Rarity Round-Up
A wild bird hanging out at a zoo was the star of December’s rare birds
The best rare birds seen in the UK and Ireland during December
Iknow it is hard, but cast your mind back to November. A large straggly pipit which could have been just about anything was calling like a Paddyfield Pipit in a field in Cornwall. Good old DNA proved its identity as indeed a Paddyfield Pipit, and now all the BOURC have to do is determine whether it got into that field by fair means or foul, before they allow or block its admission to The British List.
In that same Sennen field was a Buff-bellied Pipit, which unlike its dishevelled cousin, lingered on (though was not seen every day) into December and was even still present in the next and present decade!
Meanwhile, the Hermit Thrush which was at Porth Hellick, St Mary’s, Scilly, since 18 November, stayed put until 7 December.
But it was another thrush, this time from the east, not the west, which caused the biggest stir during December. A male Black-throated Thrush was photographed by a non-birder on 11 December, at Whipsnade Zoo, Bedfordshire. After initial queries about whether the bird was in a cage or free flying, it transpired that the thrush was indeed enjoying the berries of the grounds of the zoo (wild!). Despite having to pay more than £ 20 for entry to the zoo, many birders turned up to admire the Black-throated Thrush, and were, at times, rewarded with sensational photographic opportunities.
It was still present into the New Year, providing a straightforward year tick – for those prepared to dip into their pockets, again.
As it happens, it was probably not the only Black-throated Thrush in the country during the month, with a first-winter seen briefly at Hamilton, Clyde, on 16th.
Eastern Yellow Wagtails galore
It has been an amazing autumn into winter for Eastern Yellow Wagtails. Since, their official ‘split’ as a species, they have become startlingly more numerous in the UK. The last couple of seasons had already produced nearly half a dozen. December joined in the fun, with perhaps the most attractive one yet. Most Eastern Yellow Wagtails we see over here are monochrome, grey first-winters, as was