SOMERSET ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY

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This is the list of accepted county records as of 31st December 2004.  Species are numbered in the order given in 'The British Birds List of Western Palearctic Birds' with re-arrangements introduced by Sangster (2005).  Further information about the British List can be found at the BOU website    http://www.bou.org.uk/

Species marked with an asterisk (*) require a description to be submitted to the County Recorder.  

Species named in bold lettering are those that require a description to be submitted to the British Birds Rarities Committee.  If you are submitting a description for one of these species please send it to the County Recorder who will forward it to the Secretary of the BBRC.

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Bonaparte's Gull, Hinkley Point Power Station Outfall, 4 Feb. 2001

© Andrew Duff , 2001

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No. Species Scientific Name Status
1 MUTE SWAN Cygnus olor Fairly common RB. SV & WV.
2 TUNDRA (BEWICK'S) SWAN Cygnus columbianus bewickii Uncommon WV.
#WHISTLING SWAN Cygnus columbianus columbianus Accidental (assumed same bird)
  05-24/01/1986;  Hay & Curry Moor;  
  12/12/1987-11/02/1988;  Levels south of Poldens & Durleigh;  
  27/11/1988-12/02/1989;
  26/11/1989-03/03/1990;
3 WHOOPER SWAN Cygnus cygnus Scarce WV.
4 BEAN GOOSE Anser fabalis Very rare WV.
5 PINK-FOOTED GOOSE Anser brachyrhynchus Rare WV.
6 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE Anser albifrons Scarce WV & PM.
