Surfbirds News

Changes to the British List

The following changes have been made to the British List:

NOTE: the taxonomic changes published in Ibis 144: 707-710 are not repeated here.

Black Duck Anas rubripes

Male, Yantlet Creek, Stoke, Kent, 18-25 March 1967 (Brit. Birds 60: 482-483; 61: 335). This becomes the first British record.

Canvasback Aythya valisineria

Male, probably first-winter, Cliffe, Kent, 7 December 1996.

This is the first British record, preceding by some six weeks the previously accepted record at Welney, Norfolk, which may well have been the same individual.

Red-billed Tropicbird Phaethon aethereus Linnaeus

Add to Category A.

One at sea 20 miles (32 km) SSE of the Isles of Scilly, 7 June 2001. Sight record, photographed (Birdwatch 111: 50-51, Birding World 15: 352, Brit. Birds 95: 480).

Three races are recognised, P.a.indicus in the Red Sea, Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea, P.a. aethereus on Ascension Island, St.Helena and Fernando Noronha and P.a. mesonauta in the eastern Pacific, the Caribbean, Iles de la Madeleine off Senegal and the Cape Verde Islands, the last locality being the species’ only breeding station within the Western Palearctic. The Committee felt that although subspecific identification could not be made with certainty from the photographs, P.a. mesonauta was probably the race involved.

Snowy Egret Egretta thula (Molina)

Add to Category A.

One (age uncertain), Balvicar, Seil Island, Argyll, 5 Nov 2001, and various West and Southwest Scottish coast localities into 2002. Sight record, photographed (Birding World 14: 460-464; Brit. Birds 95: 210, Brit. Birds 95:481-482).

This species appears to be unknown in captivity in Europe and with three records from Iceland and four from the Azores, vagrancy potential had already been established. Despite extensive correspondence with experts in the US, the age of this individual remains undetermined.

American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica

Adult, Fair Isle, Shetland, 14-15 September 1956 (Fair Isle Bird Observatory Report 1955/56: 25; Scot. Birds 1: 68; Dymond, 1991 The Birds of Fair Isle (privately published)). This becomes the first British record.

Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris Vieillot

Add to Category A.

First-summer, Druridge Bay, Northumberland, 4-7 May 1998. Sight record, photographed and video recorded (Birding World 11: 181-191; Brit. Birds 95: 272-278

279-299, Brit. Birds 95: 494).

An unexpected record that not only added the species to the British List but contributed significantly to the identification of non-adult individuals of this species whose world population is believed to be only 50-270 birds (Tucker, G. M.

Heath, M. F. 1994. Birds in Europe: Their Conservation Status (BirdLife Conservation Series No 3)). Confirming the identification involved a considerable amount of work by the British Birds Rarities Committee, making ratification by the BOURC relatively straightforward.

Known, as a breeding species, only from a restricted area of south-western Siberia where nests were found during the early years of the 20th Century (Gretton et al. 2002. Brit. Birds 95: 334-344), in recent decades observations have been restricted to a small number of sites in south and east Europe east to Kazakhstan and a handful of individuals that wintered more regularly at a single locality in Morocco. Work continues to try to find the current breeding grounds in the hope of saving the Slender-billed Curlew from extinction. The ageing of the Druridge Bay bird as a first-summer proved that successful nesting occurred in 1997.

Black Tern Chlidonias niger

Correction to 28th Report (Ibis 144: 181-184): Black Tern Chlidonias niger surinamensis delete brackets from author Gmelin.

Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus)

Add to Category A.

North Uist, Western Isles, 14-16 November 1999. Sight record. Video recorded (Birding World 12: 453).

The only previous record of this species in the British Isles was one on the Calf of Man on 31 October 1989 and found dead the following day. Records from the Isle of Man no longer form part of the British List.

Black-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus erythrophthalmus

Immature, Tresco, Isles of Scilly, 27 October 1932. Found dead, specimen now in Isles of Scilly Museum (Brit. Birds 27: 111-112; 48:7; Bull. Brit. Orn. Club 53: 77, 88; Penhallurick. 1978. The Birds of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly). This becomes the first British record.

