Highlights: A drake American Wigeon at Haverigg (22nd-25th) was the first in the county since 2006 while a drake Green-winged Teal was found at Ravenstown near Flookburgh (20th), a new site for the species. The adult Black Brant continued to associate with dark-bellied Brent Geese at Roa Island and occasionally straying to nearby Walney Island. An unseasonable first-winter Sabine’s Gull was reported from Bowness-on-Solway (13th).
Monthly Reports
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February 2014
Saturday, 1 February 2014 to Friday, 28 February 2014
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January 2014
Wednesday, 1 January 2014 to Friday, 31 January 2014Highlights: A drake Green-winged Teal was found on flooded fields near Lindal-in-Furness (1st). The adult Black Brant continued to associate with dark-bellied Brent Geese at Roa Island and nearby Walney while the Todd’s Canada Goose was relocated with the Barnacle Geese on the Inner Solway at Cardurnock (5th). A Great White Egret made a brief appearance at Whitrigg (15th) and an unseasonable juvenile Sabine’s Gull appeared off Nethertown (11th).
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December 2013
Sunday, 1 December 2013 to Tuesday, 31 December 2013Highlights: The adult Black Brant continued to associate with dark-bellied Brent Geese at Roa Island and nearby Walney while a Todd’s Canada Goose was found with the Barnacle Geese on the Inner Solway, initially on Skinburness Marsh (20th) before relocating to Cardurnock (28th-29th). A Great White Egret turned up briefly in the far south of the county near Hale (4th). A Black Guillemot on Talkin Tarn (20th-22nd) was a truly exceptional inland record, probably the first in the county.
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November 2013
Friday, 1 November 2013 to Saturday, 30 November 2013Highlights: An adult Black Brant associating with dark-belied Brent Geese at Roa Island (26th) and then Snab Point, Walney (30th) was surely the ‘first-winter or hybrid’ seen in the area earlier in the year. A drake Green-winged Teal returned to Hodbarrow for another winter (5th-15th) then it or another appeared on the Esk Estuary south of Ravenglass (14th). The Great White Egret remained on Rockcliffe Marsh (to 2nd) before relocating to Bowness-on-Solway (28th). A Great Grey Shrike was found in the far northeast of the county at Waterhead Common (4th)
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October 2013
Tuesday, 1 October 2013 to Thursday, 31 October 2013Highlights: An exceptional influx of Yellow-browed Warblers produced one in Vickerstown Park on Walney Island (from 1st) where it was joined by a second individual (4th-6th) one of which lingered (to 13th) followed by another that was photographed in a Cockermouth garden (4th), a heard-only bird at Humphrey Head (6th) and then a further flurry with singles at Lowca near Whitehaven (19th), St Bees Head (20th-23rd) and Rickerby Park in Carlisle (21st). Meanwhile, at least seven Glossy Ibises continued to linger around the Kent Estuary (to 5th) with up to four remaining (to 17th) and a Great White Egret appeared on Rockcliffe Marsh (2nd-30th) with presumably the same bird relocating temporarily to Campfield Marsh (17th). A juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper was found at Ulpha Meadows (1st) and a Great Grey Shrike hunted around the eagle viewpoint in Riggindale, Haweswater (15th).
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September 2013
Sunday, 1 September 2013 to Monday, 30 September 2013Highlights: A Black Stork circled over Portinscale (23rd) while up to 13 Glossy Ibises graced the Kent Estuary at High Foulshaw (from 28th) and another flew east over Drumburgh Moss (29th). A first-winter Red-breasted Flycatcher trapped and ringed at Walney Bird Observatory (20th) was the first in the county since 1988. An adult American Golden Plover was reported on three occasions at Anthorn (20th-27th).
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August 2013
Thursday, 1 August 2013 to Saturday, 31 August 2013
Highlights: A Wryneck at Torver Low Common (31st) was a good inland find.
Bassenthwaite Lake: The Ospreys successfully fledged their two young. Other sightings included a drake Common Scoter.
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July 2013
Monday, 1 July 2013 to Wednesday, 31 July 2013
Bassenthwaite Lake: The Ospreys and their two young continued to thrive.
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June 2013
Saturday, 1 June 2013 to Sunday, 30 June 2013
Highlights: Cumbria’s fourth Spotted Sandpiper was found at Workington harbour (12th) but failed to linger.
Bassenthwaite Lake: The Ospreys hatched two young.
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May 2013
Wednesday, 1 May 2013 to Friday, 31 May 2013Highlights: A male Subalpine Warbler, Cumbria’s third and the first for 20 years, was an elusive visitor to Rampside (15th-18th). A Bee Eater briefly hawked over horse paddocks at Biggar on Walney Island (1st) and a male red-spotted Bluethroat was photographed at nearby South Walney N.R. (20th). A drake Green-winged Teal was found at North Plain RSPB (5th-10th) and a Common Crane flew over Wedholme Flow (13th).