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Perhaps one of, if not for many, the most anticipated months in the birding calendar, the impressive October list offers a wealth of gems that includes arrivals from all four points of the birding compass. It includes not one, but two British firsts, some highly sort after county rarities, a nationally significant breeding record, some species which have seen a remarkable change in their County status over time (this is certainly not a list involving just current rare species) and to top it off one of the most controversial birds ever admitted to the British list. Having said all of this, there has not been a county first in the month of October for 10 years now – maybe this year? On with the review………………..
Part 1 – 1970 to 2011
2003 – HUME'S WARBLER
The first record of this a long awaited addition to the County list was seen by just one lucky observer in the Sycamores at Anderby Creek on 18th October. Unfortunately it did not linger, however it was remarkably followed by another discovered just 5 days later which thankfully hung around long enough to be widely appreciated by Lincs birders. This individual was found at Gibraltar Point on 23rd October. It performed consistently in the south-east corner of Syke's Plantation, often showing very well as it flitted about the outer branches of some of the Sycamores and hawthorns during its stay until 29th October. These two records remarkably mirror the circumstances surrounding the first County records of Pallas's Warbler in 1968 which both involved Gibraltar Point and Anderby Creek (see below). It was as long ago as 1955 that attention was drawn to British birdwatchers to the fact that the (then) Hume's Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus humei was a serious contender for addition to the British List. Since the first in East Sussex in November 1966, the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s saw Hume's Warbler P humei travel a rather familiar road to full species status, with several articles on its identification and in 1997 the BOURC announcing that it seemed appropriate to treat P. inornatus (monotypic) and P. humei as separate species. As is typical for a far eastern warbler, this species has a later arrival date with most from the middle of October into November and now with several overwintering individuals noted. By the end of 2011 the British total stood at 121.
1991 – PENDULINE TIT
On the late afternoon of 14th October a bird was seen briefly in flight at Wolla Bank Pit, which was then identified a male Penduline Tit after it was seen perched at the top of a reed stem. However, it then flew 15 metres across the pit and dropped out of sight again in the reeds and was not seen again that day. The following day (15th October) the bird was relocated at 08:00hrs where it was seen briefly before flying into the reeds 30 metres away with a second bird. Good views were then had of both birds (a male and female), on one occasion down to 5 metres. At 08:35 the birds flew off and although they appeared to come down in the opposite side of the reserve they were not seen again despite searching later that day and at neighbouring pits. This species remains a very rare bird in the County with just a further three records. The second involved a brief visit of a male at Shoveler's Pool, Gibraltar Point on the evening of 27th April 1994. The third record involved the second record for Gibraltar Point when a male was again seen briefly (but excellently photographed) on 13th June 2000. The final record involved yet another male less than a year later, this time present at Barton Pits from 10th to 11th April 2001. This species is widely but locally distributed throughout Central and Eastern Europe, from Denmark, Germany and Italy NE to Central Sweden and Estonia. It bred for the first time in the Netherlands in 1968 and by 1990 had a population of up to 150 pairs. It is absent from much of NW Europe but locally numerous in Spain. To the east it breeds from Southern Russia to Volga River. It is largely resident or dispersive in Europe. Other forms, sometimes regarded as separate species, occur in Central Asia and from Southern Siberia to NE China, and winter in NW Indian subcontinent, Southern China and Southern Japan. Like many Central and East European species which have seen population increases and a westward expansion in recent decades, Penduline Tit has also been hotly tipped as a future colonist in Britain. In 1990 a male present at a site in Kent between 21st April and 1st May built a nest but failed to attract a mate. However, any continuation of colonisation attempts seem to have dramatically stalled since then. It has been annual in the UK since 1986 (with a peak of 20 in 1997) and a total of 257 had been recorded in the UK by the end of 2011. A wintering bird at Slapton Ley, Devon trapped on 24th January 2004 was found to have been ringed (as an adult male) at Baarlo, Limburg, southeast Netherlands (an inland site) on 12th July 2003, 697 km to the east. A ringed Penduline Tit was found on the other side of the River Dart, at Paignton, in late March of the same year and this was considered to be the same individual (although the bird was not trapped and the ring number checked). A colour-ringed bird at Filsham, Sussex, in April 2004 originated from Sweden, and represents the third confirmed exchange between Sweden and Sussex; the others were in October 1988 (an adult female ringed in East Sussex that was retrapped in a Swedish colony in May 1989) and October 1997 (a dispersing juvenile that had been ringed in Sweden in July 1997). The movements of these birds suggest that our vagrants are arriving from northern parts of Western Europe, and they may illustrate the dispersal strategy of Penduline Tit, who's breeding numbers on the Continent fluctuate annually.
