Multiple Alpine Swift in Lincolnshire – What a Month!

Multiple Alpine Swift in Lincolnshire – What a Month (March 2023)!

Who could have predicted that there would be multi-records of this species during March 2023!

First recorded in Lincolnshire on Apr 23rd 1964 at Sturton Park near Horncastle. There have been a further 20 confirmed records with the earliest on Mar 20th, the latest on Oct 24th. Gibraltar Point has been the best site to see one of these huge swifts with nine records. Not all of these birds have arrived in the best of health. The bird at Healing on Aug 6th 1971 was found in a weak condition, later dying and the bird seen at Gibraltar Point on Apr 24th 1987 was later found dead at Seacroft on May 2nd.  Alpine Swifts can sometimes be tracked as they travel across the county and such was the case with one first seen at 07:00h Apr 27th 2003 at Gibraltar Point. It flew south with two Common Swifts and was later seen at two localities in Norfolk and then at Minsmere, Suffolk in the evening where it stayed for a few days.

The species was ex-BBRC in 2006, unsurprisingly given that in the peak years for this species more than 20 were being recorded and between 1950-2005 there were 484 UK records.

However, March 2023 has been a major event…. The national influx began on Monday 13th March with an extraordinary group of seven over Dungarvan, Co Waterford – the biggest flock ever recorded in Ireland. After another bird in Cheshire on 14th, further new individuals appeared in Co Cork, Cornwall and Gloucestershire on 15th, as suitable departure conditions in northern Iberia and a 'funnel' of south-westerly winds produced a large-scale arrival of common summer migrants across Britain and Ireland.

The first Lincolnshire bird was at Grainthorpe Haven 19/03/2023, the bird flew towards Horseshoe Point and was photographed by Mark Johnson and a second bird was at Gib Point. Then on the 20th Richard Doan found two birds at Chapel Six Marsh which incredibly stayed until 25th also being recorded at Wolla Bank and Chapel Point. At the time of writing a bird has been recorded north over Weelsby Road Grimsby on 30th by Josh Forrester.

Alpineswift

One of the two Alpine Swifts that gave good views over the Mid-Lincs coastal areas - Image © Russell Hayes

About Us

We are the Lincolnshire Bird Club

Our aims are to encourage and further the interest in the birdlife of the historic County of Lincolnshire; to participate in organised fieldwork activities; to collect and publish information on bird movements, behaviour, distribution and populations; to encourage conservation of the wildlife of the County and to provide sound information on which conservation policies can be based.