7 GREYLAG GOOSE Anser anser Uncommon feral RB. Rare WV & PM.
8 CANADA GOOSE Branta canadensis Common RB & irregular visitor.
9 BARNACLE GOOSE Branta leucopsis Rare WV. Most escapes or feral.
10 BRENT GOOSE Branta bernicla Uncommon WV & PM.
11 EGYPTIAN GOOSE Alopochen aegyptiacus Scarce or rare visitor.
12 RUDDY SHELDUCK Tadorna ferruginea Rare feral or accidental visitor.
  13/11/1915; Porlock Marsh; Two shot
  12/05/1928; Porlock Marsh; Tired but not tame
13 COMMON SHELDUCK Tadorna tadorna Uncommon RB.
14 MANDARIN DUCK Aix galericulata Scarce feral R or escapee.
15 EURASIAN WIGEON Anas penelope Common WV & PM.
16 AMERICAN WIGEON Anas americana Very rare visitor.
17 GADWALL Anas strepera Fairly common B AV, WV & PM.
18 EURASIAN TEAL Anas crecca Scarce B. Common PM & WV.
19 GREEN-WINGED TEAL Anas carolinensis Very rare visitor.
20 MALLARD Anas platyrhynchos Common RB, PM & WV.
21 NORTHERN PINTAIL Anas acuta Fairly common WV & PM.
22 GARGANEY Anas querquedula Scarce MB. Uncommon PM.
23 BLUE-WINGED TEAL Anas discors Accidental.
17/04/1981; Porlock Marsh; A male
13/01/1982; Sutton Bingham Res; One female
24 NORTHERN SHOVELER Anas clypeata Scarce B. Fairly common PM & WV.
25 RED-CRESTED POCHARD Netta rufina Scarce feral visitor.
26 COMMON POCHARD Aythya ferina Rare B. Fairly common WV.
27 RING-NECKED DUCK* Aythya collaris Rare visitor.
28 FERRUGINOUS DUCK* Aythya nyroca Very rare visitor.
29 TUFTED DUCK Aythya fuligula Uncommon B. Common PM & WV.
30 GREATER SCAUP Aythya marila Uncommon & irregular WV.
31 COMMON EIDER Somateria mollissima Scarce PM, SpV & WV.
32 LONG-TAILED DUCK Clangula hyemalis Scarce & irregular WV.
33 BLACK (COMMON) SCOTER Melanitta nigra Uncommon visitor.
34 VELVET SCOTER Melanitta fusca Rare PM & WV.
35 COMMON GOLDENEYE Bucephala clangula Uncommon PM & WV.
36 SMEW Mergellus albellus Scarce & irregular WV.
37 RED-BREASTED MERGANSER Mergus serrator Scarce PM & WV
38 GOOSANDER Mergus merganser Scarce B. Common PM & WV.
39 RUDDY DUCK Oxyura jamaicensis Rare B. Uncommon WV.
40 WILLOW PTARMIGAN (RED GROUSE) Lagopus lagopus Introduced almost extinct .
41 BLACK GROUSE Tetrao tetrix Formally RB.
42 RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE Alectoris rufa Introduced RB. Reared & released.
43 GREY PARTRIDGE Perdix perdix Scarce RB.
44 COMMON QUAIL Coturnix coturnix Scarce MB & SV. Nos. highly variable.
45 COMMON PHEASANT Phasianus colchicus Common RB. Many released.
46 GOLDEN PHEASANT Chrysolophus pictus Occasional escape
47 RED-THROATED DIVER Gavia stellata Uncommon PM & WV.
48 BLACK-THROATED DIVER* Gavia arctica Rare PM & WV.
49 GREAT NORTHERN DIVER* Gavia immer Scarce PM & WV.
50 LITTLE GREBE   Tachybaptus ruficollis Fairly common RB & PM.
51 GREAT CRESTED GREBE Podiceps cristatus Fairly common RB, PM & WV.
52 RED-NECKED GREBE Podiceps grisegena Rare PM & WV.
53 SLAVONIAN GREBE Podiceps auritus Rare PM & WV.
54 BLACK-NECKED GREBE Podiceps nigricollis Rare PM & WV.
55 NORTHERN FULMAR Fulmarus glacialis Fairly common SV. Scarce B & WV.
56 CORY'S SHEARWATER* Calonectris diomedea Very rare visitor.
57 GREAT SHEARWATER Puffinus gravis Accidental.
  20/08/2002;  Berrow;   Andrew M. Slade
58 SOOTY SHEARWATER* Puffinus griseus Very rare visitor.
59 MANX SHEARWATER Puffinus puffinus Common SV & storm-vagrant.
60 BALEARIC SHEARWATER* Puffinus mauretanicus Very rare visitor.
61 N. ATLANTIC LITTLE SHEARWATER Puffinus assimilis Accidental.
03/09/1988;  Hinkley Point;  J.G. Hole
62 WILSON'S STORM-PETREL Oceanites oceanicus Accidental.
02/10/1999;  Burnham-on-sea;   Brian E.Slade, Andrew M. Slade, R.John Ingram
63 EUROPEAN STORM-PETREL* Hydrobates pelagicus Scarce SV, storm-vagrant & PM.
64 LEACH'S STORM-PETREL* Oceanodroma leucorhoa Rare visitor & storm-vagrant .
65 NORTHERN GANNET Morus bassanus Fairly common SV.
66 GREAT CORMORANT Phalacrocorax carbo Fairly common SV, PM & WV.
67 EUROPEAN SHAG Phalacrocorax auritus Scarce visitor. Rare inland.
68 GREAT BITTERN  Botaurus stellaris Scarce WV.
69 AMERICAN BITTERN Botaurus lentiginosus Accidental visitor (2-old records).
1898; Long Sutton; One in the winter period
26/05/1928;  Remains found on the central levels.  Had evidently died of shot wounds; Stanley Lewis
70 LITTLE BITTERN Ixobrychus minutus Accidental.
71 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON Nycticorax nycticorax Very rare visitor.
