TOS 10 4- British Birds October 2014 • Vol.107 • 571-660 IBl MpMM laBiSBMiia UK* ^ * ■f " ■■IE ZEISS natural history MUSEUM LIBRARY 0 6 OCT 2014 1 rsPb on rare birds in Great fsmslfel'fe ISSN 0007-0335 Natural History Museum Library Established 1907, incorporating The Zoologist, established 1843 Published by BB 2000 Limited, trading as ‘British Birds’ Registered Office: c/o McPhersons CFG Limited, 23 St Leonards Road Bexhill on Sea, East Sussex TN40 1HH www.britishbirds.co.uk Editorial Roger Riddington Spindrift, Eastshore, Virkie, Shetland ZE3 9JS Tel: 01 950 460080 editor@britishbirds.co.uk ‘News 8c comment’ material to Adrian Pitches adrianpitches@blueyonder.co.uk Subscriptions & administration Hazel Jenner 4 Harlequin Gardens, St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex TN37 7PF Tel 8c fax: 01424 755155 subscriptions@britishbirds.co.uk Design & production Mark Corliss m.corliss@netmatters.co.uk Advertising Mathew Hance, Digital Spring Ltd, Adam House, 7-10 Adam Street, The Strand, London WC2N 6AA Tel: 020 7520 9326 BB@digital-spring.co.uk Guidelines for contributors See www.britishbirds.co.uk British Birds Editorial staff Roger Riddington (Editor), Caroline Dudley, Peter Kennerley Editorial Board Dawn Balmer, Ian Carter, Richard Chandler, Martin Collinson, Mark Holling, Chris Kehoe, Robin Prytherch, Nigel Redman, Roger Riddington, Brian Small, Steve Votier Rarities Committee Adam Rowlands (Chairman), Chris Batty, Chris Bradshaw, Paul French, Martin Garner, Nic Hallam, James Lidster, Richard Millington, Mike Pennington, Richard Schofield, Steve Votier Secretary Nigel Hudson, Carn Ithen, Trench Lane, Old Town, St Mary’s, Scilly TR2 1 OPA; secretary@bbrc.org.uk Notes Panel Angela Turner (Chair), Will Cresswell, Ian Dawson, Jim Flegg, Ian Newton, Malcolm Ogilvie Annual subscription rates Individual subscriptions: UK - £53.00 Overseas (airmail) - £60.00 Libraries and agencies - £99.00 Back issues available from www.britishbirds.co.uk or the subscriptions office. 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Explore the new ZEISS VICTORY SF and join us at: www.zeiss.co.uk/explorevictorysf ZEISS We make it visible British Birds Volume 107 • Number 10 • October 2014 572 575 578 654 657 658 BB eye Ian Newton News and comment Adrian Pitches \ giving J nature HUM a home Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 Nigel Hudson and the Rarities Committee Notes Obituary Reviews NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM LIBpA RY 6 OCT 2014 The BBRC report has dominated my desk for several weeks now, and both Nigel Hudson and I will be relieved to see this one completed. It is another mammoth effort on behalf of all concerned and, with more pages and more photos than ever before, it hopefully provides a gripping summary of another enthralling year. The plethora of photographs is nothing new, although the task of whittling down the bewildering variety of images of the more popular rarities is now one of the most time-consuming aspects of this report. By the same token, the continuing decline in sketches and artwork submitted in support of records is sad to see. One other aspect of the report is at a record high and that is the phrase ‘DNA analysis’. It’s a record that looks set to be broken regularly in the coming years. The rise of what Martin Collinson - responsible for most if not all of the said DNA analysis reported - likes to call ‘CSI birding’ will not please some traditionalists - but then neither were some folk pleased to see the digital camera (nor, probably, the internal combustion engine either). Admittedly, constant taxonomic upheaval and the regular reordering of species is a fag to keep abreast of, but it seems likely that this particular genie is not going back in its bottle and we may as well be positive about it. While the current BBRC report was on the cutting table, news came through of a batch of four 2014 Subalpine Warblers that Martin and his team had analysed, which included Britain’s fourth ‘Moltoni’s Subalpine Warbler’ and the first record of a Subalp from the southern Italian population. And that might leave some readers cold, but surely the challenge in front of us is to do what the BBRC comment writer on pp. 623-624 of this year’s report advocates - to marry the lab work with our traditional field skills and see if we can take field recognition of some groups to new levels. One thing is for sure, to cross reference to a separate item in this issue - Ian Newton’s exploration of whether bird ringing is still relevant in the twenty-first century: birders with a good old-fashioned ringing licence are still very much in demand. Roger Riddington FSC wwwisc.org MIX Paper from responsible sources FSC* C022506 British Birds aims to: ♦$» provide an up-to-date magazine for everyone interested in the birds of the Western Palearctic; «> publish a range of material on behaviour, conservation, distribution, ecology, identification, movements, status and taxonomy as well as the latest ornithological news and book reviews; ♦> maintain its position as the journal of record; and ♦> interpret scientific research on birds in an easily accessible way. © British Birds 2014 88 eye Is bird ringing still necessary? Hardly a month passes without a startling new map appearing on some website showing the impressive movements of a bird, as studied with the help of modern technology. Tracking tagged birds from satellites has now given us the ability to follow individuals from day to day on their migrations, wherever in the world they travel. From samples of such tagged individuals, we can also calculate mor- tality rates during different periods of the year or year-round. Not surprisingly, some people are now asking whether, with all the new methodology, old-style bird ringing is still necessary. In my view, the answer to this ques- tion is an emphatic cyes’> In this editorial, I shall first mention the various methods of marking and tracking birds, and then go on to explain why I think that bird ringing is still essential to the development of both bird science and bird conservation. Bird ringing dates back to 1899, when Hans Christian Cornelius Mortensen, a Danish schoolmaster, produced the first metal bird rings carrying a unique number and an address, which he attached to birds in his home area. His innovation gave a way of turning anonymous birds into recognisable individuals, identifiable as such for the rest of their lives. Ringing spread quickly, and soon became a mainstay of migration studies worldwide, revealing previously unknown migration routes to an astonished world. Only much later, in the 1940s, did ring-recov- eries come to be used to estimate the annual survival rates of birds. The initial method involved comparing, for particular species, the numbers of individuals ringed as chicks that were subsequently reported dead at dif- ferent ages by members of the public. From the ratios of birds reported in their first to second year, second to third year, third to fourth year, and so on, the annual survival of different age groups could be calculated. Since then, more sophisticated statistical methods have been developed which can make use of information from birds ringed at any age, whether they are reported dead or alive. Large numbers of birds must usually be ringed in order to provide a small number of recoveries, but the average recovery rate for birds ringed in Britain of 2% belies great vari- ation between species and regions. Most small birds have recovery rates of less than 1% (excluding personal recaptures by the ringers themselves), but some larger birds can yield recovery rates of 20% or more, especially if they are hunted. In addition, recovery rates can vary markedly along migration routes, and it is generally difficult to get recoveries from tropical wintering areas. Many records are needed to provide a worthwhile picture of the migration routes or survival rates of par- ticular species. The situation can be improved by the use of coloured rings or tags that can be read in the field from live birds without recapturing them, providing repeated records from the same individuals. But, as with ring- recoveries, reporting rates can also be biased geographically. Following ringing, another breakthrough in the study of bird movements was the development in the 1960s of small radio transmitters that could be fixed to birds, revealing their locations over distances of up to a few kilometres. Radio tags can be attached using a harness or fixed to a ring or a tail feather, and require an observer with a receiver and antenna to detect the signals. Now available in weights down to 0.2 g, such tags are used mainly to follow birds and other animals around small areas, such as their breeding territories. From the mid 1980s, tags became available that transmitted automatically to satellites. By continually circling the globe, Argos satel- lites can detect signals from anywhere below, and then transmit the locations to a ground station. This technology enables birds to be monitored day by day on their journeys from breeding to wintering areas and back again, anywhere in the world. It provides almost real-time information on migration routes and timing, stopover locations and dura- tions, flight speeds, wind and weather effects, and orientation abilities. For some species, previously unknown breeding or wintering 572 © British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 572-574 BB eye areas have been detected, and some amazing journeys have been revealed (notably the non-stop trans-Pacific flights of godwits from Alaska to New Zealand). The earliest suitable transmitters for use on birds (called platform transmitter terminals, or PTTs) weighed more than 100 g so they could be used only on large birds, but development continued and, using solar power, PTTs are now available down to 5 g, with even smaller ones predicted for the future. They are cur- rently used by BTO researchers to track Common Cuckoos Cuculus canorus to their African wintering areas (see www.bto.org/ cuckoos). Tags are also now available which combine satellite with Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to give yet more precise location estimates than earlier tags. The main drawbacks of satellite-based methods are the high costs of the units and the subsequent data processing by the service provider (up to about £3,000 per bird per year). The weight of the tags also means that they have so far been used chiefly on larger bird species, such as raptors, waterfowl and seabirds. Ideally, such units should weigh no more than 3% of the bird’s weight - less than a meal - in order not to affect the bird’s migratory behaviour significantly. Cheaper, and lighter, types of geolocator’ tags have been developed over the last decade which store the collected data on board. One type (GLS) uses a photo-sensor and takes repeated measurements of the ambient light intensity so that the time of local sunrise and sunset can be calculated. These data allow us to estimate the approximate geographical position of the bird at different dates (latitude from daylength and date, and longitude from times of dawn and dusk relative to Greenwich Mean Time). Because they do not transmit information, such devices need only a small battery and can thus weigh less than 1 g; the big drawback, however, is that the bird needs to be recaught to retrieve the data. The units are inexpensive (around £100), but the need to recatch the wearers means that some tags are never recovered, which increases overall costs. Another drawback is that, because of the gradual onset of dawn and variation in cloud cover, location reliability is less than with satellite tags (some estimates can be in error by more than 200 km), but this may be acceptable in tracking long-distance migra- tions. GLS tags were used by BTO researchers to map the migration routes of Common Nightingales Luscinia megarhynchos. Recently a second, more expensive, type of geolocator has become available which uses an on-board GPS to obtain accurate locations from satellites at pre-set intervals. Although the bird usually has to be recaught to retrieve the information, in some situations the data can be downloaded via VHF or the mobile telephone network if the bird comes within range of a base station. Initially, the weight of these tags (5-10 g) meant that they could be fixed only to larger birds. They have recently been used to map seabird feeding areas around Britain, providing information for the designation of Marine Protected Areas or the licensing of offshore windfarms. The latest devices weigh 1-2 g but then provide only a limited number of locations. Because the locations determined by GPS are accurate to within 10 m, the method can be used to gain precise assessments of a bird’s home range at different seasons, as well as its migration routes and stopping sites. Used in conjunc- tion with high-powered satellite images or aerial photographs (such as those available from Google Earth), a bird tracked using GPS can be placed accurately within a landscape thousands of kilometres from the researcher. These various methods provide a much more complete picture of bird migratory and ranging behaviour than could ever be obtained from ringing. They have revolu- tionised the study of bird migration. Owing to the costs involved, these new methods are normally used only in funded research programmes, involving small numbers of birds, from a limited range of species, over a limited number of localities and years. Ringing is also not cheap, consid- ering that only a small proportion of the rings applied produce recoveries. But traditionally the cost of ringing in Britain has been borne (for the most part willingly) mainly by the ringers themselves. It is hard to imagine that such a massive database could have been accu- mulated over the years in any other way. Ringing can be applied to species of any size, year after year, on a large spatial scale (nation- wide or greater), with the results continually added to an ever-growing long-term database. British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 572-574 573 BB eye Moreover, the biometrics collected when birds are handled in large numbers provide valuable insight into other aspects of bird biology, such as breeding and moult, body weights, age and sex ratios, and even the incidence of disease. Ringing data have shown their value in recent decades, when many bird populations declined, mainly though human impacts of one sort or another, and some species have also changed their migration patterns. If we are to detect and understand these changes, and take effective conservation measures, we need appropriate data. When birds decline, it is helpful to know whether reduced survival or reduced reproductive output is involved. For example, in most small seed-eating species in Britain, population declines in recent decades were associated with reduced survival, whereas in some other species sur- vival stayed the same over a period of decline, suggesting that reduced reproduc- tion was involved (Newton 2013). This knowledge in turn indicates where conserva- tion measures should be directed, in breeding or wintering areas. Even if ring-recoveries are insufficient for annual assessments, they can be pooled into blocks of years, comprising, for example, periods of population stability or increase and periods of decline. This type of retrospective analysis applied to farmland birds helped to identify the causal factors involved in the declines of different species, and is now being applied to some of our struggling migrants. Such analyses can come only from large-scale, long-term data, such as those provided by ringing schemes. Another advantage of ringing, as it is now organised in Britain, is that it can cover all species all the time, not just those of current interest, and we can never know which ones will be in trouble in future. Ongoing ringing is like having money in the bank, ready when needed. Only the pres- ence of individuals that are already ringed in populations enables us to assess, for example, the provenance of seabirds killed in winter wrecks, the spread and impact of new dis- eases such as trichomonosis, or the risk of alien diseases (such as the H5N1 strain of avian influenza) reaching Britain. Some bird species are becoming more sedentary than in the past, or shortening their migrations to winter at higher latitudes than previously, presumably in association with climate change. It would have been difficult, in the absence of ringing, to have recorded most of these changes. Nor would it have been dis- covered that the Blackcaps Sylvia atricapilla now wintering in small numbers in Britain are not drawn from among the birds that breed here, but derive from a different population, breeding nearer to central Europe. In view of the continual changes in our avifauna, I would argue that cost-effective data from centralised ringing schemes are just as necessary now as they always were to detect and understand these changes, enabling in some cases appro- priate conservation measures to be taken. People are often dazzled by technological innovations and tend to overlook the less charismatic new analytical techniques that are allowing much better use of ringing results to help explain population trends in demo- graphic terms. The most recent BTO studies combine data from ringing, nest records and counting schemes to produce demographic models of bird populations that give unprece- dented detail on large-scale population dynamics (Robinson et al. 2014). Similarly, the development of more systematic and standardised site-specific ringing-recapture programmes is allowing much more powerful analyses of year-to-year survival and popula- tion changes. New technology has not replaced ringing but it has greatly expanded our toolkit. It is the combination of method- ologies that has given such exciting recent developments in our understanding of bird populations and movements, and helped so much in bird conservation. References Newton, I. 20 1 3. Bird Populations. Collins, London. Robinson, R. A., Morrison, C. A„ & Baillie, 5. R. 2014. Integrating demographic data: towards a framework for monitoring wildlife populations at large spatial scales. Methods in Ecology and Evolution: doi: 1 0. 1 I I 1/2041-210x4 2204 Ian Newton For ease in reporting ring-recoveries, visit www.ring.ac What do you think? Join the debate at www.britishbirds.co.uk/category/editorials 574 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 572-574 News and comment Compiled by Adrian Pitches Opinions expressed in this feature are not necessarily those of British Birds Alder Flycatcher added to the British List The BOU Records Committee has accepted the North American Empidonax flycatcher that was seen - and trapped - at Nanjizal, Cornwall, in October 2008 as Alder Flycatcher E. alnorum and added the species to Category A of the British List (see also pp. 614-615). In a brief statement, the BOURC said: ‘This Nearctic species, breeding in North America and wintering in South America, was previously one of a subspecies pair of “Traill’s Flycatcher”. Both have been elevated to full specific status as Alder Fly- catcher and Willow Flycatcher Empidonax traillii, based mainly on differences in song and call, but with some subtle plumage differences. ‘This created a challenge for BOURC when establishing the identity of this individual, despite it being trapped and biometrics being available, as no definitive calls were heard. The record required two circulations, before Willow Flycatcher could be eliminated and identification confirmed.’ A subsequent ‘empid’ on Blakeney Point, Norfolk, in September 2010 has also been accepted as Alder Flycatcher by BBRC. The addition of this species to the British List takes the total to 597. All suggestions for the 600th British bird will be gratefully received by N&c. The imminent (?) split of Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans into three separate species would leave the List poised at 599. . . 5,000 homes approved at England’s S20% of the British wintering popula- tion (Musgrove et al. 2013). There is a possibility that other Pacific Divers go unnoticed among their more numerous cousins in this diver hotspot, and that more than one Pacific Diver may have win- tered in Cornwall. (Breeds NE Siberia from lower Indigirka river E to Chukotskiy Peninsula, & N North America from Alaska E to Hudson Bay & S Baffin Island. Winters North Pacific Ocean, in Asia S to japan & E China, & North America S to Baja California & Sonora, Mexico.) 281. Adult Pacific Diver Gavia pacifica, Grutness, Mainland, Shetland, May 20 1 3. 588 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 Zino’s/Fea’s Petrel Pterodroma madeira/feae (0, 47, 6) About two per year; stable or increasing Caernarfonshire Bardsey Island, 15th September (S. D. Stansfield et al). Caithness Duncansby Head, 7th September (C. Griffin); also seen Highland, Northumberland. Cornwall Gwennap Head, Porthgwarra, 4th August (J. Holliday, B. K. Mellow et al). Gwennap Head, 14th August (J. Atkinson, P. S. Woollen). Highland Helmsdale, 7th September (D. Roche); also seen Caithness, Northumberland. Isles of Scilly At sea, 6 km S of Scilly, 9th August, photo ( J. Pender et al). At sea, 13 km E of Scilly, 23rd October (P. R. French, A. Jayne et al). Northumberland Inner Sound, Fame Islands, 6th September (D. Steel); also seen Caithness, Highland. The 2013 records in Cornwall and Scilly went some way to closing the gap in numbers between the southwest and the northeast regions. Counterintuitive it may be but, until this year, the best section of British coastline from which to find a Pterodroma lay between Spurn and the Fame Islands, with no fewer than 21 records (including this year’s bird from Northumberland; see Brit. Birds 103: 573). There are now 18 records from the southwest, although the three photographed birds from sea area Sole, which were specifically identified as Fea’s Petrels, bring the southwest up to a grand total of 21 also. Perhaps surprisingly, the coastline between Hampshire and Lin- colnshire accounts for only four birds, which hints at a northern route being the likely entry and exit point from the North Sea for most of the birds seen off the northeast coast. Data from geolo- cator studies show that small numbers of Fea’s Petrels from the Desertas Islands of Madeira forage in the Gulf Stream during both the breeding and the non-breeding season, with birds present off the eastern USA at both times (but peak numbers there are from mid May to mid September). Perhaps these birds are the source of many British sightings as they track the Gulf Stream across the Atlantic, with some even following deep water into the Faroe-Shetland Channel before spilling down into the North Sea. Further support for this comes from the lack of records on the near continent: there is just one record from the Netherlands, none from Belgium and two from the English Channel coast of France. Observers lucky enough to be faced with a putative Pterodroma should also be aware of the possibility of something even rarer than a Fea’s. An apparent Bermuda Petrel P. cahow was pho- tographed off Co. Kerry in May 2014 (that record is still under consideration by IBRC) while an unidentified pale-winged Pterodroma was photographed off Denmark in 2011. Geolocator studies have also shown that Zino’s Petrels occur in the northeast North Atlantic, perhaps within striking distance of the western coasts of Britain (Zino et al. 2011). Notwithstanding the margin for error on these devices, it is perhaps only a matter of time before Zino’s Petrel is confirmed in British waters. Detailed descriptions of the underwing and upperparts remain crucial for accept- ance to Zi no’s/ Fea’s level; despite recent advances in the field identification of this species pair, good-quality photographs showing the bill structure and preferably the underwing and body structure will remain necessary to differentiate the two. Fea’s Petrel comprises two forms, the nominate race which breeds on the Cape Verde Islands and P. f. desertae from the Desertas. There is currently no way of separating them at sea, although P. f desertae has, on average, a heavier bill. (Breeding Zino’s confined to C mountains of Madeira. Fea’s breeds on Bugio, Desertas, & Cape Verde Islands.) Macaronesian Shearwater Puffmus baroii (3, 61, 1) Not yet determined Devon Start Point, 4th August (M. Darlaston). 2012 Devon Berry Head, 7th June (M. Langman). (North Atlantic range restricted to warmer waters of Madeira, Canary Islands, Cape Verde Islands & the Azores. Outside the breeding season found at sea near breeding sites within North Atlantic.) British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 589 Will Miles Hudson et al. Swin hoe’s Storm-petrel Oceanodroma monorhis (0, 5, 2) Very rare, last in 2000, 2005 Fair Isle South Haven, adult male, 27th July, trapped, photo, DNA analysis (R. D. Cope, D. McGibbon, W. T. S. Miles et al.) (Brit. Birds 107: plate 18). South Haven, adult male, 7th August to 3rd September, trapped, photo, sound recording, DNA analysis (K. Lawrence, W. T. S. Miles, D. Parnaby et al.) (Brit. Birds 106: plate 323; 107: plate 282). There are very few other species on the British List about which we know so little in a Western Palearctic context. The majority of the world population of Swinhoes Storm-petrels is thought to breed on Gugeul Island, South Korea, with other colonies scattered around the Japanese and Yellow Seas, with perhaps small colonies remaining on islands off Taiwan. The species is thought to be in decline owing to introduced ground predators, disturbance from tourism and invasive alien plants; the population is currently listed as at least 130,000 pairs (www.birdlife.org). The majority of the population winters in the northern Indian Ocean, so on the face of it this is a highly unlikely vagrant to the North Atlantic. However, in attempting to explain the handful of Atlantic records, Flood & Fisher (2011) suggested that a population became established in the North Atlantic after suitable climatic conditions (perhaps around the time of the ‘Little Ice Age’ in the 1700s) led to small numbers rounding the Cape of Good Hope and becoming ‘marooned1 in the Atlantic. Perhaps a small breeding population has survived since, most likely somewhere in Macaronesia (where birds with a brood patch have been trapped on the Selvagens and off Lanzarote). Conceivably, it could be even farther north, since the most famous of the three ‘Tyne petrels’ (a female trapped at Tynemouth in consecutive summers between 1990 and 1994) also exhibited a brood patch (see Cubitt 1995), while now we have the extraordi- nary appearance of two males trapped in the same summer on Fair Isle. The presence of a brood patch does not necessarily mean that the individual is incubating or brooding, however, and even though one of the Fair Isle males has returned in 2014 there is no evidence that the bird is breeding there (see also pp. 654-655). It should also be noted that on Fair Isle a Swinhoe’s was heard calling during a routine storm-petrel trapping session in the early hours of 22nd July 2013; it was not trapped and is perhaps best assumed to be the same as the one caught five days later on 27th but of course we cannot be sure. Most readers will no doubt be aware of the notorious ‘ Chalice 282. Adult male Swinhoe’s Storm-petrel Oceanodroma petrel1 from the summer of 1988. monorhis, Fair Isle, August 20 1 3. Seen from a pelagic trip on the 590 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 MV Chalice in sea area Sole on 3rd August 1988, that petrel spent several minutes giving good views and photographic opportunities in the company of several European Storm-petrels Hydro- bates pelagicus. Its identification has proved controversial ever since. Although it was initially called as a Bulwer’s Petrel Bulweria bulwerii , the observers on board quickly realised that it was actually one of the dark-rumped storm-petrels from the Pacific. It was then identified as a Tris- tram’s Storm-petrel O. tristrami before the photographs were seen, after which it was reidentified and submitted to BBRC as a Matsudaira’s Storm-petrel O. matsudairae (a decision that may have been influenced in small part by the mistaken belief that a Matsudaira’s had been trapped on the Selvagens earlier that summer - that bird later proved to have been a Swinhoe’s). Innumerable column inches have been written on the identification of the Chalice petrel (see for example Gantlett 1988, Force 1997, Hume et al. 1997, Young & King 1997, Morrison 1998), but the paper by Garner & Mullarney (2004) finally saw the weight of evidence swing firmly into the Swinhoe’s camp. It was resubmitted as a Swinhoe’s Storm-petrel in 2009, by one of the original observers, and has been in circulation with either BBRC or BOURC ever since. It was accepted as a Swinhoe’s by BBRC in a single circulation and was then passed on to BOURC as potentially the first record for Britain. BOURC took the decision that the identification was not 100% certain, and so did not accept it. It is not often that BBRC and BOURC disagree on matters of identification, and some readers may even be unaware that BOURC also looks independently at the identification of British firsts rather than just provenance. This record therefore enters the twilight world of sight- ings which are accepted by BBRC but do not feature in our statistics as they are not considered acceptable by BOURC as the first record for Britain. Observers faced with a putative Swinhoe’s Storm-petrel at sea should try to get an accurate assessment of size in comparison with other storm-petrels, exact plumage details of the covert bar and rump pattern (looking for any traces of possible pale areas or moult that may indicate a Leach’s Storm-petrel O. leucorhoa ) and, perhaps most importantly, the exact flight style and jizz. (Breeds on offshore islands in NE Pacific from Peter the Great Bay nr Vladivostok, Russia, S to N Honshu, Japan, the Korean Peninsula & islands off E China. Migrates through E & S China Seas & Straits of Singapore to winter in tropical Indian Ocean.) Red-billed Tropicbird Phaethon aethereus (0, 3, 1) Very rare , all since 2001 Cornwall Pendeen Watch, 18th August, photo (T. Whiley) {Brit. Birds 107: plates 248, 283). Reports of passing seabirds observed from coastal headlands more often than not present the Committee with perhaps the most difficult and challenging type of record assessment. They are generally seen at great distance, usually during inclement weather and, more often than not, seen by only one or two individuals. The period of observation is typically short and the bird is rarely within photographic range. There were no such problems with this record, however. Witnessed by just a single observer, this bird not only passed close inshore (indeed too close to be seen by the many other observers watching from a higher vantage point) but made fairly leisurely progress, allowing a series of photographs to be taken (see Brit. Birds 107: 476-480). The three previous records, all from the southwest (sea area Sole, 32 km SSE of Scilly, 7th June 2001; sea area Sole, 6.5 km E of Scilly, 29th March 2002; and 1.5 km off The Lizard, Cornwall, 21st April 2002) may in fact have involved just one indi- vidual, although they are currently treated as separate birds, while a sighting from Guernsey on 16th September 2001 also fits into this cluster. Seabirds have a track record of repeat performances, although a gap of 1 1 years with no reports surely means that the 2013 bird is different. An 283. Red-billed Tropicbird Phaethon aethereus, Pendeen, Cornwall, August 20 1 3. British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 591 Tom Whiley Tor Egil Matre Hudson et al. Irish record, from Co. Cork on 15th September 2009, coupled with occasional sightings from the Canary Islands suggests that the wait for the next one may not be too long. (Rare breeder Cape Verde Islands, has bred Azores & suspected Canary Islands. Elsewhere breeds Caribbean & Red Seas, Indian & E Pacific Oceans. Resident or dispersive in non-breeding season but distribution at sea poorly known.) Ascension Frigatebird Fregata aquila (0, I, I) Extremely rare, one other record in 1953 Argyll Bowmore, Islay, juvenile, 5th July, photo (V. V. S. Bonarjee, J. Brown, T. E. Matre, T. Redman, J. Sim) (Brit. Birds 107: plates 251, 284). The fact that one Ascension Frigatebird should make it to Europe seemed amazing (Walbridge et al. 2003); that two should make it seems almost incredible. Add on the chances that both of these birds would be on islands in Argyll, and that their arrival dates would be just days apart (albeit with 60 years in between), and it makes this record from 2013 one of the most fascinating of the year. As the name suggests, the species breeds only on Ascension Island, where the population stands at some 25,000-32,000 individuals (www.birdlife.org). This bird was seen initially by V. V. S. Bonarjee and T. E. Matre, who were looking out of their hotel window during breakfast, and (independently) by Jim Sim at about the same time. All three observers managed to obtain photographs before the frigatebird was chased off by gulls. The importance of these photographs was further confirmed when the Committee voted Jim Sim’s images as a clear winner of the 2014 Carl Zeiss Award (Brit. Birds 107: 476-480). Instructive, and indeed instrumental in the record being accepted, they certainly were. What are the chances of a non-photographed Ascension Frigatebird, seen only by non-birders, being accepted? Indeed, had there been no photos would it have even have made the grade as a frigatebird? Once the news broke some 50 twitchers headed to Argyll in the hope of relocating the bird, sadly to no avail. In years gone by most birders would have assumed that any frigatebird species encountered in Britain would have been a Magnificent F. magnificens, based solely on the fact that that species is globally more numerous, with a substantial population breeding in the Caribbean and a handful of pairs breeding in the Western Palearctic. Now, with two Magnificents (one of those from the Isle of Man) and two Ascensions (as well as three ‘frigatebird sp.’), it will be interesting to see which will be the next to occur - and will it linger and survive long enough to be enjoyed en masse? (Breeds exclusively on Boatswainbird Islet, off NE coast of Ascension Island in tropical Atlantic. Outside breed- ing season believed to remain nr Ascension Island.) 