1988 – NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH
During October 1988 some of the best falls of autumn migrants for many years occurred on the east coast of Britain. On 22nd October, Gibraltar Point saw a mass arrival of Goldcrests, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes and Robins, and amongst the 650 birds ringed was a bird which could not immediately be identified. This bird was trapped in a mist net at 10:00am in the East Dunes and following a full description and measurements being taken and with the help of a suitable North American field guide the bird was identified as Lincolnshire's first Northern Waterthrush and only the fifth for Britain. Quite an exceptional record and very much a surprise that this American species should be found on Britain's east coast. On release the bird remained very elusive in the East Dunes and sightings were infrequent during the rest of the day and the following morning (23rd October). The bird was occasionally heard to call and the characteristic bobbing behaviour of the species was also observed. Two other North American passerines occurred on the East Coast of Britain during the same period with an Indigo Bunting found in Norfolk on the same day as this bird and a Cliff Swallow seen in Cleveland on 23rd. One theory for American birds turning up in eastern Britain is that they have made landfall somewhere in western Europe earlier in the autumn and then get caught up during the same weather conditions that bring the mass arrival of north European migrants from the east. There have still only been a total of 7 Northern Waterthrush records in Britain, and apart from the Gibraltar Point bird, the only record away from Scilly is a bird at Portland, Dorset in October 1996.
1986 – CATTLE EGRET
A specimen that was held in Lincoln museum supposedly originated from the County but the record is doubtful. It was bought at a sale in Boston about 1865 and was said to have been obtained locally but no supporting evidence has been traced. Therefore, the first County record was that of a bird seen in 1986. During the morning of 13th October a phone call was received to the RSPB East Midlands Regional Office who was informed that the previous evening a bird had been seen which was thought to be a Cattle Egret. It was still present that morning but confirmation on the identification was sought. Just after 1.00pm the bird was located feeding with Friesian cattle on the banks of the River Witham past the sewage farm at North Hykeham and was clearly a Cattle Egret. The bird was watched feeding around the Cattle for approximately an hour and was present until just before dusk when it was seen to fly off in a westerly direction. The bird then subsequently moved about a mile further north to associate with some Charolais cattle at Manor Farm where good views were had as it fed in the short grass with the cattle. A field was very generously put over to car parking by the farmer and many birders enjoyed views of this county first. Throughout the birds stay at Manor Farm it followed the same daily routine arriving at the farm between 09:00 and 10:00 and feeding there until the evening when it flew off in a west south-west direction to roost. On 19th October its roost site was located when it flew into Apex Pit, approximately 3km west south-west of Manor Farm, at 18:07 and landed in a large bush on a wooded island in the pit. It was still roosting in the same site the following morning and arrived there at 18:17 on 20th and 17:54 on 21st. It was last seen at the roost site on the morning of 26th October, the last occasion on which it was reported. It had presumably followed gulls flying into roost at Apex Pit and found the wooded island an ideal roosting spot. The second and third records came in the spring of 1992 and were associated with a marked movement into the near continent and southern Britain at the time. An adult, first seen at Messingham on 6th May fed amongst a flock of sheep until 10th roosting at Messingham nature reserve, although it became rather elusive during the latter part of its stay. A party of 4 adults were then seen in cattle pastures at Langham near Hogsthorpe on 7th May and form the largest single number of birds seen in the County. The 21 birds recorded in Britain in 1992 made this a record year for the species and included a remarkable flock of eight in Hertfordshire. Despite an increase in UK sightings this remains a very rare bird in Lincolnshire. The next bird was not seen until 16 years later when a very well watched bird was seen by many Lincs birders at Sea View Farm, Saltfleetby from 30th to 31st January 2008. It was then seen at Little Cawthorpe on 3rd February before moving to Legbourne on 4th February where it remained in a small roadside sheep field, showing very well, until 18th February. This was then followed by a juvenile found at Donna Nook on 10th October 2010, and which remained in the general area until 18th November. Initially present in a field following the plough with gulls, it then adopted a more traditional feeding pattern associating with a local herd of cows. The final and most recent record is a bird frequenting fields by the canal at Tetney Lock, mainly associating with cattle (but also following tractors with gulls in nearby fields) and present from 12th to 26th September 2013 and then later relocated on the Freshwater Marsh and Croft Marsh at Gibraltar Point on 27th September. The Cattle Egret is one of the most adaptable and opportunistic of species, and its world range has expanded