yellowlegs at Thornham on the 3rd and both a Black-eared Kite and Black Brant at Snettisham and Wells respectively on the 4th.  The only other rare bird to be seen in the month was a female Lesser Scaup at Caerlaverock.

March

Black-throated Thrush was the star bird of a month; this was on Bute on the 2nd. On the same trip a 1st winter Iceland Gull was a real bonus. Snow Goose in Cumbria and the long staying Glossy Ibis in Lancashire were both welcome additions to the months tally! The month concluded with a superbly confiding Green-winged Teal at Marshside on the 25th.

April

The first rare bird of the month came in the form of a 1st winter drake Lesser Scaup at St Margaret’s Loch in Edinburgh on the 10th. A White Stork near Bishop Middlam on the 21st was a great bonus. The month ended with a female Ring-necked Duck at North Plains RSPB reserve on the 24th.

May

A Serin at Walney on the 7th was a great start to the month.  A flock of 21 Long-tailed Skuas off Bowness-on-Solway on the 18th was a certain highlight. A Pectoral Sandpiper accompanied by a Wood Sandpiper at Caerlaverock on the 25th was a bonus. Nice views of a Broad-billed Sandpiper at Saltholme in Cleveland on the 31st was a great end to the month!

June

The 10th will be etched in my memory for many years; as this day produced a White-tailed Plover at Caerlaverock. This was followed in style on the 17th with more views of this bird at Leighton Moss and a superb Hudsonian Whimbrel at Walney.

July

A trip across to Northumberland early in the month produced good views of Roseate Tern and an unseasonal Glaucous Gull. On the 20th a fantastic county arrived at Siddick Ponds in the form of an adult Whiskered Tern. What was to be a good month for rarities in Cumbria, finished on the 29th with an adult White-rumped Sandpiper at Anthorn.

August

August was a very lean month for rarities, with the only bird being a Wilson’s Phalarope near Bishop Midlam in County Durham early in the month, followed by what was almost certainly the same individual at Willen Lake in Buckinghamshire on the 24th.

September

Superb views of a Great White Egret at Leighton Moss early in the month was fantastic. The only other rarity of the month was a rather challenging eclipse drake Blue-winged Teal at Haverton Hole in Cleveland.

October

This was almost certainly the quietest October I had had for many years. The one and only highlight being a 1st winter Turkestan Shrike at Buckton in Yorkshire.

November

November was also very quiet, with the only rarity observed being a superb Red-breasted Goose at Caerlaverock on the 25th.

December

Green-winged Teal at Siddick Ponds and a relocated Red-breasted Goose at Easton in Cumbria were great to see on the 16th. A fantastic record of Cattle Egret at Cardoness in Dumfries & Galloway was a welcome conclusion to the years birding on the 29th.

Summary

Although it had been one of the poorest autumns I have experienced for a very long time, it had still been a very productive year. I had managed to see six new species (or recognisable forms) as well as some high quality rarities such as American Robin and Blue-winged Teal. However the biggest highlight for was witnessing a flock of 21 adult Long-tailed Skuas flying up the Solway!