Is your Yorkshire List up to date or do you simply fancy joining the fun? If you require an electronic copy of the recently updated master list please email a request to yorkshirebirding1@gmail.com  and don’t forget to let us know whenever you add a species. Full details can be found by clicking the League Table option.           

Now fast-approaching the back end of November the White-tailed Lapwing remains ever faithful to Blacktoft Sands RSPB where it has been since 26th August, thus fast approaching a 3 month stay!

 Photo - John Hewitt

 

Is your Yorkshire List up to date or do you simply fancy joining the fun? If you require an electronic copy of the recently updated master list please email a request to yorkshirebirding1@gmail.com  and don’t forget to let us know whenever you add a species. Full details can be found by clicking the League Table option.           

Dusky Warbler, Kilnsea, November 2021 - John Hewitt

 

Is your Yorkshire List up to date or do you simply fancy joining the fun? If you require an electronic copy of the recently updated master list please email a request to yorkshirebirding1@gmail.com  and don’t forget to let us know whenever you add a species. Full details can be found by clicking the League Table option.            

After the rather brief appearance of a Taiga Flycatcher on the cliffs at Flamborough Head on 16th October there was a sigh of relief for lots of Yorkshire Listers when on 4th November this bird (below) was discovered at South Landing allowing those who didn't get into gear fast enough first time round a second bite of the cherry. Whether or not it was the same bird that had simply relocated was up for debate (although photos seem to suggest it probably was) but whatever the case it did the obliging thing and remained several days including a full weekend and better still was joined by a rather showy Red-flanked Bluetail! 

Taiga Flycatcher, Flamborough, South Landing, November 2021 - Tim Cowley

Red-flanked Bluetail, Flamborough, South Landing, November 2021 - Justin Carr

Paul French has kindly provided the following map which shows the Yorkshire boundary as used by the YNU and is also applicable for use in the Yorkshire birding Lister's League. For the more detailed sector maps please visit the IN OR OUT? - The Yorkshire Boundary page

Is your Yorkshire List up to date or do you simply fancy joining the fun? If you require an electronic copy of the recently updated master list please email a request to yorkshirebirding1@gmail.com  and don’t forget to let us know whenever you add a species. Full details can be found by clicking the League Table option.

Yesterday we posted Bob Thompson's photos of the Flamborough Taiga Flycatcher keeled over about five minutes after it had eaten a spider before normal behaviour was quickly resumed. Trevor Charlton offers an explanation: "I noticed an image on your blog that apparently shows the Taiga Flycatcher in distress. I photographed the bird quite early on, and saw it had a tick attached to its left ear covert. It tried to scratch and scrape it off. This is what’s captured in your photo and a couple more here."

Taiga Flycatcher, Flamborough, October 2021 - Trevor Charlton

OK, so not quite the Eye of the Taiga, but hopefully a Survivor! 

Two-barred Greenish Warbler, Kilnsea, October 21 - Colin O'Neil

Is your Yorkshire List up to date or do you simply fancy joining the fun? If you require an electronic copy of the recently updated master list please email a request to yorkshirebirding1@gmail.com  and don’t forget to let us know whenever you add a species. Full details can be found by clicking the Yorkshire Birding Listers League Table option.        

It’s been a remarkable last six weeks or so for Yorkshire listers following on from the Counties first ever (and long staying) White-tailed Lapwing at Blacktoft Sands (see previous post). For the full story read on…………..

On September 9^th a Green Warbler was discovered in the ringing area at Buckton and despite proving extremely tricky to see at times, it remained for several days allowing many Yorkshire (and British) listers to catch up with it. Assuming acceptance, Green Warbler is a new addition to the County list and as we don’t anticipate any issues with acceptance we are happy to allow its immediate inclusion for use in the Yorkshire Birding Lister’s League. Green Warbler should be added to your Yorkshire list immediately after Eastern Crowned Warbler.

Green Warbler, Buckton, September 2021 - Paul Coombes

Next up was a small wader found at Swillington Ings late in the day of 8^th October which was initially thought to be a Temminck’s Stint, then a Least Sandpiper before a series of photos surfaced which eventually confirmed its identity as Yorkshires first ever Long-toed Stint. The bird was a moulting adult that was always going to be a very tricky call but fortunately it hung around for a week and thus was added to many a Yorkshire (and British) list. Again, with no acceptance problems anticipated, we are happy to allow immediate inclusion for use in the Yorkshire Birding Lister’s League.             

