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July 2024 | British Birds
july-24-cover.png Front-cover photograph: Wryneck Jynx torquilla, Spurn, Yorkshire, August 2022. Dave Stewart 346 BB eye: AI-generated images and their impact on birding Stephen Menzie353 News and comment Maddy Hine and Russ Malin358 Report on scarce migrant birds in Britain in 2022Part 1: non-passerines Steve White and Chris Kehoe385 Bitterns: booming, or boom and bust?
Report on scarce migrant birds in Britain in 2022 | British Birds
Screenshot 2024-06-30 at 22.30.05.png Montagu’s Harrier Circus pygargusAlan Harris Abstract It was, for the second year in a row, a record year for numbers of Ring-necked Duck in Britain. It was also a record year for Surf Scoter, Lesser Yellowlegs, Glossy Ibis and Purple Heron. Indeed, Glossy Ibis has now become so numerous in Britain that this is the last year the species
AI-generated images and their impact on birding | British Birds
All but one of the images in this article have been generated by, manipulated by or edited using AI.Whether we like it or not, AI is everywhere these days – from (mis)predicting what you were trying to type in a text on your smart phone to assisting doctors with detecting cancerous masses on scans. It has even made its way into birding. One rather subtle use is enhancing
Reverse mounting by Grey-headed Woodpecker | British Birds
Reverse mounting in birds, whereby the female mounts the male in mock copulation, has been reported for many species. In some, such as grebes (Nuechterlein & Storer 1989) and the European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis (Ortega-Ruano & Graves 1991), this behaviour is not uncommon.Most documented observations of reverse mounting by woodpeckers concern New World woodpeckers in
Common Tern feeding swimming juvenile at sea | British Birds
Common Tern Sterna hirundo chicks are typically fed by their parents at the nest; post-fledging, juveniles are fed by their parents when perched on beaches, boats, buoys, etc. On 28th August 2022, I saw a juvenile Common Tern that had been part of a small group of flying, feeding terns land and sit on the sea about 40 m off South Gare, Redcar, Yorkshire.
News & comment – July 2024 | British Birds
30 years of BBSLast year was the 30th year of fieldwork for the BTO/RSPB/JNCC Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), designed to document population trends of widespread breeding species in Britain. Since 1994, trends have been produced using BBS data for 119 species, which are used to set conservation priorities and to inform a broad range of conservation action.
Bitterns: booming, or boom and bust? | British Birds
Abstract Action taken since the mid 1990s to prevent the extinction and then bring about the recovery of the UK Eurasian Bittern Botaurus stellaris population might reasonably be regarded as a huge success: there were some 233 booming males in 2023, the highest number ever recorded. But Bitterns are closely associated with reedbeds, a habitat prone to rapid succession to
Recent reports | British Birds
Compiled by Barry Nightingale and Harry HusseyThis summary of unchecked reports covers the period from early May to early June 2024.Headlines Remarkably, this summary includes three putative additions to the respective British and Irish Lists, with a Booted Eagle in Cornwall, an Indian Golden Oriole in Northumberland and a Yellow-crowned Night Heron in Co. Mayo.
Supporting the colonisation of the European Bee-eater in Britain | British Birds
Mark Holling and Mark ThomasAbstractDuring recent decades there has been an increase both in the total number of European Bee-eaters Merops apiasterreported in Britain and in the number of breeding attempts. Although to the end of 2023 there had been only ten confirmed breeding records, six of these have been in the last ten years. The year 2023 was notable, as, for the first
The Norfolk Plover: a study of the Stone-curlew | British Birds
norfolk plover.jpg The Norfolk Plover: a study of the Stone-curlewBy Chris KnightsPrivately published, 2023Hbk, 215pp; many colour photographsISBN 978-1-3999-5569-0; £29.95 Eurasian Stone-curlews Burhinus oedicnemus are brilliant at hiding, and so relatively few of us see them regularly.