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater Merops superciliosus

Add subspecies persicus Pallas to Category A.

St Mary's, Isles of Scilly, 13 July 1921 (Bull. Br. Orn. Club 92: 57-59, Ibis 114: 446-447).

Following a review, this bird is confirmed as belonging to the race persicus, which breeds from Egypt to north and west India, wintering mainly in east tropical Africa.

Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis (Linnaeus)

Add to Category A.

South Stack, Holy Island, Anglesey, 4-5 October 2001. Sight record (Birding World 14: 424-425, Brit. Birds 95: 505).

Gray Catbird breeds from southern Canada south throughout most of the USA, apart from the south-western states, and winters in the eastern USA south as far as Panama and the Caribbean. There had been five previous Western Palearctic occurrences including one on Jersey, Channel Islands (October-December 1975) and one on Cape Clear Island, Ireland (4 November 1986). The only other British record related to a bird that arrived in Portsmouth on board the QE II cruise liner on 21 October 1998. Although ship assistance does not disqualify species from being accepted onto the British List, this particular individual was not known to have left ship whilst in port and, more importantly, survived the Atlantic crossing with human assistance, ruling out admittance to Category A. Apparently unknown as a cage-bird outside the USA, acceptance of the Anglesey individual as a wild vagrant was supported by the arrival of a Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus there on the same day.

Common Nightingale Luscinia megarynchos

Correction to 28th Report (Ibis 144: 181-184): Common Nightingale Luscinia megarynchos hafizi delete brackets from author Severtzov.

Siberian Blue Robin Luscinia cyane (Pallas)

Add to Category A.

First-year or adult female, Minsmere, Suffolk, 23 October 2000. Sight record (Birding World 13: 412-414, Brit. Birds 95: 505).

The species breeds in southern Siberia from the Altai Mountains to the Sea of Okhotsk and in eastern Mongolia, northern China, Kamchatka, Sakhalin and Japan; it winters in mainland south-east Asia, the Philippines, Borneo and Sumatra. One trapped on Sark, Channel Islands on 27 October 1975 and another, also trapped, in the Ebre Delta, Spain on 18 October 2000, just five days prior to the Minsmere record, are the only other Western Palearctic records.

The species is known to be relatively common in captivity but the circumstances of the Minsmere occurrence point towards this individual being a vagrant rather than of captive origin. The date and location were both consistent with natural occurrence as was the appearance of many other Siberian vagrants in Europe at the same time. These included no fewer than 28 Radde’s Warblers Phylloscopus schwarzi in the UK alone. Radde's Warbler shares a similar breeding range with Siberian Blue Robin.

Swainson's Thrush Catharus ustulatus

Skokholm, Pembrokeshire, 14–19 October 1967. Trapped (Brit. Birds 61: 349). This becomes the first British record.

Zitting Cisticola Cisticola juncidis

Cley, Norfolk, 24 August 1976, and presumed same, Holme, Norfolk, 29 August - 5 September 1976 (Brit. Birds 70: 435; 71: 275-277). This becomes the first British record.

Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler Locustella certhiola

Immature, Fair Isle, Shetland, 8-9 October 1949 (Brit. Birds 70: 435; 71: 275-277). This becomes the first British record.

Philadelphia Vireo Vireo philadelphicus

Tresco, Isles of Scilly, 10-13 October 1987 (Brit. Birds 81: 588; 84: 499, 572-574, plates 313-314; Twitching 1: 301-302). This becomes the first British record.

Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus

St Agnes, Isles of Scilly, 4-10 October 1962, and another, 4-17 October 1962 (Brit. Birds 56: 406). These become the first British records.

Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis

Dengemarsh, Dungeness, Kent, 26 May 1960. Trapped (Brit. Birds 64: 367; 69: 452-453). becomes the first British record.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus

Female, St Agnes, Isles of Scilly, 6-11 October 1966. Trapped (Brit. Birds 60: 330; 61: 176-180). This becomes the first British record.

Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula

Immature male, Unst, Shetland, 26 September 1890. Captured.