considerably in recent years. Its ability to take advantage of human activity is a key factor and, while livestock farming is clearly important, man-made grasslands, golf courses and crop fields are readily adopted as feeding areas. Originally native to Spain, Portugal and tropical Africa, the species began to spread into South Africa in the early twentieth century and crossed the Atlantic to colonise South America in the 1930s before moving north into the USA a decade later. The eastern race B. i. coromandus is widespread in Asia south to Australia. In Europe, this range expansion was also dramatic. The first breeding record in France was in the Camargue in 1968, and by 1974 some 98 pairs were breeding there. In subsequent years it continued to move northwards, although it remained an extremely rare bird in Britain: the six in 1981were described as ‘an extraordinary influx’ at the time. Between 1982 and 1991, a total of just 21 were seen, including 14 in 1986, but there were also several blank years. The group of eight together in Hertfordshire in spring 1992 is still remembered as a significant and memorable event. Numbers in the decade 1992–2001 increased somewhat, with a total of 75, which included 13 in both 1998 and 2001. However, the record total of 29 in 2006 was a clear pointer to what was to come, and there was an unprecedented arrival of Cattle Egrets in late 2007. The birds from that influx were obviously still very much in evidence in early 2008. The largest numbers were in the southwest, in Cornwall in particular, and it is also worth noting that southwest Ireland experienced a similar invasion, with at least 35 recorded in January 2008. As the year progressed, more birds began to be reported farther north and east. Given that this species has a history of turning up at virtually any time of year, it was difficult to be sure whether these individuals were part of the original influx or new arrivals. However, it appeared that most had vacated Cornwall by early spring, when the centre of gravity had shifted to the dairy-farming counties of Devon and, particularly, Somerset. With so many birds in the country, there was much speculation as to the likelihood of possible breeding and this was eventually realised when a pair successfully raised a single youngster in Somerset: the first confirmed breeding record for Britain. The final total of birds for 2008 was given as 168 allowing for duplication. This is a highly successful species that continues to expand its range within Europe and, with a general upward trend in the number of records in Britain continuing, it remains to be seen if Cattle Egret follows Great White Egret and perhaps even Little Egret in becoming a more regular feature of the British avifauna. Cattle Egret was finally removed from the list of official rarities with effect from January 2009. It does however remain a very rare bird in Lincolnshire.
1980 – BOOTED WARBLER
South-easterly and easterly winds had been blowing for two days, from 'lows' over the continent and a modest fall of Redwings had taken place at Theddlethorpe Dunes on 11th October. Soon after dawn on 12th October a considerable fall of Goldcrests, Blackcaps and Blackbirds became apparent and a single Firecrest and Garden Warbler were also captured. At approximately 11.00am in a mist net sited in a firebreak through 10ft high sea buckthorn at Crook Bank, a small, very pale warbler was captured. A detailed in hand description was taken which confirmed the bird to be a first-winter Booted Warbler, the first record for Lincolnshire. The bird was photographed in the hand and was the released back into the dunes. It was noted at the time that the wing formula conformed to the annectens sub-species for first-winter birds as given in the literature being from the Tien Shan range. However, in more recent years, the validity of this 'subspecies' first described by Sushkin in 1925, has been questioned by some authorities and described as 'a dubious taxonomic entity, originally inadequately described, and at best one of many ‘unnecessary’, very subtle subspecies, and more likely representing just a diffuse intergradation between two connected subspecies.' Long overdue, the second occurred 23 years later and proved to be the first twitchable bird in Lincolnshire. Found on 6th September 2003, the bird was first seen in elder scrub on the seaward side of the helipad at Donna Nook before moving into buckthorn to the north of the RAF base. It was fairly elusive for the first 3 hours and at one point it flew out over the saltmarsh for about 200m before returning to the low buckthorn and weedy vegetation by the edge of the beach side track where it then gave amazing views until dark. Unfortunately it would appear the bird had departed overnight as it was not seen the following day. A Booted Warbler had been present at West Runton, Norfolk between 31st August and 2nd September 2003. Found four days after this bird and just 60 miles northwest, could the Donna Nook Booted relate to the same individual? In 2003 there were 14 accepted records of Booted Warbler for the neighbouring county of Yorkshire, but perhaps surprisingly only 3 for Norfolk. Formally a very rare vagrant to Britain with just nine records before 1977 this has become annual in recent years with records concentrated on Shetland, along the east coast and on the Isles of Scilly. Increased summer records in north-eastern Europe, particularly in Finland and Estonia hint at a westward expansion and no doubt account for the increase in UK sightings.
