The Lincolnshire Bird Club

The second part of our look back at those species which have made first time appearances in the county during the month of January. This part covers the period 1700 to 1899. On with Part 2...............

1899 – BLACK GUILLEMOT
A Black Guillemot held in Lincoln museum was said to have been shot at Washingborough, near Lincoln on 21st January 1899. Inland occurrences of Black Guillemots in Britain are extremely rare, so this does seem quite an extraordinary record. However, there is nothing to suggest this could not have been a storm blown bird, and in such conditions it is not unheard of for any of the auk species to be found at inland localities. The second county record occurred 64 years later when a bird was seen at Chapel Point in the third week of September 1963. Black Guillemot remains an extreme rarity in Lincolnshire and there have been only a further 9 records and none for 28 years. The remaining records involved birds seen at Gibraltar Point on 13th November 1965 and 15th January 1966, an early individual at Donna Nook on 30th August 1967 and one found dead at Gibraltar Point on 16th November 1968. The only vaguely twitchable bird in the County was present at the Witham Mouth in the Wash from 29th December 1977 to 3rd January 1978. In 1980 one flew south at Donna Nook on 5th November and another was found dead at North Cotes on 23rd November. A live bird was seen off Huttoft during the height of a major 'auk wreck' along the Lincolnshire coast on 13th February 1983 and last record involved a bird which flew south at Huttoft during strong winds out at sea on 2nd November 1985. Black Guillemot remains a prize find for Lincolnshire's seawatchers. In Britain this is very much a seabird of northern and western coasts of Scotland, from Shetland and Orkney, the northern mainland, Inner and Outer Hebrides and western coasts south to Dumfries & Galloway. The only other British birds are a small population at St. Bees Head, Cumbria (the only English colony) and another small population in Gwynedd, North Wales. However, birds also breed on the Isle of Man and are widely distributed around the coastline of Ireland. In European context, the British population of around 38,000 pairs is third only to those found in Norway and Iceland. In a global context the populations in Greenland, Canada and Russia account for around two thirds of the world population with most of the rest in north-west Europe and those in Britain representing up to 14% of the global population. For a relatively common British seabird resident, the Black Guillemot is surprisingly scarce in English waters, no doubt due to its rarity as a breeding bird in England and partly to its sedentary habits. Following breeding, in August and September, flocks gather to moult in sheltered bays and inshore waters near to their breeding grounds. Their winter distribution closely matches that in summer as movements over 100km are unusual and birds are rarely encountered far out at sea. Some immature birds make lengthy movements however; one ringed on Fair isle in 1953 was recovered in the Blackwater Estuary, Essex in November of that year and one ringed on Fair Isle in July 1969 was recovered at Filey, Yorkshire in February 1978. In addition birds ringed in Sweden in June 1960 and 1978 were recovered, respctively, at Winterton in Norfolk in July 1960 and at Budle Bay, Northumberland in February 1979. Black Guillemots have always been regarded as scarce visitors around the entire English coast. Of documented records in the south there had been just 4 records for Scilly up to 2000 but about 40 birds in Dorset up to the end of the 1990s, but just one record for Hampshire up to the early 1990s. Moving around to the east coast, in our neighbouring county of Norfolk the species is considered a scarce passage migrant and less than annual winter visitor with up to 8 birds reported in any one year. However up to the new millennium there were just 6 records from Suffolk with 4 of these in the twentieth century, but perhaps surprisingly more from Essex with 7 birds up to 1982. Even in the far north of the country, whilst more numerous, the bird is still infrequently encountered. In the 5 year period 1996-2000 there were records of 22 birds in Cornwall, 21 in Norfolk, 10 in Dorset, two in Sussex but none at all in either Scilly, Suffolk, Essex or Hampshire. This compared to records of tens of birds annually in Northumberland during the period.

