The Lincolnshire Bird Club

The review for September contains 30 species accounts of Lincolnshire firsts which has been split into 3 parts:

Part 1 – 1950 - 2011
Part 2 – 1900 - 1949
Part 3 – 1880 - 1899

September has proved to be an exceptional month (and one of the most productive in the year for producing first records). Of those species listed, it includes 2 British firsts, a shared British first, two fourth records for Britain, one of the most sought after passerines on the British list, some of the most sought after passerines on the Lincolnshire list, some fascinating historical detail and above all a real diverse range of species with wildfowl, herons, raptors, waders, terns and passerines all represented. If this list doesn't inspire you to get out birding and make your own discoveries in September, then nothing will. So, on with Part 1…………………

1950 - 2011

2011 – AMERICAN BLACK TERN
A visit to Covenham reservoir on 17th September produced a sighting of two Red-necked Grebes. Whilst watching these birds a small tern was seen to flick over the west bank of the reservoir from the landward side and drop onto the concrete wall. On inspection it showed the bird was a Black Tern, however the head pattern looked similar to White-winged Black Tern and the upperparts were quite dark. Following a recent study of Black Terns and reference to a recent article on the separation of American Black Tern, thoughts turned to the latter based on plumage characters seen. The bird was some 500m distance and an attempt was made to get closer, however it was flushed by two people walking close by, but thankfully soon landed again where photographs were taken as a closer approach was made. The bird seemed tired and a strong westerly wind was blowing, however the views obtained seemed to indicate that this was indeed a juvenile American Black Tern. However, the bird suddenly got up and was subsequently caught by the strong wind drifting high to the east across the reservoir but from photographs showing the flank wash and underwing pattern the identification was clinched. Scanning of the reservoir eventually revealed it perched on the bank at the opposite corner of the reservoir and as the first birders arrived the bird was again flushed, this time by windsurfers where on this occasion the bird seemed far more fit and healthy on the wing. As more birders arrived the tern flew west out of the reservoir and settled on a newly ploughed field with Black-headed Gulls. A pattern then developed of the bird resting and preening on the adjacent ploughed fields interspersed with bouts of feeding over the reservoir. On the 18th September, a warmer and sunny day, on two occasions it flew at least 2kms high to the south-west following departing Black-headed Gulls but it eventually returned and was observed resting in the ploughed field even when no gulls were present. The bird remained until the morning of 7th October and began to show very well during the latter part of its stay (to the delight of hundreds of visiting birders) as it patrolled the eastern bank of the reservoir catching insects and picking invertebrates from the surface of the water. This bird represented only the 4th British record of this dainty marsh tern (all of which have been juveniles), with the previous records as follows: Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset from 2nd to 11th October 1999, North Bay, South Uist, Outer Hebrides on 17th November 2008 and Farmoor Reservoir, Oxfordshire from 28th August until 3rd September 2009. There were also five Irish sightings between 1999 and 2011. Recent advances in the understanding of the key identification criteria in this species, particularly in juvenile plumage, have no doubt been responsible for all of these sightings in the last 15 years.

2009 – KING EIDER
Scanning of the Eider flock off the Cut End hide at the Witham Mouth in the Wash on 5th September revealed a distant Eider which showed an orange bill. The bird was observed head on preening its breast before turning its head to reveal the bird as a King Eider – perhaps one of the most anticipated and long overdue firsts for Lincolnshire. The bird was successfully twitched by a few local birders late that evening. The following morning the eider was soon located by a hide packed full of birders, although it proved to be distant and difficult to see which became the pattern for most of its stay until 18th October. The bird was occasionally seen close inshore at the Witham Mouth but distant views were the norm where an occasional glimpse of the striking orange bill could be seen. Some boat trips out into the Wash were hastily arranged and excellent views were had of the bird from the Boston Belle on 12th September when some superb photos were taken. Towards the end of the birds stay it became more elusive largely due to a combination of less people looking and high tides coinciding with darkness. The bird was obviously a drake, but ageing it proved tricky. Plumage features would seem to suggest that it was a second-calendar year drake in eclipse plumage. During the early part of the birds stay the primaries and secondaries were completely moulted which no doubt aided in the birds length of stay. Its departure was no doubt linked to the fact that by the end of its stay it had regrown its remiges and was capable of flight. After such a long wait for the first, the second county record occurred just 3 years later, but it was a case of 'the one that nearly got away'. On 21st April 2012, on a 'Wash Pelagic' a female Eider was photographed as it flew past the boat about one mile offshore of Leverton/Wrangle. It was only when the photographs were checked later that it was realised the bird was in fact a female King Eider. What was then considered to be possibly the same female was seen off Gibraltar Point with a small group of Eider between 1930 and 2000 on 1st July 2012 before drifting further offshore never to be seen again. If indeed this was the same bird, it had presumably been present in the greater Wash area for 3 months undetected, which begs the question what else may be lurking out there! Neighbouring counties of Norfolk and Yorkshire have produced several records of King Eider over the years, and this species has been long predicted to turn up in Lincolnshire. The regularity of Eider flocks around certain parts of the Wash, and especially those historically present around the Witham Mouth/Cut End have been closely scrutinised by local birders for many years, so it is perhaps fitting(and unsurprising) that the first records of this species for the County should come from these areas.

