List of species and sub-species (in italics) for which a description is required by the ISBG Rarities Committee (SRC)
From January 1st 2024
In addition to the species listed below, please note that descriptions may also be required for species seen out of season, e.g. Sandwich Tern in December, or in unusual locations, e.g. Puffin on the Great Pool.
N.B. Removals from 1/1/24 – Red Kite and Waxwing
To complement the list below, full details of almost all SRC (and all BBRC) rarity sightings are now available here. The Group is extremely grateful to Keith Naylor, the British Ornithological Union Records Committee (BOURC) Historical Records Consultant, who compiled the data on behalf of the Recorder and also published the website.
Snow Goose *
Taiga Bean Goose
Tundra Bean Goose
White-fronted Goose
Bewick’s Swan
Egyptian Goose *
Mandarin Duck
American Wigeon
Green-winged Teal
Red-crested Pochard
Ring-necked Duck
Eider (except non-eclipse males)
Surf Scoter
Velvet Scoter
Goldeneye
Smew
Goosander
Ruddy Duck
Nightjar
Alpine Swift
Corncrake
Spotted Crake
Crane
Red-necked Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
Stone-curlew
Black-winged Stilt
Avocet
American Golden Plover
Temminck’s Stint
White-rumped Sandpiper
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Red-necked Phalarope
Lesser Yellowlegs
Sabine’s Gull ¶
Ring-billed Gull
Kumlien’s Gull (kumlieni)
Scandinavian Herring Gull (argentatus)
Caspian Gull
Roseate Tern
White-winged Black Tern
Pomarine Skua ¶
Long-tailed Skua ¶
Little Auk
Black Guillemot
White-billed Diver
Wilson’s Petrel ¶
Leach’s Petrel ¶
Balearic Shearwater ¶ (except birds seen in winter)
White Stork
Glossy Ibis
Bittern
Purple Heron
Great White Egret
Honey Buzzard
Golden Eagle *
Goshawk
Montagu’s Harrier
Black Kite
White-tailed Eagle
Rough-legged Buzzard
Barn Owl
Tawny Owl
Little Owl
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker *
Green Woodpecker
Red-footed Falcon
Ring-necked Parakeet *
Great Grey Shrike
Woodchat Shrike (except birds in adult plumage)
Jay
Magpie
Chough
Coal Tit
Crested Tit
Marsh Tit *
Willow Tit *
Penduline Tit
Bearded Tit
Woodlark
Shore Lark
Long-tailed Tit
Pallas’s Warbler
Radde’s Warbler
Dusky Warbler
Siberian Chiffchaff (tristis) (birds seen from May to September only)
Greenish Warbler
Arctic Warbler
Blyth’s Reed Warbler
Marsh Warbler
Melodious Warbler
Icterine Warbler
Barred Warbler
Dartford Warbler
Nuthatch *
Treecreeper
Bluethroat (White-throated – cyanecula – is BBRC)
Nightingale
Red-flanked Bluetail
Dipper *
Tree Sparrow
Grey-headed Wagtail (thunbergi)
Citrine Wagtail
Richard’s Pipit
Olive-backed Pipit
Water Pipit
Scandinavian Rock Pipit (littoralis)
Common Rosefinch
Twite
Common Redpoll
Corn Bunting
Yellowhammer
Ortolan Bunting
Cirl Bunting
Notes:
* These species have not yet been recorded on Scilly. (In addition, Scottish Crossbill and sedentary gamebirds are unlikely to reach Scilly naturally.)
¶ Except birds seen on pelagic trips.
Leach’s Petrel © Joe Pender