1889 – CIRL BUNTING
Cirl Bunting was said to have bred locally in the heath district of the north-west of the county during the nineteenth century but there has been no evidence to support these claims. This species is an extremely rare visitor to the county with just four records. The first of these was a bird seen at Great Cotes on 5th January 1889, but was quickly followed by the second when a bird was recorded at Grimsby on 10th December of the same year. There were no further records until a bird was present at Donna Nook from 29th September to 2nd October 1968 with the last County record a bird seen at the same locality on 28th October 1977. Cirl Bunting has never been as abundant in Britain like its close relative the Yellowhammer. In fact, it was not recorded in Britain before the 19th Century, when a few birds were discovered in south Devon. Although it is not certain, the species may well have only been colonising Britain for the first time. Throughout the 19th century it spread across the lowlands of southern England and, by the 1930s, was common and widespread south of a line between London and Bristol, and also occurred in North Wales. The decline first became noticeable in the 1950s with the population reaching critical levels by the end of the 1980s. The British population during the late 1960s and early 1970s was considered to be in the region of 250-300 pairs. Between the 1930 and 1980s the population size and range in Britain declined to a point where this species became one of Britain's rarest passerines. During the early 1990s its main range had become confined to the coastal strip of south Devon between Plymouth and Exeter. The first full census of the species in 1982 however revealed a maximum of 167 pairs in England, mostly in Devon. Further surveys in 1989 and 1991 revealed a total of 229 pairs in southern England during the latter year, with 217 in Devon and 12 in Cornwall. Habitat change, farming practices and climatic conditions (the species is at the very northern edge of its range) have all been cited as likely causes for declines. To bring things a little more up to date, a national survey of Cirl buntings in 2009 revealed 862 territories (741 in Devon and 13 in Cornwall) this being an increase of 24% since the previous survey in 2003. Despite a few reported sightings elsewhere in southern England in preceding years, no new territories were found and there was little sign of range expansion beyond the core south Devon range. A small population now exists as a result of the ongoing RSPB/Natural England reintroduction project in west Cornwall. Lost as a breeding bird in Cornwall during the 1990s, full scale reintroduction began in 2006 with the last year of 'rear and release' being in 2011. The target level of 40 breeding pairs was achieved in 2012. The Cirl Bunting is principally a bird of the countries surrounding the north and west Mediterranean, but its range does extend through much of France to the isolated populations in southern England. Declines have also been recorded in Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany and parts of France. There are sporadic occurrences of birds far from the main population which is surprising as British breeders are mainly sedentary. These could of course relate to continental spring migrants overshooting. However of 7 records from Scilly for example, all were from late autumn winter and included an exceptional 12 at Borough Farm, Tresco from 21st to 23rd January 1977 perhaps indicating some dispersal from the population in the south-west of England. Although the nearest breeding birds occur in Lorraine, northern France, extralimital Cirl buntings are extremely rare in north-western Europe. For example, a singing male in Belgium from 25th May to 17th June 2007 was the first twitchable bird since the species last bred there in 1962. There are a total of just 5 records from the Netherlands. A bird trapped in Denmark on 10th June 1995 was only the second national record, whilst a male present in Sweden from 31st May to 7th June 2008 was the first record for that nation. It is now 36 years since Cirl Bunting has been seen in the County. As unlikely as a repeat appearance may seem, it is perhaps the extralimital records in north-west Europe that perhaps give the greatest hope that this species may once more visit Lincolnshire.