2001 – GREEN HERON
The first and only County record of this exciting American species was of a first-winter bird found at Messingham Sand Quarries in September 2001. On Monday 24th September, on arrival at Messingham Sand Quarry at about 10.30am, a walk towards the wader hide revealed a movement about 10 yards away by a gap in some alders which gave views over an area of cut reeds. The bird was clearly a small heron and as it was observed walking slowly through patches of shallow water and over small piles of cut reeds, it colouration was very striking. After visiting the wader hide, returning along the path the mystery small heron was still in the reeds and it was watched catching small fish in the pools for a few minutes and was observed to raise its crown feathers and bobbed its short tail. On returning home, bird books indicated the only possibility was that this bird could be a Green Heron, but with only 3 British records indicated this scenario seemed rather unlikely!. A return visit was made to the reserve, arriving around midday, and although it had now started raining the bird was still present in the same spot and it was watched feeding at distances down to 15 yards. At this point all doubts were dispelled – the bird was a Green Heron. A telephone call was made and the news was quickly spread. The first birders began to arrive as the weather cleared up and large numbers of birders soon gathered to enjoy views of this stunning and exceptionally rare bird. In the event it went on to entertain large numbers of visiting birders until it was last seen on 2nd October , frequently showing very well although at times it could hide in the lake-side trees and bushes for quite long periods. This was only the 4th British record, the second live individual and the first to be twitchable for 19 years (the last being only 23 miles to the northeast just across the River Humber). It was generally regarded as bird of the month for most twitchers, in a September that hosted some quality birds and it arrived during an incredible spell of rarities, with species from all points of the compass entertaining the nations twitchers which included Britain's third Thick-billed Warbler in Shetland, a twitchable inland Red-necked Stint in Cambridgeshire and England's first ever twitchable Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler in Norfolk. The previous records of Green Heron were an immature shot by a gamekeeper near Pentewan, Cornwall on 27th October 1889; a well twitched second-winter individual present in dense hawthorn covered drainage ditches and open dykes at Stone Creek, E Yorks, from 27th November until 6th December 1982 (the bird was enjoyed by well over 800 people during its stay, often gave superb views, was incredibly well photographed and was also featured in several national newspapers); and a first-winter found dead near the tideline at Tyninghame CP, Lothian on 25th October 1987. Subsequent to the Messingham bird there have been a further 3 birds seen in Wales, Kent and Cornwall in the autumns of 2005, 2008 and 2010 respectively. As the majority of Green Heron sightings in Britain have been of birds at East Coast locations, some speculate as to the possibility of ship-assistance being involved, for at least the latter part of their Atlantic crossing. Not that this should detract in any way from the enjoyment of seeing such a magnificent rarity.

1991 – BLYTH'S REED WARBLER
A bird trapped in a mist net at dusk (19:45 hours) on 3rd September at Crook Bank, Theddlethorpe, was not immediately recognisable, although superficially Reed Warbler-like. The weather at the time of capture was overcast with patches of sea mist blowing into the dunes on a light easterly wind. The wind had been predominantly easterly over the previous few days and other species caught had included a Wood Warbler and a few Lesser Whitethroats and Pied Flycatchers. As light was poor during the evening a full description was not taken and a decision was made to keep the bird overnight, although by now, the wing formula and measurements had convinced the observers the bird was a Blyth's Reed Warbler. A full description was taken at first light on 4th September and the bird was released back into the dunes. This bird was only the 19th British record and at the time the most southerly along the east coast. There has been one further record for the County. A first-winter bird was trapped and photographed at Gibraltar Point on 16th September 2006 which, 15 years on from the first, formed the 74th British record. This species has seen a westward expansion in its European breeding range, and this, combined with a better understanding of its field characters has seen an increase in sightings of this species in Britain from the mid-1990s (the species has been annual in Britain since 1999) and this includes a remarkable peak of 16 birds in 2007.

