Records from the archives – On This Day
For week commencing Monday 16th May 2022
16th May
A drake Blue-winged Teal was found at Arthuret Ponds, Longtown on this day it remained until 19th May in 2006 it was the third Cumbrian record, an adult Night-heron found in the Lyth Valley in 1999 was the 17th Cumbrian record, spring passage of Long-tailed Skuas was much in evidence with ten counted flying east off Bowness-on-Solway in 2010, two adult Temminck’s Stints were at South Walney on this day in 1994, they remained overnight and constituted the 14th Cumbrian record and the 16th & 17th individual birds, single Red-backed Shrikes were found on North Walney in 1985 with a male at Castle Carrock in 1993 which overnighted these were the 8th and 14th Cumbrian records since 1969, a Nightingale at Millwood, Barrow-in-Furness in 1972 which remained until the 19th May was the first Cumbrian record.
17th May
Adult Spoonbills were seen at South Walney in 1992, remaining until 23rd May and at Hodbarrow in 2009, these were the 20th and 48th Cumbrian records, a Temminck’s Stint found at Hodbarrow in 1979 was the ninth Cumbrian record, an adult Ring-billed Gull first seen on the River Kent in Kendal on 10th May 1994 was last recorded on this day, it was the seventh Cumbrian record, a Turtle Dove remained at Arnside until 19th May in 1990, single Red-spotted Bluethroats were seen at Foulney in 1985 and at Kirkby Lonsdale in 1994 and were the 5th and 7th Cumbrian records and the first Serin for Cumbria, a male, was found at South Walney in 1998.
18th May
Three Spoonbills summered at South Walney until 5th September in 2004, this was the 41st Cumbrian record, a Spoonbill was seen at Bowness-on-Solway in 2009 it was the 47th Cumbrian record, a Corncrake was calling at at Stagsike, Geltsdale in 2007, an adult Pectoral Sandpiper was located on the River Esk at Longtown in 2016 it remained until 20th May and it was the 31st Cumbrian record, as usual Long-tailed Skuas were seen at Bowness on Solway with two in 2001, one in 2003, 22 in 2007 and16 in 2015, two summer plumaged adult White-winged Black Terns were found at Rockcliffe in 1992 they remained until 19th May, they constituted the third Cumbrian record and were the third and fourth individual birds, a Turtle Dove was at Hodbarrow in 1992, a first-summer male Golden Oriole was at South Walney in 2011 from 8th May until this day, this was the 36th and most recent Cumbrian record and the corpse of a British first, a Palm Warbler was found on the tide-line at Walney in 1976, it was later considered to be of uncertain provenance by the BOURC and removed from the British List (BB 100:752).
19th May
A peak time for Long-tailed Skuas at Bowness-on-Solway with two adults in 2006, 24 birds in 2007, four in 2009, 25 in two flocks, 11 and 14, in 2015 and one in 2019 (N. Franklin),Turtle Doves were recorded at St Bees Head in 1993 and at Penton (NY47) remaining until 24th May in 1993, a male Red-backed Shrike was found on the airfield at Walney in 1994 it was the 13th Cumbrian record since 1969, a male Golden Oriole seen at Barrow-in-Furness in 1967 was the 16th Cumbrian record, a male Grey-headed Wagtail was described at Hodbarrow in 1993 it remains the first and only Cumbrian record.
20th May
An Egyptian Goose was found at Hodbarrow in 2007 it was the 14th Cumbrian record and the 18th individual bird, a drake American Wigeon at Hodbarrow in 1997 was the fifth Cumbrian record, Spoonbills were represented with one at South Walney which remained until 9th July, in 2007 and two adults at Campfield Marsh which stayed overnight in 2010 , these were the 43rd and 58th Cumbrian records, two adult Long-tailed Skuas were seen off Bowness-on-Solway in 2009, a Wryneck at South Walney in 1983 was the 13th Cumbrian record since 1973, an immature male Golden Oriole was located on North Walney it remained until 30th May in 1983, it was the third Cumbrian record of the 1980’s, a male Woodchat Shrike at South Walney that remained until 29th May in 1986 was the third Cumbrian record, a Red-spotted Bluethroat at South Walney in 2013 was the ninth Cumbrian record of Bluethroat and the seventh of this race and a Richard’s Pipit found at Grune Point in 1920 was the sixth Cumbrian record.
21st May
Spoonbills were represented with one at Siddick Pond in 1970 and two on the Duddon estuary in 1988 these were the tenth and 17th Cumbrian records, a Great White Egret was seen at Hodbarrow in 2011 it was the 17th Cumbrian record, infrequently seen on passage single Honey Buzzards were seen over New Mills, Brampton in 2008 and over Sedgwick (SD58D) in 2010, an adult Temminck’s Stint was found at Hodbarrow in 2011 it was the 16th Cumbrian record and a Turtle Dove was seen at South Walney in 1992.
22nd May
A run of Spoonbills on Walney Island in 2002 began on this day with a first-summer bird followed by two birds on 31st May and 1st June with three immatures on 2nd and 3rd June and an adult and an immature on 8th June and finally an immature on 9th June, a Common Crane was found on Walney Island it remained until 31st May in 2003 and was the 18th Cumbrian record, a Red-necked Phalarope found on Rockcliffe Marsh in 1979 was the 22nd Cumbrian record, a Long-tailed Skua was seen off Biggar Bank in 2011, they do occasionally get seen away from the Solway, a Turtle Dove was found at Hawcoat, Barrow-in-Furness in 1994 and a male Golden Oriole remained at Armathwaite until 18th June in 1990 it was the 28th Cumbrian record.
Ronnie Irving
Secretary CBC Records Panel
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