SONG SPARROW SHOCK

It was a huge surprise to Yorkshire birders when photos emerged on social media of a singing Song Sparrow at Thornwick Bay taken during the morning of 8th June. As the news was only picked up late in the day it wasn't until the next morning that other birders were able to search for it but sadly there was no sign all day. Most people assumed that to be the end of the matter, but remarkably early next morning news broke that the bird was back singing in the exact same gulley it had been photographed in two days previous. Fortunately it stayed loyal to the same spot all day and although it could be tricky to get on, it often revealed itself by giving little bursts of song and by the end of the day most people were able to connect with the bird and add it to their Yorkshire tallies, although at the time of writing the bird hasn't been seen since

Update on Yorkshire Listers League

Given the current complications of taxonomy changes which will shortly impact the Yorkshire list it seems likely that we will publish an updated version of the Yorkshire list spread sheet for participants to fill in and return a copy to us. Until then we will postpone any updates to the Listers League Table. Watch this space!

Song Sparrow, Thornwick Bay, June 2025 - Lee Johnson

Song Sparrow, Thornwick Bay, June 2025 - Ian Smith

 

WORTH A GANDER?

There was a bit of excitement over the weekend with the relocation of seven Lesser White-fronted Geese at Palmers Flash, Flamborough. They were first seen arriving off the sea at Flamborough on 9th November and were not seen again until this weekend (16th Nov) when they reappeared. They originated from  the Swedish release scheme which is currently doing well, so we assume BBRC will assign them to Category E (thus not countable for YB Listers League) but most observers would agree that they are well worth seeing. The ringed bird is a male and was released as a juvenile in northern Sweden in July 2018 returning there since and wintering in the Netherlands. The three juveniles are apparently its offspring raised in northern Sweden this year having been paired with an un-ringed female which is likely one of the adults in the flock, the family having been last seen in Strigen in the Netherlands on 7th October. 

Lesser White-fronted Geese, Flamborough, Nov 24 - John Hewitt

 

SCARLET FEVER!

Scarlet Tanager, Halifax, November 2024 - Ian Smith

The big news currently for Yorkshire Listers is the appearance of the County's first ever Scarlet Tanager at Shelf, Halifax. News of the birds presence first broke Sunday when pictures of it appeared on social media and it soon transpired that it had been around several days. It's still present today, but is frequenting private gardens in and around a quiet cul-de-sac and with often limited viewing this is making it a tricky bird to catch up with, particularly today, when it was only sighted a couple of times in the morning. Hopefully it will stick around and perhaps find somewhere where it is more easily viewed. The bird itself is a first-year male and we do not envisage any issues with it's official ratification and as such are happy for anyone who has successfully caught up with it to add it to their Listers League tally. Scarlet Tanager should be inserted to your list immediately below Blackpoll Warbler and don't forget to let us know if you've seen by emailing yorkshirebirding1@gmail.com

The rest of November so far has gone pretty much as might be expected with the likes of Hume's, Pallas's, Radde's and Dusky Warblers reminding us that autumn has almost drawn to close, however, the relocation of the two "assumed genuine" vagrant Snow Geese to Swinemoor has made them far more guaranteed and we expect the species to be added to a lot more Yorkshire lists of the next few days.

Snow Geese, Swinemoor, November 2024 - Steve Clipperton

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Hume's Warbler, Easington, November 24 - Ian Smith

Pallas's Warbler, Easington, November 24 - Ian Smith

SHRIKE DELIGHT FOR SOME AS KEEN LISTERS FLOCK FOR A GANDER

Bempton's superb run of rarities continued when it hosted what was a normally obliging first-winter 'Isabelline' Shrike which was widely touted as being a Daurian. Isabelline Shrikes are currently split into two by the BOU/IOC, Daurian and Turkestan, however, rumours are rife that the two are soon to be lumped but we will have to wait and see. Additionally, our current understanding is that BBRC do not consider it is safe to assign site records of first-winter birds to one or the other and currently accept them as Daurian/Turkestan.  Even DNA profiling has proved inconclusive so far, although this is still being worked on. Anyway, for anyone who had seen no 'Isabelline' Shrike in Yorkshire previously, then the Bempton bird was a very worthy addition. 

The other main late October excitement was the discovery of two Snow Geese on the Humber at Reads Island in with the masses of Pink-feet. Although, as a rule, most Snow Geese seen in Britain are assumed to be escapes, bird seen with large flocks of Pink-feet in winter are generally thought to be wild and so, unless any negative reason comes to light we are more than happy to allow people to count these birds providing the boundary criteria is met. Although the birds were normally in Lincolnshire they did sometimes venture onto the Yorkshire side of the Humber which did allow some of the keener County listers the chance to add the species to their tally, usually by viewing from North Ferriby. This seems like a good time to remind folk of the Yorkshire Birding Listers League rules for situations like this, that is that both the bird AND the observer must be in Yorkshire to be deemed countable.

Isabelline Shrike, Bempton, October 2024 - Rich Willison

Olive-backed Pipit, Thornwick Bay, October 2024 - Rich Willison

 

Below, Grey Phalarope, Bridlington, October 2024 - John Hewitt

FIRST FOR YORKSHIRE AT BEMPTON RSPB YORKSHIRE 

 

There are plenty of decent birds on the coast currently following a good spell of easterly winds but without question the pick of bunch is Yorkshire's first ever Pale-legged Leaf Warbler which is currently still present at Bempton RSPB. The bird was first thought to be an Arctic Warbler and had mostly been very elusive but after several days and some very smart work by a determined group of locals a sound recording was obtained which confirmed its true identity as a Pale-legged Leaf Warbler. As Britain's only previous definite record was of one picked up dead on Scilly this was always going to be of huge national interest too and with its true identity only coming to light (or dark!) late on Friday a Saturday of chaos was widely predicted. However, some very good organisation by staff at the reserve ensured that this was not the case and everybody managed to catch up with what was a very mobile bird. As we envisage no issue with the acceptance of this bird we are happy to allow it to be included on your Yorkshire Birding Listers League List with immediate effect and should be inserted between Arctic and Greenish Warbler.

Meanwhile, down the coast at Kilnsea, a very showy Arctic Warbler was enjoyed by many and was also backed up by a superbly obliging Pallid Harrier as well as an American Wigeon. With strong easterly winds and rain as we go to press what might we get next? Watch this space!   

Pale-legged Leaf Warbler, Bempton RSPB, September 2024 - Damian Money

Pale-legged Leaf Warbler, Bempton RSPB, September 2024 - Ian Smith


Below, Arctic Warbler, Kilnsea, October 24 - John Hewitt

 East Feast!

A good blast of easterlies in recent days has brought a nice fall of drift migrants to the coast but best of all an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler at Flamborough which is only the Counties third ever record, following birds at Flamborough in September 2010 and Long Nab, Scarborough in September 2023,

Yellow-browed Warbler, Kilnsea, Sept 24 - Rich Willison

Red-breasted Flycatcher, Kilnsea, Sept 24 - John Hewitt

Eastern Stonechat, Spurn, Sept 24 -John Hewitt

Spurn Bird Migration Festival

A few highlights from the Spurn 'MigFest'

Bee Eater - John Hewitt

Male Red-breasted Flycatcher - John Hewitt

Wood Warbler - John Hewitt

Wryneck - John Hewitt