Last week, twitchers at a reservoir near Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire got themselves in a flap with excitement over an incredibly rare visitor, when a subspecies of the kelp gull (Larus dominicanus), usually found in Southern Africa turned up in the UK for the very first time.
The cape gull (L. d. vetula), a resident of Namibia and South Africa, had been predicted to arrive for a few years. In the 1980s it began to travel north with sightings in northwest Africa including Morocco, and in 1995, one individual was spotted at the Paris Zoo in France amongst a flock of yellow-legged gulls.
Wow! My first Mega in Cambs – and it’s only a first for Britain to boot Amazing Cape Gull at Grafham Water found by Richard Patient. Even if you’re not a gull person, this bird is a beaut! @CambsBirdClub pic.twitter.com/a9DwySSmFE
— Rachel Lennard (@rachel_lennard) August 7, 2022
Further sightings in Portugal and Spain followed and ornithologists became convinced that eventually one would turn up somewhere on the southern coast of England. What makes the sighting at Graham Water so usual is that it was found inland, and not anywhere near where people were expecting.
To be added to the British List, the British Bird Rarities Committee will first verify the identification. Cape gulls look very like many of our more common gulls and its identification is likely to be confirmed by its small, dark eyes, blue and grey legs, chunky beak, and heavy build. If that’s successful the details will be passed to the British Ornithologists Union Records Committee who will decide whether it’s a truly wild bird and if so add it to the list.
Although it’s a first, the cape gull is not the only rare bird to have visited the UK this summer. Indeed, this year has been a bumper one for bird watchers with many rarities arriving on our shores.
Here are 9 more birds that have made a flying visit over the last few months:
The first record of Eleonora’s falcon (Falco eleonorae) in the UK was in 1977 at Formby Point in Lancashire but since then it has remained elusive for many twitchers desperate to add it to their life list. 7 more records have been accepted, but those visitors have only stayed for a day at a time frustrating many who missed the opportunity of seeing the species that usually inhabits islands in the Mediterranean.
This time though was different. The bird, seen over Sandwich Bay in Kent on the 26th May, and originally identified as a hobby but quickly confirmed as a pale morph Eleonora’s falcon, was back again the next day at Worth Marshes where it stayed for a week delighting enthusiasts.
The Eleonora’s Falcon in Kent checking me out!! pic.twitter.com/VI2LRxtwFR
— David Carr (@birdphotos007) May 31, 2022
As a bonus, a red-footed falcon (Falco vespertinus) was also in the area. This is a more common visitor with a handful showing up each year away from their usual grounds in eastern Europe and Asia.
Glossy ibises (Plegadis falcinellus) have a wide range and have been regular visitors to the UK for some years. In 2014 a pair attempted to breed in Lincolnshire for the first time. This summer they have been an almost permanent visitor with birds recorded in Dungeness in Kent, Barleycraft Lake in Cambridgeshire, WWT Welney in Norfolk, RSPB Fen Drayton also in Cambridgeshire, and Titchfield Haven in Hampshire.
Great photo of the Glossy Ibis from yesterday showing lovely colours in the sunshine (thanks S.P), & they were back again this morning. Also today: Marsh Harrier (juv), Common Sandpiper, Avocet & Black Tern on shore. pic.twitter.com/Ilcf40kJLs
— Titchfield Haven (@titchfieldhaven) August 12, 2022
Extremely dry conditions in Spain and Portugal have forced it to move further north to escape drought and mild winters here have encouraged it to stay. It may not be long before another attempt is made at breeding and experts think that next time they may be successful.
An Iberian chiffchaff (Phylloscopus ibericus) turned up in Regent’s Park in London and stayed and stayed and stayed. First recorded on the 4th May, the singing male was still here 100 days later with Tony Duckett, the park’s conservation officer diligently photographing it as it moved between the cricket pen and nursery.
Today is a day of celebration. Today the Iberian Chiffchaff has been present in Regent’s Park for 100 days. I hope he’s enjoyed his stay and that the constant stream of people and dogs hasn’t put him off from return next year
Congratulations our little Iberian Friend pic.twitter.com/ouKsMkZLw9— Regents Park Birds (@parkbirdslondon) August 11, 2022
Usually found in Portugal, Spain, and North Africa it was first recorded in the UK in 1972 when it paid a visit to Brent Reservoir in London. Since then, bird watchers have had numerous opportunities to spot it here although it can be hard to distinguish from the common chiffchaff and one usually must rely on its song to confirm identification.
On the 5th August a harlequin duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) was spotted on the beach at Norwick on Unst, one of the North Isles of the Shetland Islands. Although there have been about 20 prior British records, this is only the second bird to have arrived in the summer with most turning up between October and April.
Not a bird you’d imagine in early August- this stunner of a Harlequin Duck was quite a find for SN colleague Dave Cooper (pic) yest & 1st day highlight for bespoke photo-tour client from New Zealand! James also scored Orca with our other photo-tour for guests from US day before pic.twitter.com/V0PPQmrGG1
— Brydon Thomason (@shetlandnature) August 6, 2022
It is usually found in Greenland, Iceland, and eastern Russia, as well as north-west and north-east North America. One was spotted in Norway on the 19th July and it’s more than likely this is the same bird. Although much of the UK is seeing an unprecedented heatwave, the conditions around the Shetlands have remained cold and rather wintry providing the perfect habitat for the colourful drake to make its flying visit.