Following a review, this is accepted as the first British record. It was well documented at the time, but was dismissed as a likely escape from captivity. Subsequent records have revealed that the location, date and age all support natural vagrancy.

British List totals

With the addition of Red-billed Tropicbird, Snowy Egret, Slender-billed Curlew, Mourning Dove, Gray Catbird, Siberian Blue Robin, Western Olivaceous Warbler, Sykes's Warbler and Hooded Crow to Category A, the deletion of Houbara Bustard from Category A and the addition of Macqueen's Bustard to Category B, the British List is increased to 565. These totals take account of the taxonomic decisions published recently in Ibis 144: 707-710, but do not include Soft-plumaged Petrel Pterodroma mollis/P. madeira/P.feae as the birds were not identified to species level (Ibis 134: 380). Identification of Soft-plumaged Petrels to species level is currently under review.

Species in Category D (and Category E) do not form part of the British List.

Category Totals

A 542

B 14

C 9

Total 565

Three additional species are currently included in Category A of the Northern Ireland List (one of these is also in Category D of the British List).

The following have also been considered

Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea

The status of this species on the British List was given careful consideration and it was agreed to retain it in Category B on the basis of the 1892 influx. It was also agreed that no post-1950 records could be confirmed as referring to definitely wild birds and that some of these were best placed in Category D (Brit. Birds 95: 123-128). With the revisions of the species categories, Ruddy Shelduck is now placed in both Category B and Category D of the British List.

Wood Duck Aix sponsa

In the absence of any records with a strong likelihood of an individual having arrived naturally, this species is no longer under active consideration for admission to Category A.

Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus

A record of a female Hooded Merganser at Oban Trumisgarry Loch, North Uist, Western Isles from 23 October to 1 November 2000 was considered by BOURC and placed in Category D. The location and timing of the occurrence suggested natural vagrancy as did the original claim that the bird was a first-winter. However, careful examination of the available evidence showed that the bird was of indeterminable age and this, together with other factors such as the rarity of the species in the eastern part of its North American range and the frequency with which it is kept in captivity in Europe, resulted in the Committee feeling that they could not accept the bird onto Category A.

Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus

In the absence of any records with a strong likelihood of an individual having arrived naturally, this species is no longer under active consideration for admission to Category C(5).

Booted Eagle Hieraaetus pennatus

Sightings of a pale morph, all believed to refer to the same individual, were reported from various parts of Britain and Ireland, from Waterford in the south-west to Orkney in the north-east (including Co. Down and Antrim in Northern Ireland), between March 1999 and June 2000. The record was considered by BOURC in conjunction with the Irish Rare Birds Committee and the Northern Ireland Birdwatchers’ Association Records Committee. The three committees were of the opinion that none of the occurrences were acceptable for admission to Category A on the basis of a) the bird’s abnormally abraded plumage, b) the very early arrival date, c) the long sea crossing implied by its arrival in Ireland, d) the long stay within the British Isles contrasting with the short stay of most vagrant raptors and e) the fact that, although rare, the species is not unknown in captivity. The records were therefore placed in Category D.

Files under consideration

Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii

A review of all the records of this species is approaching completion.

White-faced Storm Petrel Pelagodroma marina

The 1897 record from Colonsay, Argyllshire, is being reviewed along with the records of Bulwer's Petrel.

Cape Gannet Morus capensis

The 1831 record from Bass Rock, Lothian is still under review.

Common Buzzard Buteo buteo

The racial identity of the 1864 Wiltshire record, reported to be Steppe Buzzard B. b. vulpinus, is being reviewed.

Macqueen’s Bustard Chlamydotis macqueenii

Macqueen's Bustard is now on Category B of the British List. The only recent (post 1950) record (Suffolk, 1962) is being reviewed to determine whether the species should be admitted to Category A.

Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus

Difficulty is being experienced in confirming the ringing records from Sweden and Finland, said to relate to the subspecies L. f. fuscus, on the basis of which this race is currently on the British List.

Royal Tern Sterna maxima

A record from Kent in 1965 (a potential first for Britain) has been referred to the British Birds Rarities Committee for confirmation of its identity.

Little Tern Sterna albifrons

The file relating to an individual, claimed to belong to the race antillarum, which arrived in East Sussex in 1983 remains closed while the Committee attempts to obtain sound recordings of the grey-rumped West African race guineae in order to rule out the latter taxon.

Little Swift Apus affinis

A record from Denbighshire in 1973 has not been accepted as the first for Britain and consideration is now being given to one from Skewjack, Cornwall in 1981.

Blyth's Pipit Anthus godlewski

Consideration of a file on the bird that occurred on Fair Isle, Shetland in October 1988, as the first British record, is approaching completion.

Western Olivaceous Warbler Hippolais opaca

The British Birds Rarities Committee is currently reviewing claimed records of this taxon prior to making recommendations to BOURC.

Long-tailed Shrike Lanius schach

The Committee is gathering information on the captive status (of all races) in Britain, Europe and the Far Eastern bird markets before its assessment of the individual seen on South Uist, Outer Hebrides, 3-4 November 2000.

Red-headed Bunting Emberiza bruniceps

The BOURC is awaiting BBRC’s review of recent records of this species. There has been a marked reduction in the incidence of this species in captivity in recent decades.

The Tadcaster Rarities

The BOURC has been reviewing three potential first records for British that all involved the same York taxidermist (Ross's Gull Rhodostethia rosea, Tadcaster 1847; Macqueen's Bustard, Lincs, 1847; Orphean Warbler Sylvia hortensis, Wetherby, 1848). Further investigation has shown that the same taxidermist was involved with a number of other records of extremely rare birds including yet another potential first (Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni, York, 1867). Some of these records are undoubtedly genuine, including the Macqueen's Bustard where his involvement was merely to correctly re-identify it. Investigations are continuing into the facts relating to the other records.

Changes to the Manx List

The following change to the Manx List has been passed on to BOURC by the Manx Ornithological Society

Rosy Starling Sturnus roseus

Add to Category A.

Juvenile, Peel, 10 October 1999.

Changes to the Northern Ireland List

The following change to the Northern Ireland List has been passed on to BOURC by the Northern Ireland Birdwatchers Association

European Bee-eater Merops apiaster

Add to Category A.

One Island Magee (Antrim) 1 May 2000.

The following has also been considered

Booted Eagle Hieraatus pennatus

See Booted Eagle account above under BOURC files also considered.

Acknowledgements

The Committee could not operate successfully without the considerable help it receives from many people. We particularly wish to thank Gwen Bonham, Ian Dawson, Steve Dudley, Mike Gee, Nick Green, Andreas Helbig, Tim Inskipp, Keith Naylor, Alan Knox, Phil Palmer, David Parkin, Dennis Paulson, Richard Porter, Peter Robinson, Mike Rogers, George Sangster and Grahame Walbridge for all their help, and apologise to any others we have omitted to mention by name.

Committee Membership

Since publication of the last report, Tony Marr has retired from his position as Chairman and from the Committee itself. During his time as Chairman, Tony Marr made a great deal of progress towards making the BOURC more accessible in the eyes of the birdwatching public. The Committee and the BOU are grateful to him for all his hard work. Eric Meek replaces Tony as Chairman of the Committee and the arising vacancy has been taken by Dr Martin Collinson. Martin is a member of the Taxonomic Sub-committee and is well known for his ability to make taxonomic matters more understandable through his contributions to popular ornithological journals and magazines.

The following served on the Committee during the period covered by this report (with expected year of retirement):

Eric Meek (Chairman) (2006)

Tony Marr (Chairman, retired)

Tim Melling (Secretary) (2003)

Martin Collinson (2009)

Paul Harvey (2003)

Andrew Harrop (2007)

Ian Lewington (2005)

Bob McGowan (2008)

Tony Prater (2006)

Roger Wilkinson (2004)

Colin Bradshaw (BBRC representative)

British Ornithologists Union Records Committee

The Natural History Museum

Akeman Street

Tring

Hertfordshire HP23 6AP

UK

Email: bourc.sec@bou.org.uk