1983 – CITRINE WAGTAIL
On 4th September a small pale wagtail flew into the Mere at Gibraltar Point over the eastern bank and was observed from the hide. It began to take flies from the muddy shore between the Scirpus stems at a range of 50 metres, and although views were restricted, it was obvious that it was not one of the more familiar wagtails. After 10 minutes it left the Mere to feed briefly in a recently cleared drainage ditch before moving to a dense bed of Scirpus when it was lost. On returning to the Mere the following evening it was observed on the island nearest the hide, giving much better views and allowing its identification to be confirmed as a first-winter Citrine Wagtail. The bird remained until 10th September where it often showed well around the area of the Mere and during this time several excellent photographs were obtained. This was the 35th British record of this species which was first recorded on Fair Isle in 1954. In recent years this north Russian and central Asian species has spread west and south-west, and this has led to breeding or breeding attempts in Sweden, Finland, the Baltic States, Poland and Germany. This spread has led to a marked increase in extralimital records in Western Europe, although this has no doubt been assisted by better understanding of the field characters of immature birds. Shetland has accounted for most records, although it has been recorded in most east coast localities and extending into south-western Britain, where the Isles of Scilly have fared particularly well for the species. Unlike many other eastern vagrants it tends to be an early autumn visitor, with birds arriving from mid-August in some years. Since the first in 1991, there has been a steady increase in the number of spring occurrences, no doubt linked to close breeding in northern and eastern Europe. However, despite the westward spread, and the increase in British sightings this is a much sought after species by Lincs birders, as, 30 years on since the Gibraltar Point bird, this remains the only Lincolnshire record.

1982 – SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER
At 15:00hrs on 18th September at North Killingholme Pits a bird was observed feeding amongst the reeds fringing the south-west corner of the first pit, which in a brief view suggested Pectoral or Sharp-tailed Sandpiper. After about 15 minutes all the waders took flight and the bird in question landed, with a group of Dunlin and Curlew Sandpiper, in the open in the middle of the pit. This allowed the identification to be confirmed as an adult Sharp-tailed Sandpiper before the bird promptly ran out of the water and into the reeds again. It then spent the next 1½ hours feeding in the same general area foraging amongst the reeds and sedges and occasionally venturing out onto the open mud. At about 17:00hrs it flew off with a party of waders and was relocated sleeping on some floating weed in the second pit where it gave good views down to about 40m until dusk. The bird remained at Killingholme until 20th September where it could usually be located merely by watching its actions as it fed amongst the foot of the reeds and sedges in the soft mud. It bore a strong resemblance to a small crake in its movements feeding in this manner all of the time even when on the open mud, although it generally seemed to prefer the soft mud. This bird represented only the 15th British record. It had first been seen however, at Blacktoft Sands on the Yorkshire side of the Trent on 17th September. A large number of observers queued for the hides at Blacktoft at dawn on 18th, but as the thick fog which shrouded the area gradually began to lift, they found themselves staring at some depressingly empty pools. Unfortunately, most had set off for home before the news came through that it had been relocated at Killingholme. Those who had not left spent the night in a pub car park, while the remainder turned around and headed back again! Fortunately, the bird hung around long enough to be widely appreciated over the following couple of days. The second record for Lincolnshire occurred just three years later when one lucky observer found a juvenile in the borrow pits at Holbeach Marsh on 24th August 1985 which formed the 19th British record. These remain the only County records, and although this still remains a very rare bird in Britain (with just 31 records up to end of 2011), 31 years on this year, another twitchable Sharp-tailed Sandpiper would be most welcome.