1980 – OLIVE-BACKED PIPIT
On 19th October, at Salfleetby, and following a week of easterly winds, a small Pipit was flushed from the long grass just after 15:30 at the edge of a harvested bean field, adjacent to the willow hedge at Rimac about 400m north of Churchill Lane Car Park. On taking flight it called and then flew into a small willow tree. The bird was initially obscured as it skulked in the foliage of the willow, before walking down the branches of the tree and disappearing into the dyke. It was then flushed again from the dyke and landed back in the same willow tree where good views were then obtained in bright sunlight before it again disappeared. The combination of features clearly confirmed the bird to be an Olive-backed Pipit. The Pipit subsequently gave superb views both on the ground and in the more open willows, where it habitually perched, for the next 45 minutes. It was rather inconspicuous as it fed in the long tangled vegetation on the field side but also frequently walked about the branches of the willows. The bird was watched until 16:25 when it was still in the same area but it could unfortunately not be found the next day. This was only the 14th British record at the time. The second and third Olive-backed pipits for the County were discovered in October 1990 during impressive fall conditions thanks to a prolonged period of easterly winds with an amazing supporting cast of Asian and Siberian vagrants being found on the Lincolnshire coast. The first was a bird present at Donna Nook from 18th to 20th October with the second trapped at Seacroft on 20th October. There have been a further 5 records in the County. In 1992 a well-marked bird was found at Gibraltar Point on 12th October, but unfortunately quickly flew off south-west down the Wash. Further records came from Gibraltar Point on 8th November 2000, and an early autumn migrant was reported from here on 26th September 2001. In 2003, a widely twitched and much appreciated bird was found on the edge of a large garden in south Skegness on the morning of 18th October but was not seen for a number of hours after the first sighting. By mid-afternoon the owner of the property, very kindly allowed birders into his garden to search for the bird. Although relocated it proved very frustrating only being seen in flight and calling when flushed. Eventually excellent views were obtained as it fed in the leaf litter under a large Sycamore in a dell in the garden. The following day it was seen briefly in the morning then not again until 4pm, but on the 20th it performed well in the same area but could not be found next day. It remained remarkably faithful to its chosen garden and access was very generously allowed to this area throughout the birds stay. The last County record concerns yet another from Gibraltar Point when a bird was reported there on 31st October 2006. The species closest breeding area to Europe is restricted to the Northern Urals. It is widespread across Central and Eastern Siberia to Northern China, Kamchatka, Kuril Islands and Japan and winters widely across Southern China, Taiwan and throughout Northern and Central parts of SE Asia. The population in the Himalayas and mountains of west-central China winters throughout Indian subcontinent. The total number of British records had increased to 374 by the end of 2011 and it one of the more frequently recorded of Siberian vagrants. A lull in records was experienced during the mid to late 1990s, although it has become more frequent again since 2000. Nonetheless, recent totals are still well short of the unprecedented arrivals of the early 1990s, which peaked at 43 in 1990 and 35 in 1993 (although the 26 in 2011 bucked this recent trend). Almost annual records from Shetland continue that archipelago’s dominance for this species, accounting for almost half the British ‘OBP’s recorded. Scilly is the next best place to find this species, with Yorkshire (and Flamborough Head in particular) the best bet on the mainland.
1978 – RED-BREASTED GOOSE
The first county record of this striking small goose was an adult which landed briefly at Covenham Reservoir on 1st October. This was the same bird which had flown south past Spurn, E Yorks earlier the same day and was presumably the same bird which was located with Greylag and Canada Geese at Westbere, Kent from 21st to 23rd October. The bird was unringed, wary and its behaviour generally supported the view at the time that it was a genuine vagrant. However, in 2000 details were published that indicated the Kent individual was considered an escape. The second County record, and arguably a bird with much better credentials, involved an adult which associated with a flock of up to 900 Dark-bellied Brent Geese in the North Cotes/Saltfleet area from 25th to 29th November 1984. The third and fourth county records soon followed. In 1985 an adult bird was present at Gibraltar Point from 9th to 16th February, at Leverton from 13th to 14th, Friskney from 16th to 17th, Wrangle on 20th and Wainfleet on 27th. Two adults were present at Wrangle on 23rd February with one still there on 3rd March. It was muted that one of these birds could have been that present on the NE coast in November 1984, however, some very cold easterly weather occurred around 19th to 20th January bringing a notable influx of wildfowl from the continent, including very high numbers of Dark bellied Brent Geese around the Wash, so it is very likely that these could have been new arrivals. It was another 21 years before this beautiful goose graced the County again. On 12th October 2006 two adults were seen at Covenham Reservoir (not associated with any other species), before they then settled in the Salfleet area, associating with Dark bellied Brent Geese, from 13th October until 23rd January 2007. They often showed very well with the Brent and could often be relied upon on the saltmarsh in the area of Saltfleet Haven and were very popular amongst Lincs birders. On 27th October the same two adults were noted flying south past Spurn, E Yorks. After departing the Saltfleet area they were then located in Norfolk on 10th March, where they were seen at various sites in the north-west of the County until 2nd April. Up to 1969 there were some 25 records and occurrences in Britain, traditionally associated with flocks of Russian White-fronted Geese. An upsurge since 1975 has coincided with a tendency for the birds to occur with Dark bellied Brent Geese, which increased six fold between the mid-1960s and the early 1990s. There have even been a handful of wintering records with Barnacle Geese on the Solway and islands of the Inner Hebrides. The upturn here reflects the position in the Netherlands, where there were as many as 20 in the early part of 1994 for example. It seems that, as with Dark bellied Brent, Red-breasted Goose has enjoyed an increase in recent years. Disturbance and hunting was believed to have reduced the population to about 25,000 by the early 1970s, however, by January 1994 a remarkable count of 75,000 occurred in Bulgaria.
