Worcestershire becomes a haven for birdwatchers as rare birds like the Pied-billed Grebe make unexpected appearances.
BirdGuides kept track of rare birds here. Some birds showed up in Worcestershire recently. The Ferruginous Duck is one example. It’s usually in eastern Europe. Sometimes, it visits southern England in winter. People saw it in Ripple and Grimley in 2022.
Another rare bird is the Pied-billed Grebe. It has a black ring around its bill. This helps tell it apart from Little Grebes. It lives in North America originally. Once here, it tends to stay for a while. The last local sighting happened in 2021.
The Coue’s Arctic Redpoll also visits. It’s a darker Arctic Redpoll subspecies. It comes from the north during winter. People saw it in Durham back in 1855. Hunnington had the last sighting in 2021. It is near Romsley.
The Pied Wheatear visits from southeastern Europe. They almost always show up in November. Records show only 545 sightings in the UK. The British Trust for Ornithology keeps track. This tiny bird is black and white. It last appeared in Worcestershire in 2019.
Next is the Lesser Yellowlegs. This North American bird often visits in Autumn. It flies across the Atlantic Ocean yearly. The last sighting was in 2017 in Worcestershire. Someone may have also seen it in Gloucestershire.
The Baird’s Sandpiper is another visitor. Like the Yellowlegs, it crosses the Atlantic. It’s common in North America. Europe only sees it in autumn. Upton Warren saw it in 2016.
Lastly, the Eastern Black Redstart is tiny. It is about the size of a robin. However, it is much rarer. Only about 120 pairs lived in the UK. They tend to like industrial areas and cities. The last Worcestershire sighting was in 2016.