1854 – LITTLE BUSTARD
The first county specimen of this species was shot in a turnip field on Welbourn Heath, near Lincoln on 30th January where it was taken to a Newark taxidermist and preserved. It coincides with a specimen obtained at Shelton, Nottinghamshire the same year and had been preceded by a male shot in a turnip field on the road leading from Winterton to Yarmouth, Norfolk during severe weather on 29th December 1853. This was followed by a second bird just three years later when a female was shot near Alford in January 1856. A bird was shot at Charity Farm, near Westwoodside in the Isle of Axholme prior to 1890 and was presented to the Doncaster Museum in 1942. It was thought to be a Black Grouse/Pheasant hybrid and was recognised in 1977 when it was described and photographed. One was seen at Walcot, near Scunthorpe on 22nd January 1913 and a bird shot at Addlethorpe, near Skegness on 22nd November 1933 was examined and assigned to the eastern race orientalis. The most recent record was a bird shot at Gosberton Cheal on 30th December 1955 which was preserved, photographed and identified at Norwich Museum of being of the western race Otis tetrax tetrax. Little Bustard is a bird of mid-latitude grasslands from Morocco, Iberia and France eastwards discontinuously to the Russian steppes. Southerly populations are resident but the more northerly ones move south, often wintering in the southern parts of the range. There were some 92 British records of this species prior to 1958, although these records were at a time when the species was much more abundant. A marked decline since the late nineteenth century led to the species extinction over much of its European range with the main western population now confined to France and Iberia. An amazing 170,000 displaying males were estimated in southern Meseta and Extremadura during the early 1990s but in France numbers declined from 6000 calling males in 1985-89 to only 1,400 in 1995. Even in the former Soviet Union there have been marked declines and a southerly withdrawal, whilst it is now considered extinct in non-Soviet Asia. Reflecting these depressing statistics there were only 19 British records between 1958 and 2011 with the majority in late autumn and winter. There were just 3 birds seen during the 1990s and the only bird since the new millennium was one in 2002. The majority of records are from south-eastern England and East Anglia and it has been suspected that most of those occurring here are attributle to eastern populations, although differences are apparently slight, despite the former populations once being considered a separate race. Twitchable birds have been frustratingly few and far between in recent times and some of those that have lingered have been in far flung locations such as Scilly or even as far north as Shetland. One of the most famous birds was an individual which frequented the Christchurch area of Dorset/Hampshire from 30th December 1987 to 5th January 1988. The main twitch on 1st January saw a couple of thousand hungover birders spending much of the day wandering around disconsolately in torrential rain. Despite the lack of fresh British records, recent reports in the last few years of birds on the near-continent raise hopes of another twitchable bird soon.

1826 – RED-CRESTED POCHARD
In January 1826 a male Red-crested Whistling Duck (Red-crested Pochard) was shot near Boston while feeding in fresh water in the company of some Wigeon. Not only is this the first documented County record but it would appear that this was only the second British record of this stunning duck, following an example obtained from Breydon Harbour, Norfolk in July 1818. There is one other early record of this species in Lincolnshire with a bird shot in early 1854, also in the Boston district. Another 83 years elapsed before the species was recorded again, but a most interesting record it was. On the evening of the 11th April 1937, 3 drakes and a female were seen on the east Lincolnshire marshes at Tetney. On the following evening, one of the drakes had disappeared, the other three birds remaining on the swamp until April 26th, when there were again three drakes, presumably the same drake had returned. On approach this time, however, one drake flew up at a distance of about 300 yards, whereas the others, as they had always done, allowed approach to within 80 yards before taking wing, then flying only about 150 yards away and alighting again in the swamp. The next evening, April, 27th, only one drake was seen, which was feeding in company with a pair of Mute Swans. This drake flew up and away out towards the sea at a distance of around 200 yards. Excellent views of the birds were obtained with all key features noted. On 19th May 1937, the nest of a Red-crested Pochard was discovered. The nest contained four eggs, and was placed about six feet from the edge of a small marsh pool. It was under bushes and well concealed and was constructed of dry grasses, dead leaves and a few small twigs and had no down. The bird at