1978 – ISABELLINE SHRIKE
The first County record was of a first-winter bird present towards the southern part of Donna Nook from 28-30th October 1978. It was trapped and photographed and was subsequently seen by many observers during its stay. This was only the 14th British record and at the time was considered to be of the form L.i.phoenicuroides. Four years later, an adult male, in immaculate plumage was found at Anderby Creek on 7th November 1982. It was still present there on 8th and was witnessed by several observers. The same bird was then seen at Gibraltar Point on 15th November (at one point amazingly sharing the same bush as a certain American visitor that had been found on the reserve – see next month's review). At the time, this stunning bird, was accepted by the BBRC as 'one of the races isabellinus-phoenicuroides-speculigerus, with characters closest to phoenicuroides-speculigerus (intergrade)'. It was later considered as belonging to the form karelini of the race/species phoenicuroides . However, this bird has continued to cause much controversy over its racial identification ever since (see below). This was only the 17th British record. The third county record was of a first-winter bird which frequented the bushes at Pye's Hall from 14th to 15th October 1990 and was much appreciated and well photographed. In the LBC Report for that year it was noted as showing characteristics closest to the race L.i. phoenicuroides, but was later accepted by the BBRC as isabellinus . The racial identity of this bird has also proved problematic however (see below). Another first-winter was found in bushes between Stonebridge and Pye's Hall, Donna Nook on morning of 13th October 2003. It showed very well in the sunny but windy conditions for the rest of the afternoon feeding continuously on the bountiful supply of insects but had disappeared by dawn next day and was not seen again. This bird may have been of the form phoenicuroides . The fifth and last county record involved the second for Gibraltar Point when an obliging individual believed to be of the form isabellinus, was found in the west dunes on 10th October 2010. Present for the afternoon it unfortunately could not be found the following day. Remarkably 3 of the 5 county sightings have been within 1km of each other. Annual totals of Isabelline Shrike have been relatively consistent in Britain, with between one and nine (in 2011) records in all but five years since 1977 (there was none in 1983, 1986, 1992, 2008 and 2009). Adults can arrive at any time, although June is a good month and the late summer/early autumn is also a favoured period; first-winters typically appear from mid-October to early November, though some reach Britain in late September. Four races of Isabelline Shrike breed in Central Asia, from Caspian Sea and Western Iran through Kazakhstan to Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Northern Pakistan to Southern Mongolia and NW China, with an isolated population from Zaidam depression to N Tibetan Plateau. The racial identity of records of Isabelline Shrike has proven somewhat of a headache when assessing records. Advances in identification in recent decades have given a degree of confidence in assigning some birds which arrive in the UK to one of two forms. ‘Turkestan Shrike’ L.i.Phoenicuroides which breeds from Iran north and east to far north-western Xinjiang, through Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, western Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Tadzhikistan and southern Kazakhstan. It winters mostly in southern Arabia and eastern Africa (Somalia to Tanzania) although a few are apparently found in north-western India. Phoenicuroides is a long-distance migrant whose range widely coincides with that of two other species recorded as vagrants to Europe, Asian Desert Warbler Sylvia nana nana and Blue cheeked Bee-eater Merops persicus persicus. On this basis, it might be expected to be of less-than annual occurrence in Europe. ‘Daurian Shrike’ L.i.isabellinus breeds from the Russian Altai through northern China and Mongolia approximately as far east as the upper Amur River. It winters from southern Arabia to eastern and central Africa, generally to the north and west of phoenicuroides although there is undoubtedly much overlap. Isabellinus breeds the furthest north-east of the isabelline shrikes and migrates the longest distance. Its breeding (though not it's wintering) range roughly coincides with that of species such as Blyth’s Pipit Anthus godlewskii, Hume’s Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus humei and Radde’s Warbler P schwarzi. The latter two at least are now annual vagrants to Western Europe. Two wheatears, Desert Oenanthe deserti and Isabelline O isabellina, breed sympatrically with isabellinus in Mongolia and also migrate south-westwards in autumn. While European occurrences of these two wheatears may well involve birds originating much further west, it has been suggested that it would not be surprising if they were related to the appearance of isabellinus in Europe. The identification of most (but not all) adults, which have been found in Britain have often proven less problematic than the often confused taxonomic messages surrounding first-winters and caution should be exercised in trying to identify every individual to either sub-specific (or species level – dependant on current taxonomic thinking). There is a view coming