72 SQUACCO HERON Ardeola ralloides Accidental.
12/07/1825; Bridgwater; Female shot just before this date
13/06/1997; Nr. Rode; Alan Bundy, G.A. Crouch, Dave W. Helliar, B.J. Widden; First-summer;
73 CATTLE EGRET Bubulcus ibis Very rare visitor.
17/12/1985-23/02/1986; East Coker & Sutton Bingham Res; Taken into care last date, released 18/3 & last seen Othery 18/04/1986
21/03-18/04/1998; Berrow; First summer; Robert S. Cropper & Mr & Mrs Brian E. Slade et al
03-08/04/1998; Chilton Trinity; One feeding amongst sheep (different to Berrow bird); Cyril Avent & W.P. Bovett
  23-27/05/2002; Catcott Lows; Anonymous finder, Brian Gibbs
74 LITTLE EGRET Egretta garzetta Scarce RB & irregular visitor.
75 GREAT (WHITE) EGRET Ardea alba Very rare SV.
76 GREY HERON Ardea cinerea Fairly common RB. PM & WV.
77 PURPLE HERON* Ardea purpurea Very rare Sp & SV.
78 BLACK STORK Ciconia nigra Accidental.
13/05/1814; West Sedge Moor; One caught alive
18/08/1993; Shapwick Heath; A juvenile
13/09/1993; Sharpham; A second-year bird
79 WHITE STORK* Ciconia ciconia Very rare visitor.
80 GLOSSY IBIS Plegadis falcinellus Accidental.
1859; Shapwick; Single bird
11/1920; Brean; Single bird
early 12/1921; Cannington; Single bird
28/08/1977; Templecombe; Single bird
28/11/1996;  Ston Easton; Juvenile; D. Clothier & B. Watts
81 EURASIAN SPOONBILL Platalea leucorodia Rare PM. 
82 EUROPEAN HONEY BUZZARD* Pernis apivorus Rare PM or SV.
83 BLACK KITE Milvus migrans Accidental.
18/05/1986; Near Bruton; One
15/04/1995; Ham Wall NNR; One seen for 15 minutes before flying off NE
84 RED KITE Milvus milvus Scarce SV, PM & WV
85 WHITE-TAILED EAGLE Haliaeetus albicilla Former WV
86 EGYPTIAN VULTURE Neophron percnopterus Accidental
10/1825; Kilve; One immature shot over the cliffs
87 EURASIAN MARSH HARRIER Circus aeruginosus Rare MB, Uncommon SV, PM & WV.
88 HEN HARRIER Circus cyaneus Uncommon PM & WV.
89 MONTAGU'S HARRIER* Circus pygargus Rare SV & PM.
90 NORTHERN GOSHAWK* Accipiter gentilis Rare RB. Scarce visitor & PM.
91 EURASIAN SPARROWHAWK Accipiter nisus Common RB. PM & WV.
92 COMMON BUZZARD Buteo buteo Common RB. PM & possible WV.
93 ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD* Buteo lagopus Very rare WV. 
94 OSPREY Pandion haliaetus Scarce PM.
95 COMMON KESTREL Falco tinnunculus Common RB. PM & possible WV.
96 RED-FOOTED FALCON Falco vespertinus Very rare SpV & SV.
97 MERLIN Falco columbarius Scarce RB. Uncommon PM & WV.
98 EURASIAN HOBBY Falco subbuteo Scarce MB. Uncommon PM.
99 GYR FALCON Falco rusticolus Accidental visitor (1 record)
20/02/1926; Picked up disabled in a garden at Watchet. Died next day. Had previously been seen flying on the Quantocks;  Mr. E.B. Bellamy acquired the bird on 22/02/1926 and it was set up by Mr. F.H.L. Whish.
