2009 – Rarity Round-up

Welcome to the new(ish) look annual rarity round-up! You will see that most of the birds are colour-coded. Red indicates a birds that was new to me; green indicates a bird classed as rare; and blue indicates a bird classed as a scarcity.

January

January kicked off with a mega bank, when a trip to Cleveland gave opportunity to see the UK’s second ever Glaucous-winged Gull on the 3rd. The following day a trip to Caerlaverock was a great success with views of American Wigeon, minima Cackling Goose and Taverner’s-type Goose. On the 10th another visit to Cleveland gave better views of the Glaucous-winged Gull at Saltholme Pools; and the Yellow-legged Gull at the Tees Barrage. The Maryport Iceland Gull put on a good show on the 17th and throughout the month. A visit to Potteric Carr on the 24th gave great views of Bittern and Caspian Gull.

February

The first highlight of February was a trip to Fife and environs to see a King Eider at Kincraig Point and the wintering Ring-billed Gull in Dundee. The next high point was a juvenile White-tailed Eagle over the Solway on the 10th. A trip to Dumfries and Galloway on the 15th was rewarding with views of Smew, Meally Redpoll, Nordic Jackdaw and another Iceland Gull. On the 17th three Little Stints, two Long-tailed Ducks and a Snow Bunting were great value at Grune Point. On route to the International Gull Meeting on the 26th, more views were obtained of the Ring-billed Gull in Dundee, The next few days in the Peterhead area produced views of two Glaucous Gulls, four Iceland Gulls and a Corn Bunting!

March

A visit to Fairburn Ings on the 8th was rewarding with views of roosting Long-eared Owls. On the same day Swillington Ings and environs was rewarding with an adult Mediterranean Gull and three Iceland Gulls. A superb trip to Ireland near the end of the month was rewarding. The highlights being no less than 37 Iceland Gulls,  2 Kumlien’s Gulls, 2 Ring-billed Gulls, 1 Glaucous Gull, Mealy Redpoll, drake Ring-necked Duck and a pair of King Eiders.

April

April was a surprisingly quiet month. The Great Grey Shrike at Alston was the only scarce bird observed.

May

A trip to Crosby Mariner on the 8th was successful as great views of a Pallid Swift was achieved. An adult Whiskered Tern off Bowness Viaduct (and opposite Seafield Viaduct) on the 10th was a superb. Excellent views of several Little Gulls on the river Esk was another highlight on the 16th. On the 17th a Collared Flycatcher near Crail in Fife was a superb bird and a welcome addition to my UK & Ireland List! On the 19th an impressive 116 Pomarine Skuas, 10 Arctic Skuas and 3 Long-tailed Skuas were an amazing afternoon/evenings birding at Bowness-on-Solway. In addition to this a Spoonbill at Campfield Marsh RSPB reserve rounded off the day nicely. A trip to West Yorkshire on the 24th produced nice views of three Whiskered Terns at Swillington Ings and a Woodchat Shrike near Pugney’s. A trip to East Anglia during the last days of the month produced many highlights including Montagu’s Harrier, Stone Curlew, Common Crane (on the nest) and Black-winged Pratincole in Norfolk; Golden Oriole (on the nest) in Suffolk; and Squacco Heron in Cambridgeshire.

June

The only avian highlight of June came in the form of a Pectoral Sandpiper and Spoonbill at Leighton Moss on the 8th.

July

July was another sparse month for birds with the highlights being views of the over summering Great Grey Shrike at Alston and reasonable views of a Pectoral Sandpiper at Saltholme Pools RSPB reserve on the 26th.

August

A fantastic week of Seawatching as part of the Seawatch SW project between the 23rd and the 29th produced no less than 118 Balearic Shearwaters, 1 Cory’s Shearwater,1 Great Shearwater, 1 Yelkoun-type Shearwater, 35 Sooty Shearwater, 2 Grey Phalarope and 2 Chough. Also on the 29th a trip to Marazion Marsh was worth the effort with views of a juvenile Citrine Wagtail.  A trip to Prawle Point on the 30th gave excellent views of Cirl Bunting. A trip to Farmoor Reservoir on Oxfordshire was an astounding experience with great views of a Black Tern, White-winged Black Tern and American Black Tern.

September

On the 13th a trip to Spurn to see only my second Booted Warbler was a success. On the 20th a visit to Leighton Moss produced views of a Great White Egret. Another trip to Spurn on the 21st afforded excellent views of a Lapland Bunting. On the 22nd a trip to Edderthorpe Flash was well worth it with views of a Spotted Crake. On the same day a visit to Wombell Ings produced nice views of a Pectoral Sandpiper.  A visit to Cleveland on the 25th was a great plan as views of a Blue-winged Teal at Haverton; a Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Saltholme Pools; and a very confiding Red-backed Shrike at Doreman’s Pool were very rewarding. The best was saved until last, as a trip to Orkney Mainland on the 27th & 28th was immense with great views of a Sandhill Crane!

October

On the 1st a trip to Druridge Pools allowed views of a Glossy Ibis. On the same day more views of the Red-backed Shrike at Doreman’s Pool were obtained. Another visit to Northumberland on the 11th enabled good views of a Radde’s Warbler and better views of the Glossy Ibis at Druridge Pools. On the same day a trip to St Mary’s Island produced views of Yellow-browed Warbler and Firecrest; also nice views of a Common Crane were managed in County Durham. On the 12th a brief visit to Siddick Ponds was a bonus, with great views of a drake Green-winged Teal . However nothing prepared me for the amazing trip to Trow Quarry in County Durham on the 23rd. This trip had me seeing the UK’s first Eastern-crowned Warbler!

November

Despite the rain on the 16th, I finally managed to catch up with the Long-billed Dowitcher at Port Carlisle. On the 18th a trip to Musselburgh afforded nice views of a very late Wilson’s Phalarope. On the same day a visit to Aberlady Bay was well timed; giving great opportunity to see the wintering Lesser Yellowlegs.

December

On the 10th a trip to Whitesands Bay in Lothian was a success with fantastic views of a Baird’s Sandpiper. A visit to Caerlaverock on the 15th was rewarded by great views of a Green-winged Teal. More views of the Long-billed Dowitcher at Port Carlisle were achieved on the 13th, 17th and 28th.

Summary

By the end of 2009 I managed to see a fairly respectable 254 species in the UK & Ireland. Apart from the obvious highlights (Sandhill Crane, Eastern-crowned Warbler, Collared Flycatcher etc) the experience of a major passage of Pomarine Skuas migrating through the inner Solway has to rank as one of the best aspects of my birding in 2009. As does the experience of seven solid days seawatching off Gwennap Head!