Little Bustard, Mickletown Ings 8th August 2019

News of a Little Bustard at Mickletown Ings, West Yorkshire broke on Tuesday 6th August 2019. A photo had been posted online the previous evening in an attempt to identify the bird. Site details were released on Tuesday morning prompting a large twitch. Whilst in the grand scheme of things Little Bustard has a lot of UK records, there haven't been many in recent years & those recent records have been short stayers. Consequently, a lot of birders (including me) needed Little Bustard. I didn't fancy being part of a large crowd, so kept cool until today when I headed over to West Yorkshire, arriving mid-afternoon.

As hoped, there wasn't a lot of folks on site, which made it easy to find a decent spot to look from. Although the bird was viewable pretty soon after my arrival, views were only of its head & neck popping up every so often as it wandered along the distant fence line, about half a mile away, in a gully. Eventually, after a couple of hours wait, the male Little Bustard wandered out into the field for a short while, giving excellent views.

Video by Pete Hines

Painted Lady, Wallasey 1st August 2019

There's been a Painted Lady invasion going on for a few months now over the whole of the UK. Earlier this week quite a few of these butterflies descended on the buddleia growing wild in my back yard. Today there were even more! I live in a two-up two-down terraced house, so any form of wildlife is a bonus, let alone a swarm (perhaps too strong a word, but flock would be more accurate). In fact, a kaleidoscope of Painted Ladies.

Terek Sandpiper, Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB 9th July 2019

A Terek Sandpiper appeared at Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB early evening. Identified by local birder Dave King, this is the third record for Cheshire & Wirral & a new bird for the UK for me.

I'm curently without transport, so was relieved local birder Colin Schofield offerd a lift to BMW. The Terek Sandpiper was on view as soon as we arrived about 8.30pm, feeding on the far side of the main scrape. There were a lot of folks present as we squeezed through & set up our gear. Although views were distant, they were continuous as the bird fed all along the edge of the mud. However, I found it impossible to get anything like a decent photo, so the bleary image above will have to do... Actual views through the 'scope were much better, especially as the last of the setting sun's rays illuminated the bird's plumage and bright yellow legs.

Many thanks to RSPB Warden Graham Jones for keeping the reserve open and thanks to Colin for enabling me to see this bird.

Previous records: 
1999 Frodsham, No.5 Tank, 26th to 27th April (G. Bellingham).
2009 Heswall Shore, 14th to 15th July (S. Hinde).

Gull-billed Tern, Thurstaston 4th July 2019

A Gull-billed Tern was found at Thurstaston yesterday, 3rd July 2019, by local birder Steve Hinde. This is the ninth record for Cheshire & Wirral, with three in the last five years. I didn't have transport yesterday, so was resigned to dipping on not only a new local, but also new UK bird for me, since they rarely stay long.

Fortunately, the Gull-billed Tern was still present this morning, so I hastily arranged transport & headed over to Thurstaston, arriving mid-morning. It was difficult looking into the sun & the bird was mostly quite a distance away, but did cruise past the assembled throng a couple of times before disappearing south with the oncoming tide. I resolved to return later, after the tide since the bird was quartering the mud flats repeatedly before the tide covered them.

It was well worth returning later because views were much better, with the Gull-billed Tern not only flying to and fro, but landing for lengthy periods on the mud flats with views not compromised by the light & heat haze of earlier in the day.

Previous records:
1976 Red Rocks, adult, 2nd & 4th August (E. J. Abraham, J. Jones, D. Woodward).
1982 Hoylake, 8th July (J. G. Jones).
1987 Weaver Estuary, 31st May (P. Jordon).
1989 Burton Marsh, 16th June (B. S. Barnacal).
1995 Frodsham, No.6 Tank, 31st July (W. S. Morton).
2002 Inner Marsh Farm, 18th May (E. J. Abraham, B. S. Barnacal, C. Wells).
2015 Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB, 3rd July (per A. H. Pulsford).
2018 Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB, 23rd to 24th May (S. Skelton).

Some of the crowd mid-morning... staring into the sun

Blue-winged Teal, Douglas Water 14th June 2019

A drake Blue-winged Teal appeared at Douglas Water in Lanarkshire last Wednesday. Looks like it's the long staying bird at Mellon Charles near Ullapool relocating, since it disappeared about a week previously. A lot closer to home, so I decided to make the trip north today.

I departed mid-morning and arrived on site early afternoon. There were no birders in the area and it wasn't until I scanned Douglas Water with the 'scope, from the minor road above & to the west, that I picked up the drake Blue-winged Teal, which was loosely associating with five Teal in the middle of the small area of water. Views were constant whilst I was on site although a bit distant, but satisfactory. It was really difficult getting even a half decent photo with the distance, the blustery wind & the bird feeding quite a lot with its head below the surface.

Baikal Teal, Kilnsea Wetlands 23rd May 2019

A drake Baikal Teal was spotted arriving at Spurn yesterday morning by some visiting birders, 23rd May 2019. The bird settled on Kilnsea Wetlands, accompanied by a drake Wigeon. Although I have seen Baikal Teal in the UK previously, that was the bird at Caerlaverock on 10th March 1973. At the time this was the first UK record. However, the record was later removed. So, I made my way over to East Yorkshire, arriving mid-afternoon.

The drake Baikal Teal was on show from the hide at Kilnsea Wetlands immediately I arrived & for the whole time I was there. Range was mid-distance & with the bird feeding constantly meant most of the time its head was under water! With time good views were obtained of this colourful eastern vagrant. Hopefully, this one will be accepted!

Video by Pete Hines

Spoonbill, Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB 17th May 2019

A trip over to Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB earlier today proved very fruitful. Although there had been three Garganey on the Main Scrape, there was only one when I arrived on site, as a Peregrine cruised over the scrape pursued by a flotilla of Gulls, Shelducks & others.

Having walked round to Marsh Covert Hide, as I exited the hide a Spoonbill in full breeding plumage settled on the highest point of the Heronry, easily viewable from the path, providing excellent views. There was a Cattle Egret in full breeding plumage on the island from MCH & a Greenshank on the pool.

So, together with Grey Heron & Little Egret, four species of Heron/Egret, missing only Great White Egret. I heard only one Cetti's Warbler singing, with brief views.