284. Juvenile Ascension Frigatebird Fregata aquila, Bowmore, Islay, July 2013. 592 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus (247, 243, 5) About 3-4 per year, breeding; stable Somerset Westhay Moor, male in song, 24th April to 2nd June (per Somerset Recorder). Ham Wall RSPB, male in song, 27th April to 9th August, and female, 21st May to 10th August (per Somerset Recorder); both photographed and presumed same as Somerset 2012, Brit. Birds 106: 581-582. One juvenile seen 19th July to 3rd August, with a second juvenile on the last date (per Somerset Recorder). Ham Wall RSPB, two other males, both in song, 25th June to 19th July (per Somerset Recorder). Little Bitterns bred once again in Somerset in 2013 but, as in previous years, it was difficult to establish exactly how many birds were involved, how many formed breeding pairs and how many young fledged successfully; the Rare Breeding Birds Panel report for 2013 may present a fuller picture. We have assumed that the pair present from April-May at Ham Wall was the same as the pair first seen in 2010, and that they produced the two juveniles seen this year. Unpaired males (at least two, perhaps three) were also heard in the same area, along with what was presumed to be a different male at a nearby site. There were further reports at other sites in the area, including possible breeding, but none of these was confirmed. (Widespread but local in Europe N to 53°N. To E, breeds to 60°N in European Russia, & E to Kazakhstan & NW China. Migratory, wintering mainly E Africa, S from Sudan & Ethiopia. Other populations largely resident or dispersive in N Indian subcontinent, sub-Saharan Africa & Australia.) Sq uacco Heron Ardeola ralloides (69, 85, 2) About two per year; increasing Cornwall Lethytep, Lanreath, adult, 8th May, photo (P. Hambly), presumed same Halton Quay, Saltash, 16th- 17th May, photo (D. & M. Scofield). Isle of Wight Brading Marshes RSPB, adult, 8th- 14th June, photo (K. A. Ballard, D. Hunnybun, C. Meaney, I. Ridett). 2011 Somerset Ham Wall RSPB, 16th October, photo (C. Griffin). (Breeds Mediterranean basin from S Spain to Black Sea & E to Kazakhstan, with large population in Danube Delta. Northern populations migratory, wintering N tropical Africa. African population largely resident.) Black Stork Ciconia nigra (22, S93, 18) About six per year; stable Argyll Fanmore, Mull, 26th May (G. Daly, P. Toner), presumed same Dervaig, Mull, 26th May, photo (T. & D. Parsons); also seen Highland. Denbighshire Merddyn, Gwytherin, adult, 6th-9th May (P. & R. Leonard per Denbighshire Recorder). Derbyshire Ilkeston, 29th July (A. 8c F. Phillips). Devon North Molton, adult, 6th May (D. Barford, R. G. Marshall). Dorset Weymouth then Dorchester, two adults, 20th April, photo ( J. & M. Down, P. Harris). Gloucestershire Woorgreens and Staple Edge Wood, Forest of Dean, adult, 25th June, photo (A. Jayne, L. Thomson). Hampshire Acres Down, New Forest, adult, 18th May (S. Harris, R. Souter et al), presumed same Oxenbourne Down, Petersfield, 19th May (T. G. Ball et al.) and Hockley Viaduct, River Itchen, 19th May (D. Hoare). Highland Gruinard Bay, adult, 26th May (M. Selby, M. Whitehead); also seen Argyll. Kent Cottington, adult, 9th August, photo (P. Wells). Leicestershire 8c Rutland Rutland Water, adult, 22nd August, photo (E. Ansell, T. Carter, J. Wright et al). Northumberland Corby’s Crags, Edlingham, 1st May, photo (J. Latham, J. 8c P. Tapsell). Suffolk Westleton Heath, two adults, 1st May (K. D. Offord). Sussex Horsted Keynes, adult, 25th May (M. Mallalieu). Wiltshire Hamptworth, adult, 1st July (P. Combridge). Stoke Farthing, Broad Chalke, two adults, 8th August, photo (N. 8c N. Tinkler). Yorkshire Troutsdale, 14th June (R. I. Stark). British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 593 Gary Thoburn Hudson et al. 1983 Essex Little Hallingbury, 12th June, note revised date {Brit. Birds 82: 513). (Breeds C Iberia & E France through C Europe to Russia & small numbers into N Greece & Turkey. To E, breeds widely in forested temperate regions of Russia & Siberia to Russian Far East. Most are migratory, wintering Africa, S & SE Asia.) Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps (0, 40, 2) Rare, about one per year; stable Outer Hebrides Loch nam Feithean, North Uist, 6th December into 2014, photo (S. E. Duffield et al). Somerset Ham Wall RSPB, male in song, 15th February to 5th May, photo (S. Miller et al. per Somerset Recorder) {Brit. Birds 106: plate 148; 107: plate 285). (Breeds throughout North America from C Canada S through USA to C America, the Caribbean & much of South America. Northern populations migratory, wintering S USA & Mexico.) 285. Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps, Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset, March 2013. Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus North American race, ‘Northern Harrier’ C. c. hudsonius (0, 4, 2) Very rare, all but one since 2008 Cambridgeshire Ouse Washes RSPB, juvenile female, 19th October to 12th November, photo (J. A. Hanlon, D. Hopkins et al.) (plates 286, 335 & 336). Cornwall Men-an-Tol, adult male, 23rd November, photo (R. Sharpies). 2008 Orkney North Ronaldsay, 24th September to 3rd October, photo (A. C. Lees et al). The gap between the appearance of Britain’s first ‘Marsh Hawk’, on the Isles of Scilly in 1982/83, and its acceptance 25 years later did not prepare the birding community for what was to follow. Northern Harriers have burst onto the scene on this side of the Atlantic in a most unexpected way, and have become more or less annual in the last five or six years in Britain & Ireland. Credit is due to Alex Lees for his searching questions about harrier identification; the juvenile seen in Orkney in 2008 by himself and others now becomes the second British record. In 2013 there was the second record of a grey male in Britain, yet like the first (in Co. Durham on 22nd February 2009) it was identified retrospectively from photographs. While there is a perception that grey males with browner upperparts are second-calendar-year birds, the reality is that grey males are highly variable and 2CYs can be aged with certainty only by the presence of retained juvenile plumage. Records of Northern Harrier will surely continue to attract much interest and in most cases photographs will be vital to proving the identification. So far, the wide scatter of British records should alert observers to the potential occurrence of this Nearctic vagrant virtually anywhere that 594 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 286. Juvenile ‘Northern Harrier’ Circus cyaneus hudsonius, Ouse Washes RSPB, Cambridgeshire, October 20 1 3. harriers might occur. Critical features to note on autumn juveniles include: the head pattern; the precise colour and extent of streaking in the underbody; how dark the upper par is are; and the barring on the underside of the outer primaries, which is especially important. For older (grey) males, the pattern of black and white in the outer primaries and presence of tail-barring are critical. Now that it has become firmly established that Northern Harriers are capable of crossing the Atlantic, expectations of finding the American form of Osprey Pandion haliaetus carolinensis (of which there are records in Iceland and the Azores) or even the first Western Palearctic Sharp- shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus are not unwarranted. (Race hudsonius breeds Alaska E to Canadian Maritime Provinces, S throughout Canada 8c USA from California E to Pennsylvania 8c Maryland, 8c S to Baja California, Mexico. Northern populations migratory, wintering from USA S throughout C America to N Colombia.) Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus (2, §8* 5) About 2-3 per year, influx 201 1 (29); recent increase Highland Between Blairmore and Sandwood Bay, juvenile, 25th August, photo (D. Pressland). Norfolk Horsey, juvenile, 8th May, photo (P. F. Fairman). Pembrokeshire Skomer, juvenile, 20th April to 1st May, photo (D. Boyle, L. Yates cl ah). Surrey Newark Lane, Ripley, male, 31st March, photo (M. L. & V. J. Hill). Wiltshire Larkhill Artillery Range, Salisbury Plain, adult male, 31st August to 8th September (L.H. Cady, P.E. Castle). (Breeds from Ukraine E through Russia to c. 100°E, & S to Kazakhstan 8c NW China. Occasionally breeds Finland. Migratory, wintering throughout much of E 8c C Africa, 8c Indian subcontinent.) Sora. Porzana Carolina (5, II, 2) Very rare, last in 2006 Isles of Sciliy Great Pool, Tresco, first-winter male, 9th-29th October, photo (C. Lewis et al.) {Brit. Birds 106: plate 468). Lower Moors, St Mary’s, 19th October, photo (D. Grundy). Two records in the same recording area at the same time is unprecedented. With seven of the 18 records, Sciliy accounts for almost half of all British records. Eleven other recording areas, scattered the length and breadth of Britain, each have a single record. The Lower Moors bird had an unusual amount of dark/blackish colouring on the breast. Whether this represents a plumage abnormality or staining from some pollutant is unclear, but if it was oil it may suggest a period of time aboard a ship on its way to Shooters Pool. (Breeds North America from C Canada S to C California 8c Maryland, USA. Migrates to winter from S USA to C America 8c N South America.) British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 595 James Hanlon Andy Johnson Hudson et al. Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus (134, 301, 7) About eight per year, influxes 1987 (33), 2012 (30), occasional breeding; stable Cambridgeshire Wicken Fen, male, 1 4th— 1 9th May, photo (J. A. Hanlon et al). Cornwall Hayle Estuary RSPB, adult female, 27th September to 10th October, photo (M. Scott- Ham et al.). Gwent Newport Wetlands RSPB, two, female 8t adult male, 26th April, photo (R. Ruston et al.). Lincolnshire Frampton Marsh RSPB: adult male, 7th May, photo (R. Borwick et ah); two adults, 3rd June, photo (N. Smith et al. per Lincolnshire Recorder). 2012 Norfolk Cley Marshes and Kelling, female, 6th- 10th June, then Welney WWT, 13th- 18th June; note additional locations and revised dates {Brit. Birds 106: 589-590). (Breeds along Atlantic coast of France & locally throughout Mediterranean basin to Black Sea. To E, breeds from S Siberia & C Asia to NW China & S to Hong Kong. Most European birds winter sub-Saharan Africa &, increasingly, in SW Iberia. Asian breeders winter S & SE Asia & S China.) Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva (2, 77, 4) About 2-3 per year; stable Cambridgeshire Burwell Fen, adult, 24th July, photo (R. Johnson, A. Long). Leicestershire & Rutland Rutland Water, adult, 1 5th— 1 8th July, photo (M. G. Berriman, J. M. Hague et al.). Norfolk Breydon Water, adult, 19th October, photo (P. R. Allard, K. R. Dye). Orkney North Ronaldsay, adult, 1st July, photo (M. Warren et al.). (Breeds across Siberian tundra from Yamal Peninsula E to Chukotskiy Peninsula, including New Siberian islands, & W Alaska. Winters Indian subcontinent, S China & S Japan, S through SE Asia to Australia, New Zealand & islands in C Pacific, small numbers regular Kenya & Persian Gulf.) Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus (0, 3, I ) Very rare, first in 1978, last in 2012 Hampshire Black Point, Hayling Island, first- winter, 17th-29th October, photo (A. C. Johnson et al); also seen Sussex (plate 287). Sussex Pilsey Sands, Chichester Harbour, first- winter, 1 8th— 2 1st October, photo (C. B. Collins, D. Cooper, B. Kay et ah); also seen Hampshire. (Breeds Alaska & across N Canada to Baffin Island & Newfoundland. Winters from Atlantic & Pacific shores of southern USA to S South America.) Killdeer Charadrius vociferus (4, 5 I, I) Rare, about one per year; stable Lancashire 8c North Merseyside Alston Wetland, 7th April, photo (G. Thomas et ah). (Breeds S Alaska, S Canada & throughout USA to Mexico. Northern breeders migratory, wintering S USA & Mexico to Columbia. Other races resident Caribbean & South America.) 287. First-winter Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus, with Ringed Plover C. hiaticula (behind), Hayling Island, Hampshire, October 20 1 3. 596 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 288. Adult male Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus, with Ringed Plover C. hiaticula, Lossiemouth, Moray & Nairn, July 2013. Lesser Sand Plover Charadrius mongolus (0, 5, I) Very rare , first in 1991, last in 2004 Moray & Nairn Lossiemouth, adult male C. m. mongolus, 16th July, photo (M. Sharpe) (plate 288). (Nominate mongolus group breeds mountains & tundra of Arctic E Siberia, Kamchatka & Komandorskiye (Commander) Islands. Distinct atrifrons group breeds from C Pamir & Tien Shan Mountain ranges S to N Kashmir & E to the Tibetan Plateau. Winters along tropical coasts of S & E Africa, Persian Gulf, Indian subcontinent, S China, SE Asia & Australia.) Hudsonian Whimbrel Numenius hudsonicus (0, 7, S) Very rare, first in 1974, last in 2009 Shetland Mid Yell and Whalefirth, Yell, juvenile, 30th September to 2nd October, photo (D. M. Pullan et al.) (plate 289). It is often the case that a long-staying rarity results in the location of something else of interest, as an influx of observers brings more keen eyes to survey an area, and this was certainly the case here. Yell remains one of the most underwatched islands in Shetland. Despite the recent dramatic increase in visiting birders in autumn, Yell usually merits little more than a few quick searches in between ferries to and from Unst or Fetlar. In September 2013, however, a long-staying ‘Eastern Subalpine Warbler’ Sylvia cantillans albistriata at Mid Yell meant that most birding groups spent a little more time on the island. One such group was led by Dave Pullan and, after visiting the Subalpine Warbler, they stopped to scan the waders at the head of Mid Yell Voe (a site that has hosted more Bearded Seals Erignathus barbatus than rare waders). Dave was surprised to see a late whimbrel, but even more intrigued by its appearance, noting first the dark underwing, as it flew off with two Eurasian Curlews N. arquata, then the diagnostic dark rump (Pullan 2014). 289. Juvenile Hudsonian Whimbrel Numenius hudsonicus, Mid Yell, Shetland, September 2013. British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 597 Dave Pullan Margaret Sharpe Hudson et al. This was the fourth Hudsonian Whimbrel for Shetland (including two on Fair Isle), and the eighth for Britain. The fact that it was the sixth bird since 2000 suggests that the species may be becoming more frequent, although it was the first since a run of four in three years in 2007-09. The first five British records were all found between May and August. There were two in May, including the first for Britain, on Fair Isle on 27th-31st May 1955, and a presumed returning bird at Goldcliff Lagoons (Gwent) on 6th-7th May 2000 and 3rd-4th May 2002. The only bird found in June was the long-staying first-summer on Walney Island (Cumbria), present from 14th June to 19th August 2007. The second for Britain, presumably an adult, was on Out Skerries (Shetland) from 24th July to 8th August 1974, while an adult was on Fair Isle on 29th-31st August 2007. The Yell bird is the third successive September juvenile, following others on St Mary’s (Scilly) on 5th-28th September 2008 and South Uist (Outer Hebrides) on 12th September 2009. For anyone hoping to find a Hudsonian Whimbrel in Britain, the message seems to be that they can be found at almost any time and place that European Whimbrels would normally be present. Having said that, the three Irish records (1957, 1980 and 2011) match the Yell bird in timing, all being found between 20th September and 1st October. (Breeds on tundra of W & N Alaska & N Canada E to Hudson Bay. Migrates through Canada & USA to winter coastal regions of S USA, S to Chile & Brazil.) Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris (0, 0, 0) 1998 Northumberland Druridge Pools, first-summer, probably female, 4th-7th May, photo, previously accepted (Brit. Birds 95: 494) but now considered not proven following review (Brit. Birds 107: 389-404). (Formerly bred W Siberia N of Omsk & migrated SW to winter throughout Mediterranean basin W to Morocco. Serious population decline in 20th century & currently no breeding or wintering areas known.) Broad-billed Sandpiper Calidris falcinellus (15, 228, I) About six per year; stable Yorkshire Patrington Outstray, 18th May, photo (J. Grist, R. J. Swales). 1950 Lancashire & North Merseyside Freckleton SF, 28th September to 7th October (A. Harrison, N. Harwood, H. Shorrock) (Brit. Birds 44: 316-317). The Freckleton bird was not previously in the BBRC database, having occurred before the formation of the Committee in 1958. However, our middle statistic now deals with numbers back to 1950, in line with other European Rarities Committees, and the Lancashire bird is considered acceptable by the relevant local records committee. (Nominate race breeds N Norway, Sweden & Finland, & Arctic Russia where distribution uncertain. Migrates through E Mediterranean, Black & Caspian Seas to winter Persian Gulf & W India to Sri Fanka, with small numbers coastal E Africa. E Asian race sibirica breeds from Taimyr Peninsula E to Kolyma River delta, & winters from Bay of Bengal through coastal SE Asia to Australia.) Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus (0, 30, 1) Rare , about one every 1-2 years Cheshire & Wirral Neumann’s Flash, adult, 29th August to 2nd September, photo (G. F. J. Baker, M. Taylor et al), presumed same Sandbach Flashes, 2nd-7th September, photo (D. Norbury et al. per Cheshire Recorder). (Breeds North America from NE Alaska to Hudson Bay, Canada. Migrates through interior & E USA to winter C South America from E Bolivia & S Brazil to NE Argentina. Occasionally winters N to Mexico, Caribbean & S USA.) Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii (I, 248, 6) About six per year; increasing Argyll Loch a’ Phuill, Tiree, juvenile, 5th September, photo ( J. Bowler, K. Gillon). Gloucestershire Slimbridge WWT, juvenile, 7th-10th October, photo (J. Lees et al. per Gloucestershire Recorder). Lincolnshire Frampton Marsh RSPB, adult, 24th-26th July, photo (J. Savory, T. Williams et al.). Orkney Wester Sand, Holm, Mainland, juvenile, 31st August, photo (K. E. Hague). 598 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 290. Two juvenile Baird’s Sandpipers Calidris bairdii, Stoneybridge, South Uist, Outer Hebrides, September 2013. Outer Hebrides Stoneybridge, South Uist, two juveniles, 10th-14th September, photo (S. E. Duffield etal) (plate 290). 2012 Shetland Baltasound, Unst, juvenile, 26th November, photo (R. J. Brookes). (Breeds extreme NE Siberia on Chukotskiy Peninsula & Wrangel Island, E across N Alaska & Arctic Canada to N Baffin Island & NW Greenland. Migrates through North American interior to winter South American Andes, from S Ecuador to Tierra del Fuego.) Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla (0, 125, I I) About four per year; increasing Argyll Gott Bay then Clachan, Tiree, juvenile, 6th-12th September, photo (K. Gillon et al). Black Mill Bay, Luing, adult, 7th September, photo (D. C. Jardine). Cheshire & Wirral Hoylake Shore, adult, 21st September (A. M. Conlin, J. E. Turner et al). Cornwall Long Rock, Marazion, juvenile, 7th-9th September, photo (M. T. Elliott et al. per Cornwall Recorder) (Brit. Birds 106: plate 412). Dorset Ferrybridge, juvenile, 1st September, photo (S. Carey et al), presumed same Brownsea Island, 2nd-3rd September and Abbotsbury 4th-5th September, photo (per birding information services). Hampshire Keyhaven Marshes and Pennington Marshes, juvenile, 6th-7th September, photo (L. M. Fuller, M. Hastings et al. per Hampshire Recorder). Kent Dungeness RSPB, juvenile, 10th— 1 1th September, photo (M. Casemore, P. Trodd et al). Lancashire & North Merseyside Preesall Sands, Knott End-on-Sea, first-winter, 12th November, photo (C. G. Batty et al). Outer Hebrides Loch Ordais, Bragar, Lewis, juvenile, 30th August to 1st September, photo (S. E. Duffield et al.) (plate 291). Loch Paible, North Uist, juvenile, 1st— 5th September, photo (B. Rabbitts et al). Pembrokeshire Gann Estuary, Dale, adult, 3rd-5th September, photo (D. Astins, D. Grimwood et al). 2012 Dumfries & Galloway The Wig, Loch Ryan, juvenile, 8th-13th September, photo (G. Chambers, P. N. Collin, S. Grover). 2011 Yorkshire Kilnsea, juvenile, 10th September, photo (J. M. Turton et al). An excellent year - the third-best ever - although there is a possibility that the same individual is responsible for more than one record. The three sightings in Dorset seem most likely to involve just one bird (judging by timings and plumage similarities), which illustrates how far individuals can range in a short period - from Ferrybridge, east to Brownsea Island, then returning west British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 599 Steve Duffield John Stanton Michael McKee Hudson et al. to Abbotsbury - a looping tour of around 80 km. There is also a case for the Dorset bird moving to Hampshire and perhaps even then on to Kent, but these sightings are counted as separate birds. (Breeds on tundra of W Alaska, E across Arctic Canada to S Baffin Island & coastal Labrador. Has bred extreme NE Siberia. Migrates across Great Plains & E seaboard of USA to winter C America & coasts of tropical South America to Brazil & Peru.) Wilson’s Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor (0, 238, 4) About 4-5 per year; decreasing Highland Broadford, juvenile/first-winter, 16th August, photo (B. McMillan, A. McNee, G. R. Rawcliffe). Isle of Wight Yarmouth, adult female, 18th-23rd June, photo (C. Dudley, T. W. Henderson et al.) (Brit. Birds 106: plate 298; 107: plate 292). Norfolk Cley Marshes, first-winter, 16th— 1 9th September, photo (T. Williams et al.). Shetland Sand, Mainland, adult, 1 0th— 1 5th October, photo (G. Smith et al. per Shetland Recorder). 1995 Essex Old Hall Marshes, female, 18th June to 13th July, note revised dates (Brit. Birds 89: 504). 1980 Essex Chigborough Lakes, 6th-10th September, note revised location (Brit. Birds 74: 473). (Breeds interior W Canada S to California & throughout Midwest states of USA; also S Ontario. Most migrate through interior USA & winter South America from Peru S to Argentina & Chile.) 29 1 . Juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla, with Dunlin C. alpina (behind), Loch Ordais, Lewis, Outer Hebrides, September 20 1 3. 292. Adult female Wilson’s Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, June 2013. 600 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus (0, 75, I) About two per year; stable or decreasing Sussex Rye Harbour, 25th May, photo (S. H. Linington et al.). In terms of date, location and length of stay this is a very typical record. Late May is the peak time for records in Britain, while one-day stays account for about half of all records. Two notable exceptions are a bird that overwintered on the Plym Estuary (Devon) in 1973/74 and another that spent virtually a full year on the Blyth Estuary (Northumberland) in 1990/91. The Terek Sandpiper is more of a coastal species here than many sandpipers, reflecting its preferred habitat both on migration and on its wintering grounds, where it feeds largely on crabs. In the Baltic, the small Finnish population around the Gulf of Bothnia has decreased to 5-10 pairs, while in the St Petersburg region of Russia the population seems to be increasing, albeit with considerable fluctuations, and there are now some 20-60 breeding pairs there. However, its population is thought to be stable across much of its vast Russian breeding range, which does not include the river from which it derives its name (Helcom 2013; www.birdlife.org). (European range restricted to small population in N Gulf of Bothnia, Finland, & Belarus. To E, breeds widely throughout N Russia to E Siberia. Winters along coasts of S & E Africa to Persian Gulf, Indian subcontinent, SE Asia & Australasia.) Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius (1,1 83, 3) About four per year; stable or increasing Cornwall Wadebridge, adult, 10th- 14th May, photo (P. Maker et al. per Cornwall Recorder). Northumberland Foxton Bends, River Ain, 27th-30th July, photo (A. Cowell, M. Shaw et al.). Staffordshire Belvide Resr, adult, 26th May, photo (S. Nuttall et al.). 2012 Outer Hebrides Rubha Ardvule, South Uist, juvenile, 6th— 1 9th September, note revised dates, Brit. Birds 106: 594. (Breeds North America from W Alaska to Newfoundland & S to California, Texas & North Carolina. Some winter coastal USA to S of breeding range but most winter C America, Caribbean & N South America, S to N Argentina & Chile.) Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca (6, 25, I) Rare, about one every 1-2 years Kent Coldharbour Lagoon, Reculver, adult, 10th September, photo (A. Luckhurst). (Breeds from S Alaska across subarctic Canada E to Labrador & Newfoundland. Migrates throughout USA to winter coastal S USA, C America, Caribbean & South America.) Lesser Yeilowlegs Tringa flavipes ( 1 9, 3 1 7, I I ) About seven per year; stable or increasing Carmarthenshire Penclacwydd WWT, 7th July to 29th October, photo (L. Evans, R. Hunt, W. Thomas et al.). Cornwall Marazion Marsh RSPB, first-summer, 2nd-3rd May, photo (M. J. Spicer et al); also seen Devon. Roseland Peninsula, adult, 19th August (S. Croft, S. Vandome). Walmsley Sanctuary, adult, 3rd September, photo (S. Stanbury). Hayle Estuary RSPB, juvenile/first-winter, 6th October, photo (B. & K. Barnacle et al.). Devon Tamerton Creek, Plymouth, first-winter, 20th October 2012 to 19th April, photo (Brit. Birds 106: 595-596); also seen Cornwall. Dawlish Warren NNR, juvenile, 9th September, photo (P. Chambers, S. G. Edwards), presumed same Exeter then Bowling Green Marsh RSPB, 12th September to 5th October, photo (per birding information services). Essex West Canvey Marsh RSPB, adult, 17th September, photo (J. Lowen et al.); also seen Kent. Hampshire Stansore Point, Lepe CP, first- winter, 10th November into 2014, photo (P. Fawkes et al.). Kent Cliffe Pools RSPB, adult, 23rd September to 12th October, photo (A. Worthy et al. per Kent Recorder), presumed same Higham Bight and Higham Marsh, 18th October into 2014 (P. Larkin); also seen Essex. Orkney The Loons and Loch of Banks RSPB, Mainland, adult, 29th June (P. Cosgrove et al.), British Birds 107 • October 20 i 4 • 579-653 601 Hudson et al. presumed same Kirbist then Loch Gretchen, North Ronaldsay, 6th July, photo (M. Warren et al). Pembrokeshire Gann Estuary, Dale, juvenile, 4th September, photo (D. J. Astins, M. Powell per Pembrokeshire Recorder). Shetland Pool of Virkie, Mainland, juvenile, 16th, 21st and 29th September (R. M. Fray, A. Hayden et al), presumed same Clevigarth, Mainland, 30th September to 5th October, photo ( J. Kay et al). Suffolk Havergate Island RSPB, adult/first-summer, 20th-21st April, photo (R. Straton et al). 2001 Essex Manningtree, adult, 1 0th— 12th October, note revised dates (Brit. Birds 95: 495). 1950 Cambridgeshire Peterborough SF, 16th May (J. W. Parker) (Brit. Birds 43: 404-406). 1950 Lothian Aberlady Bay, 13th May (H. G. Frew, J. G. B. Gibson, D. I. M. Wallace) (Brit. Birds 43: 404-406). In a similar situation to that described above for the 1950 Broad-billed Sandpiper record, the two 1950 records were previously omitted from the BBRC database for the 1950-57 period. (Breeds throughout much of subarctic Alaska & Canada, E to James Bay. Migrates through USA, where some overwinter, but majority winter from Caribbean & C America to Chile & Argentina.) Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis (6, 132, I) About 3-4 per year; stable or decreasing Outer Hebrides Kyles Paible, North Uist, 30th December into 2014, photo (S. E. Duffield, J. Kemp, B. Rabbitts et al) (Brit. Birds 107: plate 62). (Breeds Ukraine & W Russia, & occasionally Finland 8c Baltic countries. To E, breeds in forest-steppe region of Siberia to Mongolia & NE China. Winters throughout sub-Saharan Africa, especially E Africa, & Indian subcontinent E to S China & SE Asia; also Australia.) Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus (0, 3, I) Very rare , all since 1999 Orkney North Ronaldsay, first-winter, 17th November into 2014, photo (M. Warren et al). Although there are just four records in total, the Orkney bird was the third in two years and its arrival date was the latest so far. The suggestion that this run of records reflects an increase in observer knowledge and ability seems unlikely, given that dowitchers have been given close scrutiny for many years. There are now a couple of records from West Africa - Senegal in October 2012 (www.birdforum.net) and Ghana from 21st September 2010 to 15th May 2011 (Robert Dowsett pers. comm.) - the latter proving that one has already wintered on this side of the Atlantic. How long before a smart, summer-plumaged adult turns up here in the spring? (Three races breed in N America; race caurinus breeds from S Alaska to W Canada, race hendersoni breeds interior C Canada W of Hudson Bay, 8c nominate race breeds NE Canada from Ontario to Labrador. Migrates along both coastlines 8c interior USA to winter from coastal S USA to coastal Peru 8c Brazil.) Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus (6, 232, 5) About five per year; stable Argyll Ardnave Foch, Islay, adult, 1st May, photo (J. M. Dickson, J. R. How, M. McGregor). Carmarthenshire Penclacwydd WWT, adult, 28th July to 1st August, photo (W. Thomas et al); presumed same as Carmarthenshire 2012, Brit. Birds 106: 597-598. East Glamorgan Rhaslas Pond, Merthyr Tydfil, juvenile, 8th-14th October, photo (M. T. Hogan etal). Hampshire Pennington Marshes, adult, 31st July to 19th November, photo (M. Cooper et al). Lincolnshire Alkborough Flats, juvenile/first-winter, 4th October 2012 to 24th April, photo; see also Brit. Birds 106: 597-598. Outer Hebrides Ness, Fewis, 29th April, photo (S. E. Duffield, B. A. E. Marr). Pembrokeshire Gann Estuary, Dale, first- winter, 1st January to 13th April, photo (C. Hurford et al.) (plate 293). 2011 Ayrshire Lochlea, Tarbolton, juvenile, 7th— 1 7th October, note revised location (Brit. Birds 105: 583). 2007 Essex Stour Estuary, Mistley and Manningtree, 10th March to 6th April, note revised dates (Brit. Birds 101: 540). 602 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 293. First-winter Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus, Gann Estuary, Pembrokeshire, January 20 1 3. 1986 Essex Old Hall Marshes, 14th October 1985 to 30th January, note revised dates {Brit. Birds 79: 548,97: 581). (Breeds Arctic Siberia W to Lena River delta, & coastal tundra of W & N Alaska, E to Mackenzie River, Canada. Migrates through USA to winter coastal S USA to N/C America.) Great Snipe Gallinago media (532, 166, 1) About three per year; stable Yorkshire Beacon Lane, Kilnsea, first-winter, 1 4th— 1 6th September, later found dead, photo (J. W. Cooper, P. Wragg et al .) {Brit. Birds 106: plate 413; 107: plate 294). 294. First-winter Great Snipe Gallinago media, Kilnsea, Yorkshire, September 2013. British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 603 Steve Young/ Birdwatch Richard Crossen Steve Young/Birdwatch Hudson et al. (Scarce & local breeder Norway & Sweden, which hold most of declining European population. Smaller & fragmented population breeds from Poland to Estonia. Also breeds E through European Russia, W & N Siberia E to Yenisey River. Winters sub-Saharan Africa.) Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola (32, 71,0) Rare, about one per year; stable 1999 Nottinghamshire Lound GP, Idle Valley, adult, 13th June (A. Lakin), presumed same as Norfolk 1999 (Brit. Birds 93: 529). A belated extra record for a well-watched bird, which arrived in 1994 and was then seen annually up to 1999. The Notts sighting was the penultimate one, before its final appearance, in Norfolk, at Berney Marshes on 17th June. Our database logs that final sighting as the 28th move it made, during which time it visited Kent, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Suffolk, Warwickshire and Yorkshire! (Breeds locally throughout Mediterranean basin from N Africa & S Iberia to Black Sea, most in S Spain, Portugal & Greece. To E, breeds SW Asia to Pakistan & Kazakhstan but distribution highly fragmented. Winters sub-Saharan Africa. Another race resident Africa.) Black-winged Pratincole Glareola nordmanni (2, 34, I) Rare , about one every 1-2 years Kent Swale NNR, Sheppey, 26th June, photo (A. & J. A. McKee et al). 1960 Essex Abberton Resr, 28th August to 18th September, note revised dates (Brit. Birds 54: 185). (European breeders confined to N Black Sea in Romania & Ukraine where rare & declining. To E, more numerous across steppes of S Russia to E Kazakhstan. Winters NE Namibia & Botswana, S to N Cape & E to W Natal, South Africa, & W Swaziland. Some apparently regularly winter Ethiopia.) Brunnich’s Guillemot Uria lomvia (1,41,2) Rare, about one every 1-2 years Dorset Portland Harbour, 26th— 3 1 st December, photo (D. & P. Saunders et al.) (Brit. Birds 107: plates 63, 295). Yorkshire Filey, 3rd December, photo (M. ). Pearson). (Breeds Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard, NE Norway & Novaya Zemlya. Outside Europe, breeds on islands off N Siberia into Bering Sea, S to Kuril, Komandorskiye, Aleutian & Pribilof Islands. Also W Alaska & N Canada from Baffin Island to Hudson Bay, Labrador coast & W Greenland. Winters among open leads in pack ice or at sea from Barents Sea S to N Norway, S Greenland, & along Labrador coast S to NE coastal USA. Other populations winter N Pacific, S to N Japan.) 295. Brunnich’s Guillemot Uria lomvia , Portland Harbour, Dorset, December 2013. 604 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 296. Adult Bridled Tern Onychoprion anaethetus, Fame Islands, Northumberland, July 2013. Bridled Tern Onychoprion anaethetus (I, 22, S) Rare, about one every 1-2 years Cleveland Saltholme RSPB, adult, 6th July, photo (A. G. Pitches, C. & M. Small et al); also seen Isle of May, North-east Scotland, Northumberland. Isle of May Fife, adult, 26th July, photo (M. Newell et al); also seen Cleveland, North-east Scotland, Northumberland. North-east Scotland Cairnburg, Fraserburgh, adult, 4th August (M. B. Cowie), presumed same Ythan Estuary, 8th August, photo (M. Souter et al); also seen Cleveland, Isle of May, Northumberland. Northumberland Fame Islands, adult, 1 st— 4th July, 1 3th— 24th July and 1 5th— 1 9th August, photo (W. Scott, R. Wilson et al.) (Brit. Birds 106: plate 299; 107: plate 296), presumed same Cresswell Pond and East Chevington, 5th-8th July, photo (R. Stonehouse et al); also seen Cleveland, Isle of May, North-east Scotland. Is this Bridled Tern trying to beat the performance of the Collared Pratincole (above)? Clocking up four counties and eight locations in 2013, it has made an impressive start, and we know it has returned, visiting new sites, in 2014. (Tropical seas. West Indies & Atlantic population breeds Banc d’Arguin, Mauritania, Pagalu, Gulf of Guinea & widely throughout Caribbean S to offshore N Venezuela. Other populations breed from Red Sea & Arabian Gulf locally through Indian Ocean to SE China, Philippines, & N Australia. Northern populations migratory, wintering at sea to S of breeding areas.) Gull-billed Tern Geiochelidon nilotica (5 I , 295, 2) About three per year; stable or decreasing Lincolnshire Kirkby on Bain GP, adult, 18th June, photo ( J. P. Siddle et al). Shetland Scatness and Pool of Virkie, Mainland, 27th — 3 1st July, photo (S. J. Minton et al), presumed same Loch of Spiggie, 29th July (P. V. Harvey). (In Europe, small population breeds N Germany & Denmark. Widespread though local Spain, elsewhere colonies small & isolated. To E, breeds discontinuously from Turkey & SW Russia through Kazakhstan, Mongolia & NW China, with isolated population NE China. European population winters coastal W Africa, S to Gulf of Guinea. Asian populations winter Persian Gulf to Indian subcontinent & SE Asia. Other races occur Australia & the Americas.) Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia (26, 270, 6) About five per year, influx 1 988 (18); decreasing Cheshire & Wirral Acre Nook Sand Quarry, first-summer, 24th-29th July, photo (G. & S. Barber et al); also seen Staffordshire. British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 605 Graham Catley Richard Stonier Hudson et al. 297. First-summer Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia , Rudyard Reservoir, Staffordshire, July 2013. Dorset Radipole Lake then West Bexington, adult (ringed), 1 1 th— 12th June, photo (D. C. Chown, M. J. Morse et al.)-, also seen Hampshire. Hampshire Testwood Lakes, adult (ringed), 9th June, photo (I. Pibworth); also seen Dorset. Normandy Marsh, Lymington, adult, 28th July (P. Fawkes). Kent St Margarets Bay, 5th August (P. Chantler, R. Heading). Norfolk Hopton, 1 0th— 1 1th July (B. J. Small, I. N. Smith). Staffordshire Rudyard Resr, first-summer, 26th-29th July, photo (A. 8t P. G. Barratt, A. Sherlock et al.) {Brit. Birds 106: plate 324; 107: plate 297); also seen Cheshire & Wirral. Yorkshire Spurn, adult, 25th April, photo (A. A. Hutt et al). (European population breeds Baltic coasts of Estonia, Sweden & Finland to head of Gulf of Bothnia. To E, fragmented populations from Black Sea coast of Ukraine across steppe-lake region of C Asia to NW Mongolia & E China. European birds winter W Africa to Gulf of Guinea, Asian birds winter on coasts to S of breeding range. Other populations occur Australia, S Africa & North America.) Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hyhrida (23, 182, 3) About 4-5 per year, influx 2009 (25); increasing Avon Chew Valley Lake, adult, 23rd April, different adult on 25th April, photo (C. J. Stone, K. E. Vinicombe et al.); also seen Somerset. Derbyshire Carsington Water, adult, 24th April (M. Pass); also seen Staffordshire. Gloucestershire Witcombe Resr, adult, 22nd-23rd April, photo (D. Dine et al.), presumed same Frampton-on-Severn, 26th April, photo (S. Brown, A. 8c J. McLellan); presumed same as one of two first seen at Shapwick Heath, Somerset (below). Somerset Shapwick Heath, two adults, 21st-22nd April, photo (S. Miller et al); presumed one of same, Durleigh Resr, 22nd and 27th April (B. J. Hill et al.); also seen Avon, Gloucestershire. Staffordshire Blithfield Resr, adult, 24th April (P. D. Hyde, G. J. Mant); also seen Derbyshire. The above interpretation of the number of birds and their movements is just that - an inter- pretation - but the analysis was done with some care and a detailed look at times and distances involved. Unfortunately, any plumage differences that might have facilitated a more precise analysis were just not apparent. On dates alone the Staffordshire/Derbyshire bird could also be one of the Avon/Gloucestershire/Somerset individuals, but we have counted it as different. (Breeds in small, scattered colonies through S & E Europe from Iberia to Poland. Numerous & widespread from N Black Sea E to W Kazakhstan, with Volga/Ural River complex holding most of European population. Winters tropical W & C Africa & from Nile Delta to E Africa. Other populations occur Indian subcontinent, E Asia, S Africa & Australia.) Ivory Gull Pagophila eburnea (84, 54, 9) About 1-2 per year; stable Co. Durham Seaburn, juvenile, 30th November (P. T. Bell). Highland Tarbat Ness, juvenile, 5th December (D. Tanner). Droman Pier, juvenile, 606 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 20 S3 298. Juvenile Ivory Gull Pagophiia eburnea, Patrington Haven, Yorkshire, December 2013. 1 8th— 2 1 st December, photo (D. O’Driscoll). Northumberland Seahouses and Beadnell, two juveniles, 7th December, photo (G. Woodburn et al.) {Brit. Birds 107: plate 24). Orkney Knowe of Stenso, Evie, Mainland, juvenile, 1 2th— 1 4th December, photo (I. Smith, S. J. Williams et al). Outer Hebrides Baleshare, North Uist, juvenile, 4th December, photo (S. E. Duffield et al). Ness, Lewis, juvenile, 18th-29th December, photo (H. Machines et al). Yorkshire Patrington Haven, juvenile, 15th — 25th December, photo (G. E. Dobbs et al) (plate 298), presumed same Sammy’s Point, Easington, 22nd-24th December, photo (J. Hewitt et al). 2007 Outer Hebrides Howmore, South Uist, juvenile, 10th November (T. J. Sykes et al). An exceptional arrival of nine juveniles, all of them in November and December and none making it through to the New Year. The northern locations are to be expected and fit in well not only with the pattern of previous records but also with other records at the same time in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. The bird in Yorkshire was much admired and its protracted stay was perhaps aided by the constant supply of fish it received! (In Europe, breeds Svalbard. Elsewhere, restricted to islands in the high Arctic between Franz Josef Land & Arctic Canada, with small numbers N & SE Greenland. Wintering range poorly known, but apparently within or close to edge of pack ice.) Bonaparte^ Gull Chroicocephalus Philadelphia (8, 189, 14) About six per year; increasing Argyll Traigh nan Gilean then Loch a’ Phuill, Tiree, first-summer, 18th June, photo ( J. Bowler). Avon Chew Valley Lake, adult, 27th April, photo (C. J. Stone, K. E. Vinicombe et al). Berkshire Theale GP, adult, 26th April, photo (C. D. R. Heard et al). Caithness Thurso, adult, 30th March to 6th April, photo (D. Roche per birding information services). Cornwall Siblyback Resr, adult, 15th-16th May, photo (M. Beer). Devon Bowling Green Marsh RSPB and Dawlish Warren, adult, 2nd- 15th May, photo (N. Potter, T. Worfolk et al), presumed same Teignmouth and Dawlish Warren, 16th September to 31st British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 607 Steve Young/ Birdwatch James Lowen Hudson et al. December, photo (L. Allnat et al. per Devon Recorder); pre- sumed same as Devon 2012, Brit. Birds 106: 601-602. Co. Durham Whitburn and Boldon, adult, 1 0 th— 1 5 th August, photo (T. I. Mills et al .), presumed same Whitburn, 14th September, photo (D. Fraser et al.); presumed same as Durham 2012, Brit. Birds 106: 601-602. East Glamorgan Ogmore Estuary, adult, 5th January to 13th March, photo (P. G. Lansdown et al. per East Glamorgan Recorder), presumed same 1 4th— 1 6th April, photo (P. Roberts et al). Cardiff Foreshore then Cardiff Bay, adult, 12th January to 5th April, photo (P. Bristow, M. Powell, G. N. Smith et al; presumed same as Cardiff Bay, East Glamorgan 2012, Brit. Birds 106: 601-602. Greater London Cross Ness, adult, 6th-7th July, photo (M. F. Robinson et al.) (plate 299). Kent Elmley Marshes RSPB, first-winter, 28th April to 6th May, photo (S. L. Huggins et al), presumed same Oare Marshes, 22nd May to 19th August, and Swalecliffe, 27th May, photo (M. E. Wright et al). Lancashire 8c North Merseyside Red Nab, Heysham, adult, 13th July to 25th September, photo (I. Walker et al.) {Brit. Birds 106: plate 325). Northumberland Cresswell Pond, adult, 14th August, photo (T. R. Cleeves, M. Hepple). Stag Rocks, Bamburgh, adult, 29th October to 18th November, photo (D. & R. Forshaw et al). Outer Hebrides Stoneybridge, South Uist, first-winter, 2nd February, photo (Y. Benting). Sussex Eastbourne, adult, 27th January to 26th February, photo (D., D. R. 8c J. F. Cooper, B. Kay et al.) {Brit. Birds 106: plate 115). Rye Harbour, first-summer, 20th July, photo (R. Billings, G. Kinnard). 299. Adult Bonaparte’s Gull Chroicocephalus Philadelphia, Cross Ness, Greater London, July 2013. It has been suggested that the bird at Thurso could well be the same individual which overwin- tered from September 2004 to April 2005, and was seen again in March-April 2008 and in March 2010. These sightings are in our database as separate birds, but this species often features as a returnee (see, for example, the East Glamorgan records). Perhaps a reassessment of just how many birds have been involved over the years is now due? (Breeds widely across N North America from W & C Alaska through Canada to James Bay. Winters locally on ice- free rivers & lakes in N USA, & S along both coasts of USA to Mexico & Caribbean.) Ross’s Gull Rhodostethia rosea (1,91, I ) About two per year; stable or decreasing Orkney Bay of Swartmill, Westray, adult, 4th November (D. Otter). This species gets no commoner. In the four years 2009-12 there was just a single, one-day bird in 2010 (a first-winter at Machrihanish, Argyll, on 12th November). Another solitary record in 2013 appears to continue this trend, and confirms that Ross’s Gull has never been anything other than 608 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 a top-drawer rarity and a prize find - notwithstanding the occasional years when slightly greater numbers occur - notably eight in 1993, six the following year and eight in 2002. Ross’s Gulls remain in the high-Arctic region during the non-breeding season, generally keeping close to the edge of the pack ice. As might be expected, the majority of vagrants reaching Britain are found in the north, Shetland being the top county (with 17 records to date) followed by Yorkshire with 13. Birds have also been recorded farther down the east coast, in both Norfolk and Suffolk; Lincolnshire is a notable gap but it’s surely only a matter of time before one is seen there. Most records are from coastal sites, which again is what you might expect of this truly pelagic gull - the closest we have come to an inland record is perhaps the bird at Frampton Pools, Gloucestershire, in April 2006, or Marton Mere, Lancashire & North Merseyside, on 31st March 2008. Yet the species has been recorded from landlocked states in the USA so the appearance of one well away from the coast in Britain is surely not beyond the bounds of possibility. The species is quite well represented along the coastline of southwest Britain, Cornwall in particular, but the southeast segment of Hampshire, Sussex, Kent and Essex still awaits its first. (Locally common on tundra of NE Siberia from Lena River E to at least Kolyma River. In Canada, rare & local breeder W Hudson Bay region, perhaps elsewhere. Siberian birds migrate E past Point Barrow, Alaska in September to unknown wintering area assumed to lie near edge of pack ice in Bering Sea or N Pacific, S to N Japan.) Laughing Gull Larus atricilla (I, 194, I) About five per year, influxes 2005 (58), 2006 (22); stable Orkney Warsetter and Bea Loch, Sanday, adult, 19th September to 13th October, photo (G. Garner, A. Whewell et al). 1996 Highland Dornoch, first-summer/second-winter, 13th August to 12th October; note that this record was erroneously published twice before, in Brit. Birds 90: 483 and 91: 478. ( Breeds along E seaboard of USA from Maine S to Florida & Gulf coast, the Caribbean, & C America to N Venezuela. Southern populations largely resident but N breeders winter within southern breeding range.) Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura (0, 3, I) Very rare, first in 1 989, last in 2007 Highland Kinloch, Rum, 28th October to 3rd November, photo (S. Morris et al.) (plate 300). Even though this is only the fourth to be discovered in Britain, a clear pattern of occurrence is emerging, since all four records have been found in late October or early November on an island off the Scottish coast (the Isle of Man is closer to Scotland than to any other part of the UK). Although the species is widespread and often abundant in the USA, a large part of the population is sedentary. It is only the more northerly breeding birds that migrate, reaching as far south as Panama in the winter. In his paper on North American land- birds in Britain, Bond (2014) rated its vagrancy poten- tial as high. Mourning Doves are prolific breeders and have been known to produce up to six broods in a year. Their population 300. Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura, Kinloch, Rum, Highland, October 201 3. British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 609 Sean Morris Hudson et al. in the USA alone was estimated by the US Fish and Wildlife Service to be 349 million birds in 2013 (Seamans et al. 2013). Of these, it was estimated that 14.5 million were shot, although other estimates put the figure much higher. With all that hot lead scorching their undertail-coverts, is it surprising that some birds choose distance over direction? (Breeds SE Alaska & S Canada from British Columbia to Nova Scotia, S throughout USA to Panama & West Indies. Some northern populations remain S Canada while others winter S to Panama.) Barn Owl Tyto alba Central European race, ‘Dark-breasted Barn Owl’ T. a. guttata (-,[I0],0) Not yet determined 1996 Kent Dungeness RSPB, 30th October, found dead, photo (P. Akers, P. Makepeace, D. Walker). (Race guttata mostly resident to N & E of nominate race, from Netherlands & Denmark, E to W Russia & S to Bulgaria, largely E of the 3°C January isotherm. Intergrades with nominate race are frequent towards W & S limits of its range.) Snowy Owl Bubo scandiacus ( 1 96, 210, I ) About three per year; stable Moray & Nairn Ben Macdui, Cairngorms, adult male, 18th February to 1st March, photo (S. Andrews, J. Davies et al). Outer Hebrides Grenitote and Sollas, North Uist, adult male, 1st April to 25th May, photo (P. Prior-Pitt et al per Outer Hebrides Recorder), presumed same as North Uist 2012, Brit. Birds 106: 604. St Kilda, 12th June to 24th November, photo (per Outer Hebrides Recorder), presumed same as St Kilda 2012, Brit. Birds 106: 604. There are few better experiences in birding than seeing a Snowy Owl, and the only new bird this year, the male on the snow-covered Ben Macdui plateau in winter, was a magnificent ‘double whammy’ of stunning bird in a wonderful location. Snowy Owls may be large, but they are not always obvious, and long-staying individuals may go missing for weeks or even months at a time. On ‘paper’ (it’s actually mainly on screen or online these days), Snowy Owls can, therefore, be something of a headache. They are very distinctive, but this means that they are occasionally reported by non-birders, and the often rudimentary descriptions are difficult to deal with - they often fail to mention such obvious features as eye colour or give an accurate assessment of size (and we all know that almost every species of bird has been misidentified at some stage). In addition, Snowy Owls aren’t always easy to get close to, so it may be difficult to assess plumage features to establish whether birds are ‘new’. The two birds in the Outer Hebrides in 2013 had both been present for some time, but establishing exactly how many birds have been in these islands over the last few years is problem- atic (the same is true for many long-lived species). The statistics probably overestimate the numbers involved, as there may be more returning birds than we think, but it is difficult to link records without definite evidence, while sometimes the pattern is only obvious with the benefit of a few years of hindsight. (Breeds N Scandinavia & occasionally Iceland, depending on availability of small mammals. Outside Europe, erratic circumpolar breeder across tundra & N islands of Arctic Russia, Siberia, Alaska, Canada & N Greenland. Most disperse S in winter but some resident or nomadic if food available.) White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus (2, 5, I) Very rare , last in 1988 , / 99/ Outer Hebrides Loch Direcleit, Tarbert and Loch Drinisadair, Harris, first-summer male, 24th-26th June, photo, later found dead, specimen at NMS, Edinburgh (M. Cocker, A. Gretton, M. I. & R. W. Myatt et al.) {Brit. Birds 106: plates 262, 300, 301; 107: plate 301). 1983 Orkney South Ronaldsay, 1 1 th— 1 2th June, note revised dates {Brit. Birds 77: 539). White-throated Needletail was described in Birding World (26: 228-229) as the ultimate vagrant - and surely few who have witnessed this incredible species in Britain would disagree. 610 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 Connecting with one is the highlight of a life- time’s twitching for some. The bird on Harris was first noticed - but not identified - by Dick Myatt over Loch Direcleit on 24th June. The following day it flew over the heads of Mark Cocker and Adam Gretton as they walked through the nearby village of Tarbert (Gretton 2013). On 26th June, a small crowd gathered expectantly in Tarbert, where a nervous, hour- long wait ensued before the near-mythical Needletail duly appeared over Loch Direcleit, proceeding to hunt insects for two hours, skimming over the heads of the now-jubilant twitchers in the process. When the bird returned after disappearing for more than two hours in the early afternoon, however, the merriment of the second wave of worshippers soon turned to horror as it collided with a wind turbine, providing a tragic end to the story. This first-summer male (aged by moult contrast in the wings plus retained juvenile wing and tail feathers, sex determined from the museum skin) is the first to be seen in Britain since May-Jnne 1991, when presumably the same bird appeared in four counties between Kent and Shetland. And it is the first twitchable one since the bird on Hoy, Orkney, between 28th May and 8th June 1988. The statistics show eight individuals, but it is conceivable that just four birds were really involved: the eight sightings in late spring between 1983 and 1991 may have involved just a single returning bird (Cottridge 8c Vinicombe 1996). As things stand, the Harris bird is the 22nd European record, of which 19 have been discov- ered in spring, the majority between 20th May and 19th June, with outlying records on 21st April (Finland 1990) and 26th or 27th July (Hampshire 1879). There are three autumn records, between 21st October and mid November: singles in Malta in 1971, Spain in 1990 and Denmark in 2012 (Sanders et al 1998). All four North American records of this species have been of singles in spring, all during 21st-26th May and all on the western Aleutian Islands, in 1974, 1978, 1984 and 1985 (Howell et al. 2014). (Nominate race breeds W Siberia from region of Tomsk, E through S Siberia to Sakhalin, Kuril Islands, Japan and N China; winters Australia S to Tasmania. Race H. c. nudipes breeds Himalayas to N Yunnan, SW China, to Assam, NE India, perhaps also N Burma.) Pallid Swift Apus pallidus (0, 80, 5) About three per year; increasing Cleveland Hartlepool Headland, juvenile, 17th-23rd October, photo (J. B. Dunnett, G. Iceton et al). Isles of Scilly Porth Hellick, St Mary’s, also seen St Martin’s and St Agnes, 16th April to 1st May, photo (R. L. Flood, W. H. Wagstaff et al). Norfolk Cley Marshes and Weybourne, juvenile, 23rd October, photo (P. A. Clarke, M. A. Golley et al). Trimingham, two, 26th October (J. R. McCallum et al). (Breeds throughout Mediterranean basin from Iberia to Greece, but absent from many regions. Outside Europe, breeds locally from Mauritania & Canary Islands across NW Africa & Middle East to Arabian Peninsula & coastal S Iran. Most winter N African tropics, but some remain S Europe.) 301. First-summer male White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus, Harris, Outer Hebrides, June 2013. 61 I British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Chris Bromley Ian Curran Hudson et al. Pacific Swift Apus pacificus (0, 6, I) Very rare, first in 1 981, last in 201 1 Lincolnshire Saltfleetby NNR, 12th June, photo (B. M. Clarkson); also seen Suffolk, Yorkshire. Suffolk Bawdsey, 29th May, photo (N. Mason, J. & M. Mountain), presumed same Trimley Marshes, 1 5th— 1 6th June, photo (J. Rankin et al.) (Brit. Birds 106: plate 302; 107: plate 302); also seen Lincolnshire, Yorkshire. Yorkshire Spurn, 12th June, photo (R Collins et al.)-, also seen Lincolnshire, Suffolk. The Pacific Swift at Trimley Marshes in 2013 provided another generation of British twitchers with a realistic chance to see this species, the first such opportunity since the bird at Cley Marshes, Norfolk, on 30th May 1993 (Gantlett 1993). In a scenario curiously reminiscent of that Cley bird, the one at Trimley was first located just before 1 1.00 am - and from then on all those in pursuit will have been acutely aware that the bird at Cley remained for less than six hours. For the latecomers at Trimley, the knowledge that a 5 -km walk lay ahead, coupled with the sight of a dramatic gathering of storm clouds that threatened to move all the feeding swifts on, made this one of the most stressful of twitches. And indeed, by 3.15 pm it did look as though all the swifts had moved on ahead of the inclement weather; newly arrived birders were treated to nothing more than a complete soaking. Then, at 4.00 pm, the bird was relocated over the marsh before giving a close flypast for a relieved and most appreciative crowd. The cheers and hugs showed that - 20 years on from Cley - twitching remains an emotional business! It remained on site for a second day to give others the chance to share in that emotion, but improving weather and clearing skies led to its premature departure early on the Sunday afternoon. As it drifted into the distance, late-comers may have struggled to eliminate the Common Swift A. apus with a white rump band, present at nearby Felixstowe Ferry two days later. All four records of Pacific Swift in 2013 are treated here as just one individual roaming from Suffolk to Yorkshire, and back to Suffolk via Lincolnshire over a period of 19 days. As with many rare birds, the decision to classify separate sightings as the same or different individuals is little more than educated guesswork. Perhaps the bird that flew over Spurn on 12th June 2013 was the same individual recorded there on 1st July 2005, on 22nd and 26th June 2008, and again on 9th July 2011? Spurn is the premier British site for observing Common Swift movements - especially when the wind is from the southwest - with over a quarter of a million logged over the last eight years, and a day total of 21,000 on 4th July 2010 (Smith 2013; www.trektellen.nl). Rarer swifts are also being actively searched for at Spurn - and with one Little Swift A. ajfinis, two Pallid Swifts A. pallidas and eight Alpine Swifts A. melba also recorded there during that period the extra effort is certainly proving worthwhile. Recent research into Common Swift movements using geolocators has shown that the overall migration speed in spring averages 336 km/day (Akesson et al. 2012). However, the majority of the swifts at Spurn are presumably not actually migrating, but rather 302. Pacific Swift Apus pacificus, Trimley Marshes, Suffolk, June 2013. 612 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 relocating in response to bad weather, possibly as part of a journey of up to 2,000 km, reaching continental Europe (Wernham et al. 2002). Ringing data show that Common Swifts can live to at least 17 years of age, so it seems quite conceivable that individual vagrant Pacific Swifts have the potential to reappear for many years. Away from Britain, all European reports of Pacific Swift fall between 10th May and 19th August, and come from Denmark (June 2010, May 2013, and two reports in May 2014), Sweden (July 1999, July 2005, August 2007, May 2013 and two reports in May 2014) and Germany (Mellum, Niedersachsen, on 28th May 2014; www.tarsiger.com). In Sweden, the repeated occur- rence of an individual at the same inland site - Kvismaren, Orebro - on 15th May 2013, then again on 10th— 1 1th May and 30th May 2014, adds further support to the theory that vagrant Pacific Swifts are perfectly capable of returning to Europe in subsequent years. (Breeds W Siberia E to Kamchatka & Japan, S to Vietnam. Northern breeders winter throughout SE Asia & S to Australia.) European Roller Coracias garrulus (196, II 7, 4) About 1-2 per year; stable or decreasing Hampshire Broxhead Common, adult, 23rd-26th May, photo (A. James, J. Smith et at)', also seen Surrey. Norfolk Holt Lowes, adult, 1 6th— 1 9th June, photo (P. Colston et at)- Between Horsey and Winterton, adult, 5th- 13th August, photo (M. Saunt et at ). Outer Hebrides Castlebay, Barra, 29th-30th September, photo (B. A. Taylor et at). Surrey Thursley Common, adult, 26th May ( J. Murray, A. R. Pickett); also seen Hampshire. (NW Africa & S Europe from Portugal to Greece, & locally through Balkan countries & E Poland to Estonia & E to Ukraine. More numerous from Turkey & S Russia to S Urals, SW Siberia & C Asia to W China & N Pakistan. Some winter equatorial W Africa but most winter E Africa from Kenya to Zimbabwe.) Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni (9, 9, I) Very rare, last in 201 1 Devon Hope’s Nose, Torquay, juvenile, 28th October, photo (S. Geary). (Fragmented breeding range throughout Mediterranean basin from Portugal, Spain & Morocco E to Ukraine, Turkey & Caspian Sea, then E to E Kazakhstan, NW China & W Mongolia. Winters sub-Saharan Africa.) Gyr Falcon Falco rusticoius (222, 1 73, 4) About three per year; stable Orkney Newark Bay, Deerness, immature white-morph, 31st January to 27th February (K. E. Hague), presumed same Deepdale, Stromness, Mainland, 1 st— 18th February, photo (E. & T. Wootton et at ), Hoxa, South Ronaldsay, 26th February, photo (M. Gibson et al.), and Evie and Orphir, 3rd-25th April, photo (A. Knight, J. B. Rib- bands, M. Sinclair, I. Watt). Outer Hebrides Bal- ranald, North Uist, immature white-morph, 1st December 2012 to 10th January, photo (Brit. Birds 106: 587), presumed same Askernish, South Uist, 10th January, photo 303. Gyr Falcon Falco rusticoius, Pauli, River Humber, Yorkshire, (I. R. Thompson et al). November 2013. British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 613 John Brattan Adi Sheppard Hudson et al. Balemore, North Uist, white-morph, 17th November, photo (S. E. Duffield). Shetland Tresta, Fetlar, female, 26th March (R. M. Mellor). Yorkshire Pauli, River Humber, immature grey-morph, 24th November, photo (J. Brattan) {Brit. Birds 107: plates 247, 303). 2008 Cornwall Land’s End area, roaming to Marazion, immature white-morph, 1 5th— 1 8th December (M. Warren et al.), presumed same as Isles of Scilly 2008, Brit. Birds 102: 549. 1994 Co. Durham Hunstanworth Moor, white-morph, 21st November, note revised year, previ- ously listed as 1995, Brit. Birds 89: 497. (In Europe, most numerous Iceland & Norway, smaller populations breeding N Sweden, Finland & Arctic Russia. To E, breeds Arctic Siberia, Alaska, N Canada & Greenland. European birds mostly resident but high-Arctic breeders from N Canada & Greenland migratory, occasionally wintering S to NW Europe.) Alder Flycatcher Empidonax alnorum (0, 2, 0) Extremely rare, two records in 2008,2010 2010 Norfolk Blakeney Point, first-winter, 25th-27th September, photo (J. R. McCallum et al.) (plate 304). 2008 Cornwall Nanjizal, first-winter, 9th-10th October, trapped, photo (K. A. Wilson et al.) (plate 305). With little activity around their usual ringing site at Nanjizal, Kester and Ian Wilson left their nets to explore other parts of the valley. It was Kester who spotted a flycatcher with prominent wing-bars, tertial edges and eye-ring. Realising he had a first for Britain in his sights, he called his father over. It was clearly an Empidonax flycatcher, but which one? Notoriously diffi- cult to identify, especially when silent, Empidonax fly- catchers represent the most challenging North American species group. In this case, Acadian E. virescens , Alder E. alnorum and Least E. minimus were already on the Western Palearctic list, all having been recorded in Iceland, while Yellow-bellied E. flaviventris and Willow E. traillii could also be considered as poten- tial vagrants having similar breeding ranges and also being long-distance migrants. Working through these possibilities, Acadian, Least and Yellow-bellied could be eliminated on plumage leaving just Alder and Willow. These two are the hardest of the genus to separate, except when in song, and were treated as a single species by the AOU until 1973. Even today, many birds, even in the hand, are not identified to species but recorded simply as 304. First-winter Alder Flycatcher Empidonax alnorum, Blakeney Point, Norfolk, September 20 1 0. 614 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 ‘Traill’s Flycatcher’ - the former name for the combined species. A decision was therefore taken to trap the bird and obtain as good a set of photos and bio- metrics as possible. That proved to be a most prescient decision as the biometrics proved crucial in establishing the identifi- cation as Alder Flycatcher by allowing the elimination of all the other species. The photos also illustrated the supporting fea- tures that would have been hard to estab- lish in the field. Interestingly, in the course of trapping, a DNA sample was recovered but this proved insufficient to confirm the species. Amazingly, just two years later another was found in Britain, this time in the plantation on Blakeney Point. Again the prominent wing-bars, tertial fringes and eye-ring convinced the observers they were looking at an Empidonax flycatcher, and again its identity provoked much debate. As with the Cornwall bird, the assessment of this record was helped considerably by some excellent photos. Although the Norfolk flycatcher was not trapped, the plumage features shown by the photos established its identity. Clearly anyone lucky enough to come across an Empidonax flycatcher would do well to remember these lessons and garner as much information and as many good photos as possible. Should a bird this side of the Atlantic call, sound recordings too will be invaluable. Stays of two and three days respectively enabled many observers to appreciate for the first time the problems in trying to identify these subtle flycatchers. If, after all this, one still feels daunted by ‘empids’, spare a thought for birders in the southern USA or Central America who, along with those mentioned here, have a whole suite of additional species to contend with on migration. (Breeds S Canada from S British Columbia E to Nova Scotia, 8c NE USA from Michigan SE to New Jersey. Winters S America, mainly Colombia to Peru, but E to Venezuela 8c S to Argentina.) Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus (0, S 25, 2) About four per year; stable Cornwall Prussia Cove, first-winter, 23rd October (M. Bishop et al). Fair Isle Easter Lother, 6th October, photo (D. Parnaby et al.). (Breeds throughout S Canada, 8c USA E of Rocky Mountains. Migrates throughout E USA to winter N South America. Other races resident South America.) Brown Shrike Lanius cristatus (0, 12, 5) Rare, about one every 1-2 years Fife Balcomie, first- winter, 28th September, photo (J. 8c T. Drew et al.). Hampshire Hook- with- Warsash, first-winter, 20th September, photo (R. H. Marchant et al.). North-east Scotland Kirkton of Slains, Collieston, first-winter, 28th-29th September, photo (P. S. Crockett, C. N. Gibbins, P. Shepherd et al.) (plate 306). Orkney Westness, North Ronaldsay, first-winter, 24th-29th September, photo (A. McMillan, M. Warren et al.). Shetland Wester Quarff, Mainland, first-winter, 27th-30th September, photo (A. Howe, D. Pointon et al.). 2001 Isles of Scilly Bryher, first-winter, 24th-28th September, photo (M. Anderson, M. J. Lawson, P. Simpson et al.), note revised observers, Brit. Birds 95: 516. (Breeds Siberia from Ob River basin E to Sea of Okhotsk 8c Kamchatka, N Japan 8c throughout much of E China. Nominate cristatus winters Indian subcontinent 8c throughout SE Asia to Philippines, N Borneo 8c Indonesian islands.) 305. First-winter Alder Flycatcher Empidonax alnorum, Nanjizal, Cornwall, October 2008. British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 615 Ian Wilson Harry Scott Hudson et al. 306. First-winter Brown Shrike Lartius cristatus, Coliieston, North-east Scotland, September 2013. Isabelline Shrike Lartius isaheilinus (0, 9 1 , 4) About three per year; stable Lincolnshire Donna Nook, first- winter, 20th October (C. Atkin, S. Lorand et al.). Shetland Ham, Foula, first- winter, 10th- 12th October, photo (D. & G. Atherton et al). Brough, Whalsay, adult female, 17th-28th October, photo (A. & E. Benbow et al). Yorkshire Flamborough, first-winter, 15th October, photo (P. Cunningham et al.). 2001 Wiltshire Cotswold Water Park, first-winter, 28th October, photo (R. Baatsen, M. Coder), presumed same as Gloucestershire 2001 (Brit. Birds 95: 516). (Breeds widely across arid regions of C Asia from Caspian Sea & W Iran E to Tajikistan, Afghanistan, N Pakistan, S Mongolia & NW China, with isolated subspecies in Zaidam depression, N Tibetan Plateau. Winters NE & E Africa, S Arabian Peninsula, S Iran & NW Indian subcontinent.) Lesser Grey Shrike Lartius minor (21,1 66, 4) About 2-3 per year; stable Kent Capel Fleet, adult, 5th-6th October, photo (M. C. Buckland, G. Howard et al). Northumberland Holy Island, male, 19th-20th May, photo (D. A. & S. King et al). Newton Links, first-winter, 13th-26th November, photo (G. Woodburn et al.) (Brit. Birds 107: plate 25). Suffolk Aldringham Walks, Leiston, first-winter, 15th-23rd September, photo (P. 8c R. Burman, J. H. Grant et al). The status of Lesser Grey Shrike in Britain has remained relatively stable over the past six decades (fig. 2), and the 2013 records show a familiar pattern of occurrence. The long-term mean shows 2.6 arrivals per year with 48% of those during the period between August and November. Records were slightly more frequent during the 1960s and 1970s but even then were never numerous. Globally Fig. 2. Records of Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor in Britain, 1950-2013. 616 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 this species is declining somewhat, particularly in Iberia, but because of the vast breeding range it covers it is still treated as a species of least conservation concern (www.birdlife.org). Statistically, Shetland is the best county in Britain for this species (22 records since 1950), followed by Norfolk (18) then Fair Isle (14) - but the east coast bias in 2013 is typical. The mix of immature and adult birds in autumn is not unusual. Keen rarity finders will be well aware that while, for most vagrant passerines, immatures usually account for the great majority of records, shrikes are almost unique in that there is a significant proportion of adults in autumn, although the reasons for this pattern are unclear. (Breeds Balkans to E Poland, with small numbers W through N Mediterranean to S France & NE Spain. To E, breeds locally from Black Sea coasts, across S Russia & Kazakhstan to NW China & SW Siberia. Migrates through E Africa to winter S Africa, from Namibia to S Mozambique & N South Africa.) Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator West Mediterranean islands race, ‘Balearic Woodchat Shrike’ L s. badius (0, 9, I) Very rare , last in 2010 Orkney Pierowall, Westray, male, 26th May, photo (R. B. Wynn et al.) (plate 307); also seen Shetland. Shetland Ham, Foula, male, 28th May, photo (D. & G. Atherton, A. Coia, K. D. Shaw); also seen Orkney. Some birders opt to take their birding holidays in Britain, choosing ever more remote spots in an attempt to break new ground. Russell Wynn is one of those and in 201 3 he decided that Westray, the northwest corner of Orkney, looked worth a visit in spring. After confirming that Long-tailed Stercorarius longicaudus and Pomarine Skuas S. pomarinus did, indeed, pass Noup Head on the island, the last full day of a two-week trip dawned without a major rarity having been found. So a Woodchat Shrike, still rare in Scotland, was a welcome find; and even better when the lack of white at the base of the primaries confirmed that it was a bird of the so-called ‘Balearic’ race (Wynn 2013). There was no sign of it the next day, but two days later what must have been the same bird was relocated on Foula, this time found by Ken Shaw, another island-holiday pioneer. This is the first record of this race in Scotland and only the tenth for Britain. The subspecies was added to the British List only in 2004, on the basis of records in Dorset in 1986 and Norfolk and Kent in 1995 (Small & Walbridge 2005). Two other older records have been accepted since, including the current first for Britain, at Sizewell, Suffolk, on 1 5th— 2 1 st June 1980. The Scottish bird is just the fifth in the ten years since this race was firmly put on birders’ ‘radar’, suggesting that it is genuinely rare. This may not be that surprising, given its relatively restricted range. Other than the Orkney/Shetland bird, and the one in Norfolk, all other British records were found south of a line from the Severn to the Thames. The ten records cover the period from April to July, with little pattern: two in April (the earliest in Cornwall on 10th- 11th April 2010), three in both May and June, and two in July (the latest in Kent on 1 5th— 2 1 st July 1995). (Race badius restricted to W Mediterranean islands including Balearics, Corsica & Sardinia, E to Elba & Capraia. Winters W Africa, from Ivory Coast to N Cameroon.) 307. Male ‘Balearic Woodchat Shrike’ Lanius senator badius, Westray, Orkney, May 20 1 3. British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 617 Russell Wynn Hudson et al. PendulineTit Remiz pendulinus (0, 270, 9) About nine per year; stable Dorset Longham Lakes, 27th November to 1st December, photo (per birding information services). Gwent Uskmouth, Newport Wetlands RSPB, male, 7th-9th November, photo (R. de Borde, M. Meehan et al). Kent Dungeness RSPB: male (ringed), 5th November 2012 to 20th April, photo, see also Brit. Birds 106: 606-607; two immature/females, 9th February to 10th April, photo (G. Spinks et al); adult male, 20th April (A. Lawson et al); 30th September (D. Walker); male, 24th-30th October, joined by a juvenile on 26th October, photo (A. Last, T. Sherlock, E. Urquhart). Sussex Pett Level, first-winter, 30th October, trapped, photo (M. Cooper, I. Hunter et al). 2011 Essex/Greater London Rainham Marshes RSPB, two adults, 7th-17th February (H. Vaughan et al), presumed same as Greater London/Essex 2010 {Brit. Birds 104: 595-596). 2007 Essex/Greater London Rainham Marshes, three, 22nd December 2006 to 27th March, note revised numbers and dates, and presumed same as birds seen earlier in 2006 {Brit. Birds 100: 744; 101: 567). (Widely but locally distributed throughout C & E Europe, from Denmark, Germany & Italy NE to C Sweden & Estonia. Absent from much of NW Europe but locally numerous Spain. To E, breeds from S Russia to Volga River. Largely resident or dispersive Europe. Other races, sometimes regarded as separate species, occur C Asia & from S Siberia to NE China, & winter NW Indian subcontinent, S China & S Japan.) Crested Lark Galerida cristata (12, I S, S) Very rare, last in 2009, 2012 Kent Kingsdown Beach, 1st June, photo (N. Jarman). (Mostly resident throughout continental Europe N to Denmark, E through C Asia to NE China & Korean Peninsula. To S breeds across Africa S to Sierra Leone E to Somalia, also E through Arabian Peninsula & Iran to NW & N India.) Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Northern race, ‘Northern Long-tailed Tit* A . c. caudatus (-, [27], 5) Not yet determined Shetland Halligarth, Unst, five, 3rd November, three remaining to 4th, photo (C. C. Rodger et al). (Race caudatus N & E Europe, & N Asia E through Siberia & N Mongolia to Kamchatka, Hokkaido & NE China. Largely resident or dispersive outside the breeding season.) Arctic Warbler Phylhscopus borealis (II, 323, 16) About eight per year; stable Co. Durham Whitburn Coastal Park, first-winter, 26th-28th August, photo (A. Kinghorn et al). Fair Isle Gully, first-winter, 4th September, trapped, photo (D. Parnaby, B. Rosser et al). Kristal Kame, first-winter, 5th September, presumed same Pund, 6th September, photo (R. Cope, W. T. S. Miles et al). Nether Taft, first-winter, 13th September, photo (G. K. Gordon et al). Observatory and Shirva, first- winter, 14th- 15th October, trapped, photo, DNA analysis (R. Cope, D. Parnaby et al). Isles of Scilly Newford Duck Pond, St Mary’s, 5th-10th October, photo (K. A. & M. K. Naylor etal). Orkney Queenamidda, Rendall, Mainland, first-winter, 19th September, trapped, photo (J. B. Ribbands). Shetland Skaw, Whalsay, 23rd June (J. L. Irvine, B. Marshall). Maywick, Mainland, 5th September, photo (H. R. Harrop, P. V. Harvey). Baltasound, Unst, first-winter, 1 1 th— 1 2th September, photo (M. Michelin, B. H. Thomason et al). Muness, Unst, first-winter, 19th-20th September, photo (S. Hawkins, B. H. Thomason). Scalloway, Mainland, first-winter, 19th September, photo (M. S. Chapman, R. W. Tait). Lund, Unst, 23rd September (M. A. Maher, B. H. Thomason et al). Ellister, Mainland, first-winter, 24th-25th September, photo (H. R. Harrop et al). Loch of Voe, Mainland, first-winter, 30th September to 5th October, photo (J. Gilroy, P. S. Woollen et al). Baltasound, Unst, first-winter, lst-3rd October, photo (P. V. Harvey, B. H. Thomason et al). (Breeds locally N Scandinavia, becoming widespread across N Russia E to extreme NE Siberia, S to Baikal region, Ussuriland & NE China. Winters throughout SE Asia to Java, Philippines & Sulawesi.) 618 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 Hume’s Warbler Phylloscopus humei (0, 1 26, 4) About 4-5 per year, influx 2003 (28); increasing Kent Ramsgate, 29th December into 2014, sound recording, photo (R Beraet, N. L. Jarman et ah). Lincolnshire Gibraltar Point NNR, 27th November to 4th December, sound recording, photo (R. Doan, K. M. Wilson et al.) {Brit. Birds 107: plate 26). Norfolk Holkham Meals, 27th November (A. 1. Bloomfield). Northamptonshire Kelmarsh Hall, 6th-22nd December, photo (M. R. Alibone, N. McMahon et al). 2012 Dorset Dorchester, 1st November (P. Harris). (Breeds Altai Mountains to W Mongolia, S through Tien Shan & Pamirs to NE Afghanistan, NW Himalayas & mountains of NW China. Winters S Afghanistan to N India, E to W Bengal. Another race breeds C China from Hebei to S Yunnan, W to lower slopes of Tibetan Plateau.) Western Bonelli’s Warbler Phylloscopus bonelli (I, 1 10, If) About three per year; stable or increasing Cleveland Hartlepool Headland, 13th-29th October, photo (S. Clifton, R. Stephenson, R. C. Taylor et al.). Kent Bockhill, St Margaret’s at Cliffe, 26th August, photo (B. A. Ryan et al.). Norfolk Happisburgh, 25th August, photo (R. Moores et al.). Blakeney Point, 6th September (J. R. McCallum, A. Tegala). Holkham Meals, 24th October, photo (R. Millington et al). Orkney Burray, 23rd September to 17th October, photo (B. Hamill et al). Pembrokeshire Ramsey Island, 8th-10th September, photo (G. Morgan et al). Shetland Virkie, Mainland, first-winter, 8th-19th September, trapped, photo (R. Riddington et al.) (plate 308). Marrister, Whalsay, first-winter, 29th September to 18th October, photo (B. Marshall et al). Sussex Church Norton, 22nd-24th April, photo (O. Mitchell, E. M. & P. J. Raynor et al). Yorkshire Flamborough, 7th-9th October, photo (R. Baines et al). (Breeds SW Europe from Iberia to N France, S Germany, Italy, Austria, & locally in mountains of N Africa. Winters along S edge of Sahara, from Senegal & S Mauritania to N Cameroon.) Western Bonelli’s/Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler Phylloscopus bonelli/orientalis (0,75, S) Norfolk Hunstanton, lst-3rd October, photo (A. J. Bull et al). 308. Western Bonelli’s Warbler Phylloscopus bonelli, Virkie, Mainland, Shetland, September 2013. British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 619 Roger Riddington Gary Thoburn Hudson et al. Iberian Chiffchaff Phylloscopus ibericus (0, 30, 5) Rare, about one per year; recent increase Carmarthenshire Pwll, Llanelli, male in song, 17th April to 8th July, sound recording, photo (I. K. Morgan, B. Stewart et al). Cornwall Kynance, male in song, 20th April, sound recording, photo (A. Blunden, J. Foster, M. Grantham). Co. Durham Boldon Flats, male in song, 24th April, sound recording, photo (A. Kinghorn et al). Isles of Scilly Old Town, St Marys, male in song, 24th-27th April, photo (E. A. Fisher et al per Isles of Scilly Recorder). Yorkshire Flamborough Head, 25th-30th April (G. Chapman, M. Garner et al). (Breeds locally French Pyrenees & S throughout W Iberia. N African range restricted to NW Morocco & N Algeria to NW Tunisia. Wintering range poorly known.) Western Orphean Warbler Sylvia hortensis (0, 2, I ) Very rare, two other records in 1955, 201 2 Pembrokeshire St Brides, first-winter, 10th November to 5th December, photo (R. C. Brown, P. & R. Royle, M. Young-Powell et al.) {Brit. Birds 107: plates 27, 309). This, the seventh Orphean Warbler for Britain, is only the third individual to be positively identi- fied as a Western Orphean, and at the same time is the first for Wales. Following hot on the heels of the much-twitched individual in Cleveland (a first-summer at Hartlepool Headland on 29th May 2012), the Pembrokeshire bird inevitably drew somewhat less of a crowd, but was still deservedly popular during its 15-day stay. Although not trapped, it posed well for its admirers and the series of good photographs that duly emerged ably documented every pertinent detail of its plumage. The separation of Western and Eastern Orphean Warbler was discussed in Birding World 25: 241-250 and Brit. Birds 106: 610-612; the impor- tance of their dif- fering tail patterns was highlighted by Svensson (2012), and it was good to be able to practise field iden- tification on another vagrant. A few birders may still harbour hopes that the male Orphean Warbler on Scilly in October 1981 might yet retrospec- tively be turned into an Eastern Orphean Warbler S. crassiro- stris, but it remains the case that there is no clear evidence that Eastern has occurred in Britain. As it turns out, this newly split species is eminently identifiable in the field, and birders British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 309. First-winter Western Orphean Warbler Sylvia hortensis, St Brides, Pembrokeshire, November 20 1 3. 620 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 should be on the lookout for a cold-looking, scimitar-billed bird with clean underparts, dark chevrons on the vent and a bold wedge of white adorning the distal corners of the spread tail. That said, an Orphean Warbler of any sort is still a truly immense find - and any birder finding themselves faced with one should not shy away from sharing their luck straightaway, safe in the knowledge that a specific identification will be secured just as soon as the photographers gather the evidence. (Breeds N Africa from Morocco to NW Libya, N through Iberian Peninsula to S France, S Switzerland & Italy. Winters sub-Saharan Africa from S Mauritania & N Senegal to Chad. ) Western Orphean/Eastern Orphean Warbler Sylvia hortensis/crassirostris (0,4, 0) Not yet determined 1991 Cornwall Saltash, male in song, 20th-22nd May (Brit. Birds 87: 556). 1982 North-east Scotland Seaton Park, Aberdeen, 10th October, trapped (Brit. Birds 77: 552). 1981 Isles of Scilly Kitty Down, St Mary’s, male, 16th-22nd October, photo (Brit. Birds 75: 522). 1967 Cornwall Porthgwarra, 22nd October, trapped (Brit. Birds 61: 351). Now that Western and Eastern Orphean Warblers are treated as different species, these four records are classified as ‘either/or’. Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans Mallorcan, Corsican, Sardinian & north mainland Italian race/Moltoni’s Subalpine Warbler* S. c. moltonii (1 , 2, 0) Extremely rare , two modem records both in 2009 2009 Shetland Scatness, Mainland, male, 22nd-28th May, photo (R. M. Fray et al). Skaw, Unst, male in song, 1st— 10th June, sound recording, photo (R. J. Brookes, M. G. Pennington et al.) (Brit. Birds 102: plate 231; 107: plate 310). The existence of a distinctive population of Subalpine Warblers on Mallorca, Sardinia and Corsica was recognised as long ago as 1937 (Orlando 1937) but this race effectively disappeared from the literature until it was resurrected by Shirihai et al. (2001). Festari et al. (2002) then showed that moltonii is also the form that breeds in northern mainland Italy. The possible occurrence of moltonii in Britain was highlighted in the 2003 BBRC report (Rogers et al. 2004), but Svensson (2013) showed that this race had, in fact, occurred more than a century earlier! The first British record of any Subalpine Warbler, on St Kilda, Outer Hebrides, on 13th June 1894 (and previously accepted as a ‘Western Subalpine Warbler’ S. c. cantillans) , had actually been S. c. moltonii. This race has now been added to the British Fist by BOURC (BOU 2014). British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 621 Rob Brookes Michael McKee Hudson et al. The records here therefore represent the first of the ‘modern’ era for this race. Though spring male moltonii possesses a unique set of plumage characters (including pale salmon-pink underparts and soft blue-grey upperparts) and further tail pattern and moult clues in the hand, firm identification of this race in the field will most easily be clinched by vocalisations. The call is very different from that of the other races, being a soft, rolling Wren-like ‘trrrrr’. Both birds accepted here were first suspected of being moltonii on the basis of these vocalisations, described in the case of the first individual and sound-recorded in the case of the second. Although there is a possibility that both records relate to the same individual, plumage differences suggested that two birds were involved. Brambilla et al. (2008) demonstrated the true distinctiveness of moltonii, proposing full species status for this form. Svensson endorsed this work, and proposed a three-way split of the Subalpine Warblers (including ‘Moltoni’s Subalpine Warbler’), which is now under consideration by BOURC. Although by far the rarest of the three proposed Subalpine Warbler species in Britain, the true status of moltonii here is yet to be fully understood. It has presumably been overlooked in the 115-year period between Britain’s first and the two subsequent records and, given the added attraction of it being a potential new species, it will perhaps not be too much longer before the next one is discovered. The chances of one appearing on the British mainland in the near future look reasonably high, in which case a significant ‘twitch’ will be on the cards. (Race moltonii breeds Mallorca, Corsica, Sardinia & Ligurian Apennines, Italy. Wintering area unknown.) Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala (0, 77, I) About 2-3 per year; stable or decreasing Borders St Abbs Head NNR, adult male, 30th June, trapped, photo (A. J. Kerr); presumed same 25th September to 2nd October, photo (R. Murray et al). It may seem surprising that we can link two sightings some three months apart, but the autumn sightings involved a bird sporting a ring so it seems highly likely this was the individual trapped and ringed at the site in June. (Largely resident or dispersive throughout Mediterranean basin, from NW Africa & Iberia to S France, N Italy & E to W Turkey & Israel. Some winter N Africa from Sahara S to Mauritania & S Libya.) Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler Locustella certhiola (I, 50, S) About 1-2 per year; increasing Shetland Bruray, Out Skerries, juvenile, 23rd September, photo (M. J. McKee) (plate 311). (Breeds Siberia from Irtysh River E to Yakutia & Sea of Okhotsk, Sc SW Siberia & NE Kazakhstan through Mongolia to Ussuriland Sc N Sc NE China. Winters Sri Lanka Sc NE India to S China, Sc S throughout SE Asia.) 311. Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler Locustella certhiola. Out Skerries, Shetland, September 2013. 622 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 Lanceolated Warbler Locustella lanceolata (7, 1 33, 4) About four per year; increasing Fair Isle Da Water, juvenile, 25th September, trapped, photo, DNA analysis (K. Britten, C. Gooddie, G. Hogan et al.). Shirva, juvenile, 28th September, photo (C. Gooddie, G. Hogan et al). Wirvie Burn, juvenile, 6th October, photo (G. K. Gordon, D. Parnaby et al.). Shirva, 20th October, photo (D. Parnaby et al). (Singing males regular SE Finland. To E, discontinuously from C Urals E to Kamchatka, Kuril Islands, Hokkaido & NE China. Winters Indian subcontinent, from Nepal E through NE India to SE Asia & Philippines.) Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia Eastern races, ‘Eastern Grasshopper Warbler’ L. n. straminea/mongolica (0, 1 , 0) Extremely rare , one record in 2012 2012 Fair Isle Observatory, juvenile, 20th September, trapped, photo, DNA analysis (W. T. S. Miles, J. Moss, D. Parnaby, B. Rosser et al.) (plate 312). This is the first British record of ‘Eastern Grasshopper Warbler’. Although there have been a number of suspected cases in the past, in this instance the additional supporting evidence provided by DNA analysis was crucial in establishing the identity of this cryptic taxon. Eastern birds share some plumage characters with Lanceolated Warbler L. lanceolata but in practice remain virtually indistinguishable from western populations (L. n. naevia/ obscurior) based upon current knowledge of field characters (Harvey & Small 2007). There are, however, consistent dif- ferences in size, with straminea/mongolica being significantly smaller than naevia/ obscurior, while the former typically has a more rounded wing shape (Svensson 1992; Kennerley & Pearson 2010). However, not all individuals are identifiable, because of a significant degree of overlap in meas- urements (Harvey & Small 2007). Martin Collinson and his colleagues at the University of Aberdeen amplified and sequenced two mitochondrial genes (COI and ND2). Although there has been little work on the genetic relationships among Grasshopper Warbler populations (with the true relationships among taxa poorly understood), all the evidence pointed towards an eastern origin, which is consistent with the morphological features of the Fair Isle bird. We are now entering a completely new age in birding, where technology is greatly enhancing our ability to identify cryptic taxa. The impact of digital photography has been rapid and striking but, increasingly, the analysis of DNA is revealing not only more about avian taxonomy but also more about the iden- tity of vagrant birds. Some field observers are uncomfortable with a reliance on sci- entists but to put it bluntly these methods are here to stay - and it is surely best to keep abreast of develop- ments in this field and to embrace the oppor- tunities presented. If molecular ecologists can work together with field birders, some of whom have an excep- tional ability to detect subtle interspecific dif- ferences in morphology, British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 312. ‘Eastern Grasshopper Warbler’ Locustella naevia straminea/mongolica. Fair Isle, September 2012. 