AUGUST 2008 RARE BIRDS

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AUGUST 2008 Summary of News
(All records accepted by the British Birding Association/UK400 Club)
(A total of 372 species have been recorded in Britain & Ireland in 2008)

Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena
Up to 22 summer-plumaged adults off Ferny Ness car park in Gosford Bay (Lothian) on 3-5

Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea
Large numbers in the Western Approaches, including 100 on 1st (52 past Gwennap Head, Porthgwarra, Cornwall; 43 off Scilly pelagic; 3 past Cape Cornwall, 1 past Berry Head, Brixham, South Devon (Martin Cade) and 1 past Portland Bill, Dorset), just 1 on 2nd (Porthgwarra, per John Swann), 7 on 3rd (singles off Porthgwarra and Pendeen Watchpoint, West Cornwall,, Minehead in Somerset and 4 past Giant's Castle, St Mary's, Scilly)

Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis
A total of 9 was off Scilly on 1st (from pelagic trip), with 1 off Sennen Cove (Cornwall) on 1st, 1 was seen off Dungeness Point and Beach (Kent) on 2nd and another flew west past Gwennap Head, Porthgwarra (Cornwall) on 4th.

Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus
At Gwennap Head, Porthgwarra (West Cornwall), the following were encountered, with 3 on 1st, 9 on 2nd, 21 on 3rd, 10 on 4th, whilst at Portland Bill (Dorset), 5 flew west on 1st, followed by 2 on 2nd, 4 on 3rd, 3 on 4th, 2 on 5th

Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus
Small numbers encountered off North Sea and English Channel coastlines from 1st

Wilson's Storm Petrel Oceanites oceanicus
Singles recorded on Scillonian pelagic trips SW of the Bishop Rock on 2nd and 3rd August.

Cattle Egret Bulbulcus ibis
Breeding pairs were present in two Somerset heronries this summer, with one nest successfully fledging a single youngster. This constitutes the first confirmed breeding of this species in Britain.

Great White Egret Egretta alba
One flew east over Reculver (Kent) at 0700 on 1st.

White Stork Ciconia ciconia
The long-staying but wide-ranging adult was again on floodmeadows south of the Avon Causeway near Sopley (Hants/Dorset bdr) on 2nd.

BLACK STORK Ciconia niger

GLOSSY IBIS Plegadis falcinellus
On 3rd, one was seen briefly at Hoveringham Railway Pit (Notts).

Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia
A flock of 7 immatures remained at Middlebere/Arne RSPB, Poole Harbour (Dorset) from 1st-5th, with 4 at Cley NWT North Scrape (Norfolk), on 1-5, 2 at Kinneil Lagoons, Grangemouth (Forth) 1st-5th, and singles on the River Dee at Kirkcudbright (Galloway) on 1-5, on the River Taw (North Devon) on 1-5, at Sowley Pond (Hants) on 1st, Welney WWT (Norfolk) on 1st-2nd, Broomhill Flash (South Yorks) on 2nd, an immature at Breydon Water (Norfolk) on 3-5, on the Exe Estuary (South Devon) on 3-5, Ferry Meadows Country Park (Cambs) on 5, on the Alaw Estuary (Anglesey) on 5

Taiga Bean Goose Anser fabalis
An unseasonal adult was at Cresswell Pond NWT (Northumberland) on 1-5

Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea
A regular adult was at Cliffe Pools RSPB (North Kent) on 1-5

American Wigeon Anas americana
An eclipse drake was at RSPB Loch of Strathbeg Reserve (Aberdeenshire) on 2-3.

Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca
A long-staying drake remained at Chew Valley Lake (Avon) from 1-5

Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis
An eclipse drake remained at Balgray Reservoir (Clyde) from 1-5

Hooded Merganser Laphodytes cucullatus
A first-summer drake of unknown origin remained with Tufted Ducks at Radipole Lake RSPB (Dorset) from 1-5. The bird was unringed and fully-winged, and may possibly be the bird that wintered on the Azores.

European Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus
Another good season with a minimum 67 pairs on territory, including 11 in Scotland, 9 in Wales and 47 in England. Four adults showed well at Swanton Novers Watchpoint (Norfolk) early in the month, with a similar number at Wykeham Forest (North Yorks), whilst migrants were encountered

COMMON CRANE Grus grus
A pair was at Sleap Moor, near Crudgington (Shropshire) from 1-5, with two more adults at Welney WWT (Norfolk) from 1-5, whilst the rehabilitated individual remained at Caerlaverock WWT (Dumfries & Galloway) until at least 3rd.

KENTISH PLOVER Charadrius alexandrinus
One visited Sidlesham Ferry Lagoon, Pagham Harbour (West Sussex), briefly at high tide on 1st-2nd.

PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER Pluvialis fulva
A moulting adult was with European Golden Plovers on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) from 1-4, with another on Havergate Island (Suffolk) briefly on 3rd (Dave Fairhurst).

