First for Britain: Chestnut Bunting (BirdGuides)
The week at a glance (21st - 27th of October) Chestnut Bunting on Papa Westray Chimney Swift briefly in Co Cork Blyth's Pipit still on Scilly Another White's Thrush on Shetland Apparent Short-toed Treecreeper in East Sussex Few people paid much attention to a report of a Yellowhammer on Papa Westray, Orkney, last Monday until a poor-quality photo emerged late on the Tuesday evening, suggesting it might be something altogether rarer. It was not until 24 hours later, late on Wednesday evening, that further images emerged and served to confirm suspicions — the bird, with its rich chestnut hue on the upperparts, face and in particular tertial fringes, was surely a Chestnut Bunting ! With no sign of the bird since it was briefly seen on the Tuesday, the automatic assumption was that it had gone — a potential first for Britain seemingly slipped through the net and rendered untwitchable. It was therefore somethi...