Wendell Thomas (1944–2024) | British Birds
Everyone who knew Wendell has been saddened by the loss of a friend, by the loss of a fellow birder and by the loss of a great servant to Carmarthenshire Bird Club, of which he was a founder member in 2004. Despite living on ‘the wrong side of the Llwchwr’, Wendell devoted himself to birding in Carmarthenshire. Anyone who joined Carmarthenshire Bird Club – indeed, anyone who
Rarities Committee news | British Birds
The 2024 BBRC AGM took place in April and was, as is the norm these days, held online. Committee members are spread across the length and breadth of the country and so remote meetings have made a huge difference to the ease and efficiency of meeting for the AGM. Appointment of officersAfter a productive tenure as Vice-Chair, Andy Stoddart has taken a well-earned retirement.
Another pratincole record? | British Birds
Following on from the review of early records of Collared Pratincoles in Britain (McInerny et al. 2024), the following brief extract from John Clare’s natural history writings, from sometime in the early nineteenth century, might be of interest. Clare wrote: ‘[I] saw four odd-looking birds, like large swallows [Hirundo rustica] of a slate colour on their wings and back and
News & comment – June 2024 | British Birds
House Sparrow stays at the topThe results for RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch, which took place between 26th and 28th January 2024, have been announced (www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/big-garden-birdwatch/results). The annual event is one of the largest citizen science wildlife surveys in Britain and helps in gaining an understanding of how garden bird populations are changing
Common Redstart provisioning chicks with antlion larvae | British Birds
Common Redstarts Phoenicurus phoenicurus have a broad, almost exclusively insectivorous diet. For example, in my own studies in a pine forest at 255 m asl in eastern Bohemia, Czech Republic, between 1994 and 1997, I found the food delivered to nestling Common Redstarts by their parents to consist mainly of sawfly larvae (Symphyta, Hymenoptera; 26%), spiders (Araneae; 20%) and
Presumed Common Eider x Mallard hybrid in Northumberland | British Birds
Presumed or confirmed Common Eider Somateria mollissima x Mallard Anas platyrhynchos hybrids have been observed on a number of occasions, including in Scotland, Iceland, Denmark, North America and, most recently, Italy (Zenatello et al. 2023). A male presumed Common Eider x Mallard hybrid was found with Common Eiders in the harbour at Seahouses, Northumberland, in May 2023
Feeding association between Little Grebes and Mallards | British Birds
On 10th August 2023, I was watching assorted waterfowl on the Restharrow Scrape at Sandwich Bay, Kent. At 06.20 hrs, I noticed a female Mallard Anas platyrhynchos feeding by upending in emergent vegetation at the water’s edge, accompanied by what I thought were small ducklings. Closer examination showed that these ‘ducklings’ were in fact a family party of Little Grebes
Apparent Blackbird x Fieldfare hybrid | British Birds
Being on the edge of the Humber Estuary, and just over a mile north of Spurn, my garden in Kilnsea, Yorkshire, is ideally situated for attracting both common and scarce migrants. On 28th October 2023, I received a message from my son Thomas asking about the identification of a bird on one of the trail cams we have placed in the garden. He had taken a screenshot from video
Recent reports | British Birds
Compiled by Barry Nightingale and Harry HusseyThis summary of unchecked reports covers the period from early April to early May 2024.Headlines Overshoots from southern Europe included an Alpine Accentor, two Pallid and six Alpine Swifts, at least seven Black-winged Stilts, four Gull-billed Terns, two Western and five Eastern Subalpine Warblers and several Woodchat Shrikes. An
Portfolio 1 | British Birds
rev portfolio.jpg Portfolio 1: photographs and stories of extraordinary birdsBy Rafael ArmadaLynx Edicions, 2024Hbk, 176pp; many colour photographsISBN 978-84-16728-67-1; £37.00 Before I had a chance to even open this book, it was prised from my hands by my (non-birding) partner – and I didn’t get the book back until he’d leafed through every single page.
