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
9th 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 8th
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 16th
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 16th
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 16th – 18th 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
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| Two-barred Greenish Warbler, Kilnsea, October 2021 - Ian Smith |
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| Two-barred Greenish Warbler, Kilnsea, October 2021 - John Hewitt |
And
finally………………… the official acceptance of a Hudsonian Whimbrel seen at South
Gare on 4th 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.