Long-toed Stint, Swillington Ings, October 2021 - John Hewitt

Long-toed Stint, Swillington Ings, October 2021 - John Hewitt

The 16^th October was yet another red letter day with news breaking mid-afternoon that a bird at Flamborough Head initially identified as a Red-breasted Flycatcher was in fact Yorkshires second ever Taiga Flycatcher. Given that the only previous record was as long back as April 2003 (also at Flamborough),  it was no surprise that this species was needed by a good number of County lister’s and the actions of those who dropped everything to get there on the day were justified as there was sadly no sign the next day.          

Taiga Flycatcher, Flmborough, October 2021 - Bob Thompson

Bob Thompson’s remarkable shot of the bird shows it keeled over apparently dead, about five minutes after it had eaten a spider. Shortly after the photo was taken it was up again and feeding actively, although of course as we all know it wasn’t seen the following day.

And as if the Taiga Flycatcher wasn’t enough even later in the day of 16^th October and in a bizarre mirror of circumstances a bird at Spurn initially identified as a Yellow-browed Warbler was re-identified as a Two-barred Greenish Warbler. Once again this was a County second with the only previous record being a bird at Filey on 16^th – 18^th October 2006. Fortunately, unlike the Taiga Fly’ it did the decent thing and hung around for several days giving ample opportunity for most people to catch up with it.

Two-barred Greenish Warbler, Kilnsea, October 2021 - Thomas Willoughby

Two-barred Greenish Warbler, Kilnsea, October 2021 - Ian Smith

Two-barred Greenish Warbler, Kilnsea, October 2021 - John Hewitt

And finally………………… the official acceptance of a Hudsonian Whimbrel seen at South Gare on 4^th November 2020 by just two lucky observers, means that the Yorkshire list increases by yet one further given that the taxon is once again treated as a species in its own right. For those who wish to add it to their Yorkshire master list in the interest of completeness it should be added immediately below Whimbrel.

TRENDING!

 WE ARE UPDATING NOW!

The White-tailed Lapwing is still at Blacktoft today, get it on your list!

White-tailed Lapwing, Blacktoft Sands RSPB, August 2021 - Roy Twigg

 

WHITE-TAILED LAPWING - A NEW YORKSHIRE BIRD

Massive news today with the discovery of this superb White-tailed Lapwing at Blacktoft Sands RSPB, a new species for Yorkshire. As you would expect we are allowing the immediate inclusion of this bird for the purpose of the Yorkshire Listers League so if you saw it please let us know as we will be updating soon. White-tailed Lapwing should be added to your Yorkshire list immediately after Lapwing and before Golden Plover

White-tailed Lapwing, Blacktoft Sands RSPB, 26th August 2021 - Paul French

 

‘Subalpine Warblers’

 

With the recent splitting of the Subalpine Warblers now adopted by the BOU some Yorkshire birders will have gained an additional tick. Although most of the older records remain as undetermined or still being reviewed the following is a list of birds currently deemed countable for the Yorkshire Listers League.

 

Western Subalpine Warbler:

2014; Spurn, 20th May, 2cy male

2017; Spurn, 7th April to 8th April and again 16th to 17th April, 2cy male, trapped, DNA.

2019; Flamborough Head, 24th June, 2cy+ male.

 

Western Subalpine Warbler, Spurn 2017 - Ian Smith

 

Western Subalpine Warbler, Spurn 2017 - Ian Smith

Eastern Subalpine Warbler:

1968; Spurn, 9th May, 2cy male, trapped.

2002; South Gare, 8th to 9th June, in song.

2009; Spurn, 18th to 20th April, 2cy male.

2015; Flamborough Head, 1st September then intermittently to 1st October, male.

2018; Long Nab, Burniston, 26th to 27th May, 2cy+ male in song, photo, sound recording.

2018; South Gare, 31st May, 2cy+ male, photo.