The changing status of Cetti’s Warblers in Cumbria and northern Britain | British Birds
Abstract The Cetti’s Warbler Cettia cetti is a relatively recent colonist in Britain, with breeding first confirmed in 1973. Since then, the species has gradually spread northwards. Northern England and southern Scotland are now at the frontier of the species’ advance, with Cetti’s Warbler first recorded in Cumbria in 2005 and first proven breeding in 2023. The Cumbrian
Seabirds Count | British Birds
rev seabirds.jpg Seabirds CountBy Daisy Burnell, Allan J. Perkins, Stephen F. Newton, Mark Bolton, T. David Tierney and Timothy E. Dunn Lynx Edicions, 2023Hbk, 528pp; many colour illustrationsISBN 978-8-4167286-0-2; £44.99 This is the fourth national survey of Britain’s seabirds.
The Birds of Moray & Nairn: their status and where to find them | British Birds
rev Birds-of-MN-cover.jpg The Birds of Moray & Nairn: their status and where to find themBy Martin CookPrivately published, 2023Pbk, 384pp; many colour photographs and figuresISBN 978-1-9999882-4-1; £18.00 Moray & Nairn is a Scottish recording area with an enviable range of habitats, from the southern shores of the Moray Firth, through lowland farmland and forestry
Kelp Gull in Cambridgeshire: new to Britain | British Birds
Abstract On 7th August 2022, a Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus was discovered at Grafham Water, Cambridgeshire. It subsequently became apparent that the bird had been present since 1st August. Details of the primaries aged the bird as a 3CY (‘second-summer’). It was considered not possible to assign the bird to subspecies. The record was accepted as the first Kelp Gull for
Field identification of ‘American Pipit’ and ‘Siberian Pipit’ in autumn and winter plumage | British Birds
Abstract A recent study proposes that the Buff-bellied Pipit Anthus rubescens is best treated as two species ‘American Pipit’ A. (r.) rubescensand ‘Siberian Pipit’ A. (r.) japonicus. This paper discusses the distribution, movement and known vagrancy of Siberian Pipit and its separation from American Pipit during autumn and winter. Identification features are presented for a
First confirmed ‘Central Asian Lesser Whitethroat’ for Norfolk | British Birds
Lesser Whitethroats Curruca curruca are regularly caught at Norfolk Ornithologists’ Association’s Holme Bird Observatory, but all birds ringed to date have occurred between April and November (fig. 1). Both November records had, by means of DNA samples, been shown to be ‘Siberian Lesser Whitethroats’ C. c. blythi. Therefore, a bird that was caught and ringed on 2nd January
May 2024 | British Birds
front cover may.png Front-cover photograph: Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus, Cambridgeshire, August 2022. Richard Patient 226 News and comment Maddy Hine and Russ Malin231 Field identification of ‘American Pipit’ and ‘Siberian Pipit’ in autumn and winter Andrew Birch, Cin-Ty Lee and Brian J. Small259 Kelp Gull in Cambridgeshire: new to Britain Richard Patient271 The changing
Recent reports | British Birds
Compiled by Barry Nightingale and Harry HusseyThis summary of unchecked reports covers the period from early March to early April 2024.Headlines A Dark-eyed Junco in Dorset, a Bufflehead touring Scotland, a Red-flanked Bluetail on Fair Isle and an early Western Subalpine Warbler were the pick of the bunch of new arrivals. Lesser Scaups remained widespread, while an influx of
Sarah Stone’s Unseen Worlds: a rare collection of 18th century ornithological watercolours | British Birds
rev sarah stone.jpg Sarah Stone’s Unseen Worlds: a rare collection of 18th century ornithological watercoloursBy Errol Fuller and Craig FinchImpress Publishing, 2023Hbk, 128pp; many colour platesISBN 978-1-912-93067-8; £45 I dare say that you are all familiar with Audubon, but were you aware of Sarah Stone? Born in 1760, the daughter of a fan painter, this British artist drew
Sky-pointing by herons | British Birds
