Remembering July rarities

Welcome to the third episode of The BirdGuides Podcast! Join Josh Jones, David Campbell and Ian Lycett as they take a thrilling trip down memory lane to look back at the jaw-dropping mega rarities that have sent British twitchers into a frenzy during previous Julys.

What you'll learn in this episode

• Why midsummer, typically thought of as a quiet time of year for birding, can deliver some of the rarest vagrants.
• The legend of Brean Down legend: we look back at the incredible story of the Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross in 2007
• Reliving the legendary first twitchable Amur Falcon in Cornwall that drew hundreds of birders overnight.
• The mega frigatebird photographed by tourists in Scotland
• Which mega species should you be scanning the skies and coastlines for right now?

Episode timestamps

00:30 – write July off at your peril and favourite midsummer twitches

03:25 – the 2007 Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross, released in Somerset and touching down in Lincolnshire

06:20 – the 2013 Ascension Frigatebird in Scotland

09:30 – one rare tern deserves another

14:00– the Sheffield Audouin's Gull

21:00 – time for another Caspian Plover?

24:07 – break

24:30 – Amur Falcon twitch

28:30 – Fair Isle's Brown Flycatcher in 1992

34:32 – what to seek out in July

Links

Get in touch by emailing podcast@birdguides.com

Stay updated with the latest news at www.birdguides.com/podcast

Enjoyed our second episode? Please subscribe or follow on your favourite podcast app and leave us a 5-star review to help other birders discover the show. Tell us your own memories of Global Birdfair 2026 and whether you have seen any of July's mega rarities on our socials!

How to say connected

📱 Download the BirdGuides app: Real-time bird news in the palm of your hand. Get the BirdGuides app for iOS on the App Store / Android on Google Play.

💻 Visit the website: For sightings, breaking news and other birding content, visit www.birdguides.com.

📧 Newsletter: Sign up to our award-winning weekly newsletter, delivered to your inbox every Monday.

Follow us on social media:

📸 Instagram: @_birdguides

👥 Facebook: BirdGuides

🦋 Bluesky: @birdguides.bsky.social

🐦 X (Twitter): BirdGuides

Support the show

Please take 30 seconds to rate and review us. Your reviews help other birdwatchers find the show!

The BirdGuides Podcast is brought to you by Warners Group Publications.

Music by Matt Phelps