Hi Alan
That was the conclusion that I came to given the Trent's track record with this species, yet all the early sources point to the bird being in Lincs. Aside from the original citation it was for instance listed in Morris's History of British Birds:
221. Caspian Tern. Sterna caspia, Pallas.
A specimen of this very rare straggler was killed on the border of the county at Caythorpe on 17 May 1863 and was taken in the flesh to Mr. Foottit of Newark.
In the county of Lincoln one was shot at Caythorpe, near Grantham, many miles from the sea, May the 17th. 1853.
(
http://www.archive.org/stream/historyof ... r_djvu.txt)
in Cordeau's Birds of the Humber District:
248. STERNA CASPIA, Pallas. Caspian Tern.
This fine species, the largest of the European Terns, has occurred on several occasions on the eastern coast of England. One specimen recorded by Mr. Yarrell was shot at Caythorpe, near Grantham, in the south of Lincolnshire, in May, 1853 (see also Zool. p. 3946).
The first reference I can find to the bird being in Notts is from the The Victoria history of the county of Nottingham edited by William Page (
http://www.archive.org/stream/nottingha ... t_djvu.txt)
221. Caspian Tern. Sterna caspia, Pallas.
A specimen of this very rare straggler was killed on the border of the county at Caythorpe on 17 May 1863 and was taken in the flesh to Mr. Foottit of Newark.
It would therefore seem a bit unsatisfactory to asign the bird to Notts on probability alone, given that its not beyond the realms of possibility that a Caspian Tern could have stopped to fish on the lakes at Culverthorpe and given all the early literature stated that the bird was obtained in Lincs. I think unless evidence is forthcoming that places the bird definitely in Notts then it shouldn't be admitted as a 1st record for either county (rather than as it apparently stands as a 1st for both in their respective county avifaunas!).
cheers
Alex
_________________
Dr Alexander C. Lees
Lecturer in tropical ecologyManchester Metropolitan University
Lab Associate
Cornell Lab of Ornithology,
Cornell University
http://www.freewebs.com/alexlees/index.htm@Alexander_Lees