from the region where Isabelline Shrikes breed that the disputed form ‘karelini’ (first described by Russian researchers, along with additional forms, but not widely accepted) may breed sympatrically with L. i. phoenicuroides. It is still not known whether ‘karelini’ is a variant of phoenicuroides, a hybrid population or indeed a separate subspecies, and this confuses any picture we may have of what it looks like. The recent discovery of apparent intergrade pairings between the recognised races further complicates the issue, and reinforces the need to attempt to assign to form only those individuals showing the full suite of characters. The existence or otherwise of this form has a significant bearing on one of the Lincolnshire records. Although some authorities have split and treat Turkestan and Daurian Shrikes as separate species (in the Netherlands back in 1998 for example), in Britain, both are still (currently) lumped under Isabelline. Consequently, the BBRC has the view that it will try to assign adults to race, but that first-winters are best left as only possibles – the term ‘showing the characters of ’ is imprecise but may be useful. The problem with earlier records is that the descriptions often lack the critical detail needed to help with racial identification. There has been much consternation concerning the racial identity of the above adult present at Anderby Creek and Gibraltar Point in 1982. The BBRC is reviewing descriptions of this striking individual, which is in general terms described as having pale greyish upperparts and a slight wash of pink or pinkish-buff on the underparts, being most marked on the flanks. This may be an example of adult male karelini. But the possibility of it being influenced by Red-backed Shrike genes has also been suggested. The fact that the racial identity of such a well-marked individual remains in doubt provides a vivid illustration of the problems faced. Another tricky individual seems to have been the first-winter bird present at Donna Nook in October 1990. Originally assigned by BBRC to isabellinus the racial attributions of this bird are now considered unsafe following a review. The joy of birding is continuing to be educated, with surprises in the advances of identification still being thrown up. Certainly in the case of the Isabelline Shrike complex, these birds are proving nothing but educational and there still seems much to learn.
1978 – YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO
The first county record involved a bird unfortunately found dead at Boothby Hall near Welton-le-Marsh on 30th October 1978. It was considered a young bird, was in excellent condition and was subsequently preserved and retained in Lincoln Museum. This occurred just 3 days after a juvenile was caught in the warren trap at Spurn on 27th October 1978 which was released shortly after although but was not seen again. The second county record was seen alive when a bird was discovered at the Lincolnshire Trust reserve of Rauceby Warren near Sleaford during the afternoon of 18th October 1987. Local birders were informed of its presence that evening although the condition of the bird was not known and it was decided to try and determine the health of the bird the following morning before releasing the news more widely. An hours search the following morning revealed nothing and it was assumed it had moved on or not survived the night. However, the bird was re-discovered around mid-morning and appeared to be in good health. News was broadcast and many birders were able to see this bird during the afternoon and evening. It was fairly active and appeared settled, usually perching on the tops of bushes or on the roadside fence from which it would drop down onto the ground, where it was seen to take several craneflies and a caterpillar. Despite the appearance of its settled nature the bird could not be found the following day and it was not seen subsequently. All British records of Yellow-billed Cuckoo have occurred between mid-September to mid-November, except for two surprisingly late ones in December. Most of the 63 British records have been found in southern England, especially the Isles of Scilly, although are a number of records away from the South-west Peninsula, including a number on the British east coast, although ship-assistance may be involved in some of the records. Yellow-billed Cuckoo is one of the more frequently recorded of North American passerines to reach Britain. The frequency of the species' occurrence has been attributed to a 2,500 mile (4,000km) transoceanic migration route from south-east Canada and New England direct to the West Indies and South America. Individuals arriving in the Netherland Antilles in autumn are often exhausted and at 50% of their normal body weight, with some birds arriving in Britain being in a similar state, with an inability to find suitable food inevitably leading to their early demise. Of 37 birds found between 1958 and 1994, 16 were found dead or moribund. Despite the number of birds recorded there have been just 6 seen since 2000, compared to 9 in the 1970s and an exceptional 15 in the 1980s. This is in line with a general decrease in the number of North American passerines reaching British shores compared to the heady heights of the above two decades, which may be attributed to population declines across the Atlantic or a shift in weather patterns and associated autumn storms.
1977 – RED-RUMPED SWALLOW
The first county record of this Mediterranean hirundine was a bird seen by a single observer at Gibraltar Point on 29th October. This bird formed part of a pronounced East coast arrival in October 1977 with the total of 6 birds being unprecedented at the time. The others involved 3 in East Yorkshire and singles in Norfolk and Northumberland. There have now been an impressive total of 28 birds recorded in the County, with remarkably 79% coming from just one location – Gibraltar Point. The second county record concerned a bird which appeared over the Mere at Gibraltar Point on 2nd May 1987, and during its stay until 6th gave many people superb views as it hawked for insects right in front of the hide on numerous occasions. There were a total of 5 birds in the County in 1987, unprecedented at the time (and coincided with an exceptional national influx) with the remaining records for the year from, where else, Gibraltar Point, and this included the first multiple occurrence in the County. Two birds were discovered darting around on 24th October with 4 birds present on 27th and 2 until 28th October. This annual total has been bettered only once, in 2003, when another remarkable influx brought 6 spring birds to Lincolnshire. It all began with a single bird seen at Fishtoft on 27th April, which was then soon followed by a single bird arriving at Gibraltar Point during the morning of 29th April which showed itself well over the West Dunes with a small group of Swallows and Martins. It later moved to the mere where it was joined by a second bird. As hirundines continued to pass through during the afternoon, it was soon realised that a third had arrived and then into the early evening a fourth. At the time, a spring group of four Red-rumped Swallows was thought to be a record with these birds remaining until the following day. To crown a superb set of records for the species the sixth bird of the spring was seen at Gibraltar Point on 2nd May. There have been a total of 19 spring records for the county with 10 in April (the earliest being 2 birds at Gibraltar Point on 17th April 2004) and 9 in May. Several of these birds have been seen only briefly or passing quickly along the coast, but lingering twitchable birds include the above 1987 and 2003 Gibraltar Point birds and two present at Barton-on-Humber from 4th to 6th May 2004, with one remaining to 9th. There have been 9 autumn records, all late in the season, and include 6 in October and 3 in November (the latest of which were two birds seen at Gibraltar Point on 14th November 1988). Sites recording the species away from Gibraltar Point are Barton-on-Humber (2), Donna Nook (2), Fishtoft and Messingham. There are a total of 5 multiple sightings for the county with 3 records involving two birds together and two records involving up to four birds together. Several of the more recent sightings have conformed to a developing pattern involving occurrences of birds moving south in the spring with movements of other hirundines, something which has also been mirrored at Spurn Point to the north. It is of course conceivable that at least some of those seen during such conditions involve the same birds moving south. Based on the evidence from these records, it would appear the best chance of finding your own Red-rumped Swallow in Lincs is to undertake some coastal 'vis migging' from mid-April and into May and give a good grilling to all of those swallows and martins whizzing past. There were only seven records of Red-rumped Swallow in Britain up to 1958, but it has been annual since 1964 and has shown a large increase in the number of birds reaching our shores. The total number of birds recorded during the period 1950-2007 was 508 and it had been dropped from the list of species considered by the BBRC by the end of 2005. The general increase here is no doubt as a result of its northward spread in Iberia. Before 1929 it bred only in the extreme south, but reached central Spain by the early 1950s and the French border by 1960. It first bred in the south of France in 1963 and there are several breeding records from there since. A very interesting record involves a male which held territory at Corfe Mullen, Dorset, in the summer of 1988 and even helped to raise a brood of House Martins. It typically arrives as a spring overshoot between April and June (although early individuals can appear from mid-March and an exceptionally early bird was seen in the Isles of Scilly in February 1994). There is also a pronounced autumn arrival period for the species in October and November and this is usually linked to unusual weather conditions producing a strong southerly airstream during these months.
1975 – ARCTIC REDPOLL
The first County record of this feathery snowflake, involved a sight record of two birds present at Saltfleetby on 12th October. These birds occurred along with 9 other Arctic Redpolls seen in Britain during autumn 1975, all but one of which arrived within the six days from 9th October. Their appearance coincided with a heavy autumn passage of Mealy Redpolls. The second record arrived just a few months later when a bird was trapped at Brumby Common, near Scunthorpe on 28th March 1976. The next two records involved some long staying birds on the coast. The first of these was a bird recorded as showing characteristics of the race exilipes which was present and superbly photographed at Saltfleetby from 21st February to at least the 13th April 1982. It was trapped, but not ringed, on 21st March. This was shortly followed by another in similar circumstances which was present with a finch flock on the outer dune ridge at Gibraltar Point from 15th January to 25th February 1984. There were no more until another autumn bird at Pye's Hall, Donna Nook from 18th to 21st October 1990 which was part of a bumper autumn/winter influx into Shetland and the east coast involving around 25 individuals. The following year saw the first of what would become occasional small influxes into the County. A record 63 Arctic Redpolls were discovered in Britain during the year, most of which were discoveries following/associated