100 PEREGRINE FALCON Falco peregrinus Uncommon RB. Common PM & WV.
101 WATER RAIL Rallus aquaticus Fairly common RB, PM & WV.
102 SPOTTED CRAKE* Porzana porzana Rare PM & WV.
103 LITTLE CRAKE Porzana parva Accidental.
  October 1824 ; Avalon Marshes; Two birds shot evidently in the marsh area
Before 1858; Presumably Avalon Marshes; A single bird shot
104 BAILLON'S CRAKE Porzana pusilla Accidental.
About 07/10/1870; R. Tone near Taunton; One
29/09/1874; Knapp Bridge near Taunton; One
1887; Stogursey; One
09/1901; Axbridge; One
12/11/1912; Minehead; One
105 CORNCRAKE* Crex crex Very rare PM. Last bred 1954.
106 COMMON MOORHEN Gallinula chloropus Common RB & WV.
107 COMMON COOT Fulica atra Common RB & WV.
108 COMMON CRANE* Grus grus Very rare PM.
109 LITTLE BUSTARD Tetrax tetrax Accidental.
circa. 1872; Sedge Moor; One shot
19/10/1894; Near Drayton; Juvenile female shot, now in City Museum, Bristol
28/12/1914; Isle Abbotts; One shot
110 GREAT BUSTARD Otis tarda Accidental.
22/09/1870; Shapwick Heath; One seen from a train
111 EURASIAN OYSTERCATCHER Haematopus ostralegus Scarce RB. Common SV, PM & WV.
112 BLACK-WINGED STILT Himantopus himantopus Accidental.
113 PIED AVOCET Recurvirostra avosetta Scarce PM & WV.
114 STONE-CURLEW* Burhinus oedicnemus Very rare visitor.
115 CREAM-COLOURED COURSER Cursorius cursor Accidental.
24-27/09/1941; Minehead golf course; One
116 COLLARED PRATINCOLE Glareola pratincola Accidental.
Before 1858; North Mendips; One possibly not in modern county but North Somerset
117 BLACK-WINGED PRATINCOLE Glareola nordmanni Accidental.
15/06/1957; Steart; A single bird, J. Reynolds
08/09/1968; Near Ilchester; One
118 LITTLE (RINGED) PLOVER Charadrius dubius Rare MB. Uncommon PM.
119 RINGED PLOVER Charadrius hiaticula Scarce B. Common PM & V.
120 KENTISH PLOVER* Charadrius alexandrinus Very rare PM & WV.
121 EURASIAN DOTTEREL Charadrius morinellus Scarce PM.
122 AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER Pluvialis dominica Accidental.
23-24/09/1973; Steart; One
  04-26/10/1984; Stoke Moor & Cheddar Res; one, moved around the Stoke area before settling at Cheddar Res.
05/11/2003; Templedown Farm, Yoxter; S. Isgar.
123 EUROPEAN GOLDEN PLOVER Pluvialis apricaria Common PM & WV.
124 GREY PLOVER Pluvialis squatarola Fairly common PM & WV.
125 NORTHERN LAPWING Vanellus vanellus Fairly common B. PM & WV.
126 RED KNOT Calidris canutus Common PM & WV.
127 SANDERLING Calidris alba Common PM & uncommon WV.
128 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER Calidris pusilla Accidental.
18-21/10/1973; Sutton Bingham Res; One accepted by BBRC as either this species or Western Sandpiper
02-07/10/1982; Sutton Bingham Res; One juvenile;
16-18/09/2000; Burnham-on-Sea; One juvenile; Andrew M. Slade et al
129 LITTLE STINT Calidris minuta Uncommon PM. Rare WV.
130 TEMMINCK'S STINT* Calidris temminckii Very rare PM.
131 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER Calidris fuscicollis Very rare autumn visitor.
09-16/08/1976; Cheddar Res; One
29/07 & 14-16/08/1984; West Huntspill; One adult
  16-28/10/1987; Cheddar Res; One juvenile
17/08/2004; Brue estuary; One adult
132 BAIRD'S SANDPIPER Calidris bairdii Accidental.
15/09/1973; Porlock Marsh; One
15/09/1974; Steart; One
133 PECTORAL SANDPIPER* Calidris melanotos Rare PM
134 CURLEW SANDPIPER Calidris ferruginea Uncommon PM. Rare WV.
135 PURPLE SANDPIPER Calidris maritima Rare PM. Scarce WV.
136 DUNLIN Calidris alpina Common PM. Abundant WV.
137 BROAD-BILLED SANDPIPER Limicola falcinellus Accidental.
05-06/09/1973;  Sutton Bingham Res.;  Dave E. Paull & Alan Bundy
138 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER* Tryngites subruficollis Very rare visitor.
