Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Limnodromus ("marsh runner") scolopaceus ("snipe/woodcock")

                                     Winter plumage vagrant adult Long-billed Dowitcher at Rutland Water, Rutland - April 2016 

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 90-135g  /  Length: 23-30cm  /  Wingspan: 46-52cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Long-billed Dowitcher is a wading bird primarily from North America and Eastern Siberia that resembles in many ways a smaller version of the godwit species found in the UK. Over here it is a rare vagrant, although at the point I saw this it seems to have been having a slight inundation - this was the second individual of this species to turn up in adjacent counties to Northants within two weeks, and I'm glad I went for this one; the first was considerably more difficult to get to with considerably more distant views!

Related Species:
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Scolopacidae
Genus: Limnodromus
Subspecies: none - monotypic

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Rare and occassional vagrant

 - Single vagrant bird seen at Rutland Water in February 2016

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Aythya (a seabird named by Aristotle) collaris ("of the neck")

Female Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) at Wicksteed Park, Kettering - November 2014

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 690-790g  /  Length: 37-46cm  /  Wingspan: 63cm

No UK Status / IUCN Red List Least Concern

I must admit, this is a species I tracked down purely because it was very local to me rather than being particularly inspired by it.  It's a fairly widely distributed species in North America, found primarily in the Canada, USA and Mexico, migrating long distance the length of the continent.  This long distance travel makes it a prime candidate to get lost or blown off course to become a vagrant to Western Europe and apparently a couple tend to be present in the UK at any one time.  However, unfortunately this female is a fairly drab bird and difficult to pick out from across a lake amidst other brown female ducks.

Related Species:
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Aythya
Subspecies: None - monotypic

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A rare but regular vagrant from North America.

 - A single individual seen distantly at Wicksteed Park in Kettering in November 2014. 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Eurasian Hoopoe (Upupa epops)

OTHER NAMES: Hoopoe 

Latin Etymology: Upupa (phononym of call) epops (Greek name for species)

Adult Eurasian Hoopoe (subspecies - U. e. epops) near Side, Antalya, Turkey - March 2025

Featured Subspecies: Upupa epops epops
Weight: 67g  /  Length: 25-32cm  /  Wingspan: 44-48cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List - Least Concern

I would consider the Hoopoe to be quite easily one of the most attractive species of birds in Europe - a orange with dramatic black and white wings which form long stripes across it's entire back when in flight.  More notable is the large crest on its head which it can display forward or fold back.  In the UK it is a rare but annual vagrant often only staying for a few days at a time, but the odd individual like this one may over winter in the country.  It is much more common in the rest of the old world, being found across most of Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa and temperate to tropical Asia.  Subsequently, my guided birding trip from Madrid with Luis Sitges found several Hoopoe throughout the morning, giving some excellent views without the twitching required in this country.

Related Species:
Order: Coraciiformes
Family: Upupidae
Genus: Upupa
Subspecies: U. e. epops, U. e. orientalis, U. e. ceylonensis, U. e. saturata, U. e. longirostris, U. e. major, U. e. senegalensis, U. e. waibeli

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A regular vagrant.

 - A single bird at Snodland which Wintered in 2013-2014.

ITALY - Italian - L'upupa

A locally reasonably common Summer migrant.

 - SICILY 2018 TRIP - One seen at Fiume Ciane 

SPAIN - Spanish - Abubilla 

A fairly common resident.

 - MADRID 2015 TRIP: Several seen in Patones 
 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Individuals seen throughout at various locations including El Pardo, Laguna Campillo and Monfrague..

TURKEY  -   Turkish:İbibik ("Hoopoe")
 - ANTALYA 2025 TRIP - Seen in most locations.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)

OTHER NAMES: Black Curlew

Latin Etymology: Plegadis ("sickle" in Greek) falcinellus (derived from sickle in Latin)

  Adult Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) in non-breeding plumage at Lowdam, Nottinghamshire - March 2014

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 485-580g  /  Length: 48-66cm  /  Wingspan: 80-95cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern

The Glossy Ibis is the only Ibis species which naturally occurs in the UK - it is an approximately mallard sized bird that arrives in this country as a vagrant, although increasingly so.  It seems to settle in marshland and wet meadows where it probes the ground with its long curved beak.  It is a cosmopolitan species, found on every continent but declining across Europe - apparently the British individuals are from Spain, one of the few places where the population is increasing.

Related Species:
Order: Pelecaniformes
Family: Threskiornithidae
Genus: Plegadis
Subspecies: None - monotypic

UNITED KINGDOM - A regular vagrant, getting increasingly common

 - A single vagrant bird seen at Lowdam seen in March 2014.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius)

OTHER NAMES: Sail Swallowtail, Pear-tree Swallowtail

Latin Etymology: Iphiclides (?) podalirius ("a healer")

  Adult Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius) at Madrid, Spain - June 2015

Featured Subspecies: N/A 
Length: ?  /  Wingspan: 76-86mm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Data Deficient

A large distinctive species, only likely to be confused with the Common Swallowtail, it is widespread in Spain, though not necessarily numerous locally.  It can be found in habitats that would preclude either of the UK's large species due to being highly disturbed - this particular individual was sighted right in the heart of Madrid.  As such, the English name is fairly misleading, it's certainly not scarce within its own range.  It is however decreasing slightly as its food-plant of blackthorn is cleared.

Related Species:
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Papilionidae
Genus: Iphiclides
SUBSPECIES: None - monotypic

- Sighting Locations -

SPAIN - Spanish - Chupa Leche ("Suck Milk")

Locally abundant resident.

 - MADRID 2015 TRIP: Seen in several parks in Madrid.

Further Notes: BirdGuides, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .