Week Commencing Monday 22nd April 2024

Records from the archives – On This Day

For week commencing Monday 22nd April 2024

22nd April

An adult Red-breasted Goose on Rockcliffe Marsh remained until 27th April 1993 it was presumed to be the same returning individual last recorded as a first-winter there on 19th April 1992 and it was the fourth Cumbrian record, a drake Green-winged Teal was at Hodbarrow until 24th April 1991 it was the second Cumbrian record, the first one was shot at Levens in 1936,  a White Stork was seen at Armathwaite (NY54C) in 2008 it was the 25th Cumbrian record, a Cattle Egret was found at Hodbarrow in 2019 it was seen again on 2nd May and was the 12th Cumbrian record a Hoopoe turned up in a garden at Catlowdy, Penton (NY47D) in 2013 it was the 13th Cumbrian record this century, a Chough was seen on Walney Island in 2005 it was the third Cumbrian record of 2005.

23rd April

The drake Ferruginous Duck that was found on Brothers Water on 14th March 1989 was last seen that winter on this date in 1989 it was the second Cumbrian record and in 1992 it re-appeared for its third winter period on 6th July remaining until this date in 1993, an adult Crane was found on the Duddon Mosses at Wreaks Level where it stayed overnight in 1995, it was the tenth Cumbrian record, a White Stork was seen at Westnewton (NY14) it remained in the area until 25th April 1996 it was the sixth Cumbrian record of the nineties, a 2CY Iceland Gull visited Siddick Pond in 1985, it was the 18th Cumbrian record, a Chough seen on Drigg dunes in 2005 was almost certainly the same bird seen previously on Walney, it was the fourth Cumbrian record of the year and a male ‘Channel’ Wagtail was found at Carr Beds, Rockcliffe in 2021 it was the sixth Cumbrian record of this recently discovered hybrid (Blue-headed x Yellow Wagtail) and it remained in the area where it was seen nearby on Rockcliffe Marsh on 15th May 2021.

24th April

A female Ring-necked Duck was found at North Plain Farm in 2007 it was the 33rd Cumbrian record and the first one involving this gender, a first-summer Iceland Gull remained at Tarns Dub until 10th May 1992 it was approximately the 33rd Cumbrian record, a Red-rumped Swallow was found on Ormsgill Reservoir, Barrow-in-Furness remaining until 26th April 1996 it was the first Cumbrian record and a Hoopoe seen near Ambleside in 2016 was the sixth Cumbrian record of the decade.

25th April

A Black Stork was seen over Ennerdale Forest in 1995 it was the fourth Cumbrian record and a Spoonbill that flew over the M6 motorway near Shap in 1994 was the 25th Cumbrian record.

26th April

An Egyptian Goose was present at Halforth in 2007 it was the 13th Cumbrian record, a drake Ring-necked Duck was found on Killington Reservoir it remained until 15th July 1994 and was the 17th  Cumbrian record, a Glossy Ibis first seen at Arnside on 15th December 2011 was last recorded on this day in 2012 it was the sixth Cumbrian record, a Crane flew over Loughrigg, near Ambleside in 2020 it was the 32nd Cumbrian record, a summer plumaged adult Sabine’s Gull was seen at Bowness-on-Solway in 2018 it was the 18th Cumbrian record of this century, a Hoopoe was found at Armathwaite where it remained until 28th April 2003 and was the fourth Cumbrian record this century, a male Blue-headed Wagtail was at Rockcliffe Marsh in 2013 surprisingly it was only the sixth Cumbrian record this century, a singing male Serin was found at Coniston in 2011 it was the fourth Cumbrian record and an immature female Lapland Bunting that was seen on North Walney in 1968 was the fifth Cumbrian record.

27th April

The fourth Egyptian Goose for Cumbria was seen at Hodbarrow in 1990 and the 11th Egyptian Goose for Cumbria spent the summer at Halforth until 1st  August 2006, the White Stork seen at Crosscanonby on 25th – 26th April 1984 was seen at Silloth on this day, it was the 12th Cumbrian record and a White Stork that stayed overnight at Haverthwaite in 1996 was the 19th Cumbrian record, a Cattle Egret remained at Hodbarrow until 2nd May 2019 it was the 12th Cumbrian record, a 3CY male Pallid Harrier was seen in the Cumbrian part of the Yorkshire National Park it held territory until 27th May 2017 before moving on, it was the first Cumbrian record, , an adult White-tailed Eagle of unknown origin was photographed at Mossband NY3365in 2023, historically an ex-breeding bird this was the seventh Cumbrian record this century, an adult female Pectoral Sandpiper frequented North Plain Farm until 1st May 2004 it was the 22nd Cumbrian record and the ninth Cumbrian record of Cetti’s Warbler involved a bird holding territory at Goldmire, Thwaite Flat (SD27C) until 10th May 2020.

28th April

A group of three Glossy Ibis was seen at Campfield Marsh in 2012 this was the ninth Cumbrian record, a male Red-necked Phalarope remained on Rockcliffe Marsh until 2nd May 1976 it was the 21st Cumbrian record, a Hoopoe that was found at Dufton (NY62) in 1999 was the sixth Cumbrian record of the 1990’s and a Red-rumped Swallow  photographed at Ambleside in 2023 was the third Cumbrian record.

Ronnie Irving

Ex-Secretary CBC Records Panel (2015- 2024)

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