The black-browed albatross (Thalassarche melanophris) breeds on islands in the southern oceans and is rarely seen in the northern hemisphere. But one clearly didn’t get the memo, because since 2017 a male’s been turning up at RSPB Bempton Cliffs in East Yorkshire entertaining visitors to the seabird colonies.
Solo Survivor
It is great to see that the Black-browed Albatross is still inhabiting the seabird colony at the magnificent @Bempton_Cliffs on the Yorkshire Coast. I managed to catchup with it recently out at sea and it was certainly a privilege to be in it’s presence @YCNature pic.twitter.com/pX5lrfkFi9— Steve Race (@wildlifeimages) July 27, 2022
Nicknamed Albie, he was first spotted in the northern hemisphere in 2014 when he was blown of course and ended up flying over the Baltic Sea where he now spends the winter. Unfortunately, due to light equatorial winds he’s unlikely to find his way back home and the chances of him meeting another black-browed albatross are slim. Black-browed albatrosses can live up to 70 years so he may have decades ahead of him in the fruitless search for a mate.
For much of the summer, Tacumshin, a coastal lagoon in County Wexford has played host to an American golden plover (Pluvialis dominica). Usually found in northern Canada and Alaska, it makes one of the longest migrations and regularly turns up in western Europe having been blown off course. First recorded in the UK in 1956 around 20 individuals turn up annually and this year it has also been spotted at Trawmore Bay in Country Mayo and on the beach between Birkdale and Ainsdale in Merseyside.
Dipped the elegant tern… but how often has this been seen in Ireland? American and Pacific golden plover side by side in summer plumage… worth the trip to Tac! pic.twitter.com/rl9A2XUrcO
— David Stirling (@stirling413) July 6, 2022
At Wexford, it has been joined by a white-rumped sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis) as well as the very similar Pacific golden plover (Pluvialis fulva). They are hard to tell apart but the Pacific golden plover has a white stripe that goes all the way from the head to the flanks, and spotted undertail coverts, while on the American golden plover the stripe finishes at the neck, and the undertail coverts are solid black.
On the 29th July a squacco heron (Ardeola ralloides) arrived at RSPB Pagham Harbour near Chichester in West Sussex to hang around with a couple of its relatives, the cattle egret and little egret. It breeds across southern Europe and central Asia and is a rare vagrant to the UK averaging just one record a year.
Wonder what keeps the Squacco Heron around Pagham? pic.twitter.com/rbGlpArkAk
— Mark Leitch aka BongoBirder (@markjleitch) August 7, 2022
One turned up in the exact same location around the fields and ditches of Halsey’s Farm in August 2019. Could it be the same bird back to enjoy the fish the harbour provides?
On the 27th June a male Turkestan shrike (Lanius phoenicuroides) was spotted briefly at Bempton Cliffs. After a heavy rain shower it disappeared inland with worries that it may be a one-day UK record as many of the previous 7 have been. However, the next day it was found again just half a mile away where it has stuck around ever since.
Late in posting my Turkestan Shrike photos from today (Bempton), so rather than post similar shots to others, here is a different pose. It seemed to like bees! pic.twitter.com/fqdJ0i08Nn
— Andrew Jordan (@ajordanwildlife) July 2, 2022
The Turkestan shrike is also known as the red-tailed shrike and usually spends the summer in central Asia. It’s very similar to the red-backed shrike which no longer breeds in the UK but can but can be seen on passage on southern and eastern coasts.
The white-tailed lapwing usually lives in inland marshes in Iraq, Iran, and southern Russia. But this year one’s been doing a tour of the UK since it arrived in August last year visiting RSPB Blacktoft Sands in East Yorkshire before moving on to RSPB Frampton Marshes in Lincolnshire, Hickling Broad in Norfolk, Rimac in Lincolnshire, Bickershaw in Greater Manchester, and RSPB Sandwell in the West Midlands where it’s currently residing.
Well I certainly didn’t expect this white tailed lapwing to turn up less than 15 minutes from my house yesterday afternoon. What a bird! #Manchester #birds @waderquest @RSPBLiverpool #phonescoped #wigan pic.twitter.com/k2XjODUp9q
— Damian Young (@DamianYoung75) August 4, 2022
It was first recorded in the UK in 1975 and since then there have been just 6 records with the previous spot in 2010 in Seaforth in Merseyside so this is a mega rarity of the kind that gets serious birders twitching. Bets are on as to which county it will visit next.
Have you seen any rare birds this summer? Let us know in the comments below.
3 Responses
Spotted a Hoopoe on farm at pawlett nr bridgwater yesterday 24/10/2023 I filmed it a couple of times it let me get within 2 feet of it . Real pretty bird
Spotted two birds associating on the Leeds and Liverpool canal near Skipton this morning (w3w reservoir.pursuit.physical) which my aged book identified as black throated diver in winter plumage although book suggests they are in totally the wrong area. They were diving and one caught a fish maybe 3-4″ long. Moved away South. ?? was this likely?
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Wow! what a great mix of birds. would be happy to see any of them, but that gorgeous duck in particular is very nice. lucky people who took the photos