White-throated Needletail

Wierton Hill Reservoir

Don Taylor

On May 26th 1991 , at around 10.30, I made the unusual decision to revisit the reservoir, on my local patch. I was hoping that a pair of duck that had dropped in earlier might be Garganey. As I started to walk around the reservoir, I was surprised to see a large swift, with a few Common Swifts Apus apus, flying low over the water. My first thought was that if might be an Alpine Swift Apus melba, then I saw a whitish looking back and wondered about a partially albino swift, but as it reappeared from behind the island, an excellent view revealed deep metallic blue wings and a large white vent. I knew I was seeing a Needle-tailed Swift - a species that I had never seen before, never even dreamt of seeing in Britain, let alone on my own local patch!

With the excitement reaching heights that I cannot remember experiencing in my forty years of birdwatching - it was such a fantastic looking bird - my mind was racing.

"I didn't have my camera with me. I must phone Birdline. Martin Woodcock was the nearest birdwatching friend and he probably had experience of this species. Were there other, similar species:' I must first note enough details to confirm the identification, in case it disappears."

This last I did first, but I only allowed myself a few minutes, before heading off to collect Martin and Barbara Woodcock. We were back within ten minutes and the bird was performing superbly, flying low over the water, with the trees and reservoir bank providing an excellent backcloth. It was a White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus.

In addition to the metallic blue wings and large white vent, I noted the off-white back and generally chocolate brown body that contrasted with the brilliant white on the forehead, throat and `U' shaped vent. We watched it for about ten minutes, before I left Martin to make further field sketches and headed home, stopping briefly to give Mark Hollingworth and Janice the amazing news. Of the five people I attempted to phone, I only got through to Richard Millington, of Birdline, and Tim Loseby.

I returned to the reservoir before 11.30 and was able to take several photographs, as was Tim Loseby when he arrived with his wife Irene a few minutes later. The seven of us were enthralled by the superb views we were getting of this quite magnificent, powerful flier, but sadly, it flew off at noon , some minutes before the first of several hundreds of hopeful twitchers arrived.

Summary of the description taken of the bird:

Larger and bulkier than Common Swift, with broader, more rounded wings, a heavier body and short, square tail. Upperwing colour a deep, velvety blue. Forehead white, crown and nape dark brown. An elliptical area of subtle tones of a pale sandy colour covered the mantle and lower back. Tail dark. Underwing, breast and belly a rich, chocolate brown, paler on the flight feathers. Throat, vent and undertail coverts a brilliant white. The white of the vent and undertail coverts forming a most distinctive "U", thin lines of white spreading onto the lower flanks.