Palmer (2023) noted sky-pointing by Great White Egrets Ardea alba, illustrated the behaviour beautifully and questioned its relevance and meaning. This sky-pointing pose is also illustrated in Itoh (1988). From my experience watching herons in Norfolk, the behaviour appears to be regularly given as a threat and perhaps a show of ‘triumph’ by various members of the heron family
The Life of Birds (second edition) | British Birds
rev life of.jpg The Life of Birds (second edition)By David AttenboroughWilliam Collins, 2023Hbk, 276pp; 64 pages of colour photographsISBN 978-0-008-63895-5; £17.50 I was 11 when The Life of Birds hit television screens and, while many of my peers were under the covers reading comics by torchlight late at night, I was reading – and rereading – the book (BBC Books, 1998) that
The rapid extinction of Willow Tits in a post-industrial landscape | British Birds
Abstract The rapid decline of the Willow Tit Poecile montanus in the UK has made it a conservation priority species. This study, which combines recent data gathered using established survey methodology over several years from the Dearne Valley, Yorkshire, shows a landscape-scale extinction of the local breeding population.
Apparent ‘Pale Iceland Redpolls’ in Norfolk | British Birds
Abstract This paper describes the appearance of two apparent ‘Pale Iceland Redpolls’ in Norfolk in 2009 and provides some contextual information on the appearance, taxonomy and British status of this still poorly understood taxon.IntroductionOn 14th March 2009, a ‘Greenland Redpoll’ Acanthis flammea rostrata was found (and subsequently trapped and ringed) in a garden at
Woolston Eyes: from wasteland to wetland | British Birds
rev woolston.jpg Woolston Eyes: from wasteland to wetlandBy Brian MartinPrivately published, 2023Hbk, 212pp; colour photographsISBN 978-1-83816-352-5; £25 Many readers are likely to have driven over Woolston Eyes at some point in their life, though considerably fewer will have visited this gem of a reserve that sits below the M6’s Thelwall Viaduct. Born out of dredging
Recent reports | British Birds
Compiled by Barry Nightingale and Harry HusseyThis summary of unchecked reports covers the period from early February to early March 2024.Headlines With just a few new arrivals of note, it was a case of quality over quantity, with a Myrtle Warbler in Ayrshire, a Rustic Bunting and an Arctic Redpoll in Norfolk, a new Pallid Harrier in Yorkshire, more Lesser Scaups and a
Announcement | British Birds
BBCT grants for young birdersThe British Birds Charitable Trust has increased the maximum amount it makes available in grants to young birders, from £250 to £500. It has been awarding grants to young birders since 2014.The BBCT is again looking for applications from young people aged 16–25, for projects that need funding in 2024. A grant could fund a small-scale research
Johann Friedrich Naumann and the advance of ornithology | British Birds
Abstract Johann Friedrich Naumann (1780–1857) was one of central Europe’s most important ornithologists. His innovative approach extended beyond the museum-based taxonomical outlook typical of the time, and included perceptive observations of the ecology and behaviour of birds. Naumann stood on the shoulders of his ornithologist father and, between 1820 and 1844, he
Birds named after people | British Birds
Stephen Menzie (Brit. Birds 117: 2–3) said that, in relation to the American Ornithological Society’s (AOS) planned abolition of all English language bird names featuring people, he had ‘a lot of sympathy with the idea that eponymous species names go, no exceptions.
A review of early historical records of Collared Pratincoles in Britain, and new British first records of Collared, Black-winged and Oriental Pratincoles | British Birds
Abstract This paper reviews 25 nineteenth- and one early twentieth-century British records of Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola. It follows the recent acceptance of a British first record by the British Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee (BOURC) from North Meols, Lancashire & North Merseyside, in 1805. Subsequent records were reviewed using the published BOURC