Review of rare birds in Berkshire in 2008

11th September 2009 (revised 12th September 2009) | Marek Walford

This report only covers the rarer species reported in Berkshire in 2008 (i.e. species occuring less than annually during the past five years). These records may not have been verified or subjected to scrutiny by the relevant rarities committee. Reports of possibles/probables have been excluded. Every effort has been made to ensure the information is correct but if you notice any mistakes please let me know.

Black-throated Diver

Queen Mother Reservoir, 19th April (C. D. R. Heard).

Great Northern Diver

Juvenile, Queen Mother Reservoir, 2nd January - 1st May, with frequent visits to Staines Reservoir (Surrey), same as December 2007.
Two juveniles, Theale GP, 9th November (M. F. Walford et al)
Juvenile, Queen Mother Reservoir, 10th November - 17th December (C. D. R. Heard et al)

Great Northern Diver : Theale GP (Photo: Marek Walford)

Great Northern Diver : Queen Mother Reservoir (Photo: Mike McKee)

Slavonian Grebe

Theale GP, 5th November (? et al).
Theale GP, 14th-30th December (M. F. Walford et al).

Slavonian Grebe : Theale GP (Photo: Marek Walford)

Gannet

Adult, Dinton Pastures CP, 10th September (D. Fletcher et al).

Gannet : Dinton Pastures (Photo: Peter Johns)

White Stork

West Ilsley, 3rd May (Birdguides.com).

Bewick's Swan

Four, Lower Farm GP, 30th December (P. Driver).

Whooper Swan

Four, Woolhampton GP, 3rd October (G. Farnell).
Windsor, 3rd October (C. Reeve).

Whooper Swan : Woolhampton GP (Photo: Gary Farnell)

White-fronted Goose

Three adults and one juvenile, Aston, 4th November (C. D. R. Heard).
Padworth Lane GP, 27th December (K. E. Moore).

American Wigeon

Male, Lower Farm GP, 20th November - 22nd December (K. E. Moore et al).

American Wigeon : Lower Farm GP (Photo: Marek Walford)

Ferruginous Duck

Female, Theale GP, 3rd-5th January, same as December 2007.

Ferruginous Duck : Theale GP (Photo: Marek Walford)

Lesser Scaup

Male, Wraysbury, 5th October (C. D. R. Heard).
Male, Queen Mother Reservoir, 8th-15th October, same as above (C. D. R. Heard et al).

Second record following the first record at Woolhampton GP from 28th October to 16th November 2007.

Long-tailed Duck

Juvenile, Wraysbury GP, 30th November (C. D. R. Heard).

Sixteenth record but the first since 1999 when a female was at Wraysbury GP from 1st to 17th January.

Common Scoter

Male, Queen Mother Reservoir, 22nd September (C. D. R. Heard).
Six female/immature, Theale GP, 3rd November, two 4th (R. J. Burness et al).
15 female/immatures, Queen Mother Reservoir, 18th November (C. D. R. Heard).

Velvet Scoter

Female/immature, Queen Mother Reservoir, 15th-17th January (C. D. R. Heard et al).
Female/juvenile, Queen Mother Reservoir, 8th December (C. D. R. Heard).

Velvet Scoter : Queen Mother Reservoir (Photo: Marek Walford)

Honey-buzzard

Binfield, 1st June (K. Creed).
Binfield, 12th June (Birdguides.com).
Binfield, 20th June (M. Sales).
Binfield, 22nd June (R. Burness).
Dark morph juvenile, Caversham Heights, 14th September (T. Ball).
Dark morph juvenile, Caversham Heights, 15th September (T. Ball).
Dark morph juvenile, Winnersh, 17th September (R. Addison).
Woolhampton, 19th September (T. Bunce).
Dark morph juvenile, Langley, 22nd September (P. Bright-Thomas).

The run of records from Binfield in June is interesting and maybe suggests a lingering spring migrant. The run of records in the second half of September coincided with an influx into eastern England.

Black Kite

Woolhampton GP, 5th June (L. Blundell).

Red-footed Falcon

First-summer male and female, Woolhampton GP, 30th May - 31st May, male remaining to 5th June (K. White et al).
Female, Colnbrook, 31st May (C. D. R. Heard).

Red-footed Falcon : Woolhampton GP (Photo: Marek Walford)

Corncrake Crex crex

Male, Brimpton, 9th May (B. & N. Howes).
Male, Hurst, 17th-27th June (? et al).

Avocet

Two, Theale GP, 31st March (R. Crawford et al).
Three, Windsor, 6th May (K. Duncan).
Two, Lea Farm GP, 11th May (? et al).

Avocet : Lea Farm GP (Photo: Marek Walford)

Dotterel

Male, Bury Down, 25th April, one male and three female 26th April, one 2nd May (Birdguides.com et al).

Dotterel : Bury Down (Photo: Ashley Stow)

Grey Plover

Two, Dorney Wetlands, 10th February (A. Cooper).
Horton GP, 4th May (C. D. R. Heard).
Lower Farm GP, 19th October (N. Cleere).

Knot

33, Queen Mother Reservoir, 7th September (C. D. R. Heard).

Little Stint

Horton GP, 13th-14th May (C. D. R. Heard).
Crookham Common, 9th August (S. A. Graham).
Two, Borough Marsh, 10th-12th September (C. D. R. Heard et al).
Borough Marsh, 18th-19th September (M. F. Walford et al).
Moor Green Lakes, 8th-16th October (B. M. Archer et al).

Little Stint : Moor Green Lakes (Photo: Gary Randall)

Temminck's Stint

Moor Green Lakes, 16th May (I. Brown).

Curlew Sandpiper

Dorney Wetlands, 9th August (A. Cooper).

Bar-tailed Godwit

Dinton Pastures CP, 17th-18th April (? et al).
Queen Mother Reservoir, 22nd November (C. D. R. Heard).

Bar-tailed Godwit : Dinton Pastures (Photo: Marek Walford)

Spotted Redshank

Dinton Pastures CP, 30th August (A. Rymer et al).

Spotted Redshank : Dinton Pastures (Photo: Marek Walford)

Grey Phalarope

Juvenile, Queen Mother Reservoir, 2nd September (C. D. R. Heard et al).

Long-tailed Skua

Dark morph juvenile, Queen Mother Reservoir, 24th September (C. D. R. Heard).

Only the fifth county record but recorded for the third year running.

Iceland Gull

Adult, Queen Mother Reservoir, 1st January (C. D. R. Heard).
Adult, Colnbrook, 29th January, also 14th February (C. D. R. Heard).
Adult, Queen Mother Reservoir, 3rd March (C. D. R. Heard).

Glaucous Gull

First-winter, Queen Mother Reservoir, 1st January to 15th February, oil staining on wing (C. D. R. Heard et al).
First-winter, Colnbrook, 12th and 20th January, different to above bird (C. D. R. Heard et al).
First-winter, Colnbrook, 25th February, different to above birds (C. D. R. Heard).