623 Will Miles Michael McKee Hudson et al. structure, behaviour and voice, then maybe we can develop novel criteria for field recognition. (Races straminea/mongolica breed Russia from Ural Mountains E to Novosibirsk region of Siberia, NW Xinjiang province, China, and NW Mongolia, S to Tien Shan Mountains in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan; winters throughout Indian subcontinent.) River Warbler Locustella fluviatilis (0, 42, 2) About 1-2 per year; stable Fair Isle Schoolton, 5th-6th June, photo (W. T. S. Miles, T. Murphy, D. Parnaby et al). Orkney Westness, North Ronaldsay, juvenile, 23rd September, trapped, photo (S. J. Davies, M. Warren et al.). (Breeds C & E Europe from Germany to C Finland & Croatia, E through Ukraine & C Russia to W Siberia. Migrates through Middle East & NE Africa to winter E Africa.) Savi’s Warbler Locustella luscinioides (-, 6 S 2, 7) About eight per year ; breeding; recent decrease, now stable Devon Mansands, male in song, 30th May (M. Langman, J. D. P. Marshall et al). Gloucestershire Coombe Hill Meadows NNR, male in song, 19th April, sound recording (A. Jayne et al). Hampshire Titchfield Haven, male in song, 1 5th— 16th May (B. S. Duffin, R. K. Levett). Suffolk Minsmere, male in song, 12th May to 9th June, sound recording (M. Fairley, J. Rankin et al). Lakenheath Fen, male in song, 25th May to 7th June, sound recording, photo (P. J. Dolton, M. S. Rayment, R. L. Smith et al.) {Brit. Birds 106: plate 255). Hares Creek, Shotley, adult, 11th June, trapped, photo (J. A. Glazebrook). Sussex Pett Level, male in song, 18th June (I. Hunter). 2011 Essex Canvey Wick, male in song, 21st-22nd April, note revised dates {Brit. Birds 105: 600). 2009 Essex Seventy Acres Lake, Cheshunt GP, male in song, 30th April to 2nd June, note revised dates {Brit. Birds 104: 601-602). (Nominate race breeds Iberia N to S Scandinavia, & E through E Europe, Russia & Ukraine to Black Sea coasts, & winters W Africa from Senegal to N Nigeria. Eastern race fusca breeds C Asia to NW China & W Mongolia, & winters NE Africa.) Thick-billed Warbler Iduna aedon (0, 4, i) Very rare, last in 2001, 2003 Shetland Geosetter, Mainland, 4th-5th October, photo (D. Fairhurst, H. R. Harrop et al) (plate 313). Once there was a whole suite of ‘Shetland specialities’, many of them regarded as birds that you had to visit Fair Isle to see. Nowadays most of these Holy Grail species, such as Lanceolated Warbler Locustella lanceolata or Pechora Pipit Anthus gustavi , have been found on mainland Britain, while Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola is even on the cusp of removal from the BBRC list. Thick-billed Warbler, however, is still very much a Shetland speciality, with all five British records from the Shetland archipelago, the first four being on Fair Isle, 6th October 1955; Whalsay, 23rd September 1971 (released in Lerwick on 24th and found dead there on 25th); Out Skerries, 14th September 2001; and Fair Isle, 1 6th— 1 7th May 2003. Just three others have been seen in Europe - in Finland on 11th October 1994 and two in Norway, 3 I 3. Thick-billed Warbler Iduna aedon , Geosetter, both on Utsira, on 6th October 2004 and Mainland, Shetland, October 20 1 3. 3rd October 2005. 624 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 Formerly treated as an Acrocephalus warbler, leading to thoughts that Great Reed Warbler A. arundinaceus may be the main confusion species, it is now in the genus Iduna along with some former Hippolais , but is such an oddity that it may be better placed in its own genus as Phraga- maticola aedon (Arbabi et al. 2014). In the field it is an odd-looking bird. Dave Fairhurst’s first fleeting glimpses of the bird at Geosetter in 2013 brought to mind a skulking shrike as much as any warbler. The bird spent most of its time lurking in an oat crop, giving just brief glimpses to the crowds that assembled (Harrop & Fairhurst 2014). (Breeds S Siberia from Ob basin & N Mongolia to Ussuriland & NE China. Winters Nepal E through NE India to Indochina & C Thailand.) Booted Warbler Iduna caligata (I, 133, I I) About 4-5 per year; stable Devon Millcombe Valley, Lundy, first-winter, 1st October, trapped, photo (J. Haddaway, J. Horton). Fair Isle Chalet then Observatory, 22nd-28th August, photo (D. Parnaby et al). Norfolk Blakeney Point, 24th August, photo (R. F. Porter et al). Burnham Overy Dunes, 26th August, photo (A. J. Griffiths et al). Northumberland Druridge Bay CP, 23rd-24th August, photo (D. Elliot, I. Fisher et al). Pembrokeshire Ramsey Island, first-winter, 23rd September, photo (G. & L. Morgan et al). Skokholm, first-winter, 25th September, trapped, photo, DNA analysis (R. Brown, S. Westerberg et al). Shetland Symbister, Whalsay, first- winter, 28th-29th August, photo (B. Marshall, C. Simpson et al). Bruray, Out Skerries, first-winter, 26th-27th September, photo (A. Hayden, M. J. McKee, L. Pyke). Sussex Climping, first-winter, 27th August, photo (R. Grimmett, O. Mitchell et al). Seaford Head, first-winter, 30th September, photo (M. R. Eade, K. Gillam, R. C. Self et al). (Breeds E Finland, E to C Russia & W Siberia to Yenisey valley, C & N Kazakhstan to W Mongolia & W Xinjiang province, China. Winters N & peninsular India, S to Karnataka.) Sykes’s Warbler Iduna rama (0, 16,1) Rare, about one every two years Fair Isle Lower Stoneybrek and Stackhoull, 26th-30th September, photo (W. T. S. Miles, D. Parnaby et al.) (Brit. Birds 106: plate 415; 107: plate 314). (Breeds S Kazakhstan to W Xinjiang province, NW China, S locally to Persian Gulf states, Iran, Afghanistan & N Pakistan. Winters N & W India, occasionally S to N Sri Lanka.) 3 1 4. Sykes’s Warbler Iduna rama, Fair Isle, September 20 1 3. British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 625 Steve Arlow Hudson et al. Eastern Olivaceous Warbler Iduna pallida (0, 18, I) Rare, about one every 1-2 years Shetland Hoswick, Mainland, 5th— 1 1 th October, photo (J. G. Brown, P. M. Ellis et al. per Shetland Recorder). (Race elaeica breeds Balkans & Greece E to Turkey, S Caucasus, S Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Iran & N Afghanistan. Migrates through Middle East to winter E Africa. Other races breed North Africa, some wintering to 5 of breeding range.) Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola ( 1 , 88, 8) About three per year; increasing Caernarfonshire Bardsey, 7th June, photo (P. R. Massey et al). Fair Isle Charlie’s Trees, 16th June, photo (D. Parnaby et al). Barkland, first-winter, 22nd October, trapped, photo, DNA analysis (G. K. Gordon, A. & L. Leitch et al). Isles of Scilly Higher Town, St Agnes, first-winter, 30th October, photo (P. A. Dukes et al). Kent Shorne Marshes RSPB, 31st May, trapped, photo (A. R. B. Harris, R. Kiddie). Orkney Linklet, North Ronaldsay, male in song, 20th-24th May, photo (M. Warren et al). Muddisdale, Kirkwall, Mainland, 21st October (J. B. Bell, S. Pinder et al). Shetland Skaw, Unst, first-winter, 12th October, photo (B. H. Thomason et al). 2012 North-east Scotland Ladymire, Ythan Estuary, adult, 8th September, trapped, photo (P. D. Bloor, J. & R. Duncan et al). 2012 Sussex Pagham Harbour RSPB, adult, 30th January to 13th March, photo, note revised dates, Brit. Birds 106: 616-617. (Breeds Black Sea coast from N Bulgaria & Danube Delta E to Ukraine. To E, breeds widely across steppes of S Russia 6 SW Siberia, Kazakhstan, NW China & W Mongolia, S to Uzbekistan & N Pakistan. Winters throughout Indian subcontinent.) Blyth’s Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum (9, 1 40, 1 9) About five per year, all modern records since 1 979; significant increase Devon St John’s Valley, Lundy, first-winter, 3rd October, trapped, photo ( J. Haddaway, J. Horton). Fair Isle Observatory, male in song, 27th May to 2nd June, trapped, photo (D. Parnaby et al). Gully, first-winter, 7th September, trapped, photo, DNA analysis (D. McGibbon, D. Parnaby et al). Springfield, first- winter, 11th October, photo (W. T. S. Miles et al). Schoolton, first- winter, 1 2th— 1 5th October, photo (G. K. Gordon et al). Northumberland The Snook, Holy Island, first-winter, 28th September (M. Carr). Orkney Hestily, South Ronaldsay, first-winter, 26th September, trapped, photo (S. Groundwater, A. Mitchell). Twingness, North Ronaldsay, first-winter, 1 5th— 1 6th October, trapped, photo (M. Warren et al). Pembrokeshire Skokholm, first-winter, 27th September, trapped, photo, DNA analysis (R. Brown, S. Westerberg et al). Shetland Everland, Fetlar, 29th May, photo (A. Cook et al. per Shetland Recorder). Ham, Foula, first-winter, 4th-27th September, photo (D. & G. Atherton, P. R. French et al). Quendale, Main- land, first-winter, 20th September, photo (C. Barton, P. S. Crockett, J. R. W. Gordon et al). Scatness, Mainland, first-winter, 21st-24th September, photo (P. V. Harvey, S. J. Minton). Norwick, Unst, first-winter, 22nd-23rd September, photo (D. Watson et al). Funzie, Fetlar, first- winter, 26th September to 1st October, photo (M. Kerby, D. Watson et al). Burrafirth, Unst, first- winter, 26th September, photo (M. A. Maher, B. H. Thomason et al). Northdale then Norwick, Unst, first-winter, 28th September to 10th October, trapped, photo (M. A. Maher, M. G. Pennington et al). Sandwick, Mainland, first-winter, 29th September (P. M. Ellis). Sumburgh Head, Mainland, first-winter, 1 1th October, photo (M. Garner, R. Petley et al). 2012 Isles of Scilly Bryher, 12th October, photo (J. Higginson et al). Garrison, St Mary’s, 30th October to 2nd November, photo (A. A. Hutt et al). 2012 Outer Hebrides Bornish, South Uist, first- winter, 26th September to 2nd October, photo (A. Stevenson et al). 626 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 2012 Shetland North Collafirth, Northmavine, Mainland, first- winter, 29th September to 1st October (C. Barton, P-A. Crochet et al). As confidence has grown in the last decade and more and more observers gain the experience of an encounter with Blyth’s Reed Warbler in the field, the number of records is increasing rapidly. There are no fewer than 20 birds accepted for 2012 and 19 for 2013. If this trend continues, the species will leave the fold of BBRC assessment in due course, something that would have seemed unthinkable 20 years ago. Greater observer skill and awareness is a major factor, but the increasing number of records can also be attributed to the species’ range expansion. There is now a thriving population in both Estonia and Latvia, while the species also breeds in southern Sweden and probably eastern Poland. Although the majority of British Blyth’s Reeds will continue to appear in autumn, small numbers of singing birds in late spring is an establishing pattern too. A new and as yet unreported pitfall in identifying Blyth’s Reed Warbler is the ‘Caspian Reed Warbler’ A. scirpaceus fuscus - a taxon now suspected as a vagrant to Britain on one or more occasions (based on DNA analysis, although these records are currently held by BBRC, pending assessment). In Shetland, observers very familiar with Blyth’s Reed Warbler found little difference in colour tones between the field appearance of a Caspian Reed Warbler and Blyth’s Reed Warbler (Riddington et al. 2013). So the autumn challenge of identifying plain Acrocephalus war- blers hasn’t necessarily become any easier but is certainly as interesting as ever! (Breeds S Finland, Baltic countries & European Russia E through C Siberia to Lake Baikal & upper Lena River, & S through W Mongolia & NW China, Kazakhstan & Tajikistan to N Pakistan. Winters throughout Indian subcontinent S to Sri Lanka & E to NW Burma.) Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus (7, 25 1 , 5) About five per year; stable Kent Dover, male in song, 31st May, sound recording (P. Forest, M. McVail et al). Norfolk Overy Dunes, Holkham NNR, 31st May, photo (A. I. Bloomfield). Northumberland Chevington Pool, male in song, 1 9th— 2 1 st May (D. T. Elliot, A. D. McLevy et al.). Wiltshire Westdown, Salisbury Plain, adult, 13th September, trapped, photo (G. & P. Deacon et al.). Worcestershire Church Farm Pools, Grimley, male in song, 14th May, sound recording, photo (E. Lea et al.). 2004 Essex Abberton Resr, male in song, 1 7th— 3 1st May, note revised dates (Brit. Birds 98: 676). The clear spring bias and the high proportion of singing males are typical for this species. Some 55% of all British Great Reed Warblers have turned up during May and about 40% of spring birds have been logged as singing males. Autumn encounters are much harder to come by, and only 12% of all records are from the period August-November inclusive, which makes the adult in landlocked Wiltshire all the more noteworthy. ‘Grrkkk-grrrkk-carra-carra-sweee-swee-swee (Breeds throughout much of continental Europe from Iberia to Greece, N to S Sweden & S Finland, & E across S Russia, Turkey & Caucasus to W Siberia. C Asian race zarudnyi breeds from Volga to NW China & W Mongolia. Winters throughout C & S Africa.) Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum (0, 2, I) Very rare, two other records in 1 985 , / 996 Argyll Vaul, Tiree, juvenile, 21st-29th September, photo (J. Bowler, D. & E. Campbell, A. & V. Grant et al.) (plate 315). A young bird in autumn is the obvious pattern for a transatlantic vagrant, so this individual fitted the bill perfectly, spending nine days in September feeding on cotoneaster berries in a Tiree garden. The first for Ireland, another first-year bird, which turned up in October 2009, also conformed to that expected pattern. The first two British records, however, are slightly more British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 627 Jim Dickson Hudson et al. 315. Juvenile Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum, Tiree, Argyll, September 20 1 3. intriguing. The first was a midsummer adult on Shetland (on the island of Noss, 25th-26th June 1985), initially regarded with some suspicion, while the second was the famous first-winter bird in Nottingham city centre, present from 20th February to 18th March 1996. There is always the possibility that there could be a repeat performance of the latter record and most birders encoun- tering flocks of winter Waxwings B. garrulus know to make a quick check of the undertail- coverts. The Cedar Waxwing is a common and widespread species in North America that has increased significantly over the last 40 years (84.2% increase over 40 years, equating to a 16.5% increase per decade; data from Breeding Bird Survey and/or Christmas Bird Counts, www.birdlife.org) so it seems there is a good chance that more British records will follow. (Breeds Canada from coastal British Columbia E to Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, and in USA from SE Alaska and N California to N Alabama and N Georgia; winters throughout USA and S to Panama.) Dipper Cinclus cinclus North European race, ‘Black-bellied Dipper’ C. c. cinclus (-, [22], 3) Not yet determined Essex Tiston Mill, 27th April, photo (D. K. Underwood et al). Norfolk Thetford, 6th November 2012 to 30th March, photo, see also Brit. Birds 106: 618-619. Orkney Honeysgeo, South Ronaldsay, adult, 22nd October, photo (S. R. & S. Sankey, J. Stevenson et al). Shetland North Water, Unst, 1 1th— 12th October, presumed same Hermaness, Unst, 2nd-4th November, photo (B. H. Thomason et al.). 2006 Fair Isle Observatory area, 26th — 3 1 st March, photo (M. Warren et al.). 2005 Fair Isle Wirvie and other sites, 26th October to 5th November, photo (per Fair Isle Recorder). 2000 Fair Isle Gully, male, 30th October to 4th November, trapped, photo (D. N. Shaw et al.). 1998 Fair Isle Gilly Burn, Hjukni Geo and Gully, 7th-17th April (C. A. Holt et al.). 1983 Fair Isle Gully, adult, 30th March to 5th April, trapped, photo (N. J. Riddiford et al.). 1980 Fincolnshire Donna Nook, 21st-25th November (S. Forand, C. Morrison). 628 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 1967 Lincolnshire Cleethorpes, 1 1th— 13th April, trapped (R. Baumber, S. Lorand, K. Robinson etal). 1951 Fair Isle Gully, 28th April to 6th May, trapped (K. Williamson et al). (Race cinclus breeds Scandinavia, Baltic countries & W Russia. Outside the breeding season, resident or dispersive to S & W of breeding range.) White’s Thrush Zoothera dauma (27, 49, 4) About 1-2 per year; increasing Fair Isle Furse, first- winter, 25th September, photo ( J. A. Beaumont, C. C. Thomas et al). Highland Spinningdale, 31st January, photo (per K. Kilshaw) (plate 317). Isles of Scilly Covean, St Agnes, 2nd-3rd October (R. Righelato, N. & R Wright et al). Parsonage, St Agnes, first-winter, 25th October to 1st November, photo (D. Bradshaw, M. F. Walford, S. Williams etal) (Brit. Birds 106: plate 471; 107: plate 316). The record from Fair Isle is fairly typical, in terms of both timing and location. And, even though there are actually just two previous records from Scilly, that archipelago also seems a likely loca- tion for an October White’s Thrush. The Committee was divided over whether one or two birds were involved on St Agnes in 2013 - some felt that the secretive nature of this species and the (relative) dearth of observers on Scilly nowadays could easily lead to one being overlooked for three weeks, although the majority verdict was for the sightings to enter the record books as two individuals. Controversy in Scilly aside, the stand-out record of the 2013 quartet is undoubtedly the bird in Highland. Winter can be a good time for rare thrushes, and January is actually in the top three months for this species’ occurrence in Britain (with September and October), although 13 of the 15 January records were before 1970. And, for the first time in BBRC’s history, not only did we have to assess a record with no description and no corpse, but also a situation where not even the photographer had seen the bird! This particular White’s Thrush just happened to sidle past a motion-activated hidden camera trap, strategically placed in the hope of recording a Scottish Wild Cat Felis sylvestrisl Well done to the various people responsible for spotting, identifying and submitting information on this cryptic rarity: Ruiradh Campbell, Roy Dennis and Kerry Kilshaw. The photographic evidence left no doubts about the identification or indeed the authenticity of the record. This image represents yet another step in the ever-changing field of rare bird assessment and its relationship with modern technology. It does raise the question of whether we shall see more records like this one: interest in birding and general wildlife is seemingly on the 3 1 6. White’s Thrush Zoothera dauma, St Agnes, Scilly, October 20 1 3. British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 629 Michael McKee James Lowen Hudson et al. increase (just look at the viewing figures for the BBC Springwatch series) and basic camera traps are now on sale for less than £80.00. This record does seem to be unprecedented in Europe, but perhaps it is not so very different from records of satellite-tagged raptors such as Tonn the Great Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga (http://birdmap. 3 1 7. White’s Thrush Zoothera dauma, caught on a camera trap, 5dvision.ee/index. Spinningdale, Highland. January 2013. php?lang=en), which passes from a breeding territory in Estonia to wintering grounds in Spain without being seen in some of the countries en route. As such tags get smaller and lighter, it is surely something we are likely to encounter again soon, be it on a vagrant Zino’s Petrel Pterodroma madeira (Flood & Fisher 2013) or something even more unexpected. (Race aurea breeds European Urals & E across Siberia from Yenisey River to Ussuriland, S to N Mongolia, extreme NE China, Korean Peninsula & Japan. Winters widely across S China, Taiwan & S Japan to Indochina & C Thailand. Nominate race resident or altitudinal migrant in Himalayas, SW China & Taiwan.) Hermit Thrush Gothams guttatus (0, 8, I) Very rare, last in 2010 (two) Cornwall Porthgwarra, first-winter, 29th October to 1st November, photo (K. Arber, P. Callaway et al.) {Brit. Birds 106: plate 470; 107: 318). (Breeds C & S Alaska, & E across boreal & temperate Canada, S through Rocky Mountains to N Mexico, & NE USA S through Appalachian Mountains. Winters S USA & Mexico, S to Guatemala & El Salvador.) 3 1 8. First-winter Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus, Porthgwarra, Cornwall, October 20 1 3. Grey-cheeked Thrush Catharus minimus (0, 53, 3) About 1-2 per year, influx 1 986 (12); stable or decreasing Fair Isle Da Water, 1 1th October, photo (A. D. W. Tongue et al.). Isles of Scilly Old Town Church, St Mary’s, 7th-14th October, photo (R. J. Hewitt et al.). Outer Hebrides Sgallairidh, Barra, 10th October, trapped, photo (M. Oksien et al). (Breeds extreme NE Siberia, & E through Alaska & N Canada to Labrador & Newfoundland. Migrates across E USA to winter N South America.) 630 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 3 1 9. First-winter female Dusky Thrush Turdus eunomus, Margate, Kent, May 20 1 3. Dusky Thrush Turdus eunomus (I, 8, 2) Very rare , last in 1987,2010 Devon Brixham, first-winter female, 26th October to 2nd November, photo (M. Twiggs et al). Kent Margate, first-winter female, 15th- 18th May, photo (S. Tomlinson et al) (Brit. Birds 106: plate 256; 107: plate 319). Two records in one year is unprecedented. The well-watched Kent bird was particularly welcome for any who have read the storyboard by the bowling green on Hartlepool Headland about the Dusky Thrush found there in 1959, or stared wistfully at the photos of the stunning adult male in Manchester in December 2010. The finder of the Kent bird, Steve Tomlinson, took great care in checking his identification of a bird that had originally been poorly seen. There was much discussion about this individual since it was a particularly dull bird, with some reddish-brown flank feathering. Dusky and Naumann’s Thrushes T. naumanni are known to hybridise, albeit rarely, and so before the Com- mittee voted on the record, it was felt appropriate to research the subject further. A visit by a BBRC contingent to the British Museum at Tring found that the plumage of the Kent bird matched skins from the northwestern end of the species’ breeding range and well away from any potential zone of hybridisation with Naumann’s. We felt that it was important to be as robust as possible about this record, particularly as one of the older accepted British records of Dusky Thrush (in Shetland in November 1975) is considered by some to be a hybrid. However, after a very full investigation, the Kent bird was accepted unanimously as a first-winter female Dusky. (Breeds N Siberia from Yenisey River E to Chukotka Mountains, & Anadyr region, S to S Kamchatka. Winters N & E China S to the Yangtze River, Korean Peninsula & Japan.) BSack-throated Thrush Turdus atrogularis (2, 70, 2) About two per year; stable North-east Scotland Banchory, first-winter male, showing some characters of Red-throated Thrush T. ruficollis , 25th-30th March, photo (A. & H. A. Addlesee, T. Gray et al). Shetland Sound, Lerwick, Mainland, first-winter female, 9th- 1 1th November, photo (R. J. Nason et al). Following on from the comments about hybridisation (or, perhaps more correctly, individuals that show mixed characters) among Asian thrushes in relation to the Kent Dusky Thrush (above), an apparent Black-throated Thrush in North-east Scotland in 2013 with red in the tail (a feature of Red-throated Thrush) created much further head-scratching for the Committee: how should this individual and others like it be reported? This was a most instructive rarity and the British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 631 Josh Jones Harry Scott Hudson et al. 320. First-winter male Black-throated Thrush Turdus atrogularis, with some reddish in the tail that suggests an influence of Red-throated Thrush T. ruficollis, Banchory, North-east Scotland, March 2013. issues are not dissimilar to those surrounding Pine Buntings Emberiza leucocephalos with small amounts of yellow in the plumage, suggesting some degree of hybridisation with Yellowhammer E. citrinella , a topic that was discussed at length in BBRC reports more than a decade ago. This seems likely to be a continuing theme to which we shall no doubt return in future reports. (Breeds C & N Urals, E across W Siberia & E Kazakhstan to NW China. Winters Iraq to N India, E through Himalayan foothills to Bhutan.) American Robin Turdus migratorius (0, 25, 2) Rare, about one every 2-3 years Isles of Scilly Rowesfield, Tresco, first-winter, 29th October to 6th November, photo (S. Hepburn et al). Outer Hebrides South Locheynort, South Uist, first-winter male, 17th November to 16th December, photo (I. R. Thompson, E. & J. Twelves et al.). (Breeds North America from tree line of Alaska & N Canada, S to S Mexico. Winters S Canada to S USA & C America, S to Guatemala.) Thrush Nightingale Luscinia luscinia (I, 194, 10) About five per year; stable Cleveland Hartlepool Headland, first-summer male in song, 1 9th— 2 1 st May, photo (M. Gee et al.) (Brit. Birds 106: plate 257). Dorset Portland BO, first-winter, 9th— 1 1th October, trapped, photo (M. Cade, M. Lanaway et al). Fair Isle Pund, first-summer, 8th-10th May, photo (W. T. S. Miles et al.). Utra, 29th May, photo ( W. T. S. Miles et al.). Auld Haa, first-summer, 29th May, photo (P. V. Harvey et al.). North Haven, Auld Haa and Schoolton, first-winter, 26th-30th August, photo (D. Parnaby, D. Shaw et al.). Northumberland Chare Ends, Holy Island, first- winter, 7th September, photo (J. & T. Farooqi etal). Orkney Graemeshall, Holm, 26th August, trapped, photo (C. J. Corse, S. Groundwater, D. Wakefield). Shetland Virkie, Mainland, 30th May (G. F. Bell, R. M. Fray, R. Riddington et al). Yorkshire Spurn, male in song, 31st May to 6th June, photo (D. Baker, C. Bourne, A. A. Hutt et al). (Breeds C & E Europe from S Scandinavia & Baltic countries to Romania & Ukraine, & E through temperate Russia to S Siberia. Winters E Africa, from S Kenya to Zimbabwe.) 632 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 Siberian Rubythroat Calliope calliope (0, 9, I) Very rare , all but one since 1997 Fair Isle Upper Stoneybrek, first-winter male, 21st-23rd October, photo (G. K. Gordon et al.) (plate 321). (Breeds European foothills of Ural Mountains, 8c Siberia from Ob River E to Anadyr 8c Kamchatka, & S to N Mongolia, Ussuriland, NE Hokkaido 8c NE China, also isolated population on E slopes of Tibetan Plateau. Winters from Nepal E through Himalayan foothills to NE India, Burma 8c N Indochina to C Thailand, S China 8c Taiwan.) Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus (2, I 13, 12) About four per year, influx 2010 (31); recent increase Fife Denburn Wood, Crail, 1 3th— 14th October, photo (B. Far- quharson et al.). Norfolk Horsey Gap, female, 14th April, photo (G. Clarke) (Brit. Birds 106: plate 227). Weybourne Camp, 13th October, trapped, photo (R. Churchyard, M. P. Taylor). Whimpwell Green, Happisburgh, 13th— 14th October, photo (J. M. Bradley et al.) (plate 322). Warham Greens, 14th October (J. Archer, G. Spinks et al.). Orkney Pierowall, Westray, first-winter, 1 8th— 2 1 st October, photo (D. & S. Otter, T. Sykes). Twingness, North Ronaldsay, first-winter, 31st October, trapped, photo (M. Warren et al.). Shetland Housay, Out Skerries, male, 29th September, photo (A. Hayden, M. J. McKee, L. Pyke). Voe, Mainland, 20th-21st October (C. D. R. Heard et al.). Walls, Mainland, first-winter, 25th-26th October, photo (C. D. R. Heard et al.). Suffolk Sizewell, 1 4th— 1 7th October, photo (C. A. Holt et al.). Yorkshire Spurn Point, first-winter female, 18th October, trapped, photo (M. Brew et al). 321. First-winter male Siberian Rubythroat Calliope calliope, Fair Isle, October 20 1 3. -Q O C s— <£ > o O (Breeds NE Finland E through boreal forests of N Russia & Siberia to Kamchatka, N Japan 8c NE China. Winters S China, Taiwan 8c S Japan through SE Asia to N peninsular Thailand.) 322. Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus, Happisburgh, Norfolk, October 20 1 3. British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 633 Hudson et al. 323. Female Collared Flycatcher Ficedula albicollis. Fair Isle, June 2013. Collared Flycatcher Ficedula albicollis (I, 36, 5) Rare, about one per year; stable or increasing Fair Isle Lower Station, female, 9th June, photo, trapped, DNA analysis (R. Cope, W. T. S. Miles, D. Parnaby, R. Riddington et al.) (Brit. Birds 106: plate 258; 107: plate 323). Highland Raffin, Stoer, first-summer male, 12th June, photo (D. Hall, J. Pogson). Northumberland Low Newton, first-summer male, 8th-9th May, photo (G. Woodburn et al.) (Brit. Birds 106: plate 226). Shetland Skaw, Whalsay, first-summer male, 10th— 1 6th May, photo (B. Marshall et al). Yorkshire Spurn, adult male, 18th May, photo ( J. Grist et al). 2008 Orkney Ystang Pund, North Ronaldsay, female, 24th May, photo (R. J. Butcher et al.). (Breeds E France, S Germany, Italy & Baltic islands of Gotland & Oland, E through C & E Europe to European Russia W of Urals. Winters E & C Africa, from Tanzania to Zimbabwe.) Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros Central Asian races, ‘Eastern Black Redstart’ P. o. phoenicuroidesl rufiventrislxerophilus (0, 4, 0) Very rare, first in 1 981, last in 201 1 2011 Kent Foreness Point, first-winter male, 1 1 th— 1 7th November, photo (B. Hunt et al.) (Brit. Birds 105: plate 35). 2011 Northumberland Holy Island, first-winter male, 16th— 2 1st November, photo (A. D. Mould et al.) (plate 324). 2003 Norfolk Wells-next-the-Sea, first-winter male, 9th November (J. R. McCallum). 1981 Kent Dungeness BO, first-winter male, 7th-8th November, trapped, photo (B. Cox et al.) (Brit. Birds 105: plates 262 & 263). ‘Eastern Black Redstart’ formed a part of the British List until 2002, based on four accepted records between 1975 and 1988. During a review, however, it became apparent that hybrids between Common P. phoenicuroides and Black Redstarts occur quite frequently in Europe where the species’ ranges overlap, and these can resemble ‘Eastern Black Redstarts’ of the races ochruros/phoenicuroides/semirufus. Descriptions of the four accepted records at the time were insufficiently detailed to eliminate the hybrid possibility, leading to the removal of ‘Eastern Black Redstart’ from the British List (BOU 2002). Subsequently, Steijn (2005) discussed the identifica- tion of two birds, from the Netherlands and the Channel Islands, which duly became the first 634 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 accepted records of P. o. phoenicuroides from Europe (although other accepted records now pre-date these). Despite the plumage similarities between P. o. phoenicuroides and hybrids, Steijn found important differences in the wing formula. In particular the primary-tip spacing between P5, P6 and P7, and emarginations on P3-6 are diagnostic, and good photographs showing the position of the primary tips on the closed wing should rule out the hybrid option. In November 2011, birders in Britain were treated to two exceptionally showy and long- staying ‘Eastern Black Redstarts’, in Northumberland and Kent. Faecal samples were obtained from both birds; that from the Northumberland bird did not yield a usable DNA sample but that from the Kent bird was assigned unequivocally to the ‘eastern’ group of subspecies (J. M. Collinson in lift.). This, and the excellent photographs of both birds established beyond doubt that birds of the Eastern subspecies group had reached Britain. BBRC then prepared some identi- fication and assessment guidelines by which ‘Eastern Black Redstarts’ could be safely diagnosed in a British context, and the hybrid option ruled out. This led to a further review of pending records and the belated acceptance of birds in Norfolk from November 2003 and Kent in November 1981. The latter thus becomes the first British record thanks to some excellent photo- graphs from Brian Cox (which were also runner-up in the Carl Zeiss Award in 2012; Brit. Birds 105: 474-478). The four records accepted here have not been assigned to a particular subspecies. Instead they are treated as belonging to a group of races comprising phoenicuroides/ rufiventris/ xerophilus. Of these, the grey mantle of the British (and other European) birds is characteristic of P. o. phoeni- curoides, which is a long-distance migrant, breeding in the mountains of central Asia and wintering from northeast Africa to India. Birds of the race P. o. rufiventris are darker, almost blackish above, and the chestnut on the underparts averages somewhat darker and richer, while P. o. xerophilus is an intermediate form, sharing characters of the other races. Although neither rufiventris nor xerophilus is a long-distance migrant, and therefore less likely to reach Britain than phoenicuroides , it was concluded that, based upon current knowledge, neither xerophilus nor rufiventris could be ruled out completely. As our understanding of the group continues to improve, this diagnosis may be refined at some future point. (Race phoenicuroides breeds Russian Altai & N Mongolia, S through mountains of C Asia & NW China to NW Himalayas & W Tibet; intergrades with races rufiventris and xerophilus in mountains of W China and Tibetan Plateau. Winters NE Africa, Arabian Peninsula, Iran & Pakistan to W & C India.) 