Records from the archives – On This Day
For week commencing Monday 31st October 2022
31st October
A Shore Lark at South Walney in 1998 was the 20th Cumbrian record and the 25th individual bird, a Pallas’s Warbler at South Walney in 1994 was the second Cumbrian record and the third individual bird, a Yellow-browed Warbler on Rakes Lane, Walney in 2015 was the 49th Cumbrian record and the 55th individual bird, a Common (Mealy) Redpoll was caught and ringed at South Walney in 2010, a Little Bunting at South Walney in 2005 was the third Cumbrian record and a female Lapland Bunting was at Dalston in 1987 it was the 16th Cumbrian record.
1st November
A drake Green-winged Teal returned to Hodbarrow for its second winter period in 2012, it was seen sporadically until 8th February in 2013 and it was the 22nd Cumbrian record, a Great White Egret on Campfield Marsh remained until 17 December 2011, a Great Grey Shrike was seen at Shap in 1997, it was the first Cumbrian record since 1994 and another was at Swindale (NY51) remaining until 5th November 2003 this was the seventh Cumbrian record since 1994, a first-winter Barred Warbler was caught and ringed at Eskmeals in 1998 it was the 23rd Cumbrian record, a Firecrest was seen in Rakes Lane, Walney in 2015, a Richard’s Pipit at Hilpsford Point in 2016 was the 27th Cumbrian record and the most recent bird and a male Lapland Bunting at South Walney in 1970 was the ninth Cumbrian record.
2nd November
A female Ring-necked Duck returned to Bassenthwaite Lake for its second winter remaining until 9th December 2008 it was the 34th Cumbrian record, an adult Black-throated Diver lingered off Nethertown until 6th November in 2013, a first-winter Great Grey Shrike was found at Low Knipe, Shap (NY51E) in 2007, it was the 16th Cumbrian record since 1994, a first-winter Steppe Grey Shrike was found at South Walney in 1994 it remains the first and only Cumbrian record, two Lapland Buntings were seen at South Walney in 1987, one of which was first seen on 23rd October, this constitutes the 18th Cumbrian record and the 19th individual bird.
3rd November
A Rough-legged Buzzard at Burnbanks (NY51) in 1985 was the tenth Cumbrian record since 1974, an adult Spotted Sandpiper was found at Cavendish Dock, Barrow-in-Furness in 1989, it wintered and was last seen on 1st May 1990 it was the second Cumbrian record, a female Tengmalm’s Owl was shot at Newton Manor, Gosforth in 1876, it remains the the only Cumbrian record, a Wryneck was seen at Dallam Towers in 1981 it was the tenth Cumbrian record since 1973 and a late juvenile Hobby was seen at Salta Moss (NY04) in 2002.
4th November
A drake Green-winged Teal remained at Hodbarrow until 14th November in 2013 it was the 23rd Cumbrian record, a drake Red-crested Pochard on Windermere in 1996 was considered an escape, a Bittern on Siddick Pond in 1992 wintered until 14th February 1993, three Cattle Egrets were seen with cattle at Far Arnside in 2017 constituting part of the ninth Cumbrian record, a juvenile Long-billed Dowitcher at Bowness-on-Solway remained until the 9th November in 1998 it was the fourth Cumbrian record, a Rough-legged Buzzard was on Helbeck Fell (NY81E) in 2014 it was the 28th Cumbrian record, an unexpected Bee-eater turned up at Papcastle (NY13) in 1995 it was the third Cumbrian record and the sixth individual bird, single Great Grey Shrikes were found at Brackenber (NY7219) Warcop MOD in 2004, the tenth Cumbrian record since 1994, and at Waterhead Common, Spadeadam Forest (NY66E) in 2013 the 28th Cumbrian record since 1994, a first-winter Red-eyed Vireo was caught and ringed at South Walney in 2014 this welcome addition to the Cumbrian avifauna was the first Cumbrian record, a Woodlark was at Cavendish Dock, Barrow-in-Furness in 1996, it was the third Cumbrian record, single Yellow-browed Warblers were found at South Walney in 2011, at South Walney and Westfield Point in 2014, and at Waverton in 2015, these were the 33rd, 44th, 45th, and 50th Cumbrian records and the 35th, 49th, 50th and 55th individual birds.
5th November
A Sooty Shearwater flew past Sellafield in 1997 it was the 28th Cumbrian record and the 46th individual bird, a Bittern returned to Siddick Pond in 2012 for its eighth winter, a Great Grey Shrike settled at Soddy Gap, Little Broughton (NY03R) in 2016 lingering on into 2017, it was the 35th Cumbrian record since 1994, a Firecrest was seen at Ainstable in 2019, Lapland Buntings were found at South Walney in 1984 and Sandscale Haws in 1986 these were the 13th and 14th Cumbrian records and a flock of fifteen Bearded Tits at Siddick Pond in 1981 staying on until 7th November was only the second 20th century record.
6th November
A white morph Snow Goose at Mosser in 2010 was considered to be an escape, a male Pallas’s Warbler was caught and ringed at South Walney in 1995 (C. Raven) it was the third Cumbrian record and the fourth individual bird.
Ronnie Irving
Secretary CBC Records Panel
Copyright © 2022