this and another visit, when the nest contained six eggs, was closely viewed and the description obtained by independent observers from the April records tallied with this species. Subsequently the eggs were destroyed by rats and portions of the shells and a little down found on the rim of the nest were examined and confirmed as fitting those of Red-crested Pochard. Following this sighting it was noted that there was no doubt that these birds were derived from captive stock and they probably originated from Woburn, where the species has been regularly reared and allowed to go free. In fact in May 1935 the late Duchess of Bedford had informed that Red-crested Pochards had been bred at Woburn for some years and that they are hatched in incubators and reared under hens, and as soon as they fly they go where they please. Coincidentally, also in April 1937, a drake Red-crested Pochard was reported from a tarn in the Westmoorland Hills. Present between 8th and 10th April it associated with a female Pochard and female Tufted Duck and was seen by several observers, some of whom considered the bird to be unlikely to be an escape due to the remoteness of the locality and it being more than a hundred miles from any 'ornamental waters'. As with the Lincolnshire record during the same period, comment was made that due to birds originating from Woburn that under such circumstances it is difficult to accept any records involve truly wild birds of this species. The comment that the Lincolnshire birds were 'no doubt from captive stock' does seem a little presumtious, with, it would seem, no consideration for the species spread across north-west Europe around this period. Although there is a strong possibility they were escaped birds, it is perhaps equally likely they could have been arrivals from the expanding populations on the continent. Just like today, it would seem that even 76 years ago, records of suspect wildfowl were dismissed all too quickly without little research into the population and movements of the species. There were then no further records until a female was recorded at the L.N.E.R Pits, Lincoln on 24th November 1957. Although at the time the Wildfowl Trust suggested that all records of this species must be suspected of being escaped birds, it was also noted that the date was consistent with the possibility of this having been a bird from the European dispersal (particularly from Holland where autumn concentrations disperse in October and November to unknown destinations) and it also acted like a wild bird. The next two records came from an area that would eventually become a stronghold for the species in the County. Three birds were seen at Tallington Pits near Stamford during November and December 1959 and a bird was at Langtoft Pit near Bourne from 16th to 23rd May 1960. There were no more until 1967 when a bird was seen at Sleaford pit on 10th December and from then on sightings became more regular, although it remained a rare visitor and was certainly not annual. During the 1970s and 1980s the species only averaged around two records per year, with the exception of a few during the spring and summer most were during the winter period of October to March. Inland localities produced most of the records, with the gravel pits in the south of the County around Baston and Langtoft becoming a favoured area by the end of the 1980s. The peak year during this period was 6 birds recorded in 1989. However, the following year, and the beginning of a new decade, brought a new chapter in the species status in the county with record numbers seen. Of the 19 birds recorded in 1990 perhaps the most interesting records were the party of 7 birds (an eclipse male and 6 imm/females) present at Messingham on 4th September, with the male until the 9th and one bird remaining until the 3rd November and the 3 birds (an eclipse male, a female and a juvenile) seen at Baston on 4th November. It is possible that these were dispersing birds from the feral population within the UK, as the arrival dates for the Messingham birds at least seems a little early for immigration from the continent. Similarly a small influx was noted into the County on 27th December 1993 with 7 birds recorded from 3 sites including 3 males in the Humber duck flock off New Holland with up to 1,500 Pochard. On this occasion the location and dates of these sightings would seem to indicate an immigration from the continent. Red-crested Pochard has remained a regular visitor to the County (there has not been a blank year since 1987) with no fewer than 7 in any one year. Inland records still predominate and the species is a very rare visitor to the coast. For example there were just two records from Gibraltar Point up to 2000. Some records have certainly involved birds wandering from local collections, but it is likely that most are as a result of wanderers from the expanding British feral population with perhaps occasional birds from the continent during the winter. One site in south Lincolnshire above all others has become