Rare Scarlet Tanager Draws Crowds of Birdwatchers to Yorkshire Cul-de-Sac
A rare sighting of a scarlet tanager in Shelf, near Halifax, has attracted dozens of birdwatchers from across the UK, marking what is believed to be the first time this species has been spotted in Yorkshire. The stocky songbird, which typically migrates between the eastern United States and lowland South American forests, has created a sensation among avian enthusiasts.
Birdwatchers traveled considerable distances to catch a glimpse of the rare bird. Geoffrey King, a 67-year-old veteran birdwatcher from Weybridge, Surrey, made a 220-mile journey and waited five hours before finally spotting the bird. “It was very exhilarating,” King said, noting that this was his 478th species spotted in the UK.
Another birdwatcher, Paul from London, emphasized the extraordinary nature of the bird’s journey. “The older I get, the more it blows my mind that something the size of a sparrow can fly across the ocean, 3,000 miles, to get here,” he remarked. This was his first sighting of the species in nearly five decades of birdwatching.
Luke Nash, a 22-year-old from Durham, described the sighting as “absolutely unprecedented,” highlighting that the last similar observation was around 10 years ago. The bird was spotted on a garden washing line, drawing crowds to a quiet residential street.
Matt O’Sullivan, another birdwatcher, explained that this is likely the first recorded sighting of a scarlet tanager on the UK mainland. Previous records were mostly on remote islands. He suggested the bird was probably carried across the Atlantic by a low-pressure system, potentially having been born in the eastern United States or Canada in late spring or early summer.
According to Bird Guides, this is the eighth British record of a scarlet tanager and the first since 2014. Cornell University’s All about Birds website notes that male breeding birds have a bright red body with black wings and tail, while females and juvenile birds appear yellowish-green. It’s typically the duller yellowish birds that are spotted in the UK, often swept off course by autumn storms.
The American Bird Conservancy describes the scarlet tanager’s song as “like a robin with a cold.” The unexpected visitor has created a buzz among local and traveling birdwatchers, with some enthusiasts traveling hundreds of miles for a chance to see this rare species.
Even local residents were caught up in the excitement, with one villager walking his dog and joining the crowd, hoping to catch a glimpse of the American visitor. The rare sighting has brought together birdwatchers from across the country, united by their passion for ornithology and the thrill of an unexpected avian visitor.