1981 – HUDSONIAN GODWIT
The search for a previously seen Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Alkborough on 15th September led to a far greater discovery when a call alerted the presence of a lone Godwit on the mudflats. On a brief glance it superficially resembled a Bar –tailed Godwit moulting out of summer plumage and it was assumed that this bird was the unusual 'Black-tailed Godwit' which had been reported from nearby Blacktoft Sands on the Yorkshire side of the Trent the previous day. However, as this bird looked so unusual for a Black-tailed Godwit a full description was taken and an attempt was made to get closer to the bird. Unfortunately during this time the bird had flown and had landed on a sandy island in the middle of the Trent. Reference to the literature tentatively suggested a likeness of this bird to Hudsonian Godwit, a Nearctic long distance migrant. However, as this species had never been recorded in the Western Palearctic, let alone Britain the odds seemed to be against it. However, when the flight pattern and underwing pattern were seen well when the bird was present at Blacktoft on 1st October this allowed its final identification to be clinched as Britain's (and the Western Palearctic's) first Hudsonian Godwit. An adult, moulting out of summer plumage the bird was present on the lagoons at Blacktoft Sands RSPB from 10th to 20th September and 24th September to 3rd October, visiting almost daily over the high tide period to roost but presumably feeding out on the Humber Estuary during its absence. A full scale twitch took place on 3rd October allowing up to a thousand birders to enjoy it. Subsequent to this record an adult bird in winter plumage remained in fields adjacent to the sewage works at Countess Weir, Exeter, Devon from 22nd October 1981 until 14th January 1982, whilst a bird was again seen at Blacktoft from 26th April to 6th May 1983. It is likely that all of these sightings of this extremely rare vagrant relate to the same wide ranging individual. The only other British record is a bird seen well, mostly in flight, by just two lucky observers near Collieston, Grampian on 26th September 1988. The only other Western Palearctic records are a 2nd calendar year bird seen and photographed at Ho Bugt, Ribe, Denmark on 6th September 1986, an adult male present at Greda vik, Oland, Sweden from 14th to 21st June 2003, (with what was apparently the same bird seen at Ottenby, Oland, Sweden from 27th to 30th June 2006) and a summer-plumaged adult male at Cabo da Praia, Terceira, Azores on 25th July 2007.

1977 – RED-THROATED PIPIT
The first County record of Red-throated Pipit occurred on 21st September when a bird was witnessed by just one lucky observer at Grainthorpe Haven. The bird was seen again by the same observer the following day (22nd September). Compared to neighbouring counties of East Yorkshire and Norfolk, Lincolnshire has not fared well for this species, and there has been only one further county record, occurring during a large influx of the species into the UK. This was of a male, occasionally in song, at Gibraltar Point from 26th to 28th May 1992. After 21 years we are long overdue another. Described by Pallas from Siberia in 1811, the Red-throated Pipit was first confirmed in Britain in Shetland, on Fair Isle on 2nd October 1908, and the second was ‘heard’ there on 1st November of the same year. The third was ‘seen and heard’ on St Kilda, Western Isles, on 21st September 1910. A further 13 were found in the Northern and Western Isles in the period of collection and by George Waterston in his early Fair Isle days in the 1930s. The first accepted record for England did not come until one at Dungeness, Kent, on 5th September 1938. By 2005, the modern total (since 1950) had increased to 423 with a doubling of the annual average and the spring share up to 47% (with 106 birds making May the best month of the year). The Northern Isles had a small lead in locality shares (22%) while Scilly and the southwest share (20%). More intriguingly, there were 13 inland finds, almost doubling the total of such records. North Norfolk accounted for 31 spring birds alone making the two records ever in Lincs looking rather poor by comparison. In 1992, there was an extraordinary influx, with 34 of 47 birds dated from May to July (12 of them were in Shetland, where a male sang on Fetlar for three weeks in June). Ominously, since 2001 the bird has seemingly struggled to reach us. The recent average of seven a year represents a 60% decrease on the previous decade and is the same as that from 1950 to 1985. Breeding essentially above the Arctic Circle, its nearest and stable Fennoscandian community numbers about 16,500 pairs. In common with their eastern relatives, most fly to the Tropics for the winter. Some birds from the westernmost population move due south and, before or after crossing the Mediterranean, must shift up to 30°W to winter in West Africa, including Gambia. Against this backdrop, it is likely that our autumn birds are either drifted migrants from the continent that departs from south Sweden or fellow-travellers within the hordes of Meadow Pipits that move southwest. The spring vector remains puzzling. Perhaps birds trekking north from West Africa just stay on that tack and do not turn east until they reach the North Sea. In many European countries, the Red-throated Pipit is not regarded as a rarity, but a few have strayed to Bear Island, Iceland and the Faeroes in an extension of their regular achievement of Britain and Ireland. The field identification of the Red-throated Pipit has attracted much debate. Well seen, adults present no problems but notoriously some unsullied first-winter birds can resemble either Pechora Pipit or Meadow Pipit. Setting a nasty trap, a few first-winter Meadows are as heavily spotted below as Red-throats, and some ‘orange-breasted’ spring Meadow Pipits are a further pitfall.

