Olive-tree Warbler admitted to the British List

The British Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee (BOURC) has accepted the record of a first-winter Olive-tree Warbler Hippolais olivetorum at Boddam, Shetland on 16 August 2006, as the first British record.

This takes the British List to 576 species.

Read more about the species' acceptance onto the British List here.

Bullfinches at Holme NOA

A first-winter male Northern Bullfinch trapped and ringed at Holme NOA Observatory this afternoon:

And a 1st winter male European Bullfinch for comparison:

Red-flanked Bluetail, Yorkshire, 21st October 2007

You can NEVER have enough Red-flanked Bluetails! Present again today at Old Fall on Flamborough Head, nice weather and a co-operative bird allowed Simon Mitchie to take these two very nice photos.

Red-flanked Bluetail, Yorkshire, 20th October 2007

The 46th record for Britain, the 6th this year, and the 2nd for Yorkshire hot on the heels of the bird at Easington earlier this year in March which sadly died before many were able to get there. But yesterday's bird at Flamborough was trapped, ringed, released and then courteous enough to give everyone interested in seeing this beautiful bird a chance by hanging about until well into the evening, including Steve Evans who took these two great videograbs. The increase in the numbers of Bluetails recorded in Britain is attributed to their population growth and expansion at the west end of their range in Scandinavia - and long may it continue!



Visit Steve's website:

www.isabelline.co.uk/

Autumn on Shetland, 2007

Simon Mitchie got these great shots of some of this autumn's supporting cast on fantastic Shetland. Can a Killdeer and Arctic Warbler really be considered "supporting cast"? Well when they're put alongside a Buff-bellied Pipit (or were there actually two on Fair Isle?), Siberian Thrush, Siberian Rubythroat, White's Thrush, Swainson's Thrush, Grey-cheeked Thrush, Blyth's Pipit, Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler, Lanceolated Warblers, Blyth's Reed Warblers, Paddyfield Warbler and Red-flanked Bluetail then, quite amazingly, I guess they do indeed become supporting cast.

Quite unbelievable!

1) Pallas's Warbler
2) Killdeer
3) Arctic Warbler

Radde's Warbler, Leasowe

A fantastic first record for Wirral/Cheshire/Merseyside (depending on which county you think Leasowe actually falls in!), and just a few miles from last week's Blyth's Reed Warbler. So who was it that said that the only fun to be had in October was on either Scilly or Shetland? Photos by Stephen Menzie:

Purple Heron, Ouse Washes RSPB, October 2007

One of two juvenile birds present in Cambridgeshire earlier this month, and captured here in typical viewing conditions by Steve Evans.



For more of Steve's photos and videos, check out his website:

http://www.isabelline.co.uk/index.html