2020; Kilnsea, 21st May, female trapped, DNA

2021; Spurn, singing male, 27th- 29th May.

 

We are allowing the inclusion of this year’s bird in May at Middle Camp, Spurn, as, with the many good photographs to back up identification it is expected to be formally accepted as Eastern Subalpine Warbler.

 

Eastern Subalpine Warbler, Spurn, May 2021 - Ian Smith

If you have seen any of those listed above you need to inform us and obviously if you have seen both Western and Eastern then we can add one to your tally. For those who have seen an unassigned Subalpine Warbler we are still happy to allow you to count it as one on your tally. Please note that these currently accepted records are not set in stone and we believe the BBRC are again reviewing 'Subalpine Warbler' records after the recent revelation that the tail feather pattern is an unreliable identification feature. We intend to publish any future changes here.

 

Western Subalpine Warbler should be added to your current master Yorkshire list immediately below Spectacled Warbler and Eastern Subalpine Warbler should be added immediately below Western Subalpine Warbler and thus before Sardinian Warbler.

'Eastern Stonechats'

Just a reminder of the current situation with the recently split 'Eastern Stonechat' which now comprises of two species, Siberian Stonechat and Stejneger's Stonechat. At the moment the only accepted Yorkshire records are as follows;

 

Siberian Stonechat:

2019; Kilnsea, 6th-7th October, 1cy, trapped, DNA.

2020;  South Gare, 24th-28th September, DNA.

Siberian Stonechat, Kilnsea, October 2019 - Ian Smith

Stejneger's Stonechat:

2016; Spurn Point, 22nd - 26th October, DNA.

2019; Easington, Peter Lane, 29th October - 13th November, DNA.

2020; South Gare, 17th-30th October, DNA.

 

Stejneger's Stonechat, Easington, November 2019 - Ian Smith

As with the 'Subalpine Warblers' we are happy to allow you to count any unassigned 'Eastern Stonechat' as one on your Yorkshire list

This Black Stork was seen passing through the Flamborough area on 7th August. Next day it was seen briefly at Grimston before being tracked down the coast with sightings at Withernsea, Holmpton and Out Newton where it seemed to be grounded by the heavy rain showers. The following morning it was picked up over Easington and then made a brief stop-off at Kilnsea Wetland before heading off south down the Spurn Peninsula and into Lincolnshire.  All photos taken at Kilnsea Wetlands - John Hewitt

 

Adult White-rumped Sandpiper, Kilnsea Wetlands, July 31st. All photos - John Hewitt

 

It's been quite a spring and summer for Rose-coloured Starlings in Yorkshire so far, this one residing at Driftwood, Kilnsea currently.     All photos - John Hewitt

 

 WESTERN RUFOUS TURTLE DOVE IN EASINGTON

On Friday 2nd July when Spurn stalwart Rich Swales arrived back home at Greenfield Bungalows, Easington from an afternoon birding session at Kilnsea Wetlands his wife Pat showed him a phone photo of a dove that had been in their garden  about 30 minutes previous. Despite being a rather blurry photograph Rich could see enough to say the bird was a Turtle Dove and immediately put it out on the Spurn radio network. A short while later the bird visited next door but one neighbours Paul and Georgia French who were amazed to see the bird was in fact a 'Western' Rufous Turtle Dove and they quickly put the news out. Over the past few days a large scale twitch has ensued with almost all Yorkshire birders who have seen it adding to their County tally. Special thanks should go to the various residents in Easington and in particular of Greenfield Bungalows for their hospitality in allowing viewing of the bird for the numerous visitors.

All photos - John Hewitt

After teasing many Yorkshire listers in recent years the Black-browed Albatross has finally done the decent thing and settled in at Bempton and although it can go AWOL for long periods most keen birders have now caught up with it. For those who have managed to get stunning close range views like this it will likely remain the bird of the year.     All photos - John Hewitt

Bee Eaters, Kilnsea, June 2021 - John Hewitt.     There was a huge arrival of Bee Eaters into the County during June with twitchable flocks for Yorkshire listers at Whitby and Kilnsea

Black Redstart, Holmpton, Jan 21 - Alan Whitehead

Russian White-fronted Geese, Kilnsea Wetlands, Jan 21 - John Hewitt