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-throatedcyanecula – 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