Continental Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa limosa
Up to 45 pairs bred on the Nene Washes RSPB (Cambs), with one juvenile lingering at Cley NWT (Norfolk) from 1-5.

WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER Calidris fuscicollis
At Cley NWT Reserve (Norfolk), the adult reappeared on Pat's Pool briefly on 2nd & 4th, whilst an adult on the Wyre Estuary at Skippool Creek (Lancs) was last seen on 1st. Likewise, an adult at Cresswell Pond (Northumberland) reappeared on 3rd.

Temminck's Stint Calidris temmincki
An adult remained at Old Hall Marshes RSPB (Essex) until 2nd.

Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos
Single adults were noted at Great Yarnouth North Denes (Norfolk) briefly on 1st, at Titchwell Marsh Freshwater Lagoon (Norfolk) on 1-5, Gibraltar Point Jackson's Marsh (Lincs) on 1-5

Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis
A first-summer was at Helston Loe Pool (Cornwall) on 1st

Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans
A Polish-ringed first-summer remained at Cley NWT (Norfolk) until 1st

Sabine's Gull Xenus sabini
A first-summer flew south past Grimston and Spurn Point (East Yorks) on 4th

Roseate Tern Sterna dougalli
A good crop of sightings peaking at 61 at Long Nanny Burn (Northumberland) on 3rd. Elsewhere, noted on Brownsea Island Lagoon, Poole Harbour (Dorset) (2) on 1-4, past Eccles-on-Sea (Norfolk) on 1st, in Pegwell Bay (Kent) (1-3) on 2-3, past Flamborough Head (East Yorks) on 2nd, in Belhaven Bay (Lothian) on 2nd (2), off South Shields (Durham) on 2nd, at Cemlyn Bay (Anglesey) on 3rd, in Minnis Bay and at Reculver (North Kent) on 4th, at Breydon Water (Norfolk) on 4th, at Dawlish Warren (South Devon) on 4th, at Tyninghame (Lothian) on 5th, past Holme (Norfolk) (ad + juv) on 5th

CASPIAN TERN Sterna caspia
An adult flew north past Formby Point (Merseyside) on 4th.

SNOWY OWL Nyctea scandiaca
The long-staying bird on St Kilda (Outer Hebrides) was still present on 3rd.

EUROPEAN BEE-EATER Merops apiaster
On Orkney, one visited Shapinsay on 1st.

Shore Lark Eremophila alpestris
The Spurn Point (East Yorks) individual was present until at least 3rd.

CITRINE WAGTAIL Motacilla citreola
An exceptionally early juvenile was on North Ronaldsay (Orkney) from 2-4

AQUATIC WARBLER Acrocephalus paludicola
One was on Unst (Shetland) at Skaw, Norwick, on 4th.

Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus palustris
A pair bred at Spurn Point (East Yorks) this June-July fledging at least three young (per Ray Scally), with an early autumn migrant on Fair Isle on 1st.

Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio
An adult male was in Richmond Park (London) on 2nd.

**LESSER GREY SHRIKE Lanius minor
A first-summer/female was on Hartland Moor (Dorset) at SY 966 845 from 2-5

Red-billed Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
The first-ever Penwith (Cornwall) breeding pair successfully fledged young this summer.

Common Crossbill Loxia curvirostra
The irruption continued with large numbers still present.

**TWO-BARRED CROSSBILL Loxia leucoptera
The first influx since July 2002 continued with an adult male and three juveniles remaining on Fair Isle until 1st (the former until 2nd), a female at Esha Ness Lighthouse (Shetland) until at least 3rd, a juvenile in Stuart William's garden at Crafty, Finstown (Orkney) (HY 372 156) until 1st, a juvenile on Stronsay (Orkney) on 3rd, a female on St Kilda (Outer Hebrides) on 3rd-4th, a 'new' juvenile on Fair Isle on 5th with another at Norwick, Unst (Shetland) that same day. At least 15 have now been recorded in this influx.

Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus
An adult was on Fair Isle on 1st.

RARE BIRDS IN IRELAND - AUGUST 2008

Cory's Shearwater
Large numbers recorded including 750 past Galley Head (Co. Cork) on 1st (with 162 on 2nd, 2 on 5th), 11 past Helvick Head (Co. Waterford) on 1st, 100 past Cape Clear Island (Co. Cork) on 2nd

Great Shearwater
Off Galley Head (Co. Cork), 6 were seen on 1st, with 13 on 2nd and 1 on 3rd.

KING EIDER
The summering first-year drake remained at Lady's Island Lake (Co. Wexford) until at least 3rd.

Pectoral Sandpiper
An adult at Ballycotton (Co. Cork) on 1st

Ring-billed Gull
An adult was at Nimmo's Pier, Galway Harbour (Co. Galway) from 1-5

BAIRD'S SANDPIPER
The first of the year, an adult, was at Shanagarry Marsh, Ballycotton (Co. Cork) on 2nd

BONAPARTE'S GULL
An adult remained at Castlemaine Harbour (Co. Kerry) until at least 3rd.