FOX SPARROW in Estonia right now

See image here - http://www.estbirding.ee/pildid/displayimage.php?album=2&pid=2228#top_display_media

WILSON'S PHALAROPE in Egypt

This winter-plumaged WILSON'S PHALAROPE photographed at Port Said by Mohamed Habib on 25 August represents the FIRST record for EGYPT.

PIED STONECHAT in ISRAEL

It is turning out to be an exceptional autumn for rare birds in Israel with this week producing PIED STONECHAT, DUSKY WARBLER, PIED WHEATEAR and PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER

First BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER for GREECE

Last Saturday afternoon, Greek's first ever BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER was observed close to Athens, some photos here

http://nikosfokas-photography.blogspot.gr/2012_09_01_archive.html

Best regards

Antonios Saltos

WESTERN SANDPIPER in SWEDEN - 2nd record ever

Sweden's second ever Western Sandpiper is currently foraging with Dunlins on seaweed banks in a small bay on the island of Öland in the Baltic Sea. It was found yesterday 14 July and has been present all day today, to the delight of hundreds of twitchers. The first record of this species in Sweden was 24 years ago, back in August 1988.


It would be interesting to hear your thoughts on the age of the bird. As far as I can judge, a number of scapulars must have been replaced quite recently by pale grayish second winter types. A few older summer scapulars are mixed with these new feathers, and all together contrasting to the more worn and brownish-gray lesser and median secondary coverts. The head also appear to be newly molted due to the lack of rusty tones on the crown and ear coverts.

The question is if it can be safely identified as a second cal. year individual, or if a non-breeding adult can look like this?

A number of record shots are available at the following addresses:

http://www.artportalen.se/birds/gallery_imageinfo.asp?imageid=412404

http://www.artportalen.se/birds/gallery_imageinfo.asp?imageid=412378

http://www.artportalen.se/birds/gallery_imageinfo.asp?imageid=412333

http://www.artportalen.se/birds/gallery_imageinfo.asp?obsid=26321176

http://www.artportalen.se/birds/gallery_imageinfo.asp?obsid=26318516

http://www.artportalen.se/birds/gallery_imageinfo.asp?obsid=26318304
http://www.artportalen.se/birds/gallery_imageinfo.asp?obsid=26317803

David Erterius, Sweden

(On behalf of The Swedish Rarities Committee)

BLACK HERON in GREECE

Greece's first ever BLACK HERON still remaining near Valti (Western Greece), seen by several birders, video here


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRJArmhR_MQ&feature=youtu.be

Best regards
Dimosthenis Killidopoulos

SLATY-BACKED GULL in ICELAND

See Yann's flickr stream at http://www.flickr.com/photos/25753251@N03/

Danish Rare Birds - March 2012

Hereby March 2012 Danish Bird News:

The regular wintering drake Black Scoter was rediscovered off Melby,Nordsjælland during 3rd-14th. Juvenile Gyr Falcons were near Ribe,Vestjylland on 11th and Vesløs Vejle, Nordjylland on 21st. A calling male Tengmalm's Owl at Blåbjerg Plantage, Vestjylland during 24th-31st near the North Sea was a surprice record so far west (a German straggler?). The wintering, singing first winter male Pied Wheatear remained until 2nd, when it suddently disappeared - perhaps killed by a raptor?

Other March records include two adult Black Brants, up to seven Red-breasted Geese, a surprising five Greenland White-fronted Geese, one adult Lesser White-fronted Goose, one drake Green-winged Teal, 25 Red-crested Pochards including two wintering in/near Copenhagen and a surprice 23 at Maribosøerne, Lolland on 18th, just one drake King Eider photographed flying past Sydlangeland, Fyn and later Hyllekrog, Lolland on 20th, an escaped female Hooded Merganser with a green ring, 19 Great White Egrets, a record early Arctic Skua on 8th, four Baltic Gulls at Bornholm from 26th onwards including one paired with a ssp. intermedius, 26 Iceland Gulls, six Yellow-legged Gulls, one 1st winter Viking Gull, 13 Pygmy Owls in northeast Sjælland including three new birds, four Crested Larks at the sole breeding site at Hirthals, Nordjylland on 14th and one at Skagen, Nordjylland on 28th-29th, one Nutcracker and 341 Two-barred Crossbills including many pairs or singing males raising hopes of the first Danish breeding record

.Source: DOFbasen.dk

CHESTNUT-BELLIED SANDGROUSE rediscovered in EGYPT

Leander Khil and others have rediscovered up to 25 CHESTNUT-BELLIED SANDGROUSE in central EGYPT

Ship-assisted TROPICAL MOCKINGBIRD on Gibraltar

See http://www.rarebirdspain.net/arbsf067.htm

Being a completely sedentary species, this bird falls into the 'Yellow-billed Sheathbill' category