1974 – BLACK-HEADED BUNTING
The first county record of this striking and beautiful south-east European Bunting was a male bird observed at Theddlethorpe by just one lucky observer on 14th September and was only the 38th British record. A spring bird in Scotland the same year (and which arrived during a period which produced four Lesser Grey Shrikes and 2 Rose-coloured Starlings in northern Britain) was deemed to be surely wild, whilst the origin of the Lincolnshire individual was noted as being more contentious. The striking nature of the species has been its downfall when considering the origin of birds arriving in Britain and many were considered dubious (possible escapes), despite most, if not all of those accepted records making it onto Category A of the British list. Three of the four birds seen in Britain the previous year to this individual were in autumn and more recent autumn records in both Britain and on the near continent do not seem to have come under such close scrutiny. There has been just one further record of this species in the County, when another male was present at Donna Nook from 16th to 25th June 1980, but only witnessed by 3 observers. This bird formed the 58th British record but still came with the comment that the Records committee always find it difficult to know what to make of records of this species. Thankfully, today, Black-headed Bunting seems to have shed its escape likelihood caveat, with males overshooting their breeding grounds in late spring still accounting for the majority of records in Britain. Currently this species averages between one and five records per year (a pattern evident since the mid-1960s) but with the exceptions of 14 in 1992, 11 in 1993 and 15 in 2000, standing out from the rest. Whilst adult males in highly colourful spring plumage are one of the most easily recognisable of British vagrants, female and immatures remain one of the toughest identification challenges in British birding owing to their similarity to female and immature Red-heading Buntings (which incidentally is still retained in Category D of the British list after a recent BOURC review). Some 33 years on, these two Lincolnshire birds remain the only County records. Another is long overdue and much desired (as long as it is a striking singing male in spring/summer and not a tricky autumn female/1st-winter!).

1971 – SHORT-TOED LARK
The first County record of this inconspicuous small south European lark was a bird witnessed by several observers during its stay at Gibraltar Point from 18th to 26th September. This bird, along with 3 birds seen on Fair Isle between 28th September and 4th October 1971 were identified as being of the greyish eastern type. The second County record was somewhat of an unusual one, as it occurred at sea, on the Inner Dowsing Tower Lighthouse, 12 miles offshore from Mablethorpe (at 53° 20" N, 0°, 34" E) on 16th June 1986. The third County record, made landfall back on the mainland, and formed the second record for Gibraltar Point when an elusive bird was present from 11th to 20th October 1991. In contrast to it's much more frequent visits to neighbouring Yorkshire and Norfolk, this species remains an extreme rarity in the County and the third mainland County record occurred a further 22 years later at, where else?, Gibraltar Point. On 25th August 2013, a bird was discovered around 07.00 on the foreshore at Gib towards the north end of reserve. It was relocated at 12.45, feeding in shingle areas between the seaward side of the outer dunes and although it was initially very mobile and elusive it did become a little easier to view as time passed. The bird remained in the same general area feeding on the shoreline until 1st September, and although reasonable views were obtained it could be very difficult to locate in its chosen habitat. This species is a regular vagrant to the UK, occurring mainly in May and again in September-October, although there have been records at other times of year, including a few winter occurrences. It used to be considered a great rarity, but since 1958 it has been recorded annually with its appearances on Shetland and Scilly unrivalled anywhere else in this species discovery, and it was dropped from the national rarities list at the end of 1993. Furtive behaviour means Short-toed Lark could be easily overlooked in a plough furrow or vegetated coastal strip and may account for its continued extreme vagrant status in the County. Overshooting southern birds in spring (which tend to be redder on the crown) seem to compare with eastern individuals (tending to be greyer overall) which predominate in the autumn and the Lincolnshire birds seem to conform to this split.

