From: sjbuckle@minster.york.ac.uk
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Rarities in the British Isles, November 1992
Date: 7 Jan 93 17:50:50 GMT
Organization: Department of Computer Science, University of York, England

I hope I'm not doing anything illegal by posting this "rarity round-up" from
"Birdwatching" magazine, Britain's top-selling wild bird magazine (January
1993 issue). I thought it might be of interest to American birders as there
are a lot of American species mentioned.

                       "ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT:
       Britain was lashed by gale after gale, but the Atlantic onslaught
       only produced a handful of American rarities such as Pied-Billed
       Grebe to tempt birders into the field.

   NOVEMBER WAS one of the wettest on record as depression after depression
swept in from the Atlantic. Perhaps the weather restricted bird-finding
activity, as it was certainly an extremely lean period. However, there were
bright spells with some class rarities.

   AN ADULT winter-plumaged Pied-Billed Grebe at Argal reservoir, Cornwall (28th
onwards) was an extremely long-overdue county first. It was well received by
Cornish birders, but attracted little wider interest owing to Oxfordshire's
easily accessible bird in May.

   The first accepted British record was at Blagdon Lake in 1963, since when
there have been, including this one, a further 14 birds. Three of these have
shown site fidelity, returning to the same area, sometimes for several years.

   This species appears similar to the Little Grebe in its behaviour and, like
that bird, seems physically unlikely to fly any distance. However, part of the
population of both species do migrate long distances, but how many of us have
ever seen a Little Grebe fly ? Presumably they are nocturnal migrants.

   So unlikely a vagrant was Pied-Billed Grebe thought to be that, what was
probably the first British record, killed at Radipole in 1881, has never been
recognised. There is also an interesting record of a Pied-Billed Grebe arriving
on board a trans-Atlantic vessel in 1965, but expiring shortly after arriving
in Liverpool.

   November 29 saw 20 birders, including yours truly, hugging the side of a
cold, bleak, windswept mountain near Aberdeen. The lure of a white-phase
Gyrfalcon, seen the previous day, proved too tempting. Alas, at the end of the
gruelling day, there was no sign of this ghostly assassin, only the prospect of
a 600 mile journey back to Plymouth.

   Nowadays, large falcon identification is depressingly complex with the
recognition of escaped falconer-bred Saker hybrids. Why do they want to create
such abominations ? I can only imagine it is to produce the perfect hunting
machine but it doesn't half make ticking a Gyr in the field difficult - unless
it's a white one and preferably long-staying !

   ROSS'S GULL is another high Arctic species which gets the juices running,
but it must have been frustrating, to say the least, for one old seawatching
hand to see a distant pair of gulls, probably this species, off St. Ives (18th).
Interestingly, a second-year Ross's Gull was at Ijmuiden, Holland from November
22.

   Other notable /larids/ included a reported Sabine's Gull off Troon Harbour
headland (18th), 14 Ring-billed Gulls and best of all, a first-winter Laughing
Gull on the Rogerstown estuary, County Dublin (21-27th). This latter bird shared
its venue with a Black Brant (the North American and east Siberian race of Brent
Goose). Also in Ireland, a Forster's Tern was at Mill Isle, County Down from
November 8 and nearby a Lesser Scaup returned to Oxford Island Lake, Armagh
(15th onwards).

   WILDFOWL ARE often subject to much debate about their status - are they
escapes from feral stock or are they the real McCoy ? Marked individuals can
give an indication as to their origins - a Lesser White-Fronted Goose returned
to Slimbridge (17th) for its third year sporting a neck-collar. This shows it
to be part of a re-introduction programme in Finland and instantly rules out any
speculation of it being a truly wild bird.

   Conversely, a Canada Goose with a neck collar at Alford, Grampian during the
month was shown to have originated from Maryland, USA. This bird belonged to one
of the smaller races of Canada Goose and associated with another small
individual - both presumably wild vagrants. There were also three small Canada
Geese on Islay (9th) and one on Wexford North Slob (10-11th).

   There are ten recognised races of Canada Goose and it has been suggested that
they could be split into four different species, the small, dark Arctic races
being the most likely candidates. The race /minima/ is only the size of a
Mallard compared to the race /maxima/ which is at least twice that size. There
are also differences in structure, vocalisation and colouration. However, racial
variation is complex and there is much integration between races, arguably
negating any ideas of a split.

   Also in Grampian were two white-phase Snow Geese at Loch of Strathbeg (15th
onwards). These may have a slightly stronger case for being wild birds owing to
their nearby wild Canadian cousins. A blue-phase Snow Goose remained in the
Lancashire/Merseyside area and the Red-breasted Goose lingered in Dumfries and
Galloway.

   Other wildfowl of note included five American Wigeons, five Green-winged
Teals, seven Ring-necked Ducks, three Ferruginous Ducks, one King Eider and six
Surf Scoters.

   The westerly airflow produced a very late Lesser Yellowlegs on Tresco (15th)
and a Pectoral Sandpiper on Unst, Shetland (3-4th).

   Lingering American waders included the Spotted Sandpiper on the Brue estuary,
the Long-billed Dowitcher in Dublin and, internationally, the Willet remained in
Norway.

   RARE PASSERINES were in short supply, but a Red-rumped Swallow was over Truro
briefly (9th). A seven-striped-sprite in the form of a Pallas's Warbler was at
Winspit, Dorset (15th) and a lower ranking /phylloscopus/, a Dusky Warbler (with
only two stripes) arrived in Kenidjack Valley (6-13th).

   This is a traditionally late autumn vagrant and so it is no surprise one
turned up; what is surprising though, is that it was only the second record for
mainland Cornwall whereas there have been nine on the nearby Isles of Scilly.

   An unusual November record was a Bonelli's Warbler at Titchwell, Norfolk
(2nd). This was the latest British record by far. Similarly, the latest ever
Great Spotted Cuckoo remained at Aldeburgh, Suffolk until Novemver 11.

   WITH THE recent increase in wintering Little Egrets (as many as 39 this
month) it is not surprising that a Night Heron was found near Southampton (from
November 18). The Glossy Ibis continued its marathon run of Stodmarsh winters
and four Spoonbills were noted through the country. - MUSHUQ AHMAD"

   "STOP PRESS
    November 28: First-winter Lesser Scaup, briefly at Hatch Pond, Poole,
       Dorset.
    December 5: First-winter White-throated Sparrow trapped at Chapel Wood,
       Willingham Woods, Lincs. Still present December 7.
    December 6: Two Black-winged Stilts, Rafton, North Devon. One still present
       December 7.
    Probable sub-adult Double-crested Cormorant, Millbrook Pond, south-east
       Cornwall"