Rarity Round-up
May started somewhat slowly, before the middle of the month saw an explosion of rarities
The best rare birds seen in the UK and Ireland throughout May
Though the month started off relatively quietly, with the rare bird news dominated by long-stayers, things were about to kick-off in style. It was May, after all. May’s opening gambit of megas included the Suffolk American Bittern (showing, arguably, better than ever), the first-summer Green Heron in an MP’S garden at Llan-mill, Pembrokeshire (which may still be present, but after the first week of the month, the garden became ‘out of bounds’); and the American White-winged Scoter at Musselburgh, Lothian. These birds were ably supported early in the month by a very showy Little Bittern at Waren Mill, Northumberland; seven or so Purple Herons, and some beautiful White-billed Divers still lingering off the Aberdeenshire coast at Portsoy. A Black-headed Wagtail was at Bournemouth Airport, Dorset; with another at Happisburgh, Norfolk. Remember when these were extremely rare birds? Into the second week of the month, highlights included a male Northern Harrier on St Mary’s, Scilly. The Snowy Owl was once again located in south Lincolnshire at Freiston Shore, and there was a Spotted Sandpiper in Somerset (at Portbury Wharf, 11th to 13th).
Mid-month megas
But the most dramatic action of the month took place in the middle of May, when Shetland suddenly started to hog the headlines in style. Unst was the first island to grab the ‘mega’ headlines, with the discovery, at Baliasta (14th) of a Marmora’s Warbler, which was the first record from the archipelago, and just the seventh for the UK (if accepted, which it surely will be). Also on 14th and also on Unst, a Heatherlea group led by Mark Warren found a Black-faced Bunting at Valyie at roughly the same time (and before they had heard about the Marmora’s Warbler on the same island). There have been just five accepted records of Black-faced Bunting (the first being in 1994). These included one on Fair Isle, Shetland, in 2001. Additionally, there was one on Bressay, Shetland for 10 days or so in October 2016. But this year’s bird is the first spring record of this mega-rare, Dunnock-like, eastern bunting. Incredibly, the same day (14th) would produce
yet another first record for Shetland, with a Crag Martin discovered on Fair Isle in the evening (and it was seen going to roost). It was still present there the next day, but even more amazing, then, was the finding of yet another mega, a Song Sparrow. This is the first UK record of this North American ‘sparrow’ since 1994, and there have only ever been eight previous records. The Crag Martin was last seen on 16th, while the Song Sparrow stayed another couple of days (to 18th). Tern for the better The heavily marked female Snowy Owl was again located at Freiston Shore, south Lincolnshire. Also black spotted was a Spotted Sandpiper at Portbury Warf, Somerset, on 11th to 13th. From the middle of the month, there was a bit of a mini-influx of White-winged Black Terns, with these black-and-white beauties appearing at at least eight sites around England during the month, including two together (and in the company of Black Terns) at Eyebrook Reservoir, Leicestershire/ Rutland (21st to 22nd). Following on from the earlier influx of whitespotted Bluethroats, there was also a bit of a wave of the red-spotted subspecies starting in the second week. The red-spotted Bluethroats that pass through the UK are Scandinavian breeders, and are later in their migration than the more southerly breeding white-spotted birds, presumably as they are ‘waiting’ for things to warm up before they head north to the breeding grounds. Around the same time, there were also several records of Marsh Warbler and the start of a promising wave of Red-backed Shrike records. Flushed with pink But perhaps the most significant ‘invasion’ of the spring and summer was also just starting, with nearly 30 adult Rose-coloured Starlings found across the country, particularly in the south-west of England, but pretty widely distributed. Rosecoloured Starlings are an irruptive species, and there has clearly been something of an irruption, bringing flocks of more than 1,000 across Greece, and more than 500 seen in the south of France. The May birds were almost certainly just the first of exceptional numbers that may well arrive during the summer. Coming to a garden near you? Late in the month, there were many exciting happenings. These included a calling female Little Crake at RSPB Ouse Fen, Cambridgeshire, a male Black-headed Bunting at Portland, Dorset, Paddyfield Warbler at Scatness, Shetland, and a Great Reed Warbler on St Mary’s Scilly. One of the highlights of the month for many, despite its northern locality, was a Moltoni’s (Subalpine) Warbler at Duncansby Head, Highland. Finally, a Gull-billed Tern was at Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB, Cheshire (23rd to 24th), then further south in the Slimbridge area, Gloucestershire (25th to 29th).