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.