324. First-winter male ‘Eastern Black Redstart’ Phoenicurus ochruros phoenicuroides/ rufiventris/ xerophilus, Holy Island, Northumberland, November 2011. British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 635 Steven Lawton Hudson et al. 325. Female Rock Thrush Monticola saxatilis, Spurn, Yorkshire, April 2013. Rock Thrush Monticola saxatilis (5, 21, 2) Rare, about one every 2-3 years North-east Scotland Scotstown, St Fergus, Peterhead, female, 18th-22nd July, photo (M. B. Cowie et al.). Yorkshire Spurn, female, 25th-26th April, photo (A. A. Hutt et al.) {Brit. Birds 106: plate 228; 107: plate 325). Although one was briefly in Devon on 25th May 2004, it is a long time since the last twitchable birds. Hunstanton golf course in Norfolk was the venue for the last mainland bird, from 22nd-25th May 1995, while in 1996 one frequented Bryher from 28th September to 2nd October. Those who could not get to Spurn this year must have been extremely grateful for a second bite of the cherry so soon afterwards with the obliging bird at Scotstown. The population declined sharply from the 1900s to the 1960s when it disappeared from many breeding areas in western Europe, including Germany, most of Austria and the French Jura. The decline became less marked during 1970-90 and numbers recovered slightly in Switzerland (Hagemeijer & Blair 1997). While the remaining breeding populations are now regarded as stable, Rock Thrush remains a major rarity in Britain: ten records in seven years during the 1980s now appears to have been a rather brief golden period. (Breeds S Palearctic from Iberian Peninsula, N to S Alps & E through Mediterranean basin to mountains of C Asia, S Siberia, Mongolia, & Pamir Mountains to N Tibetan Plateau E to NE China. All populations migratory, wintering across N sub-Saharan Africa.) Siberian Stonechat Saxicola maurus (I, 360, 9) About ten per year; decreasing Caernarfonshire Bardsey, first-winter male, 24th-29th September, photo (E. J. & S. D. Stansfield et al.). Isles of Scilly St Warna’s, St Agnes, first-winter male ‘Caspian Stonechat’ S. m. variegatus , 17th-26th November, photo (E. A. Fisher, D. Page et al.) (plate 327). Lincolnshire Gibraltar Point NNR, first-winter male, 5th-6th October, photo (T. A. Howes, K. M. Wilson et al.). Norfolk Wells, first-winter female, 1 4th — 1 5th October, photo (A. I. Bloomfield et al.). Northumberland Howick, first-winter, 20th-22nd October, photo (D. Astins et al.). Orkney The Loons, Stromness, Mainland, 4th October, photo (T. Wootton). Bay of Swartmill, Westray, 11th- 16th November, photo (D. & S. Otter). Suffolk Trimley Marshes, first- winter, 1st— 8th October, photo (P. J. Holmes et ah). Yorkshire Scalby Beck, first-winter male, 16th-23rd October, photo (S. Wignill et al.). 2012 Dorset Portland Bill, first-winter male ‘Stejneger’s Stonechat’ S. m. stejnegeri , 24th-26th October, trapped, photo, DNA analysis (M. Cade, N. Urch et al); note record now attributed to the race stejnegeri {Brit. Birds 106: 621-622; 107: plate 326). 636 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 With recent proposals for ‘Stejneger’s Stonechat’ S. m. stejnegeri to be accorded full species status, and for a change in the nomenclature of ‘Caspian Stonechat’ S. m. variegatus/armenicus , the status of Asian stonechats recorded as vagrants in northwest Europe is in con- siderable flux. A paper by Andy Stoddart on the BBRC website covers all of the core issues (www.bbrc.org.uk/ waxwings-to-buntings). With new data on morphology, vocalisations and molecular data still emerging, there is potential for further taxonomic changes and advances in identification. As a consequence of the various developments, Siberian Stonechat records are for the first time published here in a broad generic sense unless specifically identified to the lowest taxo- nomic level. Thus it is implied that each accepted Siberian Stonechat could be any one of maurus, stejnegeri , variegatus or armenicus unless otherwise indicated. This is because it is neither easy nor even always possible to separate examples of first- winter male and (particularly) female maurus and stejnegeri from Caspian Stonechats ( variegatus/armenicus ) in the field. This report sees the publication of the first accepted record of Stejneger’s Stonechat, although in the process this has flushed out a number of old records that might involve this taxon, and which need to be reviewed. The Caspian Stonechat on Scilly in 2013 was the fourth for Britain, following singles in 1985, 1993 and 2006 (which are now incorporated in the 360 records from 1950 to 2012 - above). With an apparently genuine increase in Caspian Stonechats reaching northwest Europe in the last few years, both in spring and in autumn (so far only males have been identified, which means that females are presumably being overlooked), there are no fewer than six different taxa to think about if you come across an interesting stonechat! (Race maurus breeds Russia & W Siberia E to Yenisey River and region of Irkutsk, NW Mongolia & N China, S to Tien Shan Mountains, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. Winters Iran to N India. Race stejnegeri breeds east of maurus to Pacific coast of Amurland, S to N Mongolia, NE China, Sakhalin, Hokkaido & N Honshu. Winters NE India & China S of Yangtze, S to Malay Peninsula, Taiwan, Philippines & Borneo. Race variegatus breeds W & N Caspian Sea from Azerbaijan & Georgia, to lower reaches of Volga & Ural Rivers. Migrates SW to winter E Iraq, Arabian Peninsula, & Israel to N & E Sudan, N Ethiopia & Eritrea.) Other races occur in Caucasus region, Himalayas & W China.) 326. First-winter male ‘Stejneger’s Stonechat’ Saxicola maurus stejnegeri, Portland, Dorset, October 20 1 2. 327. First-winter male ‘Caspian Stonechat’ Saxicola maurus variegatus, St Agnes, Scilly, November 20 1 3. British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 637 Alastair Wilson Martin Cade Hudson et al. Isabelline Wheatear Oenanthe isabellina (I, 30, I) Rare, about one per year; stable Pembrokeshire Martins Haven, first-winter, 30th September to 10th October, photo (D. Astins et al). (Breeds Black Sea coast from E Greece N to Ukraine & SW Russia, & E from Turkey through Kazakhstan & Mongolia to N China, S to Iran & N Pakistan. Winters Africa from N Sahel zone to E Africa, & Middle East to S Iran, Pakistan & NW India.) Desert Wheatear Oenanthe deserti (9, 123, 1 ) About four per year; increasing Avon Severn Beach, first-winter male, 1 1th — 14th December, photo (P. D. Bowerman et al). North-east Scotland Rattray Head, female, 2nd December 2012 to 26th March, photo (Brit. Birds 106: 622-623; 107: plate 179). (Breeds desert regions of N Africa from Morocco to Middle East, N to S Caucasus, & C Asia from C Iran & N Pakistan to Mongolia & N China. Some N African birds resident, but most winter Sahara & Sahel region of N Africa from Mauritania E to Ethiopia & Somalia. Asian breeders winter Arabian Peninsula to NW India.) Pied Wheatear Oenanthe plesehanka (2, 65, 3) About two per year; stable Caernarfonshire Bardsey, male, 13th October, photo (C. Piner et al). Hampshire Monk Sherbourne, first-winter female, 7th-17th December, photo (P. Northcote). Nottinghamshire Collingham Pits, first- winter female, 9th- 10th November, photo (C. Cornish, N. C. Crouch, J. Ellis et al.) (Brit. Birds 107: plate 28). 2003 Somerset Burnham-on-Sea, first-winter female, 30th November, photo (A. M. & B. E. Slade et al). (Breeds E Romania & Bulgaria, E though S & E Ukraine, S Russia, S Siberia, Kazakhstan & Mongolia to N China, E to Gulf of Bohai. Winters NE & E Africa, & SW Arabian Peninsula.) Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis (0, 10, 0) Very rare, last in 2012 (two) 2012 Suffolk Landguard, male, 24th August to 14th September, photo; note revised dates (Brit. Birds 106: 623). (Breeds Cape Verde, Canary Islands & NW Africa, N to Iberian Peninsula, Sardinia, Balkans E to SW Asia, E through C Asia to E Kazakhstan, NW China & S to Afghanistan. European breeders mainly resident, C Asian breeders migratory, wintering NE Africa, Arabian Peninsula & Iran to NW India.) Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava East Asian races, ‘Eastern Yellow WagtaiP Al. f. simillimalplexa I tschutschensis/taivana/maeronyx (I, 2, 0) Not yet determined 2011 Shetland Bruray, Out Skerries, first-winter, 1 0th— 14th October, sound recording, photo (M. J. McKee, C. Turner) (plate 328). 2010 Devon Colyton water treatment works, Colyford, first-winter male, 4th-19th December, sound recording, trapped, photo, DNA analysis (P. Abbott, C. Williams et al) (Brit. Birds 106: 36-41, plate 42). The race M. f. simillima was previously on the British List on the basis of specimen records from Fair Isle in October 1909 and September 1912. DNA from these specimens was analysed recently, however, with the latter bird proving to be ‘western in origin (Collinson et al. 2013). The 1909 bird was confirmed as an ‘eastern’, although it could not be assigned to a particular taxon. The subspecies simillima was therefore removed from the British List but the 1909 Fair Isle bird is recorded in the 8th BOU Checklist as belonging to ‘one of the eastern subspecies, probably plexa, tschutschensis or simillima ’ (BOU 2013). The occasional occurrence of ‘grey-and-white’ first-winter Yellow Wagtails, often in late autumn or even in winter, has been recognised for some years but although the working assumption has been that they are most likely to be ‘eastern’ in origin, this has been hard to prove. Now, thanks to further DNA analysis and also to the analysis of sound recordings, this hypothesis has received additional support. 638 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 328. First-winter ‘Eastern Yellow Wagtail’ Motacilla flava simillima/plexa/tschutschensis/taivanal macronyx, Out Skerries, Shetland, October 2011. The two birds accepted here were both exceptionally well documented. The Devon bird was trapped, photographed in the field and in the hand, sound-recorded and its DNA analysed (and in this case the DNA allowed taivana/macronyx to be eliminated), while the Shetland bird was well photographed and sound-recorded. Both birds looked and sounded ‘as expected’, i.e. showing a striking ‘cold’ grey-and-white appearance resembling Citrine Wagtail M. citreola and giving harsh or buzzing calls reminiscent of that species. Despite the superficial resemblance, the elimination of Citrine Wagtail is generally straightforward by differences of the head pattern, but eliminating other Yellow Wagtail taxa may prove more difficult. For example, although a high proportion of eastern birds show a ‘grey-and- white’ plumage in their first autumn, there also appears to be an increasing cline of such plumage across flavissima , flava, thunbergi and beema, with as many as a third of the last race being ‘grey and white’ (Alstrom 8c Mild 2003). There are also problems in interpreting calls. ‘Grey-and-white’ birds of the races listed above give the familiar soft ‘western’ call but greater problems may exist in eliminating ‘grey-and-white’ examples of the southern races cinereocapilla, iberiae and feldegg , which typically give harsh or buzzing calls. Furthermore, typically ‘harsh-calling’ eastern birds can also give softer calls, closer to those of western birds. To compound the problems, intergrades between Yellow Wagtail forms and hybrids between Yellow and Citrine Wagtails are also well established. Meanwhile, the taxonomy of Yellow Wagtails is far from settled. A significant genetic divide exists between western and eastern races (Alstrom 8c Mild 2003), implying a potential split into ‘Western Yellow Wagtail’ and ‘Eastern Yellow Wagtail’. Within the latter group, Pavlova et al. (2003) proposed a ‘northeast Asian’ clade of Yellow Wagtails incorporating plexa and tschutschensis and a ‘southeast Asian’ clade incorporating taivana and macronyx. Within any of these groupings, however, there is little agreement over which races are valid and where their precise distributions lie. For example, some authors (notably Alstrom 8c Mild 2003) do not recognise simillima , treating it as a synonym of tschutschensis, while plexa (an ‘eastern’ form based on genetic analysis) appears indistinguishable in morphology from thunbergi (a ‘western’ form) and is similarly not universally recognised (Alstrom 8c Mild 2003). Against this background, it is hardly surprising that attribution to a subspecies group is the best that can be managed for the birds accepted here. However, this conclusion does at least demonstrate the continuing occurrence in Britain of birds from east Asia. This is hardly a surprise, of course - the northeastern races in particular are common long-distance migrants British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 639 Michael McKee Hudson et al. whose vagrancy to northwest Europe would be expected. BBRC is keen to record birds of the eastern group but, given the obvious complexities involved, has little option but to adopt a cautious approach, accepting only birds which can be identified by a combination of plumage (ideally photographed) and either vocalisations or genetic evidence (or both). Genetic analysis will enable the separation of the ‘northeast Asian’ and ‘southeast Asian’ groups but records confirmed by vocalisations will be published as ‘Eastern Yellow Wagtail’ M. flava simillima/plexa/tschutschensis/taivana/macronyx. Further research may yield additional morphological features to separate non-adult individuals of the ‘northeast Asian’ and ‘southeast Asian’ groups but at present we are unable to differentiate individuals that have not yielded mate- rial for genetic analysis. However, there is no evidence as yet to support the occurrence of ‘south- east Asian’ birds in Britain. Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava SE European/W Asian race, ‘Black-headed Wagtail’ M. f. feldegg (0, 17, S) Rare, about one every 1-2 years Pembrokeshire Marloes Mere, male, 12th— 13th May, photo (B. Anderson et al). (Race feldegg breeds Balkans & Greece E through Turkey to E Kazakhstan & Afghanistan, S to Iran. Western populations winter Nigeria to Uganda & S to Congo, eastern populations winter NW India.) Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola (0, 282, 21) About nine per year; significant increase Cornwall Marazion Marsh RSPB, first-winter, 23rd-26th August, photo (C. 8c D. K. Lamsdell, D. K. Parker et al). Windmill Farm, first-winter, 4th-8th September, photo (C. 8c P. Brewster et al). Marazion Marsh RSPB, first- winter, 10th- 16th September, photo (A. D. Mills et al). Denbighshire/Caernarfonshire Conwy RSPB, first- winter, 22nd August, photo (R. Hughes et al). Fair Isle Landberg, Da Water and other sites, first- winter, 12th- 19th August, another first-winter 16th— 19th August, one or other remaining to 21st August, photo (G. K. Gordon, D. Hennessy, D. Parnaby, J. Wood et al). Easter Lother Water, first-winter, 31st August to 3rd September, photo (D. Parnaby et al). Isles of Scilly Great Pool, Tresco, first- winter, 26th August to 1st September, photo (J. Higginson et al). Norfolk Kelling Water Meadows, then Cley, female/first-summer, 25th April (M. A. Golley, M. Nash, N. R. Rogers). Kelling then Weybourne Camp, first-winter, 28th August, photo (M. Nash, M. P. Taylor et al). Northumberland Inner Fame, Fame Islands, first-winter, 23rd August, photo (D. Steel et al). Brownsman, Fame Islands, first-winter, 27th-28th August, photo (C. R. Hatsell, D. Steel et al). Orkney Dennis Ness, North Ronaldsay, first-winter, 26th August to 2nd September, photo (S. J. Davies, P. Stronach, M. Warren et al). Outer Hebrides Aird an Runair, North Uist, female, 22nd May (S. E. Duffield et al). Hirta, St Kilda, first- winter, 5th-9th September, photo (P. Forrest, M. J. McKee, C. J. Turner). Shetland Pool of Virkie, Mainland, first-winter, 29th August to 5th September, photo, trapped, DNA analysis (R. M. Fray, R. Riddington et al). Loch of Melby, Mainland, first-winter, 31st August to 3rd September, photo (R. M. Tallack). Skaw, Unst, first-winter, 8th-9th September, photo (M. G. Pennington, B. H. Thomason et al). Ham, Foula, first-winter, 20th-24th September, photo (W. C. Aspin, D. 8c G. Atherton et al). Fleck, Mainland, first-winter, 1 7th— 19th October, photo (C. C. Rodger et al). Yorkshire Spurn, male, 30th April (S. Exley, A. A. Hutt). 2012 Orkney St Margaret’s Hope, South Ronaldsay, first-winter, 8th September (J. Branscombe, B. Hamill, P. Higson). In the 2012 report we noted the exceptional numbers of Citrine Wagtails in Britain in recent years - and 2013 was no exception. It was yet another bumper year - equalling the record 21 in 640 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 2008. The Dutch rarities committee reports a similar increase in the Netherlands since 2006. At the BBRC AGM, an annual agenda item is the consideration of which species should be removed from (or indeed be readmitted to) the BBRC list (see www.bbrc.org.uk/about/ constitution/4-bbrc-taxa) - and Citrine Wagtail crops up regularly. Will 2014 be its final year as a national rarity? An exceptional spring for this species has not done its chances of retaining its status any favours. The identification of Citrine Wagtail is not always straightforward, however, and even some photographed birds have caused controversy in the autumn. In last year’s report (Brit. Birds 106: 624-625), the fact that hybridisation can be a problem was highlighted and in 201 1 there was a mixed breeding pair (male Citrine with a female Yellow Wagtail M. f. flava ) in the Netherlands (Draaijer & Slaterus 2011). Three chicks fledged from that pair but they were elusive and no good photographs were taken. Mixed pairs have also occurred in Norway, Sweden, Finland and France in recent years. (Breeds Baltic countries, S Finland, Belarus, Ukraine & S Russia, E across N Siberia to Taimyr Peninsula & S to C Siberia; also C & E Turkey E to Kazakhstan, Mongolia & N China. Black-backed race calcarata breeds C Asia to Tibetan Plateau. Winters throughout Indian subcontinent, S China & SE Asia to peninsular Thailand.) Pechora Pipit Anthus gustavi (4, 93, 3) About three per year; stable or increasing Shetland Levenwick, Mainland, 28th September to 2nd October, photo (P-A. Crochet et al .) (Brit. Birds 106: plate 416). Islesburgh, Mainland, 3rd-4th October, photo (R. Addison, J. Bird, J. Gilroy). Toab, Mainland, 10th-12th October, photo (R. Riddington et al.) (plate 329). (Breeds scrub-tundra & taiga of subarctic Eurasia, from Pechora region of NE Russia E to Chukotskiy Peninsula & Kamchatka. Migrates through E China & Taiwan to wintering areas in Philippines, N Borneo & N Sulawesi. Isolated race, menzbieri , breeds NE China & Amur River region of SE Russia.) 329. Pechora Pipit Anthus gustavi,Toab, Mainland, Shetland, October 20 1 3. Buff-bellied Pipit Anthus rubescens (I, 38, 3) About 1-2 per year; recent increase Berkshire Queen Mother Resr, two, December 2012 to 26th January, photo; see also Brit. Birds 106: 627-628. Cheshire & Wirral Burton Marsh, 20th December into 2014, photo (E. Williams et al.) (Brit. Birds 107: plate 64). Shetland Heddicliff, Foula, 5th-27th October, photo (K. Gibb, M. A. Wilkinson et al). Mid Yell, Yell, 6th October, photo (D. Preston). 2012 Outer Hebrides Rubha Ardvule, South Uist, 19th September, photo (A. Stevenson et al). 2012 Shetland South Ness, Foula, 28th October, photo (D. & G. Atherton et al). (North American race rubescens breeds W Greenland, N & NW Canada, & Alaska, winters W & S USA, Mexico & C America. Asian race japonica breeds NE Siberia W to Baikal region, winters N Pakistan & NW India to S & E China, S Korea & S lapan.) British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 641 Roger Riddington Jim Nicolson Hudson et al. 330. F irst-winter male Pine Grosbeak Pinicola enucleator, North Collafirth, Mainland, Shetland, February 20 1 3. Pine Grosbeak Pinicola enucleator (4, 8, 0) Very rare , last in 2004, 2012 Shetland North Collafirth, Mainland, first-winter male, 29th January to 23rd February, photo (R. J. Nason, B. & H. Ratter, R Sclater et al. ); presumed same as Shetland 2012 {Brit. Birds 106: 630-631, plates 117,372; 107: plate 330). (Resident or dispersive across N Scandinavia, E to E Siberia 8c Kamchatka, 8c S to Hokkaido, Japan. Widespread across much of N North America, E to Newfoundland 8c S through mountains to C California 8c N New Mexico.) Arctic Redpoll Acanthis hornemanni Greenland race, ‘Hornemanni Redpoll* A . h. hornemanni (12, 106, I I) About four per year, influxes 2012 (30), 2009 (22); recent increase Fair Isle Chapel and other sites, 25th-28th September, photo (D. Parnaby et al). Orkney Sangar, North Ronaldsay, male in song, 4th-7th May, photo (M. Warren et al). Gerbo, North Ronaldsay, 15th October (M. Warren). Outer Hebrides Eoropie, Ness, Lewis, 10th October, photo (J. Gray); presumed same Port of Ness, Lewis, 13th October, photo (R. L. K. Jolliffe, B. A. E. Marr, R. G. Newell). Shetland Hoswick, Mainland, 21st-24th September, photo (J. G. Brown, G. A. Tyler et al. per Shetland Recorder). Funzie, Fetlar, adult, 24th September, photo (A. Cook, M. A. Maher, B. H. Thomason); presumed same Valyie, Norwick, 26th September, photo (D. Preston et al). Leagarth, Houbie, Fetlar, 24th September (A. Cook, M. A. Maher, B. H. Thomason). Fladdabister, Mainland, 26th September, photo (G. W. Petrie et al). Ham, Foula, 27th-29th September, photo (W. C. Aspin, D. & G. Atherton, P. R. French). Norby, Mainland, 11th October, photo (R. Riddington, R. M. Tallack). Mid Yell, Yell, 1 3th— 14th October, photo (D. Preston et al). (Race hornemanni breeds Ellesmere 8c Baffin Island, Canada, 8c N Greenland S to Scorsby Sound. Disperses erratically to S of breeding range in winter, irregularly reaching NW Europe.) Two-barred Crossbill Loxia leucoptera (73, 181, 101) About eight per year, influxes 2013 (101), 2008 (59); stable At Sea Sea area Fair Isle, c. 70 km W of Shetland, on SSCV Thialf, juvenile, 24th-31st July, with second juvenile on 27th July only, photo (D. Andrews per Shetland Recorder) (plate 331). Fair Isle Hoini, eight (two adult males, adult female, five juveniles), from 26th July, the group decreasing to four by 4th August, photo (S. J. Davies, R. D. Hughes, W. T. S. Miles et al). Buness, 642 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 juvenile, 4th August, photo (D. & S. Parnaby). Gloucestershire Woorgreens, at least 17(12 males, five females), 9th November into 2014, photo (V. Bennett, G. Black, D. Owen, L. Thomson et al). Hampshire Furzy Lawn, New Forest, first- winter female, 30th November to 1st December (M. Ward etal). Highland Glenborrodale, male, 6th September, photo (T. Mabbett, J. Willsher). Kent Hemsted Forest, adult male, 13th October into 2014, photo (S. J. Broyd et al.). Lancashire & North Merseyside Crow Wood Farm, Browsholme Hall, juvenile, 2nd-6th August, photo (G. Thomas, B. Tyrer et al.) {Brit. Birds 106: plate 327). Norfolk Cley next the Sea, immature male, 20th July, photo (D. Rutherford et al. per Norfolk Recorder). Gramborough Hill, Salthouse, juvenile/first-winter, 20th July, photo (J. E. D. Furse). Holme, two (male, immature/female), 20th July (K. Nixon, C. Rand). Lynford Arboretum, three 21st July, then four (one female, three juveniles) 22nd July, decreasing to one by 2nd September, photo (P. M. Wilson et al). Kelling Heath, juvenile, 22nd-27th July, photo (M. Nash, N. R. Rogers, J. Wagstaff). Holkham, 25th July (A. I. Bloomfield). Weybourne Heath, at least six, 22nd-23rd August (J. R. McCallum, K. B. Shepherd). Lynford Arboretum, 13th September to 9th November, peak of five (two males, female, two juveniles) on 20th September, photo (A. Banwell et al). Orkney Millcroft, Eday, adult male, 28th-30th June, photo (J. Campbell, M. King). Stromness, Mainland, two (male, juvenile), 28th July to 2nd August, photo (J. Ashburn, A. Forsyth, A. Knight et al). Twingness, North Ronaldsay, juvenile female, 19th August, trapped, photo (M. Warren et al). Shetland Trondra, first-summer male, 23rd July, photo (C. & S. Hudson per Shetland Recorder). Wester Quarff, Mainland, first-summer female, 23rd July, photo (R. Haywood et al. per R. M. Tallack); presumed same as one of Tresta, Mainland, four (two first-winter females, two juven- iles), 27th July to 5th August, photo (R. M. Tallack et al). Baltasound, Unst, at least four (two juveniles, two females), 26th July to 5th August, photo (B. H. Thomason et al). Isle of Noss, immature female, 26th-28th July, photo (S. Adlard, K. Snell et al). Garths Ness, Mainland, male, 28th July, photo (R. M. Mellor et al). Hametoun, Foula, three (adult, two juveniles), 29th July to 331. Juvenile Two-barred Crossbill Loxia leucoptera, aboard SSCV (semi-submersible crane vessel) Thialf- the largest crane vessel in the world - in sea area Fair Isle, July 2013. British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 643 David Andrews Hudson et al. 1st August, two remaining to 3rd August, photo (D. & G. Atherton et al). Sumburgh Head, Main- land, juvenile, 29th— 31st July, photo (N. Harper et al. per Shetland Recorder) (Brit. Birds 106: plate 326). Sandwich, Mainland, juvenile, 30th July to 4th August, photo (J. G. Brown per Shetland Recorder). Loch of Voe, Mainland, five juveniles, 30th July, then seven juveniles, 31st July to 6th August, photo (M. S. Chapman, B. Gray et al). Hamar, Unst, two (immature male, immature female), 6th August (R V. Harvey). Burrafirth, Norwick and Skaw, Unst, juvenile, 20th-25th September, photo (R. Foyster, R. M. R. James et al). Shropshire Wyre Forest, three (two males, female), 28th November into 2014, photo (B. Westwood per Shropshire Recorder). Suffolk Havergate Island, two juveniles, 20th July, photo (D. Fairhurst et al). Surrey Mid Holmwood, Dorking, female, 31st July (M. Gray), presumed same, Leith Hill, 8th October into 2014, photo (S. Bayley et al). Yorkshire Spurn, juvenile, 20th July, photo (D. & M. Blackmore). Broomhead Resr, at least 11 (two adult males, three adult females, six juveniles), 12th August into 2014, photo (A. Deighton, J. Hewitt, A. J. Hill, G. J. Speight, R. Twigg et al). It is only five years since the last major influx of this species, but the 2008 record of 59 individ- uals has now been trounced, with about 101 individuals in 2013. (Note that, with long-staying groups at large sites, such as in Norfolk and Yorkshire, and particularly in cases where birds moulted into a subsequent plumage type, it proved very difficult to judge numbers with certainty.) Unlike the 2008 influx, when only three birds were seen away from the Northern Isles, birds were much more widespread in 2013. An unusually early bird was seen in Orkney on 28th-30th June (there have been only three other June arrivals: Orkney in 1894, Fair Isle in 1908 and Norfolk in 1980). There were no others until July, with the next arrivals, rather surprisingly, in England: two in Suffolk and one in Yorkshire on 20th July and ten in Norfolk during 20th-25th, whereas in the Northern Isles, birds began to arrive from 26th. A long-staying inland female in Surrey from 31st July was also note- worthy. In August, most arrivals were in the Northern Isles, although there was a bird in Lan- cashire early in the month, 1 1 inland in Yorkshire mid-month and six new birds in Norfolk in late August. The only new arrivals in September were singles in Highland and Shetland, and five more new birds in Norfolk. At the end of the year birds filtered south and west and appeared at new sites: one in Kent in October, a flock of 17 in Gloucestershire in November (in British terms bet- tered only by a flock of 18 in Shetland in 2008), and one in Hampshire in November/December. Identification continues to raise interesting questions. While most observers know to be cautious with juveniles - since Common Crossbills L. curvirostra with prominent wing-bars do occur, and juvenile Two-barred may be quite subtle - most problems in 2013 involved males. There were a few orange-toned individuals, lacking the distinctive raspberry hues of a typical male, while some of the males were rather tatty, with narrow wing-bars and very worn tertials that lacked white tips. There were various controversial birds that caused much debate, notably in Norfolk, while a striking wing-barred male Common Crossbill was seen in Highland early in 2013 (Martin 2013). It has been suggested that wing-barred Common Crossbills (so-called c rubifasciata) may result from hybridisation between the two species (Roselaar 2014). Good views of the tertials as well as the wing-bars is necessary for identification, and establishing the age and degree of wear of feathers may be necessary for some birds. Hearing the diagnostic trumpeting excitement call is a useful bonus. (Palearctic race bifasciata breeds larch Larix forests of N Eurasia from N Scandinavia to E Siberia, reaching Sea of Okhotsk & S to Baikal region. Outside breeding season occasionally disperses as far as NW Europe. Nominate race leucoptera breeds across N North America.) Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea (0, I, I) Extremely rare, one other record in 1996 Anglesey Llandsadwrn, Menai Bridge, male, 20th May, photo (S. & T. Booth) (plate 332). Much scientific research has been carried out into the physiology of birds on migration and on their abilities to navigate and the Indigo Bunting has been one of the key species used in these 644 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 investigations. However, none of that research explains how this male appeared for an hour one evening on a bird table on Anglesey. With no evidence of it having been in captivity or of ship assistance, how it arrived will remain pure speculation. In his paper on North American landbirds in Britain, Bond (2014) rated its vagrancy potential as high. Yet, although there had been previous records (Fair Isle in August 1964 and Essex in September 1973), Indigo Bunting was not accepted onto Category A of the (then) British and Irish List until an immature appeared on Cape Clear, Co. Cork, on 9th-19th October 1985. Subsequent claims (for example Norfolk in October 1988 and Yorkshire in May 1989) were also considered to be escapes before another young bird was found on Ramsey Island, Pembrokeshire, on 18th-26th October 1996. The Anglesey bird thus becomes the first accepted spring record. Some have commented on the colour of the Anglesey bird, suggesting that it was either the wrong shade or too dull. However, the blue of an Indigo Bunting is structural in nature rather than the result of pigmentation. Our perception of the colour relies on the refraction of light through the feather structure, which causes the perceived colour to vary greatly - as anyone who has watched one hop from shade into sunlight can testify. Indigo Bunting was formerly con- signed to Category E because the moult pattern of earlier individuals did not conform to what was expected. Yet we now know that the moult sequence of Indigo Buntings is complex, and that individuals of the same age and sex can look considerably different. As our knowledge of this species increases and its pattern of occurrence becomes clearer, we might yet find that some previous records may have been consigned to Category E rather too hastily. (Breeds Canada, from S Manitoba E to S Ontario and SW Quebec, and throughout E USA from South Dakota S to Gulf Coast and N Florida; winters C Mexico to C Panama, also Cuba and Bahamas.) White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia alhicollis (2, 42, 2) Rare, about one per year; increasing Lincolnshire Spalding, 28th May, photo (S. Bulbeck, S. Lyon etal). Somerset Churchstanton, 23rd January to 3rd March, photo (R. Jones, M. Reynolds, D. Stannard et al). (Breeds North America from SE Yukon E to Newfoundland, S to Great Lakes & N USA to New Jersey. Winters SE USA, from Massachusetts S to Florida, Texas & into N Mexico & California.) Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola (8, 228, I) About 4-5 per year; recent decrease Northumberland Brownsman, Fame Islands, juvenile, 5th-7th September, photo (A. Denton, B. Outram etal.). (Breeds widely across Russia & Siberia E to Kamchatka, S to NE China & NE Hokkaido. Winters E Nepal through Himalayan foothills to NE India, & widely throughout SE Asia.) Black-headed Bunting Emberiza melanocephala (7, 200, 3) About five per year; stable or decreasing Dumfries & Galloway Mainsriddle, male, 22nd June, photo (J. & L. Wood). 332. Male Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea, Llandsadwrn, Menai Bridge, Anglesey, May 20 1 3. British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 645 Terry Booth Sean Davies Hudson et al. Isle of Wight Compton Bay, male, 1 Oth — 1 1th June, photo (K. Pellow et al). Northumberland Brownsman, Fame Islands, female, 30th May to 2nd June, photo (A. Denton, G. Duncan, D. Steel et al.). (Breeds C Italy to Greece, Turkey, N Iraq, W Iran, & N through Caucasus to Ukraine 8c S Russia. Winters W 8c C India.) Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula (I, 23, I) Rare, about one every three years Shetland Baltasound, Unst, first-winter, 19th-23rd September, photo (B. H. Thomason et al.) (Brit. Birds 106: plate 417). (Breeds S Canada from C Alberta E to C Nova Scotia, S throughout E USA from N Texas to W South Carolina. Migrates to winter from S Mexico to Colombia 8c Venezuela.) Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla (0, 5, I) Very rare, first in 1 973, last in 201 1 Orkney Holland, Papa Westray, 6th October, photo (S. Davies et al.) (plate 333). This curious, bespectacled, pipit-like warbler is still a prize find: despite this being the second record in three years, it is only the sixth British record. This one-day bird was the third for Scot- land (following sightings in Shetland and the Outer Hebrides in 1973 and 2011 respectively); all three have turned up in October. Those in Devon in 1985 and Scilly in 2004 also arrived during the month of October, but the one that wintered in Herefordshire from December 2001 until February 2002 bucked the trend. Interestingly, the two Irish records of Ovenbird fall either side of this expected window; one was seen in late September and the other was found dead in early December (the latter reinforcing the belief that late-arriving Nearctic passerines may attempt to winter in northwest Europe — as of course will the odd Oriental vagrant). In contrast to the population declines shown by some other North American passerine species, the Ovenbird has increased in numbers in many states over recent decades, so it could be a bird we see more of on this side of the Atlantic. And after ten years without a twitchable Ovenbird, the next long-stayer will undoubtedly prove particularly popular. (Breeds Canada from SE British Columbia E to Newfoundland & S throughout C & E USA to N Alabama & South Carolina. Winters from Florida & N Mexico S to Panama 8t West Indies.) 333. Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla, Holland, Papa Westray, Orkney, October 20 1 3. Cape May Warbler Setophaga tigrina (0, I, I) Extremely rare, one other record in 1977 Shetland Baltasound, Unst, first-winter female, 23rd October to 2nd November, photo (R. Foyster, M. G. & M. J. Pennington, B. H. Thomason et al.) (Brit. Birds 106: plate 472; 107: plates 40, 334). Cape May Warbler spent almost 40 years as one of the most highly desired and outrageous records on the British List. A singing male in a park near Paisley (Clyde) remained the only record for the Western Palearctic until the appearance of the bird on Unst reported here. The fact that it performed so well during its 11 -day sojourn in Baltasound, coupled with the fact that it involved the longest British twitch that many birders have ever undertaken, helped to place this delightful sprite firmly at the top of the ‘bird of the year’ tree for many people. 646 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 334. First-winter female Cape May Warbler Setophaga tigrina, Baltasound, Unst, Shetland, October 2013. Named after the famous New Jersey migration hotspot, where the first specimen was collected in 1811, the Cape May Warbler breeds in a rather narrowband of boreal forest in North America, and migrates south to winter in the Caribbean islands and coastlines of Central and South America. Its migration is largely elliptical, with the southbound leg passing through the Great Lakes region and following an easterly route. It is, however, less numerous at coastal migration monitoring sites, such as Cape May, New Jersey, than other more regular transatlantic vagrants such as Blackpoll S. striata and Black-and-white Warblers Mniotilta varia , but figures are broadly comparable with those of Red-eyed Vireo, our most frequently occurring Nearctic passerine (data from ‘Morning Flight’ counts at Cape May). Clearly, there is more to predicting vagrancy than simply looking at the numbers. (Breeds Canada from E British Columbia and N Alberta, E to Nova Scotia, and N USA from North Dakota to NE New York and S Maine; winters W Indies.) Yellow-rumped Warbler Setophaga coronata (0, S 7, S) Rare, about one every three years Devon Lundy, 28th October, photo (C. Baillie, T. J. Davis, T. A. Jones). This bird was found by Tim Jones and Tim Davis at the very end of a ten-day stay on the island - just 50 minutes before the helicopter left. In fact, only one of the other two birders on the island managed to see the bird, although it was calling and feeding quite happily in the sheltered valley at Millcombe. This is still the second-commonest of the North American wood- warblers (after Blackpoll Warbler, which has been recorded 43 times). As we now know, it turned out to be the first of three in seven months, but this was the first to be seen in Britain since 2003, although there were five in Ireland during that period. It was also the first in the southwest since one in Scilly in October 1995, and the first in Devon since the previous Lundy bird, in November 1960, the second for Britain. Fourteen of the 18 records have been in autumn, between 4th October and 5th November. The first for Britain was found in January 1955, in Devon, and there have been three in spring, on Fair Isle in 1977 and 1999 and the Calf of Man in 1985. (Nominate race breeds North America from Alaska E throughout Canada to Newfoundland, S to Michigan & Massachusetts, USA. Migrates E of Rocky Mountains to winter throughout C America & Caribbean. Another race breeds SW Canada & W USA.) British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 647 Rebecca Nason Hudson et al. Appendix I. Records of former BBRC species, removed from the list prior to 2013 Brent Goose Branta bernicla North American & East Siberian race/Black Brant’ B. b. nigricans (0, 196,-) [statistics to end of June 2005] 2005 Essex Northey Island, River Blackwater, 18th December 2004 to 19th March; note revised dates {Brit. Birds 98: 631-633). 2004 Essex Heybridge GP and Osea Island, 18th January to 13th February (D. Rhymes), presumed same Northey Island, 27th— 3 1 st March, note revised details {Brit. Birds 98: 631-633). 2002 Essex Old Hall Marshes, 2nd December 2001 to 19th March; note revised dates {Brit. Birds 96: 554-555). 2001 Essex Brightlingsea, 14th January to 25th February, presumed same Old Hall Marshes, 23rd January to 7th March, and Foulness, 3rd-18th February; note revised dates {Brit. Birds 95: 483-484). 1997 Essex North and South Woodham Ferrers, 6th December 1996 to 7th March; note revised dates {Brit. Birds 90: 461; 91: 464). (Race nigricans breeds Arctic NE Siberia W to Lena Delta, where overlaps with nominate race. Majority breed Arctic Alaska 8c E to Victoria Island, Canada. Migratory, wintering on Pacific coast of North America, S to Baja California. Formerly, large numbers wintered coastal N China, Korean Peninsula 8c Japan, but now rare.) American Wigeon Anas americana (19,341,-) [statistics to end of 2001 ] 1975 Greater London Surrey Docks, two (male, female), 5th-9th September, photo; previously accepted but now considered to be escapes following a review {Brit. Birds 69: 330-331). 1973 Greater London Surrey Docks, male, 29th August, photo; previously accepted but now considered an escape following a review {Brit. Birds 67: 316). (Breeds C Alaska E across cool temperate Canada to Hudson Bay 8c Quebec, 8c S into NW 8c Midwest USA. Migrates throughout USA 8c C America to Colombia.) Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca (0, 218,-) [statistics to end of 2005] 2001 Essex Netherhall GP, 6th-17th October; note revised dates {Brit. Birds 95: 487-488). 2000 Essex Seventy Acres Pit, Cheshunt, 28th October 1999 to 1st January; previously accepted but now considered an escape, note also revised dates {Brit. Birds 93: 523; 95: 487-488). Abberton Resr, 1 7th— 1 9th October; note revised dates {Brit. Birds 94: 464). (Breeds Poland 8c Hungary E through Ukraine to Caspian Sea, but distribution patchy. Elsewhere breeds S Spain, Kazakhstan, W Mongolia 8c Tibetan Plateau. Migratory, most winter E Mediterranean, Black 8c Caspian Seas, NE Africa 8c Indian subcontinent.) Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus (340, 363,-) [statistics to end of 2012] 2012 Cambridgeshire Ouse Fen RSPB, immature, 13th and 25th October (R. Grimmett, G. Hirons), presumed same as Ouse Washes RSPB, Cambridgeshire 2012 {Brit. Birds 106: 582-586). 2012 Dorset Stanpit Marsh, 24th-27th January (A. Hayden et al). 2012 East Glamorgan Sully Moors and Cosmeston CP, 16th- 17th January, photo (R. Francis et al). Cosmeston CP and Flat Holm, 6th February, photo (J. D. Wilson, S. Whitfield). Llancadle, River Kenson, 22nd-24th February, photo (S. P. Hinton et al). 2012 Essex East Mersea and Fingringhoe Wick, two, 12th October 2011 to 1st February, photo (M. Cock, S. Cox et al). 2012 Isle of Wight Brading Marshes RSPB, 29th January to 4th February, photo (D. B. Hale et al). Sandown Levels then Brading Marshes, two, 15th March, photo (K. Ballard, D. Dana), presumed same as Surrey 2012 {Brit. Birds 106: 582-586). 2012 Norfolk Berney Marshes RSPB and nearby sites, five, 23rd-27th February, four, 28th February to 27th March, note revised numbers {Brit. Birds 106: 582-586). 2012 North-east Scotland Donmouth, three adults (one ringed), 29th April (D. Heptinstall et al), 648 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 presumed same Loch of Strathbeg RSPB, 2nd May, photo (RSPB reserve staff), Newburgh anci Drums, 5th May, photo (C. Gibbins, H. Maggs per North-east Scotland Recorder); presumed same as Cumbria 2012 {Brit. Birds 106: 582-586). 2012 Yorkshire Staveley, 3rd February, photo (M. Metcalfe). 2011 Norfolk Bintree Mill, juvenile (ringed), 19th October (S. McCann). (Breeds S France 8c Spain; otherwise, European breeding range centred N & W of Black Sea in Ukraine 8c Romania, with small, declining population in Balkans. To E, breeds from Volga River to Kazakhstan. Migratory, most wintering E Africa, but W European population winters Morocco 8c Mediterranean basin. Resident or dispersive populations occur Africa, S Asia, Australia, E USA 8c the Caribbean to N South America.) White-winged BlackTern Chlidonias leucopterus (68, 797,-) [statistics to end of 2005] 1978 Essex Abberton Resr, 4th-9th August; note revised dates {Brit. Birds 72: 528). (Breeds Poland to Hungary, with sporadic breeding to W. Breeds commonly from Belarus, W Russia 8c Ukraine E to S Siberia, N Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russian Far East 8c NE China, but absent from large areas. Winters throughout sub-Saharan Africa, Indian subcontinent, SE Asia 8c N Australia.) Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans (0, 88,-) [statistics to end of 1999] 1993 Dorset Radipole Lake RSPB, first-winter, 20th December 1992 to 3rd January, photo (B. Spencer et al). Our knowledge of the identification of this species has moved on greatly since the first admitted onto the British List (from Mucking, Essex, in 1995). This made it a relatively simple matter to accept this bird as the ‘new’ first for Britain based on the photographic evidence, which showed all the key features for identification as a first-winter Caspian Gull. (Breeds E Germany 8c Poland to Black Sea, E across steppes to SE Kazakhstan. Winters to S of breeding range, mainly from E Mediterranean to Persian Gulf, with small numbers regular NW Europe.) Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus (78, 702,-) [statistics to end of 2005] 1990 Essex Hadleigh Downs, female, 2nd August; note revised dates {Brit. Birds 84: 467). 1987 Essex Abberton Resr, female, 23rd July to 12th August; note revised dates {Brit. Birds 81: 551-552). 1974 Essex Ingatestone, male, 1st July; note revised dates {Brit. Birds 68: 315). (Breeds forested steppe of E Europe from E Hungary to temperate Russia, E to Baikal region. Migratory, wintering SW Africa.) Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica (3, 513,-) [statistics to end of 2005] 1994 Essex Barling, 23rd May to 3rd June; note revised dates {Brit. Birds 88: 527-528). 1980 Essex Abberton Resr, 6th-12th May; note revised dates {Brit. Birds 74: 480-481; 76: 505). (Widespread 8c locally common NE Africa, Iberian Peninsula, Balkans 8c Greece but uncommon C Mediterranean to S France. To E, breeds discontinuously W & S Turkey 8c Middle East. Wintering area of European population unknown but assumed to lie in N equatorial Africa. Other races, including nominate daurica, breed E Asia from S Siberia to S China 8c Japan, Indian subcontinent 8c locally equatorial Africa.) Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsons ( 1 , 429, -) [statistics to end of 2012] 2012 Co. Durham Whitburn CP, 28th September (D. M. Foster et al). 2012 Shetland South Harrier, Foula, 24th September, photo (W. C. Aspin, G. C. Taylor et al); note revised observers {Brit. Birds 106: 625-627). Virkie, Mainland, 24th October (P. V. Harvey, D. Pointon, R. M. Tallack et al). 2009 Northumberland Beacon Point, Newbiggin, 7th October (A. S. Jack); previously not proven but now accepted after additional information submitted {Brit. Birds 103: 637-638). 1994 Essex Wat Tyler CP, 13th January to 2nd April; note revised location {Brit. Birds 88: 529; 92: 586-587). (Race yunnanensis breeds N Urals E across C & E Siberia to N China, Kamchatka, Kuril Islands 8c Japan. Winters widely across S China, Taiwan 8c throughout N 8c C SE Asia. Nominate race breeds Himalayas 8c mountains of WC China, wintering throughout Indian subcontinent.) British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 649 Hudson et al. Appendix 2. Records where identification accepted, but placed in Category D (see Ibis 136: 253). Falcated Duck Anas falcata 2003 Kent West Hythe and Lympe, male, 15th April to 14th June, photo (I. A. Roberts et al). (Breeds E Siberia from Yenisey River & Baikal region E to Sea of Okhotsk & S to NE China & Hokkaido, Japan. Winters from S Japan to SE China, locally W to Nepal.) Appendix 3. Records where identification accepted, but origin is uncertain. Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis Sussex Upper Beeding and Adur Valley, adult, 13th December 2012 to 25th January, photo (Brit. Birds 106: 639), presumed same Pulborough Brooks RSPB, 8th September, photo (J. Sellwood et al.). (Breeds Taimyr Peninsula, Siberia. Migrates SW to winter coastal regions of W Black Sea in Romania & N Bulgaria. Small numbers regularly winter Netherlands, Greece & Turkey. Some may still use former wintering areas along Caspian Sea.) White-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon lepturus Cumbria Mawbray Bank, adult, 6th January, found dead, museum specimen, photo (S. M. Hewitt, P. Scott) (Brit. Birds 106: plate 55). Having accepted the identification, and since there was at least a possibility of genuine vagrancy, this record was passed to BOURC to consider as a potential addition to the British List. BOURC ultimately concluded that there was no evidence that this bird had been alive in Britain or in British waters (BOU in prep.). (Breeds Bermuda, Bahamas, Caribbean, tropical Atlantic islands from Ascension to Gulf of Guinea; also tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans. Resident, or dispersive in non-breeding season but distribution at sea poorly known.) Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe 2010 Essex Tilbury Docks, 19th July, found dead, photo (J. P. Wright) (see Brit. Birds 107: 118-119, plate 66). (Breeds temperate Canada from E British Columbia E to New Brunswick, S to S USA; winters from S USA to S Mexico.) Desert Finch Rhodospiza obsoleta 2001 Kent Dungeness, 30th-31st October, photo ( J. Bartlett, D. Walker, N. Wall et al). This record was reviewed by BOURC; the bird was considered an escape and the record is placed in Category E. (Breeds S Turkey to Israel, E through C Asia & Iran to NW China. Mostly resident.) House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus 2010 Cornwall Land’s End, first-summer male, 4th-12th May, photo (M. T. Elliott et al), presumed same between Lizard and Lizard Point, 16th May, photo (E. Reast); also seen Devon. 2010 Devon East Prawle, first-summer male, 27th June to 22nd October, photo (P. M. Mayer et al); also seen Cornwall. BOURC’s conclusions about this bird were published in BB earlier this year (Brit. Birds 107: 460-466). (Resident or dispersive in SW Canada & throughout USA S to S Mexico. Introduced E USA where now abundant and spreading W.) Yellow-rumped Warbler Setophaga coronata Hampshire Southampton Docks, first-winter male, 14th November, found dead, museum spec- imen, photo (A. R. Collins, M. Smith). 650 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 (Nominate race breeds North America from Alaska E throughout Canada to Newfoundland, S to Michigan & Massachusetts, USA. Migrates E of Rocky Mountains to winter throughout C America & Caribbean. Another race breeds SW Canada & W USA.) Appendix 4. List of records not accepted 2013 Blue-winged Teal Morfa Madryn Wells, Caernarfonshire, three, 12th August. Black Scoter Melanitta americana Off Titchwell, Norfolk, 18th July. Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris Hopton, Norfolk, 27th October. Albatross Thalassarche sp. Baggy Point, Devon, 4th November. Ascension Frigatebird Rhunahaorine Point, Argyll, 9th July. Black Stork Between Monksilver and Woodford, Somerset, 4th May. Pulborough Brooks RSPB, Sussex, 6th June. Northern Harrier Deerness and Tankerness, Orkney, 2nd-l 1th February. Pallid Harrier Beddmanarch Bay, Anglesey, 1st May. Fair Isle, 3rd June. Booted Eagle Aquila pennata Muckton, Lincolnshire, 16th August. Bracklesham, Sussex, 9th August. Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax Haltwhistle, Northumberland, 1st August. Black-winged Stilt Tobermory, Mull, Argyll, 1st July. Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda Fair Isle, 25th September. Briinnich’s Guillemot Off Iona, Argyll, 5th May. Bridled Tern Flamborough Head, Yorkshire, 10th July. Gull-billed Tern Telscombe, Sussex, 3rd October. Franklin’s Gull Laras pipixcan Freiston Shore RSPB, Lincolnshire, 25th August. Great Black-headed Gull Laras ichthyaetus Titchwell Marsh RSPB, Norfolk, 27th June. Snowy Owl Glas Bheinn, Jura, Argyll, 28th March. European Roller Fair Isle, 11th June. Lesser Kestrel Burnaston Meadows, Derbyshire, 9th April. Gyr Falcon Evie, Mainland, Orkney, 2nd November. Lesser Grey Shrike Skomer, Pembrokeshire, 15th July. Western Bonelli’s Warbler Pont-rhyd-y-groes, Ceredigion, 29th April. Iberian Chiffchaff Rhos-on-Sea, Den- bighshire, 20th May. Pallas’s Grasshopper Warbler Gugh, Isles of Scilly, 16th October. Savi’s Warbler Old Moor RSPB, Yorkshire, 17th June. Booted Warbler Bruray, Out Skerries, Shetland, 28th August. Blyth’s Reed Warbler Red Rocks, Hoylake, Cheshire & Wirral, 29th September to 4th October. Black-bellied Dipper Baron’s Haugh RSPB, Clyde, 28th September to 2nd October. Thrush Nightingale Blakeney Point, Norfolk, 18th May. Red-flanked Bluetail Burnham Overy Staithe, Norfolk, 7th April. Siberian Stonechat Hightown, Lancashire & North Merseyside, 7th-9th November. Weybourne Camp, Norfolk, 15th March. Black-headed Wagtail Winwick, Lancashire & North Merseyside, 29th May. Citrine Wagtail South Huish Marsh, Devon, 12th August. Abbotsbury, Dorset, 29th August. Burnham Overy, Norfolk, 28th August. St David’s, Pem- brokeshire, two, 3rd September. Hornemann’s Redpoll Loch Gruinart RSPB, Islay, Argyll, 19th April. The Loons and Loch of Banks RSPB, Mainland, Orkney, 16th October. Two-barred Crossbill Kinsey Wood, Shropshire, 29th December. White-throated Sparrow Bilston Cemetery, West Midlands, two, 4th January. Black-headed Bunting Llandeilo Graban, Radnorshire, 25th May. Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia Funzie, Fetlar, Shetland, 6th September. 2012 Canada Goose (North American race) Mill of Strachan, Banchory, North-east Scotland, 29th October to 6th November. Blue-winged Teal Loch Stiapavat, Lewis, Outer Hebrides, 1 3th— 1 9th January. Pallid Harrier Belvide Resr, Staffordshire, 14th April. American Coot Falica americana Eilean nan Ramh, South Uist, Outer Hebrides, 26th November. Black-winged Stilt Newport, Isle of Wight, 6th April. Cottam, Not- tinghamshire, two, 18th September. Lesser Yellowlegs Northwick Warth, Avon, 16th October. Penryn, Corn- wall, 28th August. Flamborough, Yorkshire, 1st September. Great Snipe Cuidhir, Barra, Outer Hebrides, 12th October. Whiskered Tern Holme, Norfolk, 29th September. Bonaparte’s Gull Hinkley Point, Somerset, 19th January. Eurasian Scops Owl Otus scops Cotswold Water Park, Wiltshire, 24th April. Gyr Falcon St Ives, Cornwall, 14th May. Iberian Chiffchaff Apuldram, Sussex, 17th April to 21st June. Ruppell’s Warbler Sylvia rueppelli Cholsey, Oxfordshire, 19th May. Black-bellied Dipper Wolfscote Dale, Derbyshire, 23rd November. Rock Thrush Between Levant and Botallack, Cornwall, 1 3th— 14th March. Olive-backed Pipit Happisburgh, Norfolk, 22nd October. Hornemann’s Redpoll Balranald, North Uist, Outer Hebrides, 7th October. Two- barred Crossbill Lynford Arboretum, Norfolk, 4th February. Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas Holy Island, Northumberland, 6th November. 2011 Northern Eider S. m. borealis Dornoch, Highland, four, 13th January. Pallid Harrier St Abbs Head NNR, Borders, 26th October. Baird’s Sandpiper West Burra, Shetland, 30th August. Semipalmated Sand- piper Patrington Haven, Yorkshire, 12th September. Whiskered Tern Rainham Marshes RSPB, Essex/Greater London, 26th August. American Herring Gull Laras smithsonianus Hoylake, Cheshire & Wirral, 8th— 2 1 st February. Seaforth, Lancashire & North Merseyside, 20th-22nd February. Red-flanked Bluetail Whitburn CP, Co. Durham, 13th October. Eastern Yellow Wagtail Housay, Out Skerries, Shetland, 25th September. Citrine Wagtail Seaforth, Lancashire & North Merseyside, 26th August. British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 651 Hudson et al. 2010 Northern Eider Embo and Dornoch, Highland, 9th November 2009 to 16th January. Iberian Chiffchaff Inchnadamph, Highland, 19th May. Citrine Wagtail Northrepps, Norfolk, 26th September. 2009 Northern Eider Fort Island, Isle of Man, 12th December. Briinnich’s Guillemot Cley, Norfolk, 4th December. Veery Catharus fuscescens Off Tiree, Argyll, 15th October. ‘Eastern Yellow Wagtail’ Titchwell Marsh RSPB, Norfolk, 17th-22nd October. 2008 Northern Eider Foula, Shetland, 2 1 st— 30th September. Western Bonelli’s Warbler Cot Valley, Cornwall, 31st October. 2007 Northern Eider Fair Isle, 22nd September 2006 to 25th February. Scoughall, Lothian, 18th February to 29th April. Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus Scoulton, Warham and East Barsham, Norfolk, 28th April. Briinnich’s Guillemot Cley, Norfolk, 12th November. 2005 Northern Eider Uigen, Lewis, Outer Hebrides, two, 20th April to 8th May. Steppe Buzzard B. b. vulpinus Burghclere, Hampshire, 5th June. ‘Eastern Yellow Wagtail’ Lundy, Devon, 30th August. References Akesson, S„ Fox, J.W., Hedenstrom, A., Holmgren, J., & Klaassen, R. 2012. Migration routes and strategies in a highly aerial migrant, the Common Swift Apus apus, revealed by light-level geolocators. Plos ONE 7(7): 1-9. www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F 1 0. 1 37 1 %2Fjournal. pone. 004 1 1 95 Alstrom, R, & Mild, K. 2003. Pipits and Wagtails. Helm, London. Arbabi.T, Gonzalez,]., & Wink, M. 2014. A re-evaluation of phylogenetic relationships within reed warblers (Aves: Acrocephalidae) based on eight molecular loci and ISSR profiles. Mol. Phylog. Evol. 78: 304-3 I 3. Bond.T 20l4.The occurrence and arrival routes of North American landbirds in Britain. Brit. Birds 107: 66-82. Brambilla, M.,Vitulano, S„ Spina, F„ Baccetti, N., Gargallo, G„ Fabbri, E„ Guidali, F„ & Randi, E. 2008. A molecular phylogeny of the Sylvia cantillans complex: cryptic species within the Mediterranean basin. Mol. Phylog. & Evol. 48:461-472. British Ornithologists' Union (BOU). 2002. Records Committee: 28th Report (October 2001). Ibis 144: 181-184. — 2013. Records Committee: 4 1 st Report (October 20 1 2). Ibis 1 55: 204-207. — 2014. Records Committee: 42nd Report (January 20 1 4). Ibis 1 56: 236-242. — In prep. Records Committee: 43rd Report. Collinson, J. M„ Smith, A., Waite, S., & McGowan, R.Y. 20 1 3. British records of ‘Eastern Yellow Wagtail'. Brit. Birds 1 06: 36-41. — , Rowlands, A., Steele,]. G., Mclnerny, J., & Hudson, N. 20 1 4. The review of the record of Slender-billed Curlew at Druridge Bay, Northumberland. Brit. Birds 107: 389-404. Cottridge, D„ &Vinicombe, K. E. 1996. Rare Birds in Britain and Ireland: a photographic record. HarperCollins, London. Cubitt, M. G. 1995. Swinhoe's Storm-petrels at Tynemouth: new to Britain and Ireland. Brit. Birds 88: 342-348. Draaijer L„ & Slaterus, R. 20 1 I . Gemengd broedgeval van Citroenkwikstaart en Gele Kwikstaart bij Zeewolde in 2011. Dutch Birding 34: 85-90. Festari, I.Janni, O., & Rubolini, D. 2002. Moltoni’s Warbler Sylvia (cantillans) moltonii breeding in mainland Italy. Dutch Birding 24: 88-90. Flood, B., & Fisher A. 2011. North Atlantic Seabirds: Storm-petrels and Bulwer's Petrel. Pelagic Birds & Birding Multimedia Identification Guides in association with Scilly Pelagics, Penryn. - & — 2013. North Atlantic Seabirds: Pterodroma Petrels. Pelagic Birds & Birding Multimedia Identification Guides in association with Scilly Pelagics, Hockley. Force, M. 1997. Comments on the Chalice petrel. Brit. Birds 90: 339-342. Gantlett, S. 1988. Matsudaira’s Storm-petrel off Cornwall - a new British bird. Birding World I: 285. — 1 993. The Pacific Swift in Norfolk. Birding World 6: 1 90- 191. Garner M„ & Mullarney, K. 2004. A critical look at the evidence relating to ‘the Chalice petrel’. Brit. Birds 97: 336-345. Gretton.A. 20 1 3. White-throated Needletail.Tarbert, Harris, 24-26 June 2013 - the first record for the Outer Hebrides. Scot. Birds 33: 267-272. Hagemeijer E. J. M„ & Blair M. J. (eds.) 1 997. The EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds: their distribution and abundance. Poyser London. Harrop, H. R„ & Fairhurst, D. 20 1 4. Thick-billed Warbler, Shetland, 4-5 October 20 1 3 - the fifth Shetland (including Fair Isle) and British record. Scot. Birds 34: 67-69. Harvey, RV., & Small, B.J. 2007. From the Rarities Committee's files: Eastern Grasshopper Warbler - are there any confirmed British records? Brit. Birds 1 00: 658-664. Helcom. 201 3. Species Information Sheet: Terek Sandpiper http://helcom.fi/Red%20List%20Species%20lnformation %20Sheet/HELCOM%20Red%20List%20Xenus%20cinereus.pdf [accessed 8th September 2014], Howell, S. N. G„ Lewington, l„ & Russell, W. 20 1 4. Rare Birds of North America. Princeton University Press, Princeton. Hume, R. A„ Harrison, R, Wallis, H.W., Cutting, K., Young, S. A., Charles, R, England, T M„ & Ward,J. R. 1997. From the Rarities Committee’s files:The Chalice petrel. Brit. Birds 90: 305-3 I 3. Kennerley, R R., & Pearson, D. J. 20 1 0. Reed and Bush Warblers. Helm, London. 652 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2013 Martin, H. 20 1 3. A wing-barred crossbill in Highland. Birding World 26: 86. Morrison, S. 1998. All-dark petrels in the North Atlantic. Brit. Birds 9 I: 540-560. Musgrove, A. J„ Aebischen N.J., Eaton, M. A., Hearn, R. D„ Newson, 5. E„ Noble, D. G., Parsons, M„ Risely, K„ & Stroud, D. A. 2013. Population estimates of birds in Great Britain and the United Kingdom. Brit. Birds 106: 6H — 1 00. Orlando, C. 1 937. Nuove forme della Regione Italia. Rivista ital. Orn. 7: 2 1 3. Pavlova, A., Zink, R. M„ Drovetski, S.V., Red'kin.Y, & Rohwen S. 2003. Phylogeographic patterns in Motacilla fiava and Motacilla citreola: Species limits and population history Auk 120(3): 744—758. Pullan, D. M. 2014. Hudsonian Whimbrel at Mid Yell, Shetland, 30 September-2 October 201 3 - the fifth Scottish record. Scot. Birds 33: 84-85. Riddington, R„ Harvey RV.,Tallack, R. M„ & Collinson, J. M. 20 1 3. Caspian Reed Warbler at Kergord: first for Shetland. Shetland Bird Report 2012: I 13-1 14. Rogers, M.J., & the Rarities Committee. 2004. Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 2003. Brit. Birds 97: 558-625. Roselaan C. S. 20 1 4. Are ‘rubifasciata’ crossbills of hybrid origin? Dutch Birding 36: 96-107. Sanders, E., Lilipaly, S. J., & Ebels, E. B. 1998. Stekelstaartgier^waluw op Walcheren in ei 1996. Dutch Birding 20: 168-172. Seamans, M. E., Rau, R. D., & Sanders, T. A. 201 3. Mourning Dove Population Status, 2013. US Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C. (www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/Newreportspublications/ PopulationStatus/MourningDove/Mourning%20Dove%20Population%20Status%2020 1 3 .pdf). Shirihai, H„ Gargallo, G., & Helbig, A. 200 1 . Sylvia Warblers: identification, taxonomy and phylogeny of the genus Sylvia. Helm, London. Small, B.J., & Walbridge, G. 2005. From the Rarities Committee's files: a review of the identification of ‘Balearic’ Woodchat Shrike, and details of three British records. Brit. Birds 98: 32-42. Smith, I. 20 1 3. The Pacific Swift sightings in East Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Suffolk. Birding World 26: 244-247. Steijn, L. B. 2005. 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British Birds RaritiesCommittee ZEISS BBRC is sponsored by Carl Zeiss Ltd and the RSPB Chairman Adam Rowlands, East Walks Bungalow, Minsmere RSPB Reserve, Westleton, Suffolk IP 1 7 3BY; e-mail chair@bbrc.org.uk Secretary Nigel Hudson, Carn Ithen, Trench Lane, Old Town, St Mary’s, Scilly TR21 0PA; e-mail secretary@bbrc.org.uk BBRC members Chris Batty, Chris Bradshaw, Paul French, Martin Garner, Nic Hallam, James Lidster, Richard Millington, Mike Pennington, Richard Schofield, Steve Votier Vice-Chairman Andy Stoddart • Archivist John Marchant • Museum Consultant Brian Small Genetic Consultant Martin Collinson • Summariser Reg Thorpe British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 579-653 653 Notes An analysis of biometrics, vocalisations and DNA of two Swinhoe’s Storm-petrels trapped on Fair Isle in 2013 Two Swinhoe’s Storm-petrels Oceanodroma monorhis were caught during routine storm- petrel ringing sessions on Fair Isle in summer 2013 (see Miles 2013 and pp. 590-591). These individuals are the latest in a series of extralimital records of this species in the Atlantic, dating back to 1983 and sum- marised in Flood & Fisher (2011). The only known breeding sites of Swinhoe’s Storm- petrels are around the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea, while the only known wintering area is the northern Indian Ocean (Brooke 2004; Howell 2012), yet there has long been speculation about an undiscovered Atlantic breeding population. In this note we present an analysis of the biometrics, vocalisations and DNA of the two Fair Isle birds. Full biometrics for each bird were taken when first trapped (table 1). Comparison with published data suggested that bird 1 (NB84930) cannot be sexed on wing length but that bird 2 (NB84938) was a female (male 146-157 mm, female 150-165 mm; Snow & Perrins 1998). Brood-patch scores suggested that bird 1 was not breeding (the patch was completely feathered and skin not vascu- larised) while the breeding status of bird 2 was ambiguous (the patch was nearly com- pletely bare but the skin not vascularised). The chatter call of bird 2 was recorded in the hand on 17th August. The resulting sono- gram suggests that it was a male, in contrast to the evidence from biometrics. In fig. 1, each note is ill-defined and lacks clear har- monics (the appearance of each note is longi- tudinally fuzzy with no clear horizontal separation within the structure). These fea- tures are characteristic of the chatter calls of males but not females, and represent harsh and rather scratchy sounds compared with the clearer, purer-sounding notes of female calls (Taoka et al. 1989; Robb et al. 2008). Feathers dislodged from each individual in the bird bag were collected and genetic analyses carried out by JMC, along with analyses on a feather from a single Leach’s Storm-petrel O. leucorhoa trapped on Fair Isle in 2013. Molecular genotyping using techniques described in Bantock et al. (2008) confirmed that both Swinhoe’s were males, whereas the Leach’s was a female. To determine the genetic affinity of the Fair Isle Swinhoe’s Storm-petrels, both to each other and to other individuals of this species previously trapped in the North Atlantic, sequence data were obtained. Isola- tion and sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase (COI) gene showed that the first Fair Isle bird was genetically identical (over 685 bp) to a bird captured at Hernyken, Norway (64.2°N 11.9°E) by Tycho Anker- Nilssen on 13th August 2006 (accession number GU571508). This result does not automatically mean that these two birds were related, because such similarity could occur between unrelated individuals if there is little variation across the COI gene for this species as a whole. The second Fair Isle bird was 1 base pair different. Since mitochondrial DNA is inherited through the female line, this small difference in COI sequence suggests that the two Fair Isle birds did not have the Table I . Biometric measurements and brood-patch scores of two Swinhoe’s Storm-petrels Oceanodroma monorhis trapped on Fair Isle in 2013. Biometrics are: wing length (max. chord), maximum tail length (outermost feather), minimum tail length (central feather), bill length (to feathering) and tarsus length; all measurements in mm. Brood patch was scored for feather coverage, scale from 0 (fully feathered) to 5 (entirely bare); and vascularisation, from 0 (skin as normal with no evidence of capillaries close to surface) to 2 (brood patch heavily vascularised with obvious capillary network at surface). Ring number, date of first capture Wing Tail max. Tail min. Bill Tarsus BP NB84930, 27th July 154 74 58 14.1 24.3 0/0 NB84938, 7th August 159 77 60 14.5 25.7 4/0 654 © British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 654-656 Notes Fig. I. Sonogram of Swinhoe’s Storm-petrel Oceanodroma monorhis chatter call (bird 2), Fair Isle, August 2013. Sonogram created using Syrinx Software (Burt 2013). Each dark spike represents one note in the call sequence. Table 2. DNA sequence NCBI accession numbers of two Swinhoe’s Storm-petrels Oceanodroma monorhis trapped in 2013 on Fair Isle, Shetland, and the 1 99 1 Tynemouth Swinhoe’s. COI Cytb Bird 1 Fair Isle - NB84930 HG975291 HG975293 Bird 2 Fair Isle - NB84938 HG975292 HG975294 Tynemouth Swinhoe’s - HG975295 same female parent, i.e. they were not siblings. To investi- gate further the genetic differences between the two Fair Isle birds, a different mitochondrial gene (cytochrome b, or cytb) was sequenced. The two Fair Isle birds were 4 bp dif- ferent over 1005 bp of this gene, which confirms that they were not siblings. The Norwegian bird had not been sequenced at the cytb locus, but 302 bp of cytb had been sequenced from another British Swinhoe’s, one of the famous ‘Tyne petrels’ (Dawson 1992; Cubitt 1995). The Tynemouth Swinhoe’s, the two Fair Isle birds, and also a South Korean bird previously sequenced by Rob Dawson and David Parkin (University of Nottingham) were all identical over this short stretch of sequence. In summary, the genetic analysis confirms that the two Fair Isle birds were both males, and that they did not share the same female parent. The implication is that whatever the origins of Swinhoe’s Storm-petrels in the North Atlantic, they are derived from more than one female ancestor. The biometrics and vocalisations suggest that sexing this species using wing length is not necessarily reliable but that doing so using a chatter-call sono- gram is more likely to be accurate. Acknowledgments We are grateful to Alan Lewis for his digital sound recording. References Bantock,T M„ Prys-Jones, R. R, & Lee, R L. M. 2008. New and improved molecular sexing methods for museum bird specimens. Molec. Ecol. Resources 8:519-528. Brooke, M. 2004. Albatrosses & Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Burt, J. 20 1 3. The Syrinx Sound Analysis Program. www.syrinxpc.com. Cubitt, M. G. 1995. Swinhoe's Storm-petrels at Tynemouth: new to Britain and Ireland. British Birds 88: 342-348. Dawson, R. 1 992. Blood, sweat and petrels. Birding World 5: 443-444. Flood, B„ & Fisher; A. 20 1 I . North Atlantic Seabirds: Storm-petrels and Bulwer's Petrel. Pelagic Birds & Birding Multimedia Identification Guides in association with Scilly Pelagics, Penryn. Howell, S. N. G. 20 1 2. Petrels, Albatrosses and Storm- petrels of North America. Princeton University Press, New Jersey. Miles, W.T S. 201 3. Two Swinhoe's Petrels on Fair Isle in 20 1 3 - second and third records for Scotland. Scot. Birds 33: 362-370. Robb, M„ Mullarney, K. &The Sound Approach. 2008. Petrels Night and Day. The Sound Approach, Poole. Snow, D. W„ & Perrins, C. M. 1 998. The Birds of the Western Palearctic - Concise Edition. Vol. I : Non- Passerines. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Taoka, M.,Won, P-O., & Okumura, H. 1 989. Vocal behaviour of Swinhoe’s Storm-petrel ( Oceanodroma monorhis). AUK 106:471-474. Will T. S. Miles, 195 Victoria Road, Aberdeen AB 11 9NE; c-mm7willtsmiles@hotmail.com /. Martin Collitison, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD; e-mail m.collinson@abdn.ac.uk David Parnaby and Richard Cope, Fair Isle Bird Observatory, Fair Isle, Shetland ZE2 9JU; e-mail fibo@btconnect.com British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 654-656 655 David Hatton David Hatton Notes Play-like behaviour from juvenile harrier in Cambridgeshire In the mid afternoon of 26th October 2013, together with Tim Wilson, I visited the Ouse Washes RSPB reserve in Cambridgeshire. There, for two hours, we watched a juvenile female Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus hud- sonius. This striking bird made fascinating viewing for us, not only because of the intrigue over its identification but also because of the behaviour that we witnessed. From a hide, I saw it flying into the wind down the adjacent ‘wash’ and drains while carrying in its talons what looked at first sight to be a prey item - but upon closer inspection through a telescope turned out to be a clod of soil and vegetation, approxi- mately 10 cm in diameter (plates 335 & 336). After a flight of about 100 m at a height of around 10 m, it would suddenly alight on the ground and periodically agitate the ‘prey’ 335. Juvenile Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus hudsonius carrying its ‘play-prey’ clod over the Ouse Washes, Cambridgeshire, October 20 1 3. 336. Juvenile Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus hudsonius on the ground subduing in its talons its ‘play-prey’ clod, Ouse Washes, Cambridgeshire, October 20 1 3. with its beak. After a few minutes, it would then fly off for a further sally before landing and repeating the ‘roughing up’ of the clod. Sometimes, as a variation, it would fly off without the clod, before returning to collect it and thereafter repeating the actions. In all, I watched it flying with the clod on about five occasions over a period of about 30 minutes. Thereafter, it seemed to lose interest in the clod, undertaking what appeared to be more serious attempts to catch live prey, unsuccess- fully ambushing some Mallards Anus platyrhynchos and duelling aggressively with a Marsh Harrier C. aeruginosus. A few days later, both the ringtail in question and a stan- dard juvenile Hen Harrier were seen by other observers to ‘play’ together with a clump of dark weedy grass in the same vicinity, appar- ently sharing their ‘prey’ (see http://backin bird land, blogspot. co. uk/20 1 3/ 1 I /northern- harrier-ouse-washes-rspb.html?m= I ). These Ouse Washes harriers showed con- sistent play-like learning behaviour with a surrogate food item. Raptors are well known to conduct play activities with various objects (see Hewitt 2013 for a review). In the mid 1970s, K. L. Bildstein studied Northern Har- riers in Ohio, USA, and found that occasion- ally they pounced upon corn cobs picked up from a field, carried them and dropped and caught them in flight. These cobs were shown to be selected on the basis of size, typically being equivalent to that of the harriers’ usual mammalian prey (Bildstein 1980). The harrier I observed did not undertake the full ‘drop-catch’ repertoire (Hewitt 2013), but it might have been practising to fly with a prey- sized cargo in what were quite blustery con- ditions. Acknowledgments I thank Dan Duff and Simon Stirrup for commenting upon a draft. References Bildstein, K. L. 1980. Corn cob manipulation in Northern Harriers. Wilson Bull. 92: 128-130. Hewitt, S. 20 1 3. Avian drop-catch play: a review. Brit. Birds 1 06: 206-2 1 6. David H. Hatton, Royston, Hertfordshire; e-mm7david@twitchaven.fsnet.co.uk 656 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 654-656 Obituary James Francis Monk (1915-2014) James Monk may have been little known to many BB readers but, despite his life as a busy medical doctor, for many years he played a significant role in the development of scien- tific ornithology in Britain, mainly through his involvement with the British Ornitholo- gists’ Union. With an easy manner he was calm and unflappable, hard-working and highly competent. James was born in 1915 in Delhi, the son of a missionary teacher. He was educated at Win- chester College, followed by Trinity College, Oxford, where he read medicine (or physi- ology as it was then, a subject which he regarded as ‘quite useless’). In the midst of his course, he was called up in 1942, and spent four years in the Royal Army Medical Corps, serving in Tunisia, Sicily and through Italy. Research on malaria in servicemen earned him a DM from Oxford, and led to publications in the British Medical Journal and elsewhere. He entered full-time General Practice in 1947 at Goring-on-Thames, in Oxfordshire, where he lived for the rest of his life. Ornithology was his hobby. At school, Dick Cornwallis was the only other pupil who shared his interest; they became great friends and went birdwatching together. In Oxford, W. B. Alexander (WBA) taught James how to count and ring birds and H. N. Southern taught him bird songs. He was friendly with a fellow bird-minded student, Hugh Elliott, and joined both the BTO and the Oxford Ornithological Society, of which he became Secretary. During the war, in Tunisia, James found himself with so few patients that he could spend most of his time birdwatching. This was well before the halcyon days of field guides, but in answer to a plea for help, WBA sent him a copy of Whittaker’s two- volume Birds of Tunisia, together with an apologetic request for reimbursement of the cost, a princely five guineas. James later presented these volumes to the Alexander Library in Oxford (with an inscription on their history). James’s wartime postings led to a particular interest in bird migration, which was followed, back home, by a close friend- ship with Reg Moreau, then editor of the Ibis, the journal of the BOU. James authored or co-authored several papers on bird migration in various parts of southern Europe and North Africa. He was the first to analyse Nest Record Cards from the BTO, leading to a paper on the breeding of Greenfinches Chloris chloris , which had the distinction of being the first paper in the new journal, Bird Study, in 1954 (1; 2-14). James developed a fascination with Wrynecks Jynx torquilla, which still bred in the Goring area into the 1950s. Under the auspices of the BTO, he organised a national survey, which led to two further papers in Bird Study, the last describing the past and current status of the Wryneck in Britain ( Bird Study 10: 112-132). Over a period of 32 years James held every office in the BOU except Treasurer, serving as 337. James Monk, with his wife Diana, in April 2011. © British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 657-658 657 Jeremy Greenwood Obituary Assistant Editor (1956-60), then Editor of the Ibis (1960-66), Honorary Secretary ( 1967-72), Vice-President (1978-82), and finally President (1983-87). He took over from Reg Moreau as editor of the Ibis at a time when ornithological research was expanding rapidly and, like his predecessor, had the enviable ability to turn dull and turgid scientific writing into interesting, suc- cinct and readable text. During a period when James had about 3,000 patients on his list, his Ibis 'hobby’ absorbed much of his spare time, and during his years as editor, his young daughter pinned a notice on his study door which read: ‘Ibis going on in here. Please knock before going in. Thank-you.’ When Reg Moreau died in 1970, James undertook to finish and see through publica- tion Moreau’s classic book on The Palearetic- African Bird Migration Systems (1972). In 1975, under his initiative but following a suggestion from Bill Bourne, the BOU started a checklist series, which James edited for 13 years, and which at that time filled a vacant niche in the ornithological literature. James was also heavily involved with the British Ornithologists’ Club, acting as Chairman for four years (1968-71), and then editor of its Bulletin for 15 years (1976-90). No-one was more deserving of the BOU’s Union Medal, awarded in 1988 ‘in recognition of eminent services to ornithology’. James died peacefully on 8th May 2014, aged 98 years, and was survived by his wife Diana, four children, 1 1 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Ian Newton Compiled with help from recordings made by Jeremy Greenwood of an interview with James Monk in 201 1, to be placed in the BTO archives. Reviews Woodpeckers of the World: the complete guide By Gerard Gorman Bloomsbury, 2014 Hbk, 528pp; c. 750 colour photographs, distribution maps ISBN 978-1-4081-4715-3 Subbuteo code M24079 £35.00 BB Bookshop price £31.50 This is the first defini- tive photographic guide to the wood- peckers of the world. Until now, apart from Handbook of the Birds of the World , the two stan- dard works on the family have been Shorts Wood- peckers of the World (Delaware Museum, 1982) and Winkler et alls Woodpeckers: an identification guide to the woodpeckers of the world (Pica Press, 1995). Back in 1995 just 214 species were recognised, and by 2002 only two more were included in HBW. This new book, however, includes 239 species - almost completely in line with the IOC taxonomy, but at odds with other taxonomic treatments. In recent years there has been a surge in split- ting of some groups. For example, within the Ori- ental region six additional species have been proposed within the genus Chrysocolaptes, while in the Neotropics a further five are being suggested within the genus Piculus. For the latter group, the author has liaised with Brazilian ornithologists to agree English names - although it remains to be seen whether these will be more widely accepted. Closer to home, the decision to treat the Iberian race of Green Woodpecker Picus viridis as a full species, Iberian Green Woodpecker P. sharpei , will surprise a few - although not if you follow IOC. Two potentially extinct species are included: Imperial Campephilus imperialis and Ivory-billed Woodpecker C. principalis (last seen reliably in 1956 and 1987 respectively). No illustration of either species is included, which is unfortunate as there are well-prepared museum specimens that could have been shown. The format and presentation is similar to Owls SUBBUTEO NATURAL HISTORY BOOKS The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Reviews 658 © British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 658-660 Reviews of the World - a sister volume in the expanding Helm Photographic Guides series. A 20-page intro- duction provides a brief overview to the wood- pecker family, which is liberally illustrated. The species texts are divided into the 29 genera, which are treated separately. This really works well to emphasise how the various groupings differ from each other while being superficially similar. Indi- vidual species accounts review identification, vocal- isations (and drumming), status, habitat, range, taxonomy and racial variation and food. A colour distribution map is provided for each species. For most readers the big draw will be the high- quality photographs that illustrate each species. Over 200 photographers supplied images for the book and it is hard to find a page that does not include a photograph. The quality is outstanding and there is not a single photograph I would have rejected. A big effort has been made to find images of both sexes for dimorphic species, and in some cases juveniles are also shown. References are mostly restricted to those published since 2002, but this still results in details of about 350 papers. This is a really attractive book, which is well designed and provides concise information without compromising on quality. Keith Betton H is for Hawk By Helen Macdonald Jonathan Cape, 2014 Hbk, 300pp ISBN 978-0-224-09700-0 Subbuteo code M24336 £14.99 BB Bookshop price £13.50 I have rarely looked forward so keenly to the publication of a book. It is about that haunting bird - the Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis - and about the ever-intriguing author T. H. White, by a renowned academic and poetic mind. The subject matter was always likely to be painful, in places, as the author describes how she seeks solace in a hawk, following a shattering bereavement. I couldn’t be sure what I would find out about White, as she delves deep into a life that has been subject to much rumour and speculation. Mac- donald compares notes on her hawk-training experience with White. She works from the text of his classic book The Goshawk , written in the 1930s (though not published until 1951), and produces new insights on the man based on research in his archive, held at the University of Texas. I found much of this analysis fascinating, and moving. White was a complex figure, brutalised in childhood, apt to escape from humanity and into a world of other creatures and Arthurian fantasy. Like White, Macdonald here attempts to withdraw from the world, and the pain of her fathers death, into a life in which the lines between her and the hawk become blurred. As it did for White, this absorbing experience produces much wisdom and some interesting conclusions, many of them orig- inal and sometimes startling. The enigmatic Goshawk is, on the one hand, the most elusive, contrary of creatures, and on the other a bird you can live with. Macdonald keeps Mabel in her living room. She carries the hawk around Cambridge, to see and overcome fear of the sights. There are insights on the bird that you could only get from such proximity. Who knew that Goshawks could have a playful side, or be excited by pictures of gamebirds in books? In captivity Goshawks have good days and bad days, can be inclined to truculence or co-opera- tion, depending on mood, hunger, DNA. It is also a species you can work with, once it overcomes its fear, and associates the handler - and only the handler - with food. When that bond breaks, the Goshawk is off. Macdonald quotes scientist and falconer Professor Tom Cade, who once described falconry as ‘high-intensity birdwatching’. She makes a case that it’s more than that, but there are also elements that are missing. Her exposition of a winter spent hawking wintry East Anglian fields doesn’t venture into the issues around Goshawks that interest me most. Even when Mabel decides to trespass in and plunder a couple of pheasant pens, the wider rami- fications of this obvious hazard for her kind are not dwelt on. Nor will the book tell the birding reader much about how to find Goshawks in the wild state, or hint at why there are still so few wild ones in those lowland fields. T. H. White wasn’t diverted by these questions either. Perhaps that is the point. Conor Jameson SUBBUTEO NATURAL HISTORY BOOKS The 88 Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Reviews British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 658-660 659 Reviews The Life of David Lack: father of evolutionary ecology By Ted R. Anderson Oxford University Press, 2013 Hbk, 246pp; 19 black-and-white photos and illustrations ISBN 978-0-19-992264-2 Subbuteo code M24175 £37.50 BB Bookshop price £33.75 This modest little book combines a biography of David Lack with a critical review of his scientific work. The first few chapters describe his early life at home and at Gresham’s School in Norfolk - the alma mater of an array of the pre- war intelligentsia and incidentally of more than its fair share of past and present ornithologists. Moving to university at Cambridge, he took the opportunity to participate in expeditions to St Kilda, Bear Island, Iceland and East Greenland, before moving to a job teaching at Dartington School in Devon. Here he continued his scientific work, studying the Robin Erithacus rubecula and producing one of the first detailed scientific studies of a small passerine. He then took time out from teaching to visit the Galapagos, where he studied a range of birds, but especially the finches, about which he wrote a major analytical review. The Second World War then intervened, and he spent much of his time helping with the installation and management of radar facilities - and (inevitably) spending his limited free time birdwatching. This familiarity with radar led to pioneering research into its value in the study of avian migration. The book then moves away from a biographical stance to begin the review of Lack’s career at Oxford University as founder and head of the Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology. (It is amusing that when Anderson is describing Lack’s private life, he often refers to him as ‘David’, but for the scientific aspects of his life, he invariably uses the more formal ‘Lack’.) There follows a detailed summary of the key developments in Lack’s career, building this around chapters related to his major books: The Natural Regulation of Animal Numbers , Population Studies of Birds, Eco- logical Adaptations for Breeding in Birds, Ecological Isolation in Birds - all of which were ground- breaking texts. In among this is one of the better histories of the ‘Group Selection’ controversy which raged in the early 1960s. The final chapters include ‘potted biographies’ of many of Lack’s colleagues and students. Oxford must have been an awesome place to work in the 1950s and 1960s: Cain, Elton, Ford, Kettlewell, Lack, Moreau, Sheppard, Southern, Tinbergen - all overseen by the benign Alistair Hardy! And the list of students reads like a roll of honour of British (indeed, global) ornithology: R R. Evans, Hinde, Lockie, Newton, Perrins, Safriel, Snow, Stonehouse and many more. He also founded the annual winter conference in Oxford for undergraduate and postgraduate students, many of whom made their first public talks at this event. A committed Christian, Lack was always kind and generous at these meetings. This book was a delight to read, and is warmly recommended to anyone interested in the life story of one of Britain’s greatest ornithologists and his central role in the development of field ornithology in Britain during the middle of the twentieth century. David Parkin The Life of DAVID LACK Father of Evolutionary Ecology Facing Extinction: the world’s rarest birds and the race to save them (2nd edn) By Paul F. Donald, Nigel J. Collar, Stuart J. Marsden and Deborah J. Pain Christopher Helm, 2013. Pbk, 320pp; colour and black-and-white illustrations ISBN 978-1-4081-8966-5 Subbuteo code M2 1739. £25.00 BB Bookshop price £22.50 This excellent book was first reviewed in BB in 2010 (see Brit. Birds 103: 739-740). In the three years since the first edition, the stories of some of the world’s rarest birds have changed dramatically, either because of better knowledge of their status and threats or because of new developments in the race to save them, so several of the key chapters - notably those on the Spoon-billed Sandpiper Calidris pygmeus, the Asian Gyps vultures and the Madagascar Pochard Aythya innotata- have been substantially updated. The BB Bookshop, brought to you by Subbuteo Natural History Books www.wildlifebooks.com/bb, and see our list after Reviews 660 British Birds 107 • October 2014 • 658-660 British Birds Bookshop Brought to you by SUBBUTEO NATURAL HISTORY BOOKS The only place to find all your specialist ornithological, natural history and travel books This month's selection of books... Great Savings! i \ Grey Daggers and Minotlurs in Greenwich Park Memories of a London Schoolboy Naturalist ,!ne 1940s New } m utoN Field Guide Wildlife of The Gambia 2nd cdittwi 0 colour phtriotiraphs; M 24247 pbk £16.50 M24270 pbk £18.00 M24286 hbk £9.99 M24330 pbk £28.95 M18778 hbk £4730 £6.99 FIRST FOR Britain and Ireland 1600-1999 M17130 hbk £25^0 £19.95 AA19583 hbk LASrOO £25.00 M19372 hbk £3&0O £24.95 Many more offer books available online. Please quote S1590 when ordering. 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For more information & availability please visit www.vikin30ptical.co.uk/edpro X BirdLife PREVENTING EXTINCTIONS Viking Viking Optical Limited, Blyth Road, Halesworth Suffolk iPI 9 SEN, UK Tel: 01 986 S7531 5 email: sales@vikingoptical.co.uk Ghana - Picathartes Honduras m South Africa - Kruger Sri Lanka Kazakhstan Nepal - a range of tours Zambia Panama ana cuador - a range of tours iambia www.naturetrek.co.uk i/estern Australia India - a range of tours Taiwan Australia - Queensland Thailand olivia - Highlands isr ’ ’ ■ Uganda olivia - Lowlands Venezuela - a range of tours orneo razil uba || ^ ill thiopia 01962 733051 info@naturetrek.co.uk Naturetrek, Cheriton Mill, Alresford, Hampshire, S024 ONG For a limited period we are offering £100 Cashback on the stunning Aurora BGA. Models illustrated 8x42 Green 10x42 Black & Gunmetal Find your nearest stockist below or visit www.opticron.co.uk/Pages/aurora_stockists.htm Bristol Bristol Cameras 0117 9140089 Cheshire Focalpoint Optics, Warrington 01925 730399 Cornwall Associated Photography, Falmouth 01326 319591 South West Optics, Truro 01872 263444 St Ives Camera Company 01736 795276 Dorset The Binocular Shop, Wareham 01929 554171 Wessex Photo, Weymouth 01305 782329 Devon J & A Cameras, Barnstaple 01271 375037 Gloucestershire Clifton Cameras, Dursley 01453 548128 Infocus, WWT, Slimbridge 01453 890978 Hertfordshire Infocus, London Colney 01727 827799 Tring Astronomy Centre 01442 822997 Ireland North J Gould & Sons, Bangor 028 91271091 Black & Lizars, Belfast 028 90326992 Lancashire Infocus, WWT, Martin Mere 01704 897020 Lamberts Of Lancaster 01524 37384 Leicestershire Infocus, Egleton Reserve 01572 770656 Lincolnshire Comley Cameras, Cleethorpes 01472 692082 London Infocus, WWT, Barnes 020 84094433 Norfolk Cley Spy, Glandford 01263 740088 Infocus, Titchwell 01485 210101 Nottinghamshire Attenborough Nature Centre 0115 9721777 Scotland Merchant City Cameras, Glasgow 0141 5526823 Sussex Feathers Wild Bird Care, Robertsbridge 01580 880803 Wales Carmarthen Camera Centre 01267 222300 Worcestershire The Birders Store, Worcester 01905 312877 Yorkshire Bass & Bligh, Harrogate 01423 538138 Skipton Camera Centre 01756 796570 Potteric Carr Nature Reserve, Doncaster 01302 570077 Infocus, Denby Dale 01484 864729 Warwickshire Focus Optics, Corley 01676 540501 Sherwoods, Henley-in- Arden 01789 488880 To qualify simply purchase an 8x42 or 10x42 Aurora BGA between 01/09/14 and 31/10/14. To claim your £100 Cashback visit the Promotions page at www.opticron.co.uk, print and complete the Claim Form and submit it together with a valid purchase receipt no later than 1 5/1 1/14. Offer valid on UK purchases of new stock only. Subject to availability. Tel: 01582 726522 Email: sales@opticron.co.uk Opticron. Unit 21, Titan Court, Laporte Way, Luton, Beds, LU4 8EF UK oloticron