“Broadly speaking, species that are covered in British Birds’ annual review of scarce species (and forms of similar rarity).”
Not quite county description species, but worth twitching, a good find, and birds that would generally make a good days birding –
Cory’s Shearwater
Great Shearwater
Leach’s Petrel
Grey Phalarope
Hoopoe
Wryneck
Yellow-browed Warbler (except when overwhelmed by numbers!)
Blue-headed Wagtail
White-fronted Goose
(Greenland White-fronted Goose)
(Eurasian White-fronted Goose)
Whooper Swan
Garganey
Velvet Scoter
Little Auk
The below species are more discretionary –
Long-tailed Duck
Red-necked Grebe
Slavonian Grebe
Black-necked Grebe (away from Carrick Roads?)
Spoonbill
Bittern (new birds)
Osprey
Red Kite
Marsh Harrier
Hen Harrier
Avocet (away from Kingsmill area)
Jack Snipe (if twitchable)
Spotted Redshank
Wood Sandpiper
Little Stint
Curlew Sandpiper
Little Gull (sometimes)
Glaucous Gull
Iceland Gull (sometimes)
Yellow-legged Gull (occasionally)
Little Tern (sometimes)
Black Tern
Pomarine Skua (sometimes)
Turtle Dove
Short-eared Owl
Crested Tit (we can hope!)
Woodlark
Cetti’s Warbler (away from regular sites?)
Ring Ouzel (sometimes)
Pied Flycatcher (maybe)
Water Pipit
Lapland Bunting
Snow Bunting
When seabirds are numerous in reports/mid-season perhaps no need to highlight every time.
Other ‘scarce’ UK birds such as Goosander and Scaup may also be highlighted when the first(s) of the season arrives, but not usually subsequently.