synonymous with this species in the County – Baston and Langtoft Gravel pits. Red-crested Pochard sightings from this location date back to the 1960s as noted above, however, it is reported that birds were released at this site by the owner in 1991 and 1992, with two pairs present in winter 1993 were suspected of being from this source. Summering was noted at this locality in 1995 and the following year a pair bred raising two young – the first successful breeding in a wild state in Lincolnshire for 59 years. Sporadic breeding continued into the early to mid-2000s but then the pattern of occurrence changed. Birds have since begun to leave the site during the breeding season and returning during the winter months where gatherings have peaked at 52 in November 2008 and 67 in 2011. Records elsewhere in the county are still widely scattered with increasing summer sightings and during 2011, 15 sites recorded the species across the county. This is a Palearctic species breeding locally across southern and central Europe to west and central Asia. The Red-crested Pochard is migratory or partially migratory, except for a small feral population in the UK, which is largely sedentary. In western Europe wintering concentrations occur in southern Germany and Switzerland and locally in Spain. The major wintering concentrations occur around the Caspian Sea and eastwards into Turkmenistan. Birds breeding in western Europe are partially migratory and move only short distances. Eastern and southeastern European and Russian breeders winter in the area of the Black and Caspian Seas, while birds breeding in Turkey and Azerbaijan winter in Egypt and southwest Asia. The species is known to perform moult migrations and birds from southern France gather in lakes in southern Germany and Switzerland, Principally the Boden See (Lake Constance). The only foreign recovery of a bird from Britain was a first-year bird ringed on 1st September 1952 at St. Jame's Park, London which was found dead 472km ENE at Hoogeveen, Drente, Netherlands on 3rd January 1953. During the middle part of the twentieth century this species made a notable north-westward extension of its range in Europe. In north-west Germany it had bred since 1920 on Fehmarn Island in the Baltic with 10 pairs in 1951. In 1940 for the first time the bird was found nesting in Denmark and then in 1942 it was first proved to have bred in Holland. Although, as stated, the first proof of nesting in Holland was not forthcoming until 1942, it was recorded that birds of this species were frequently shot in Zuid-Holland, chiefly in August, up to 40 years earlier. It became established in the Botshol, south of Amsterdam, where about eight breeding pairs were located both in 1955 and 1956. During this time, in Belgium, the Red-crested Pochard was still regarded only as a scarce visitor although a pair bred there in 1905 and another attempted to do so in 1934. In France, it was noted as resident in a number of localities in the eastern and southern parts of the country but is known only as a vagrant elsewhere. It is interesting to compare the closeness of dates surrounding the first breeding records on the near continent with that of the Lincolnshire occurrence. Up to and including 1942 the Red-crested Pochard was noted as a rare vagrant to the British Isles, encountered chiefly between September and March, with upwards of 40 occurrences, apparently involving somewhere in the region of 150 birds. The only instance of nesting in the wild state was that of the Lincolnshire pair in 1937. During the period 1948 to 1958 inclusive, it is known that a total of at least 135 birds occurred in the British Isles away from the London area; there, in view of the known local wanderings of full-winged birds from the London parks, all records of Red-crested Pochards must be regarded as highly suspect. Of the minimum total of 135 birds, no fewer than 85 had been recorded on or near the east coast, mainly in the autumn or early winter. At least 73 of these (more than half the total) had been seen in Essex, all but about 12 of them at Abberton reservoir. It is interesting to compare that at the end of the breeding season, the chief haunt of Red-crested Pochard in W. Europe at the time was usually the Zwarte Meer, a nature reserve north of Kampen in Holland. The birds began to arrive at the Zwarte Meer in July and peak numbers are reached at any time between late August and early October; most of them move on during the second half of October, and after the end of November few are to be seen. This was a recent event at the time as in 1947 only a few birds were seen whereas in 1953 no less than 400 were counted at the end of August and 650 in late September. It is highly likely that wanderers from Holland could account for at least some of the East Coast records during this period. Note the 1957 occurrence in Lincolnshire above. Whatever the origin of a Red-crested Pochard seen today, whether it be escape, feral or wild, this spectacular duck is sure to brighten up any days birding.

