Jewel in the crown
Birders across the region were treated to an exceptional arrival of American landbirds throughout October, including a remarkable record from Germany and some Scandinavian surprises. Sam Viles reports.
Asuccession of transatlantic weather systems and persistent westerly winds delivered North American birds across a broad front stretching from Iceland to the Azores and at several points in between. Probably the most extraordinary record of all concerned a Red-breasted Nuthatch trapped and ringed at Tönsheider Wald, Germany, on 28th, an inland locality just north of Hamburg. This is just the fourth record for the region following two in Iceland and one in Britain – few would have predicted its occurrence on the German mainland!
Just as surprising was Switzerland’s first Common Yellowthroat at Magadino from 29th. Another yellowthroat – and another national first – was on the Norwegian coast at Øygarden the previous day. Also in Norway this month were a Grey-cheeked Thrush and Red-eyed Vireo on Utsira – the country’s third and fourth records respectively – and a Swainson’s Thrush at Drange.
The Netherlands’ first
Bobolink was photographed inland at Nieuwe Driemanspolder on 18th. Equally welcome was the country’s first Yellow-billed
Cuckoo at Maasvlakte on 12th, although it bizarrely flew into a canal and drowned soon after discovery. Making it a month of east meets west was a young male Yellow-browed Bunting – a national second – at Donderen from 21-24th.
In France, Ouessant enjoyed an incredible run of birds, including two national firsts
– a Baltimore Oriole on 5th and juvenile Northern Harrier from 6th. Supporting cast was provided by two Red-eyed Vireos, while nearby Île-de
Sein produced France’s second Common Nighthawk on 8th and – even more impressively – the country’s first Tree Swallow on 28-29th. Not to be forgotten on Ouessant was a Black-faced Bunting, while a Pechora Pipit was on Île-de-Sein – France’s third and fourth records respectively. An Eastern Yellow Wagtail was also on Île-de-Sein, with an Isabelline Shrike and Isabelline Wheatear both on Ouessant.
The first American Yellow Warbler for the Faroe Islands was an excellent find at Gasadalur, Vágar, on 7th, with an even more exceptional record seeing one reach the Danish mainland at Agger Tange the following day. The Faroes also boasted White-crowned Sparrow,
American Buff-bellied Pipit and American Black Duck on Suðuroy.
In Iceland, the region’s sixth Ruby-crowned Kinglet shared a Stokkseyri garden with the country’s fifth Common Yellowthroat on 12-13th. Elsewhere, Iceland’s fourth Rose-breasted Grosbeak was at Eyrarbakki on 2-3rd, an American Buff-bellied Pipit was on Grímsey and the White-winged Scoter remained at Keflavík.
Sweden’s second Song Sparrow was found a long way inland in mistnets at Djura Nöbbele on 19th. The country’s second Dark-eyed Junco was at Karlstad on 12th. Meanwhile, the second Red-eyed Vireo for Italy was on Lampedusa on
29th.
Considering the veritable riches on offer elsewhere, the Azores had a rather quiet October by its lofty standards. A Least Bittern on Corvo on 10th was perhaps the greatest prize on offer; other island highlights included American Redstart, Black-and-white Warbler, American Robin, Dickcissel, two Scarlet Tanagers, Rosebreasted Grosbeak and three Bobolinks. Additional supporting cast comprised a Magnificent Frigatebird, two Brown Boobies, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Lesser
Whitethroat and Hudsonian Whimbrel.
Star birds on Flores included Mourning Dove, Green Heron and Hudsonian Whimbrel, with a new Pied-billed Grebe, Snowy Egret and Western Sandpiper on Terceira. Two drake Wood Duck were on offer: one on
São Miguel and one on Flores. American Great Egrets and Great Blue Herons, meanwhile, were on two and three islands apiece.
A wider influx of Pallid Swifts across north-west Europe produced an astonishing count of 14 on Vlieland, The Netherlands, on 28th, although even more notable still was the country’s first White-rumped
Swift over Schiermonnikoog on 26th – found while the observers looked for three
Pallids seen earlier in the day. Vlieland also played host to an Isabelline Wheatear and Red-tailed Shrike, while a Paddyfield Warbler was ringed at Meijendel, an Eastern Yellow Wagtail was on Texel and a Black Scoter returned to waters off Schiermonnikoog. On 31st, The Netherlands’ first autumn Alpine Accentor was on a rooftop in Middelburg.
On the French mainland, meanwhile, a juvenile Longlegged Buzzard was at Thibie, a Brown Booby flew past Cap Gris-Nez and Sociable Lapwings were at two sites, while the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Bridled Tern and Elegant Tern all remained early in the month. A potential Italian first concerned an Indian Silverbill at Arma di Taggia – a potential vagrant from naturalised populations in neighbouring France.
In Belgium, a Bonelli’s Eagle flew over Hollain and a Rock Bunting was at Membach, while last month’s Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler at Zeebrugge remained until 2nd. Two Desert Wheatears were in the Channel Islands – at Noirmont Point, Jersey, and Pleinmont, Guernsey – with
Pallid Swifts on both Alderney and Jersey.
A Siberian Accentor was trapped and ringed at Stora Fjäderägg, Sweden, on 6th. Norway’s third and fourth Twobarred Warblers were at Fedje and Kvitsøy, with two apiece of White’s Thrush, Oriental Turtle Dove and Pechora Pipit noted. Randers, Denmark, hosted a Hooded Merganser from 19th and a Pine Bunting was on Christiansø, with two Black Scoter off the coast. Finland’s second Pygmy Cormorant at Maari and Kotka follows the country’s first earlier this year.
A Polish surprise saw the country score with a first-winter male Red-headed Bunting at Hel on 6th – a national first – and a Blyth’s Pipit there on 22nd. Germany’s third Two-barred Warbler was inadvertently photographed on Heligoland on 4th, with two Long-billed Dowitchers at Hauke-HaienKoog.
Hungary enjoyed two national firsts: a Sandhill Crane at Balmazújváros and an Armenian Gull at Debrecen. A Yellowbrowed Warbler at Spille was a first for Albania, while Georgia’s first Hume’s Leaf Warbler was at Batumi. Just the second Blackwinged Kite for Bulgaria was at Kaliakra, with Slovenia’s third Long-tailed Skua at Cerknica. Some five Sociable Lapwings were in Hungary.
An impressive count of three South Polar Skuas was logged from a pelagic off Muxía, Spain, on 1st, with another from a boat trip out of Gijón mid-month. Brown Boobies flew past three sites and an Elegant Tern was at Chipiona. Least Sandpipers were at Nois and Cecebre reservoir. Another was on Sal, Cape
Verde, where there was also a
Solitary Sandpiper. Two House Buntings in Gibraltar in recent weeks constitute the territory’s third and fourth records, while Portuguese birders enjoyed a Lesser Crested Tern at Lagoa dos Salgados, Algarve.
In Israel, the remarkable occurrence of up to 20 Swinhoe’s Storm Petrels in the Red Sea off Eilat on 17th is by far the largest count ever recorded in the Western Palearctic and is close to unprecedented anywhere away from the Pacific Ocean. A Verreaux’s Eagle near
Eilat from 20th is the first twitchable since the 1980s. A Crested Honey Buzzard overflew Akrotiri, Cyprus, on 11th. ■