Analysis: Western Palearctic
It was an exciting month across the region, although Israeli birders had most to shout about, with a wonderful suite of rarities on offer. Sam Viles reports.
It was an exciting month across the region, although Israeli birders had most to shout about, with a wonderful suite of rarities on offer.
In what has fast become a red-letter spring in Israel, a Chinese Pond Heron at Jerusalem Botanical Gardens from 13th is especially noteworthy in helping to consolidate the vagrancy potential of this species to Europe and the Middle East, where there remain a number of records consigned to the Category D holding pen. This is Israel’s first; the only two accepted Western Palearctic records come from Britain: in Norfolk and Hampshire in November 2004 and Kent from January 2014.
The ninth White-backed Vulture for the region – and the first for Israel – was photographed in the Judean Desert on 30th by a local ranger. Meanwhile, the first Lappet-faced Vulture since 2015 was at Yotvata on 27-28th and an Oriental Turtle Dove was at Nahal Kasui.
Potentially the first Yellowbilled Kite for Europe and The Netherlands at Lauwersoog on 11-12th was very much out of left field, although captive origin presumably can’t be ruled out for this sub-Saharan relative of Black Kite. It later resurfaced over Wangerooge, Germany, on 15-16th.
Another great day for Turkey’s rarity-finding extraordinaire, Emin Yogurtcuoglu, saw the country’s first Egyptian Nightjar at Milleyha Shores on 22nd, alongside two Arabian Dunn’s Larks – the second national record – and two Greater Hoopoe-Larks – the country’s third. Turkey’s fifth Crested Honey Buzzard was photographed over Istanbul on 23rd.
An exceptional influx of Hooded Wheatears into the eastern
Mediterranean included an individual in northern Lebanon – a national first. Others included a female at Bogazkent, Turkey, two in Greece – a first-winter male at Ipsilou Monastery, Lesvos, and a female on Antikythera – and no fewer than five in Cyprus, with three at Cape Greco.
April saw an unprecedented number of Semi-collared Flycatchers in the eastern Mediterranean, too, with recordbreaking numbers across Italy, with five around Rome. Others were Croatia’s second at Istria on 5th, and one in France at Labergement-Sainte-Marie on 24th.
Malta’s first Temminck’s Lark for more than 50 years was a turn up for the books on 25th. April also saw the third and fourth White-crowned Wheatears for the islands.
In an action-packed month for Spain, a Bar-tailed Lark at L’Albufera de València was the stand-out highlight. Elegant Terns were back at Marjal dels Moros (two) and Salinas de Santa
Pola (three), at least two Lesser
Flamingos held out at Laguna de Fuente de Piedra and a Western Reef Heron was at Blanes.
The region’s ninth Lesser Moorhen was photographed in the Canary Islands at Oasis Wildlife Park, Fuerteventura, on 19 March. Meanwhile, a singing Boyd’s Shearwater in a Barolo Shearwater colony on La Gomera on 22 December is just a second for the Canaries; the third Pallid Harrier for the islands was at
Los Rodeos, Tenerife, at the start of April. Tenerife’s wintering Hudsonian Whimbrel remained.
Ludo, Portugal, produced a male Black-faced Bunting on 10th, while Madeira’s first Trumpeter Finch was at Ponta do Pargo on 7-8th.
In the Azores, an immature Purple Gallinule was taken into care at Ponta Delgada, São Miguel, on 12th. A male Indigo Bunting on Corvo on 22nd was the archipelago’s second spring record. On Pico, two Double-crested Cormorants lingered off Madalena, while the Belted Kingfisher and a Great Blue Heron were at Lajes do Pico. Other Great Blue Herons were at Fajã Grande, Flores, on 1st and Praia da Vitória, Terceira, on 4th.
A Black-browed Albatross tracked into the Baltic Sea past Skagen, Denmark, on 17th, gracing a number of Danish and Swedish sites before touring between Malmö and Saltholm on 25-26th. Perhaps the regular North Sea wanderer, it was warmly received by birders on both sides of the Øresund (but not by the resident White-tailed Eagles, which appear to have attacked and killed it).
Denmark’s Sandhill Crane remained at Dokkedal until 7th, moving west to settle at Torup Holme from 22-24th. A satellitetagged Bonelli’s Eagle flew north over Skagen on 20th. Norway’s first Baikal Teal was at Hellesjøvannet, with the nation’s 10th Steppe Eagle at Røst.
Iceland’s fifth Killdeer was at Hamragarðar on 6th, where the Dark-eyed Junco at Helluvatn narrowly made the cut-off, last reported on 1st. A drake Black Scoter flew past Iso Harmaaletto, Finland – the country’s seventh.
Katthammarsvik, Sweden, hosted a female Greater
Sand Plover from 29th, while Stejneger’s Scoter were at Landsort, Öja (two), and Hörnefors.
In the Low
Countries, The
Netherlands’ first Marmora’s Warbler was a one-day visitor to Julianadorp on 21st, with the country’s fourth Dark-eyed Junco at Koudum on 27th. Elsewhere, Ross’s Gulls were at both Scheveningen and IJmuiden, with a Lesser Spotted Eagle over Raalte on 21st. A new drake Baikal Teal was at Zevenhoven; Belgium’s female remained at
Wechelderzande until mid-month. Belgium’s fifth Franklin’s Gull was at Stavele.
A juvenile Bearded Vulture from the Massif Central reintroduction project roosted on the outskirts of Le Havre, France, from 24-26th, heading north-east to Stropersbos, Belgium, on 29-30th and Arnhem, The Netherlands, on 3rd. Meanwhile, an adult Black-browed
Albatross was photographed off Sept-Îles, France, on 1st and two Elegant Terns were at Ile de Ré. Germany’s Spotted Sandpiper remained at Kitzeberg, with two Pygmy Cormorants present elsewhere.
Jersey scored big with a brief Alpine Accentor on castle ruins at Grosnez Point on 27th – another would be very warmly received anywhere in Britain and Ireland. Alderney’s Eurasian Stone-curlew on 2nd is the island’s first record in more than 100 years, with a drake Green-winged Teal at St Ouen’s Pond, Jersey, to 2nd just the second for the Channel Islands; a Little Bunting was at Pleinmont, Guernsey, too.
Serbia’s first Isabelline Wheatear was at Pirot on 12th; the cCoaupntitorny’s first Sociable Lapwing was at Niš on 9th. Elsewhere, an adult Sociable Plover was at Wierzbnica, Poland, and a White-headed Duck was at Durankulak Lake, Bulgaria – a national third. Oriental Turtle Doves were recorded at Sulgen, Switzerland, and Porcia, Italy – the latter’s fourth.
In Slovakia, an Iberian Chiffchaff singing away by Freedom Cycling Bridge – locally known as Chuck Norris Bridge – Devínská Nova Ves, on 20th was a national first. A Buff-breasted Sandpiper was at Sankt Andrä am Zicksee, Austria, with the Czech Republic’s second Slender-billed Gull at Chropyne, while an adult Audouin’s Gull was at Kilngnauer Stausee, Switzerland.
A Western Reef Heron was at Kastoria, Greece, towards the month’s end, with Crete’s first Long-billed Dowitcher at Heraklion.
Belatedly reported, Tunisia’s first Dark Chanting Goshawk was photographed over Cap
Bon in the far north-east of the country on 22 September 2019, the species’ northernmost occurrence and just a short hop across to Sicily, Italy. ■