BIRD NEWS ANALYSIS: RARITIES
unidenti ed since 11th.
The wader action featured
treats from both east and
west. A sublime adult Paci c
Golden Plover graced Papa
Westray, Orkney, for a few hours
on 26th, while the returning
Long-billed Dowitcher joined
the Bonaparte’s Gull at Oare
Marshes NR, Kent, on 8th.
An adult Baird’s Sandpiper at
Stanford Res, Northants, on
1st was relocated in Norfolk at
Potter Heigham on 5th – the
increased knowledge now gained
from an abundance of qualityphotographs is incredible. A
Semipalmated Sandpiper graced
Sully Island, Glamorgan, on
12-13th. Videograbs of a ‘peep’
apparently showing palmations
at Noster eld LNR, North Yorks,
on 17th saw it widely twitched
on 18th as a Western Sandpiper- until improved photographs
con rmed it as a Little Stint.
Unsurprisingly, the majority
of the Nearctic wader passage
concerned Ireland, including three
more Long-billed Dowitchers:
Clogheen Marsh, Co Cork, on
13th, Carrahane Strand, Co
Kerry, on 26th and Bannow Bay,
Co Wexford, on 27th. Lesser
Yellowlegs were in Co Cork
at Clogheen Marsh on 13th
and Cape Clear on 26th, while
14 Birdwatch•October 2017 http://www.birdguides.com/birdwatch
Spotted Sandpipers graced
Rogerstown Estuary, Co Dublin,
on 23-24th and Kilshannig,
Co Kerry, on 29th. At what is
arguably the best site for rare
waders in Britain and Ireland, a
duo of juvenile Semipalmated
and Baird’s Sandpipers was at
Tacumshin, Co Wexford, on 31st.Napoleon not solo
While the Kent Bonaparte’s Gull
proved a photographer’s delight
throughout, others were brie y
at Cardiff, Glam, on 12th and
Caherfearlane Marsh, Co Kerry,
on 13th. July’s second-summer
was still on Brownsea Island,
Dorset, until 30th. Averaging only
a couple of records a year since
the 2009 eruption meant anadult Laughing Gull at Streedagh,
Co Sligo, from 19-22nd was
popular with locals, and what was
likely the same individual was
later off Aughris Head on 31st.
A red-ringed Caspian Tern
has been touring the length
and breadth of Britain since
mid-July, and continued to do so
throughout August. Seen at St
Aidan’s RSPB, West Yorks, on
2nd and Carr Vale NR, Derbys,
on 3rd, it then lingered in the
Norfolk Broads, commuting
between Breydon Water RSPB
and Hickling Broad from 16-
25th. It or others were at Linford
Lakes NR, Buckinghams, and
Seal Sands, Co Durham, on 4th
and 14th respectively.
A possible Black Stork over
Sibson, Cambs, on 26th was the
only large waterbird action.
The rst drips of Siberian
migrants were provided by an
elusive Thrush Nightingale
at Gramborough Hill, Norfolk,
on 10th – the rst county
occurrence since 2012. Fair
Isle, Shetland, hosted an
Arctic Warbler on 26-27th. An
unidenti ed Bonelli’s warbler
spent two days on Skomer,
Pembs, as the month came
to a close, while another was
at Sandwich, Kent, on 29th. A
singing male Western Bonelli’s
Warbler at Easington, East Yorks,
from 16-17th proved easier to
put a name to. Lastly, Britain’s
third Green Warbler – and second
in two years – was con rmed
by DNA this month, having been
present for four days on Fair Isle
in early July (see last month’s
Birdwatch, page 10). ■With just two in August, more
Baird’s Sandpipers turned up
in September, including this
popular juvenile at Cuckmere,
East Sussex, on 6th.CIARAN HATSELLLingering on Fair Isle, Shetland,
from 4-7 July, this Green
Warbler’s identifi cation was
fi nally confi rmed by DNA
analysis in August.PETER MOORE (WWW.PETERMOOREBLOG.BLOGSPOT.COM) DOMINIC MITCHELL (WWW.BIRDINGETC.COM)This American Yellow Warbler at
Portland, Dorset, played ball for
those able to get to the site late
on 21st.FIRST FOR BIRD NEWSFIRST FOR BIRD NEWSFirst for bird newsFirst for bird news1710 p12-14 rarities FIN.indd 14 15/09/2017 09:42: