Birds in Northumbria

Birds in Northumbria The 2015 Bird Report for Northumberland, Newcastle and North Tyneside Classified List compiled by Steve Barrett, Graeme Bowman, Paul Buskin, Eddie Crabtree, Tim Dean, Ian Kerr, Lindsay McDougall, Andy Mould & Mike Richardson Edited by Andy Mould Illustrations by Mike Carr, Alan Hart, Mike Henry, Stewart Sexton & John Steele Photographs by Chris Barlow, Jack Bucknall, Paul Buskin, Mike Carr, Alan Curry, Tim & Janet Dean, Jonathan Farooqi, Ian Fisher, Alan Jack, Andy Mould, Heiko Peters, Michael Sanderson & Gary Woodburn Published by THE NORTHUMBERLAND AND TYNESIDE BIRD CLUB ISBN: 978-0-9557406-8-8 Registered Charity No: 517641 Designed and produced by: Differentia Design (differentia.co.uk) © Copyright, Northumberland and Tyneside Bird Club 2016 Contents Map of Northumberland and Tyneside Bird Club Recording Area Introduction 4 Acknowledgements 6 Status of Species 6 Species Accounts 7 Pallid Harrier - First for Northumberland 9 Classified List / Authors 12 Mute Swan - Brent Goose Paul Buskin 14 Shelduck - Goosander Graeme Bowman 21 Quail - Black-necked Grebe Lindsay McDougall 44 Honey-buzzard - Snipe Ian Kerr 61 Pomarine Skua - Great Skua Steve Barrett 92 Puffin - Arctic Tern Andy Mould 94 Kittiwake - Great Black-backed Gull Mike Richardson 101 Rock Dove (Feral Pigeon) - Short-eared Owl Andy Mould 112 Nightjar - Great Spotted Woodpecker Steve Barrett 120 Kestrel - Peregrine Ian Kerr 124 Ring-necked Parakeet - Bearded Tit Mike Richardson 127 Skylark - House Martin Eddie Crabtree 138 Long-tailed Tit - Reed Warbler Ian Kerr 142 Waxwing - Dipper Eddie Crabtree 152 Ring Ouzel - Wheatear Steve Barrett 158 Dunnock - Rock Pipit Eddie Crabtree 171 Brambling - Reed Bunting Mike Richardson 179 Rare and Scarce species Tim Dean - Birds of Unknown Origin, Escapes and Hybrids Tim Dean 188 Reference Section 190 List of Contributors 192 First & Last Dates of Summer Visitors in 2015 193 Last & First Dates of Winter Visitors in 2015 194 Additions and Corrections to Previous Reports 195 BBRC decisions and records under review 196 Ringing Recoveries Reported in 2015 198 Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) 2015 205 The County Records Committee 2015 215 Yellow-browed Warbler - A record year in the county 217 Birdwatching Sites XIX - Alnmouth - An insider’s view 224 Birdwatching Sites XX - Backworth Pond & Area 229 Northumberland & Tyneside Bird Club Development Fund Grants 2015 233 Secretary’s Report 2015 234 Species on the County List not recorded in 2015 236 Map prepared by Mike Hodgson using Dmap software Glossary of Terms 240 Fulmar - Cresswell - April (Heiko Peters) Introduction A very warm welcome to Birds in Northumbria 2015. The entries in this report cover all species found during 2015 in our recording area, which comprises the county of Northumberland and the districts of Newcastle and North Tyneside. We hope you enjoy reading the report. Overview A total of 268 full species were recorded in Northumberland in 2015. Pallid Harrier, long-awaited by many, was the only addition to the county list, which now stands at 413 species. In addition to the returning Caspian Gull at Amble Harbour (second record) and the returning Bonaparte’s Gull at the Farne Islands (sixth record), there were a further eight species in the Extremely Rare category (no more than nine records in total): ‘North American Canada Goose’ (second record), Black Scoter (second record), Black-winged Pratincole (second record), Terek Sandpiper (sixth record), Black Stork (seventh record), Red-flanked Bluetail (seventh record), Pallid Swift (seventh and eighth records) and Long- billed Dowitcher (eighth record). Species and sub-species regarded as rare or scarce in 2015 included: ‘Tundra Bean Goose’, American Wigeon, Green-winged Teal, Red-crested Pochard, Surf Scoter, Smew, Great Shearwater, Leach’s Petrel, Great White Egret, Honey-buzzard, Red Kite, White- tailed Eagle, Rough-legged Buzzard, Crane, Temminck’s Stint, White-rumped Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Red-necked Phalarope, Grey Phalarope, Gull-billed Tern, Yellow-legged Gull, Turtle Dove, Hoopoe, Bee-eater, Wryneck, Red-footed Falcon, Golden Oriole, Red- backed Shrike, Great Grey Shrike, Woodchat Shrike, Hooded Crow, Firecrest, Bearded Tit, Shore Lark, Greenish Warbler, Radde’s Warbler, Dusky Warbler, Barred Warbler, Icterine Warbler, Marsh Warbler, Rose-coloured Starling, Thrush Nightingale, Nightingale, Red-breasted Flycatcher, ‘Channel Wagtail’, ‘Grey-headed Wagtail’, Richard’s Pipit, Water Pipit, Hawfinch, Ortolan Bunting and Little Bunting. In addition, it was the best year on record for Yellow-browed Warblers, with an estimated 93 birds in the county; a paper at the back of this report documents the astonishing increase in numbers of this star Siberian species. Not far behind came Mediterranean Gull, with a record count of 92 individuals on 22nd September. Breeding records included the second nesting of Little Egrets, with at least one pair raising two young at Druridge Pools. A record 111 pairs of Roseate Terns nested on Coquet Island and a first breeding attempt was made at the Farne Islands since 2009. With only six successful nests nationally, a bigamous male Hen Harrier was responsible for fledging five young at one site in the county and three young at another; a ‘sky-dancing’ male was noted at a third locality. Three pairs of Ospreys nested successfully at Kielder Water, fledging a total of six young, and three pairs of Mediterranean Gulls fledged four young on Coquet Island. Marsh Harriers were again successful at East Chevington and Goshawks, Avocets, Little Ringed Plovers, Little Terns and Barn Owls all had a particularly good season. Guillemots continued their incredible success at the Farne Islands and Bearded Introduction Tits bred successfully for the first time since 2000. A pair of Goldeneye raised two broods Breeding species: The same status definitions are used, but in reference to pairs at a site in the north of the county used since 2010 and a pair of Black-necked Grebes rather than individual birds, therefore 10 to 99 pairs will be referred to as an ‘uncommon’ hatched two young at a site in the south east. breeding species. Finally, an interesting record from Gosforth Park NR involved a singing male Golden Oriole Irruptive species: The status of some species can fluctuate greatly between years e.g. heard on 3rd June and again on 16th July. Little Auk and Waxwing. The status illustrated signifies the norm; any irruptive behaviour during the current year will be referred to in the text. Acknowledgements The following are all thanked for providing essential data for this report: David Roche Species Accounts of the National Trust (Farne Islands), Paul Morrison and the RSPB (Coquet Island), the Tables: Where appropriate, tables are included to illustrate maximum monthly counts, Northumbria Ringing Group (raptor and owl breeding data), Ian Fisher (Ringing Report) breeding success, ringing group data and nest box data. and Dan Turner, Steve Holliday and Kathy Evans (Wetland Bird Survey-WeBS). Observer Initials and the use of ‘et al.’: Selected records within the Classified List are I would also like to thank all the illustrators and photographers who have once again accompanied by observer initials. Since BiN 2005, the following simplified guidelines have produced a range of fine work. Appreciation is also extended to the authors of various been issued to section authors to maintain consistency in the use of observer initials: papers and to Peter Fletcher, who compiled the 2015 records from monthly bulletins on to individual species sheets. The map of the recording area was prepared by Mike Hodgson. 1. All Category A, B and scarce sub-species i.e. those requiring written notes The compilers of the monthly bulletins, which form the basis of this report, are also 2. Annual peak counts acknowledged. An annual report would not be possible without their contribution. In 2015, 3. Long-term studies such as monthly counts, nest box schemes, significant bulletin data was collated by Dick Myatt and prepared by the following authors: Trevor breeding data etc. Blake, Graeme Bowman, Eddie Crabtree, Tim Dean, Peter Fletcher, Ian Forsyth, Steve Holliday, Alan Jack, Steve Laing, Lindsay McDougall, Mike Richardson and Mike Smith. David Sanders provided data from the North Northumberland Bird Club. The bulletin was Within Category 1, readers are referred to the County Records Committee paper in the edited by Steve Barrett and mail distribution was by Paul Stewart. Reference Section of this report for an up-to-date list of species, sub-species, age classes I am grateful to the many people who have answered numerous queries and questions etc. considered by the CRC (or see the club’s website at www.ntbc.org.uk). Initials used in in my first year as Editor; in particular I would like to thank Mike Richardson, Tim Dean, parentheses after sightings of some rare or scarce birds are not always fully understood. Steve Holliday, Graeme Bowman and Mike Carr. Finally, I would like to thank Tim Dean BBRC place them in alphabetical order, however we haven’t followed this rule. Up to four and Graeme Bowman for proof reading the report. sets of initials will continue to be used. From BiN 2015, the following criteria will also be applied: If just one person sees a bird, theirs are the only initial, e.g. (TRD); if one person finds and Status of Species identifies a bird, and then more than three other people see the bird, it will be (TRD et al.); Status Headings: if one person finds and identifies a bird and just two or three other observers see the bird, then all three/four initials will be used, e.g. (TRD/JD/STH); if one person finds a bird and STATUS: Describes the current status of a species. another identifies it, the finder’s initials will always be used first, followed by the identifier BREEDING: Where appropriate, describes the current breeding status and year the and any other observers or et al., i.e.

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