139 RUFF Philomachus pugnax Uncommon PM & WV.
140 JACK SNIPE Lymnocryptes minimus Uncommon PM & WV.
141 COMMON SNIPE Gallinago gallinago Uncommon B. Common PM & WV.
142 GREAT SNIPE Gallinago media Accidental.
Before 1900; Wedmore; One
  22/09/1903; Warren Ridge, Exmoor; One
Winter 1906; Tealham Moor; One
03/04/1949; Cheddar Clay Pits; One
143 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER Limnodromus scolopaceus Very rare visitor.
144 EURASIAN WOODCOCK Scolopax rusticola Rare B. Fairly common PM & WV.
145 BLACK-TAILED GODWIT Limosa limosa Common PM & WV.
146 BAR-TAILED GODWIT Limosa lapponica Scarce PM & WV.
147 WHIMBREL Numenius phaeopus Common PM.
148 EURASIAN CURLEW Numenius arquata Uncommon B. Common PM & WV.
149 UPLAND SANDPIPER Bartramia longicauda Accidental.
Before 1847; Combwich or Turf Moor; One shot in the winter
150 SPOTTED REDSHANK Tringa erythropus Scarce PM & WV.
151 COMMON REDSHANK Tringa totanus Uncommon B. Common PM & WV.
152 MARSH SANDPIPER Tringa stagnatilis Accidental.
20/08/1984; Cheddar Res; One juvenile
153 COMMON GREENSHANK Tringa nebularia Fairly common PM. Rare WV.
154 LESSER YELLOWLEGS Tringa melanoleuca Accidental.
21/10/1996; Wall Common; A juvenile that stayed for 7 minutes before flying off west; Paul I. Holt
155 GREEN SANDPIPER Tringa ochropus Common PM & uncommon WV
156 WOOD SANDPIPER Tringa glareola Uncommon PM.
157 TEREK SANDPIPER Xenus cinereus Accidental.
18/08/1974; Sutton Bingham Res; One adult in summer plumage
28/05/1987; Porlock Marsh; Single bird
158 COMMON SANDPIPER Actitis hypoleucos Fairly common PM. Rare WV.
159 SPOTTED SANDPIPER Actitis macularia Accidental.
27/08-04/09/1968; Durleigh Res; One adult in summer plumage
17-18/05/1991; Burnham-on-Sea & Brue estuary; One adult in summer plumage
27/09-09/10/1992; Brue estuary; One juvenile
27/10/1992-10/05/1993; Brue estuary; One juvenile accepted as a different bird to previous record
160 RUDDY TURNSTONE Arenaria interpres Common PM & WV.
161 WILSON'S PHALAROPE Phalaropus tricolor Very rare visitor.
162 RED-NECKED PHALAROPE* Phalaropus lobatus Very rare PM.
163 GREY PHALAROPE* Phalaropus fulicarius Rare PM or storm-vagrant.
164 POMARINE SKUA Stercorarius pomarinus Scarce PM. Rare WV.
165 ARCTIC SKUA Stercorarius parasiticus Uncommon PM. Rare WV.
166 LONG-TAILED SKUA* Stercorarius longicaudus Rare PM.
167 GREAT SKUA Catharacta skua Uncommon PM. Rare WV.
168 MEDITERRANEAN GULL Larus melanocephalus Uncommon PM & WV.
169 LAUGHING GULL Larus atricilla Accidental.
08-10/09/1980; Bossington Beach & Porlock marsh; One second-winter bird
02-29/09/1988; Brue estuary & Walrow Pit; One second-winter bird
170 FRANKLIN'S GULL Larus pipixcan Accidental.
09-10/07/1990; Sutton Bingham Res; An adult
16-22/03/2000; Cheddar Res; One second-winter bird