Analysis: Western Palearctic
News of Mongolian Finches in Scandinavia posed the question of whether this species is a realistic candidate for turning up on our shores, while the Azores enjoyed a wealth of North American species. Sam Viles reports.
A busy month in the region saw a surprising Swedish first and an array of goodies in the Azores.
Amale Mongolian Finch discovered at Venjan, central Sweden, from 25-27th was comfortably the most eye-opening record of an action-packed month. With just a single previous European report – a firstwinter male trapped on Malta in November 2013 – even more remarkably, this latest occurrence pulled a belated Norwegian sighting out of the woodwork, with another male on the North Sea coast at Åndalsnes on 19 October 2018. In a quieter month for neighbouring Norway, an Eastern Yellow Wagtail at Klepp, Rogaland, was the highlight.
In what has proved to be an exceptional autumn for visitors from across the Atlantic, unsurprisingly it was the Azores that dominated proceedings.
Corvo opened the month with Tennessee Warbler and Northern Parula, while the Western Pal’s fourth Eastern Wood Pewee was there on 4th. A Bay-breasted Warbler was a smart find on
22nd, while other island highlights included a Black-and-white
Warbler, Ovenbird, Blackpoll Warbler, Northern Parula, two Myrtle Warblers, Common Nighthawk, Bobolink, two Rosebreasted Grosbeaks, Scarlet Tanager, two Swainson’s Thrushes, at least two Yellow-billed Cuckoos, Semipalmated Plover, pale-morph Rough-legged Hawk, and another Philadelphia Vireo.
Away from Corvo, another Common Nighthawk was on Flores, a Green Heron was at Cabrito Reservoir, Terceira, and a female Belted Kingfisher was at Lajes do Pico, Pico. The resident Piedbilled Grebe remained at Lagoa das Furnas, São Miguel, while a Hudsonian Whimbrel was new at Ponta Delgada. An impressive Double-crested Cormorant influx inundated the islands, with no fewer than 10 birds involved.
Continuing the Nearctic flair, Iceland hosted a first-winter female Northern Parula at Grindavík on 12th. The Alder Flycatcher and Swainson’s Thrush remained at Hvalsnes and Seltjörn at the very start of the month, while no fewer than three Redeyed Vireos were found. From the east, the country’s third Paddyfield Warbler was at Suðursveit on
2nd, with a Blyth’s Reed Warbler at Brunnhóll the previous day. A drake Black Scoter was at Þvottárskriður, while a returning drake White-winged Scoter was off Keflavík. On the other side of the White-winged Scoter split, Latvia’s first Stejneger’s Scoter was off Kolka mid-month.
After departing British shores late on 15th, exciting news from France concerned the potential reemergence of ‘Vigo’ the Bearded Vulture, with an immature thought
to be the popular British visitor tracked over Vallon-en-Sully on 21st before being photographed at Givors on 26th. Meanwhile, a Redeyed Vireo was ringed at Reserve Naturelle de Moëze-Oléron near the start of the month, although a Sociable Lapwing east of Troyes was a more tantalising record for British birders. Ouessant scored a Hornemann’s Arctic Redpoll from 25th, with two Eastern Yellow Wagtails also on the island. A
Little Swift was atChât el a ill onPlage on 25 th.
Both rare Siberian accentors are always good value and in Finland a Siberian Accentor trapped at Säppi on 10th was complimented by a Black-throated Accentor at Hanko on 24th. The former location also hosted an Asian Desert Warbler, with an Oriental Turtle Dove at Ilomantsi.
Denmark recorded its first White-rumped Swift on 27th, when one appeared at Vejby Strand during a Europe-wide influx of Pallid Swifts. A national first, Eastern Yellow Wagtail was at Nordhavnstippen, although this was rather upstaged by a Dusky Thrush at Sorthat at the month’s end. Elsewhere, Denmark’s third Spotted Sandpiper was at Lønstrup Strand, while the first Little Ringed Plover and Isabelline Shrike for the Faroes were both at Sumba, alongside a Steller’s Eider.
Germany scored two national seconds mid-month, with a Twobarred Warbler on Heligoland alongside a netted first-winter female Siberian Rubythroat at Greifswalder Oie. Austria’s first Asian Desert Warbler also made its way into nets at Illmitz on 30th, although the country’s first Bimaculated Lark at Tachenberger Moos on the same date was arguably more impressive. Estonia’s first Eastern Black Redstart was at Pärispea.
The Belgian coastal ringing site of Het Zwin had a real purple patch on the morning of 12th, when a first-winter female Siberian Rubythroat in the nets was followed by a White-throated Sparrow less than an hour later. The country’s first Little Swift was at Zeebrugge on 26th, while the ninth Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler was at nearby Heist-aanZee.
The Netherlands was treated to its first-ever Blackpoll Warbler on Texel on 25th, while a lostlooking Brown Booby appeared on a ship at the port of Maasvlakte on the same date. Elsewhere, the country’s second Western
Orphean Warbler was a brief visitor to Noordwijk, while the nation’s third Little Swift was on Vlieland and a White’s Thrush was at Ouddorp.
Spain’s Nearctic highlight was a juvenile Least Sandpiper at Xunqueira de Lagares, while elsewhere there was a Common Bulbul at Almería – a fair distance from the fledgling Tarifa colony – a Blyth’s Pipit at Muxía and a Sociable Lapwing at Puerto Villareal de Olivenza. Unfortunately, the country’s fourth Eyebrowed Thrush was shot at Facinas on 25th
In the Mediterranean, Maltese ringers lucked onto two Moussier’s Redstarts – at Colmino and Ghadira – with two others on the Italian island of Linosa, where a wayward Trumpeter Finch was also to be found. The first Cypriot Oriental Skylark at Phassouri reedbeds, Akrotiri, was a nice way to end the month for the island nation.
Thrilling news from Israel concerned the country’s second Persian Shearwater off Eilat; a Greater Paintedsnipe at HaMa’apil was another smart find. In
Kuwait, a returning Indian Roller was at Sulaibiya Pivot Fields, increasing to two at the month’s end. A radiotagged Macqueen’s Bustard originating from Reneco, a Kazakhstani breeding centre, was found exhausted at Trabzon, Turkey on 19th, only the second modern-day record for the country. ■