1971 – AQUATIC WARBLER
The first record of this skulking Acro involved an immature bird trapped at Theddlethorpe on 8th September which was one of 26 other records in the UK during the autumn of 1971. This remains an extreme vagrant to the County with just one further record – a bird seen at Saltfleetby on the very late date of 29th October 1979. This species has now become very localised as a breeding bird in eastern Europe with fragmented populations in north-east Germany, Poland (now the main breeding area), Hungary and Belorussia. The Aquatic Warblers migration routes have been somewhat of a mystery, but the western autumn route has been confirmed by ringing activities from reedbeds both in the Low Countries and southern Britain. Leaving their breeding grounds in Eastern Europe they initially head on a west-south-west course to reach staging posts in Western Europe, before heading south into north-west Africa via Iberia and this is carried out in a long series of loop flights. Southern Britain (particularly south western Counties of England and south Wales) has been confirmed as being very much on this species main migration route, and annual totals have been as high as 83 (in 1976), although numbers are largely reflected by levels of ringing activity. Confirmation of British migrants was achieved in 1990 when two Polish individuals with consecutive ring numbers were trapped at Marazion, Cornwall and Chew Valley Lake, Somerset. Records elsewhere in Britain, particularly along the east coast northwards are genuinely rare. By the time Aquatic Warbler was dropped from the BBRC list of considered species in 1996, 1125 individuals had been recorded in Britain. However, due to population declines this species is considered vulnerable and of global conservation concern. As a result it has become a very rare bird in the UK in recent years, with less than 10 records per year since 2005. Now 34 years on, another Lincolnshire bird is long overdue, however taking into account its extreme rarity status on the east coast and more importantly its severely depleted breeding population, the likelihood of another appearance seems a bit of a long shot.

1970 – DESERT WHEATEAR
The first County record of this characterful accidental southern visitor to Britain was an immature male which was witnessed by just two observers at Donna Nook on 23rd September. This bird was only the 17th British record at the time (and the first for 4 years) and forms one of the earliest autumn occurrences of this species. The second county record involved a female found at Pye's Hall from 10th to 13th October 1991. It spent much of its time feeding on the edge of a harvested sugar beet field on the inland side of the dunes also making forays onto the dunes and beach and could at times be rather elusive, but was still well received. The third county record was a cracking male which frequented the beach and dune edge at Rimac, Saltfleetby from 13th to 16th November 1999, whilst the fourth and last record involved a rather approachable female present on the beach and dunes at Saltfleet from 8th to 14th November 2008. Always popular birds this individual attracted more visitors than normal, largely thanks to the presence of a Steppe Grey Shrike just a few miles along the coast at Grainthorpe at the same time. Breeding across North Africa, the Middle east and Asia as far east as Mongolia, over 120 Desert Wheatears have now been recorded in Britain since the first, a male, shot in Clackmannanshire on 26th November 1880. The late-autumn to early winter period has since proved to be THE time to expect this species. There have only been a handful of spring records, but surprisingly a few of these have been at inland localities. Some spring males have shown weak breast colour and quite a strong pinkish-buff or yellow-buff tone to the upperparts, inviting speculation that they may be of the North African form homochroa rather than from the eastern part of the species’ range, where most of our late-autumn records are assumed to come from. A number of the very early British records, which were shot, were specifically assigned to race, though the reliability of these attributions perhaps needs to be confirmed for the modern era. Despite the increase in national records, and now almost an expected late autumn visitor to Britain, this bird has never lost any of its rarity appeal.

1967 – WILSON'S PHALAROPE
Like so many of Lincolnshire's wader firsts, the site which produced the first record of Wilson's Phalarope was Wisbech Sewage Farm. A bird found on 28th September was joined by a second the following day with both birds remaining until 15th October and one to 2nd November. During their extended stay, these birds were witnessed by several observers. Since these birds there have been a further 9 records of this species, with the next two county records coming from the same site; an unusual spring record of a male in full breeding plumage from 7th to 11th June 1975 and two birds (at least one adult) which remained briefly on 29th August 1979. The first twitchable and widely appreciated Wilson's Phalarope for the County came in 1984 when a first-winter bird made an extended stay at Gibraltar Point from 11th September to 5th October. It fed busily around the margins of the Mere and was a star attraction for visitors to the reserve during this period, although it did have a habit of disappearing on a Friday evening and then returning to the Mere on a Sunday afternoon. Remarkably, whilst this bird was present, another first-winter Wilson's Phalarope was discovered at Anderby Creek on 3rd October but unfortunately did not linger. The following year a rather obliging juvenile bird moulting to first-winter plumage was present at Covenham Reservoir from 19th to 22nd August 1985. Continuing a superb run of records during the 1980s a stunning female in full breeding plumage was discovered at Gibraltar Point on 8th June 1987. Found on the Mere, it was first noted mid-afternoon and continued to be seen into the evening, but unfortunately could not be found next day. With more than a hint of de ja vu with the 1984 sightings, a second bird was discovered in 1987 just up the coast from Gib when a first-winter was seen at Chapel. St Leonards on 26th September and which had probably been present since 24th. After 5 birds in 3 years, it was then another 21 years before the next graced the County at Alkborough Flats from 16th to 21st September 2008. The most recent record was a first-winter which fed around the edges of the Fenland Lagoon at Gibraltar Point (the sites 3rd record of this species) from 13th to 15th September 2010. Although recorded as recently as 1954 in the UK, this species has been just about annual since 1961 and it has become one of the more frequently recorded nearctic waders. Like most American waders it shows an autumn peak in sightings between August and October involving mainly juvenile/first-winters although small numbers have also been recorded in spring and summer. It is interesting to note that in view of the sexual role reversal shown by this species that nearly all of those in spring/summer have been females (the opposite of most other spring vagrants). Wilson's Phalaropes migrate south over western USA the main movement then appearing to head through Mexico and across the eastern Pacific direct to south-western Columbia and Ecuador. From there, the migration moves down the Pacific coast and the Andes before fanning out across southern South America. It is therefore uncommon along the eastern seaboard of the USA, and its frequency this side of the Atlantic may be down to the upsurge and expansion of a small population in south-eastern Canada. This species is a great globe trotter however, with (aside from the European sightings) records from South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, whilst one found dead on Alexander Island in Antarctica (immediately south of the southern tip of South America) was the most southerly wader ever recorded.