1732 – WHITE-TAILED EAGLE
There are 21 definite records of White-tailed Eagle in Lincolnshire up to the end of 2013 plus nine unidentified eagles which may have been this species. The first county record was an immature bird obtained at Nocton, near Bardney in January 1732 and was in the collection of the Grantham museum. Occurring some 282 years ago this is one of the earliest documented instances of a rare vagrant visiting the county. A further 87 years passed before the second bird which was seen in the Ancholme Carrs about 1819. Three other 19th Century records were a bird, apparently immature, which frequented the foreshore at Great Cotes for almost a week in the autumn of 1862, an immature male which was shot at Edenham, near Bourne on 2nd November 1883 and one present at Beesby, near Grainsby from 8th to 17th December 1896. The early 20th century produced a further 11 records beginning with an immature which was shot at North Somercotes on 10th October 1902 (retained in the Louth Museum and labelled as Golden Eagle). The others were an immature seen at Grainsby park on 27th and 28th February 1904, one trapped at Manton Warren near Brigg on 9th February 1916 (which had been present for about a week previous), one shot Norton place, near Gainsborough in mid-November 1916, an immature which frequented Grainsby park from 28th February to 2nd March 1917, another at the same locality on 25th December 1920, one shot at Kirton Marsh in December 1921, yet another at Grainsby at the end of February 1923 (remarkably the fourth from this area in 19 years), one at Skegness in January 1925, a bird which came in off the sea at Grainthorpe on 5th January 1927 (which was probably the bird seen in that area in late February and early March) and an immature male was shot at Aswarby near Sleaford on 16th March 1933. After such an impressive run of records, no more occurred for 52 years. The first modern day record occurred on a dull 27th October 1985 with a strong north-easterly wind when an immature bird was observed flying south from Grainthorpe before then being observed from the beach near Rimac at 14:40hrs where it was observed as close as 100m and 50m above the beach as it ponderously made its way south. It was then seen later the same afternoon by several observers as it continued heading south past Gibraltar Point before continuing south into the Wash. This bird was remarkably tracked over a few hundred miles along the east coast. First seen at Boulby Cliffs, Cleveland early on 27th October, it was then seen later at Scarborough and Flamborough Head before making its way along the Lincolnshire Coast. It was then relocated at Benacre Broad, Suffolk where it remained from 12th November until at least 18th December, although it also visited Norfolk during this period being seen at Holme, Titchwell, Brancaster and Scolt Head Island between 16th to 19th November. It caused panic wherever it appeared and at Titchwell was observed attacking not only Cormorants and Wigeon, but also an escaped Chilean Flamingo. After such a long wait, this bird was the first of a series of records for the county in a relatively short space of time. In 1989 a first-summer bird was seen at Humberstone on 26th April before being present at Revesby Reservoir from at least 12th to 17th May. The local gamekeeper claimed it had been present for two weeks prior to the 12th. This bird was then seen over Manton and Scawby Woods on 21st and then that evening at Brigg sugar beet factory and then on the morning of the 22nd in Scawby Park. Between the Humberston and Revesby sightings a White-tailed Eagle was seen at Flamborough head on 7th to 8th May and at Spurn later on the 8th. This would tie in with a wandering individual, however does contradict the claims from the gamekeeper at Revesby that it had been present for two weeks prior to being found there. Perhaps two birds were involved? In 1990 an immature, probably first-winter, which was seen at Stone Creek, E Yorks on 22nd October and then south at Spurn on 23rd October was seen to make landfall in the Donna Nook area on that date. This bird was then seen over Wyberton and Frampton Marsh on 27th October before making it across the Wash to Snettisham and Sandringham, Norfolk later that day. It was then seen in the Hickling Broad/Horsey Mere area of Norfolk from 30th October to 14th December 1990. Perhaps the most twitched and widely appreciated White-tailed Eagle of all time occurred in 2011. This was a bird which had wintered in Hampshire during 2010/11 (where it was last recorded on 24th March) and was then seen over Burwell Wood near Louth and subsequently noted in the area between there and Farforth, Ruckland and Scramblesby on 3rd April before leaving Lincolnshire the same day, being seen over Brancaster, Norfolk at 15:00hrs and doing a tour of Norfolk and Suffolk returning to the Ruckland area via Gibraltar Point on 6th when it came in off the Wash. It was back in the Ruckland area on 10th staying until 15th when it again set off on a tour which saw it recorded over Manby airfield on 17th, Spurn Point on 18th Grainthorpe marsh and Horseshoe Point on 22nd. It appeared to roost near the coast and was found in a tree at Waithe on the morning of the 23rd before flying east to Tetney Lock, Horseshoe Point and Grainthorpe Marsh, passing through Donna Nook and then returning to the Ruckland-Farforth area on 24th. It remained in this area through to 7th August when it may have met its end. This was quite an exceptional stay for this species. Continuing an excellent resurgence in sightings in the County, the most recent bird occurred in 2013 when one flew south at Sutton-on Sea at 2.30pm on 1st February. After visiting Norfolk it was then seen over the East Hide at Frampton Marsh heading north-east at 12:50pm and was reported at Kirton Marsh at 1.00pm on 19th March 2013. In addition to the above records, in 2010, a satellite tracked bird released in Eastern Scotland as part of a recent reintroduction project moved south through Northumberland and Yorkshire in early April before arriving on the Humber where it toured the upper estuary being seen at Alkborough Flats and Whitton Sand as well as Blacktoft Sands just across the Trent. On 7th April it was found eating a goose on the eastern end of Whitton Sand before flying to roost in Yorkshire. The following morning it flew back to the Humber and over Alkborough Flats before departing back north. This bird has not been included in the county statistics as it involved a recently released bird. It is however certainly worthy of having the record documented. The nine unidentified Eagles in Lincolnshire all occurred between 1784 and 1926 and although two were thought to be Golden it is assumed that most may have referred to White-tailed. All but two of these birds referred to sight records and even one of the birds which was shot still caused considerable identification problems. White-tailed Eagle was generally widespread in Britain and Ireland in the 18th Century and even bred as far south as the Isle of Man and the Lake District, but through persecution and competition with Golden Eagles, it very rapidly declined towards the end of the 19th century and was reduced to just a few pairs in the Scottish Highlands and Islands and Ireland. Breeding ceased in Kerry and Mayo in about 1902 and the persecution and gradual extermination in Scotland finally resulted in the extinction there in 1916 on Skye. Up to the end of the 20th century, White-tailed Eagles were seen fairly regularly throughout the whole of Great Britain, with species being present on virtually every county list. A re-introduction scheme on Fair Isle in 1968 drastically failed but another started on Rhum in 1975 succeeded. By 1993 nearly 100 young had been raised by up to 10 pairs whilst by 2010 between 47–52 pairs fledged 46 young in Argyll, the Inner Hebrides and Outer Hebrides. This was the most successful year yet of the reintroduction scheme, with the most pairs breeding and the highest number of young fledged. Immature wing-tagged birds have been seen widely across Scotland and some English sightings have also been suspected of being from this re-introduction scheme. A bird seen at various locations in Suffolk in April 1984 was then found mortally wounded on 11th May 1984 at Wareham, near Wells, Norfolk. It had been shot and was wearing a ring proving that it had been ringed as a nestling on 5th June 1983 at Warder See, Schleswig-Holstein, in Germany. The species became extremely rare in Britain following its extinction here, combined with the reduction in numbers breeding in Iceland and central and Northern Scandinavia. However, in more recent years, better breeding success in Northern Scandinavia and the Baltic States has led to an increase in wintering birds in France and Germany. This, perhaps combined with the increase in the Scottish population, has meant English sightings have become a little more regular. Whatever their origins, one of these majestic birds still draws a crowd wherever it appears.


Matthew