Records
Masked Booby
25 May 2007
The latest potential addition to the British List occurred in mid-May 2007, when a Masked Booby was reported off St Catherine's Point, Isle of Wight, on 19/5. Amazingly, what was presumably the same bird was belatedly reported from the region of the Channel Light Vessel two days earlier. Could this also be the same bird seen on the Portsmouth-Bilbao ferry in September 2003? Probably not - the Bilbao bird was reported as a sub-adult whereas the recent records have been said to have involved a "juvenile" or an "immature". How many of them are there in European waters? The chances of this bird becoming twitchable seem fairly remote, but stranger things have happened...
BUBO Listing has not yet added Masked Booby as a "provisional" addition to any authorities because we tend to reserve this for species where there appears to be absolutely no question of the identity of the bird. At time of writing, there are not sufficient facts in the public domain for us to make this assessment, although by all accounts the bird was seen by experienced observers. However, if any BUBO Listers have been lucky enough to have seen the bird then get in touch and let us know.
Stop press: presumably the same bird was reported off Porthgwarra, Cornwall, on 25th May. Going the wrong way, unless it's off to Grassholm...
Egyptian Vulture
30 April 2007
An Egyptian Vulture was found in central Norfolk on 28th April, seen in a field by just one lucky observer before it departed north. It was rediscovered in North Norfolk the following day, seen near Wells then, soon after, to the south nearer Fakenham. At the time of writing (30th) it has not yet been rediscovered but if it can be "pinned down" it is sure to prove a popular bird. Egyptian Vulture is on the BOU British List in category B only on the strength of some 19th century records. Whether this bird was a wild or escaped individual is clearly open to question. If any BUBO listers are lucky enough to come across this bird, then it is possible to add it to your BUBO Lists, should your conscience allow. (You can always take it off again if it is later rejected!)
.jpg "Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus)")
Elegant Tern on BOU Lists
04 April 2007
Following enquiries from several BUBO Listers, Elegant Tern has been added as a "provisional" BOU species, following strong claims from Devon and Caernarfonshire in 2002, and Dorset in 2005. If these claims are rejected by BOURC and/or BBRC, however, the species will be removed from BOU lists.
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