1963 – RUFOUS BUSH ROBIN
On 2nd September , at the north end of Butlin's Holiday Camp, Skegness, a brownish bird with a red tail was observed perched on a fence at about 50 yards range. It flew down to the ground, frequently jerking its tail up and down and sometime erecting it vertically. With the aid of a telescope, a combination of plumage features, enabled the bird to be identified as a Rufous Warbler (now more commonly known as Rufous Bush Robin or Rufous Bush Chat). After a while it flew off to a small sewage farm behind the fence, where it could not be followed. The following morning the bird was again found and was watched at distances of about 10 yards. Staff from Gibraltar Point Bird Observatory were fetched who also observed the bird. Attempts to catch it were unsuccessful, but the next day, 4th September, it was trapped and ringed. The plumage was generally very abraded with some body feathers falling out and no sign of either new plumage on body or wings. A detailed description and measurements were obtained and the bird was deemed to be an adult male of the western form A.g.galactotes. After some in hand colour photographs were obtained the bird was released and flew strongly away to its usual feeding ground. The bird was watched up to and including 9th September, the last date it was recorded. With the kind permission of the staff of Butlin's Holiday Camp, many birdwatchers were given access to parts of the camp normally denied to the general public to enjoy this superb and extremely rare bird – at the time only the 6th British record. Behaviour observed included the bird tugging at the base of a tuft of grass and to wipe its bill after feeding, in the manner of a Song Thrush. It was once pursued by a Chiffchaff which had been mobbing it on a fence, but no other birds were seen to attack it. During the early part of its stay at least, it was never seen to perch on a bush or tree, but once hovered above some docks and thistles. This skulking species breeds from Iberia and North Africa eastwards to Pakistan and Kazakhstan, and winters in the Sahal zone of the Sahara south to Kenya. The two distinct races in Europe are the western bird breeding in Iberia and North Africa and syriacus occurring in SE Europe, Asia Minor and Syria. This species remains a quite exceptional vagrant to Britain and perhaps one of the most sought after birds on the British list. There has not been a Rufous Bush Robin seen on British shores for 33 years, and the last truly twichable bird was seen 50 years ago this year – in the immediate vicinity of a certain holiday camp. There have only been a total of eight birds in Britain, and for the record these are as follows: near Brighton, East Sussex on 16th September 1854; shot at Start Point, Devon on 25th September 1859; shot at Slapton, Devon on 12th October 1876; one seen at The Wicks, near Dungeness, East Sussex/Kent border on 12th September 1951; one seen at Prawle Point, Devon on 20th October 1959; Ingoldmells, Lincolnshire, 2nd to 9th September 1963; Flamborough Head, E Yorks, 5th to 6th October 1972 and Prawle Point, Devon on 9th August 1980. Of those British birds that could be racially assigned all were of the western race. There are 3 records from Ireland; in September 1876, September/October 1951 and April 1968 whilst more recent records in Northern and Western Europe include birds seen on Jersey and in Germany and Finland.

