When news broke yesterday afternoon of a "funny-looking swallow" over the car park, a small group of staff, volunteers and visitors gathered hoping to work out what it was. They weren't helped in their cause by poor light and steady drizzle, but eventually managed to confirm the identification. A CLIFF SWALLOW.
The first photos of the cliff swallow, in poor light, by Matt Parrott
Now, I'm guessing that many of you will not have heard of a cliff swallow, and you'd be excused if that's the case. Indeed, you won't find one in your Field Guide to British Birds. Probably not in a European field guide, either. Why? Because it is on the wrong side of the Atlantic!
Cliff swallows are widespread across North America, and usually fly south in the autumn to winter in western South America. Occasionally they get swept up in Atlantic storms and arrive in the UK. And I do mean occasionally. There are only about ten previous UK records, mostly in the southwest. This is the first cliff swallow to arrive in East Anglia, and yet another exciting addition to the Minsmere list.
Luckily, it was still here at first light, allowing a thousand or so twitchers (including me) the chance to see this fabulous bird. Due to the poor light, Matt's pictures don't fully do justice to this lovely bird, which has been showing well on and off around the sand martin bank and stone-curlew watchpoint all day.
Cliff swallows are chunkier than our familiar swallow (aka barn swallow), of which eight are also present. They have a square tail, lacking the streamers of our swallow, spotting on the undertail coverts, and a pale, rusty rump. This is a young bird so is sandy brown, slightly darker than a sand martin, with just a hint of red on it's throat. Adults are brighter, dark blue-black above with more red on throat and rump. Perhaps just as surprising is the sand martin that has been flying around this afternoon too.
With the wind turning north this afternoon, and colder weather set to remain, it is likely that our few remaining swallows will finally bite the bullet and continue their migration south, probably taking the cliff swallow with them.
Of course, there's more than just the swallows to see at Minsmere at the moment. The cold weather has signalled the arrival of a few Bewick's swans, with two on East Scrape this afternoon and at least nine seen flying south offshore. A lovely female goosander also flew south over the Scrape, then headed back out to sea. There's also several gannets close to the beach, and a purple sandpiper on the sluice outfall.
Bewick's swans by Jon Evans
The starlings are continue to gather over the Scrape at dusk, before heading to roost, while hundreds of ducks remain on the Scrape itself.
There are still regular sightings of bitterns, otters, kingfishers and marsh harriers at Island Mere too.
Finally, while watching the cliff swallow this afternoon we were treated to a flypast from both a ringtail hen harrier and a peregrine.
Peregrine by Ben Hall (rspb-images.com)