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

 

STILT STEALS THE LIMELIGHT

The big excitement for the majority of Yorkshire listers was the discovery of an adult Stilt Sandpiper at Beacon Ponds, Kilnsea on August 30th, almost 70 years to the day when Britain's first was discovered at the very same site! This latest bird was only the third Yorkshire record, the second being in 1989 when one was present at Flamborough on 2nd July (not twitchable for whatever reason!) before moving to Catwick next day and staying there until a rather premature departure on 4th. Because of this, quite a number of the top County listers had missed out, so the Kilnsea bird was very much an un-blocker, being seen by a good 500 people.

Stilt Sandpiper, Beacon Ponds, August 2024 - John Hewitt

CHEERS THEN BEERS!

What was presumably the Finningley Black-winged Pratincole (last seen in evening of 17th) was relocated at Kilnsea Wetlands next afternoon (18th) and then toured between Kilnsea and Easington becoming a surprise addition to almost every local birders garden list!

Black-winged Pratincole, Kilnsea Wetlands, July 2024 - Ian Smith

Below, Black-winged Pratincole, Kilnsea Wetlands, July 2024 - John Hewitt

 

STILL PRATTING ABOUT?

The Black-winged Pratincole is now finding its way on to many a Yorkshire list since it has become reliable to see in Yorkshire in its new chosen spot at Finningley. You may still have to wait though! Congratulations to Paul Morris who joined the Yorkshire 400 club by adding this bird. Meanwhile, there was more excitement over at Kilnsea Wetlands when a Gull-billed Tern paid a flying visit (less than an hour) on Sunday

Gull-billed Tern, Kilnsea Wetlands, July 2024 - Ian Smith

Gull-billed Tern, Kilnsea Wetlands, July 2024 - John Hewitt

REMEMBER TO UPDATE YOUR LIST

Added the Misson Black-winged Pratincole to your Yorkshire list or maybe need to let us know you saw last years lingering Black Kite which has now been formally accepted. Bring your list up to date now by letting us know. Or, 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.   

Do you have photos of any scarce or rare birds taken in Yorkshire that might be suitable to post on this site? If so they would be very much appreciated. Please submit to  the email address above

 MISSON ACOMPLISHED FOR A FORTUNATE FEW!

June finished with a real blocker for a fortunate few when a Black-winged Pratincole (first seen at Lound, Nottinghamshire on 19^th) was relocated at Misson on 29^th very close to the Notts / Yorkshire border. County border birding is fraught with difficulties, but in short both the bird and the observer must be in Yorkshire before being countable in the Yorkshire Listers League and on the 29^th they weren’t, however, first thing next day those who had rolled the dice were rewarded when both conditions were met. This must have been especially satisfying for local, David Hursthouse who had relocated the bird at Misson the previous day (after what was surely the same bird had been seen brief at Potteric Carr) as it took him firmly back to the top of the Yorkshire Listers League. A few lucky listers (including a car load from Spurn) managed to scramble through in time to see the bird in Yorkshire before it flew back into Notts frustrating those who arrived after, as it remained there all day.

All photos, Alan Clewes

STOP PRESS: This bird has just been relocated at Misson though currently in Notts, we wait with bated breath!

 

Wader buffs didn’t have long to for more excitement when an interesting peep first seen and heard over Kilnsea Wetlands was eventually tracked down, proving to be the Counties fourth ever Least Sandpiper. It hung around for a few hours before flying off south with a Dunlin and hasn’t been seen since.

Least Sandpier, Kilnsea Wetlands, July 24 - John Hewitt

BLACK KITE DELIGHT

The great news for most Yorkshire listers is that last spring’s lingering Black Kite first seen in the Helmsey area on 17^th April has now been officially accepted by YNURC and thus is now deemed countable for the purpose of the Yorkshire Listers League. IF YOU SAW THIS BIRD AND IT NEEDS ADDING TO YOUR TALLY PLEASE LET US KNOW EVEN IF YOU HAVE DONE SO PREVIOUSLY SO WE CAN CHECK IT HAS BEEN ADDED FOR YOU.

 

Black Kite, North Yorkshire, April 23 - Rich Willison

Meanwhile good news looks to be imminent for those who caught up with last autumns Red-headed Bunting at Flamborough. The species has now been accepted onto category A of the British list following the sighting of a first-winter bird on Out Skerries, Shetland from 2^nd – 8^th October 2010. Previously, records in the UK were frequent and generally assumed escapees but since the cessation of legal importation of this species at the turn of the century there have been just three other UK sightings and presumably the location, date and age of the Shetland bird were the key factors in finally taking it onto Category A of the official British list. We will of course still have to wait for official acceptance of the Flamborough bird but as the record pretty much mirrors the Skerries bird we are certainly expecting acceptance as a wild bird soon. Watch this space!

 Red-headed Bunting, Flamborough, Oct 23 - Paul Coombes

Early May and finally an arrival of rare and scarce birds on the East Coast including a presumed Siberian Stonechat (singing male) and this unquestionable male Collared Flycatcher trapped in Kilnsea and remaining for two days.

Collared Flycatcher, Kilnsea, May 24 - John Hewitt