1963 – LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER
This species has had somewhat of a chequered history in its attempts at making it onto the Lincolnshire list. A Red-breasted Snipe (Dowitcher sp.) was shot on the sea coast between Cleethorpes and Tetney Haven on 15th August 1882. The bird was examined in the flesh and was identified as an adult, in an advance state of moult from summer to winter plumage. At the time 26 supposed occurences of the Red-breasted Snipe had been registered as having occurred in Europe, 16 of which were marked as doubtful. In the 10 undoubted occurrences the date of appearance had been either late in September, or in October. At this time the two Dowitchers (Long-billed and Short-billed) were considered to be races of the same species although it is presumed that this bird is most likely to relate to Long-billed for the purposes of historical records it is only listed as Dowitcher sp. The first modern day record of a dowitcher in the county was a juvenile bird found at Wisbech Sewage Farm on 28th September 1963. Interestingly, this bird was initially accepted by the BBRC as a Short-billed Dowitcher however was later re-identified and accepted as Long-billed following a later BOURC review of all British Dowitcher records (the results of which scrubbed all previous records of Short-billed from the British list). This Wisbech bird was witnessed by several observers during its stay until 6th October, however some authorities attribute the record solely to Norfolk, some solely to Lincolnshire and some play it safe by classing it as on the Norfolk/Lincolnshire border! Therefore the first unequivocal Lincolnshire record of Long-billed Dowitcher goes to the juvenile bird found at Bardney ponds 8 years to the day after the Wisbech bird. Present from 28th September to 10th October 1971 this bird showed well and was seen by a number of observers during its stay, often in association with the local Snipe, and some excellent photographs were obtained. Dowitcher identification remained in its infancy until the mid 1970s, and before that time more birds were unidentified to species level. Up to 1972, 79% of the 112 Limnodromus recorded in Britain & Ireland were unidentified to the species level, reflecting both the difficulty involved in obtaining sufficiently good views to determine the plumage and structural details, and the uncertainties as to exactly what key features would reliably separate Long-billed and Short-billed Dowitchers L. griseus. The late 1970s saw a better understanding of dowitcher identification emerge, and this coincided with an increase in the overall numbers occurring. In comparison, few dowitchers remain unidentified to species level today, but the recent trend suggests that the numbers occurring may be falling. Since the bird at Bardney there have been a further 7 birds recorded in the County as follows (all of which have made extended stays to the delight of County birders): an adult moulting out of summer plumage was present on the borrow pits at Holbeach Marsh from 19th to 24th July 1986 before then being relocated at nearby Moulton Marsh Nature Reserve from 3rd to 14th August where it showed rather well; a well watched juvenile was present in flooded fields at Saltfleet Haven from 1st to 17th November 2002; a long staying moulting adult was present on Tennyson Sands, Gibraltar Point from 5th July to 29th September 2004, with what was considered to be possibly the same adult present at Gibraltar Point from 22nd July to 1st October 2006. A juvenile was present on flooded fields inland at Branston Island, Branston Fen from 24th September to 14th October 2007 but was often rather distant; a juvenile spent most of its time feeding on the lagoon in front of the hide at Freiston Shore from 26th September to 4th October 2011 (and was then seen briefly at Frampton Marsh later on 4th) and finally a first-winter was present at Alkborough Flats from 4th October 2012 to 2nd February 2013, reappearing at the site on 3rd, 17th and 23rd-24th April 2013. Breeding in the wet tundra in the far north of North America and Siberia they're long migration takes then to wintering grounds in central America. It is a rare but regular visitor to western Europe, mainly in Autumn and it is one of the more frequently recorded north American waders in Britain with 219 birds 1950 to 2011 but only 6 accepted prior to 1949(this being the revised figures following a review of past records by the BOU). In recent years, with high-quality optics and a greater understanding of dowitcher identification, far fewer birds go unidentified. There is a wide distributional spread of records across the UK, but few records for inland counties. As might be expected, the southwest receives the majority, suggesting a westerly origin; though it is also interesting to note a general paucity elsewhere in western Britain – notably in Wales and mainland Scotland – and the rarity of Short-billed Dowitcher, which breeds much further east in North America. Conversely, eastern counties, and more specifically those to the south of a line between the Humber and the River Severn, also receive disproportionately high numbers. With most of the breeding range of Long-billed Dowitcher lying across northern Siberia, west to the Lena River, one might speculate that some of our birds originate from the east.


Parts 2 and 3 to follow shortly...........


Matthew