with the autumn 1990 influx. An impressive 7 birds were found in Lincolnshire as part of this influx (more than the combined County total up to this point) with three at Kirkby Moor on 20th January (with one remaining to 27th), two at Linwood Warren from 21st to 27th January, a male at North Somercotes from 26th January to 5th February (trapped on 26th) and the final bird at Laughton Forest from 20th February to 8th March. These birds coincided with a notable influx of Mealy (Common) Redpolls which included peaks of 40 at Kirkby Moor and 25 at Linwood Warren both in January. Just five years later, these numbers were eclipsed by an even larger influx. An unprecedented 155 Arctic Redpolls were discovered in Britain towards the end of 1995 and this continued into 1996, a year which produced a staggering 277 accepted records. The previous highest UK annual total was 63 in 1991. Twelve birds were recorded in Lincolnshire in 1995 (comparing very favourably with the eight in E Yorks and Fourteen in Norfolk during the same period) and a further two birds were located during the early part of 1996. It all started with a first-winter was at Donna Nook on 12th November, followed by at least seven at Laughton Forest on at least 27th December and then two females or first-winters were discovered at Swanholme Lakes on 28th December with at least one to 30th with two males on 31st and a male and another until at least 6th January 1996. To round up the influx a bird was seen at Barton-on-Humber on 19th February 1996 with the final bird at Laughton Forest on 5th March 1996. All of these birds coincided with an exceptional influx of Mealy (Common) Redpolls into the County which were seen at many widespread localities in November and December 1995 and included 35 at Donna Nook in early November before a staggering c.400-450 were discovered towards the end of November in Laughton Forest – unprecedented numbers for the County. Numbers remained into the beginning of 1996 with 100 remaining in the Laughton area and flocks of up to 40 elsewhere. Since these influxes there have been a further 7 birds in the County as follows; Water's Edge Country Park (Coues's – exilipes) from 25th to 28th March 2006; an exilipes with 6 Mealy Redpolls at Horseshoe Point on 11th November 2008; a bird at Skitter Beck, Goxhill with Mealy and Lesser Redpolls on 12th and 22nd February 2009; another at Owlet Plantation from 21st to 27th March 2010 on feeders with 12 Mealies and then 3 seen in 2011 which again coincided with a widespread arrival of Mealy (Common) Redpolls into the County. One frequented a Lincoln garden in the Birchwood area from 21st January to 4th March, one Barton Pits 26th to 27th February and one Gibraltar Point also from 26th to 27th February. The nominate race of Arctic Redpoll hornemanni of the highest tundra in Canada and Greenland was described by Holboell in 1843; the smaller, almost circumpolar but generally more southerly exilpes was recognised in Canada by Coues in 1862.Whether or not their speciation is complete has been much disputed. Indeed if any group of passerines presents frequently unstable gene flow, it has to be the redpolls. British observers should remain aware of the difficulties of making firm separations not just of the two forms of Arctic's but also of the variable ‘north western’ birds that cross the North Atlantic from Greenland, Iceland and potentially the Nearctic. There has been a plethora of papers and articles dealing with 'Redpoll' identification over the last decade or so, and as fascinating as they are some pose more questions than they find answers. Despite this, the recent rejection rate by the BBRC had been only 10%, although the owners of assessing any future records has (at least for exiles) now been passed to the Local records committees. The first British record of ‘Hornemann’s Arctic Redpoll’ C. h. hornemanni came from Whitburn, Co. Durham, on 24th April 1855. At least ten more were obtained or seen between 1883 and 1935 (mainly in Shetland with a second English bird near Spurn, East Yorkshire on 25th February 1893). There have been worries over the separation of the species from Mealy Redpoll C. flammea which led to few and seemingly haphazard racial attributions. Indeed, after one on Fair Isle in 1950, there were only seven records of 10 birds up to 1996. Since then, there have been occasional marked influxes with recent localities and dates reflect strongly the occurrence pattern indicated by the early specimens, that of an irregular transatlantic waif usually appearing in the Northern Isles ahead of exilipes and only rarely then pitching down the east coast. Hornemann’s Arctic Redpoll will continue to be vetted as a rarity at a national level. The first three British specimens of ‘Coue’s Arctic Redpoll’ C. h. exilipes were taken near Spurn in January 1894 and December 1898 (two), while the first Scottish bird came from Fair Isle in the autumn of 1900. There were another 8 between 1910 and 1945 and since then definite records of this race have been rather sparse. However it was opined that the predominant east-coast locations of the 35 Arctic Redpolls from 1958 to 1972 meant that ‘most (modern) birds originated from northern Eurasia’, a view supported by the frequent co-arrivals of Mealy Redpolls. Confident attributions to exilipes were made on Fair Isle in January and twice in May in 1993 but then in autumn 1995 a floodgate opened and along with thousands of Mealies, 431, later increased to 441, poured across the North Sea and into Britain. No-one doubted that they were exilipes, since within northwest Europe, literally millions of redpolls erupted southwest in the autumn/winter of 1995/96. Curiously, since then few definite attributions have been made. Thus the British status of exilipes remains difficult to define; in most years, it may well be rarer than hornemanni. An analysis of the indeterminate birds is pointless but, whichever race is involved, the Arctic Redpoll is always a delight.
Parts 2 and 3 dealing with the period 1847 to 1969 to follow shortly.
Matthew
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