Greater Yellowlegs

Tringa melanoleuca (Gmelin, JF, 1789) (6, 2)

Photo © Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3488168

STATUS

Nearctic. Monotypic.

OVERVIEW

All of the first eight records as per BOU (1971) but the Kent record not satisfactorily identified.

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RECORDS

1). 1906 Isles of Scilly Great Pool, Tresco, adult, shot, 16th September, photo, now at Isles of Scilly Museum.

(W. R. Ogilvie-Grant, Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 19: 7; W. R. Ogilvie-Grant, Zoologist 1906: 470; F. W. Frohawk, Field 10th Nov., 1906: 823, fig.; J. Clark, Journal of the Royal Institution of Cornwall 17: 135; H. Saunders, British Birds 1: 16; Witherby, 1920-24; Eds., Ibis 1927: 781-782; A. A. Dorrien-Smith, British Birds 33: 113; Penhallurick, 1969; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 59).

History W. R. Ogilvie-Grant, Editor (1906) in the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club, Vol. XIX. p. 7, at the 126th Meeting of the Club held on 17th October 1906 at the Restaurant Frascati, London, says: 'On behalf of Capt. Arthur Dorrien-Smith, Mr. A. F. Griffith exhibited an example of the Greater Yellowshanks (Totanus melanoleucus), which had been shot by the former at Tresco Abbey, Isles of Scilly, on September 16th, 1906. Mr. Griffith read a letter from Capt. Dorrien-Smith, fully describing how he had seen and shot the bird. This is believed to be the first time that this species has been recorded from the British Isles or from any other part of Europe.'

F. W. Frohawk (1906) in The Field of 10th Nov., Vol. CVIII. p. 823, says: 'At the first meeting this season of the British Ornithologists' Union, held in London on Oct. 17, Mr. A. F. Griffith exhibited on behalf of Capt. Arthur A. Dorrien-Smith an example of the Greater Yellowshank (Totanus melanoleucus), shot by him at Tresco, Scilly Islands, on Sept. 16, 1906, being the first recorded specimen obtained in the British Islands....This interesting wader is a larger bird than the Lesser Yellowshank (T. flavipes), measuring about 14 in. in total length; bill, 2.2 in.; wing, 7.5 in.; tarsus, 2.4 in.; middle toe, 1.4 in.

These are average measurements, and taken from an adult male. The colouring is as follows: Upper parts, head, and nape, greyish-white broadly streaked with dusky; scapulars, wing-coverts, and secondaries chequered with white, grey, buffish-brown, and black, the white and black form alternate triangular marginal markings to the feathers; primaries, dusky; shaft of first feather, white; middle tail feathers, greyish drab, gradually fading into white on outer feathers, all having dusky transverse bars; throat and under parts, pure white; upper breast, streaked and spotted with dusky; flanks, irregularly barred transversely with brownish-grey and black. As will be seen by the drawing the black bill is upcurved similar to that of the Greenshank; iris, brown; legs and feet, yellow; claws, black....'

W. R. Ogilvie-Grant, Editor (1906) in The Zoologist, 4th series, Vol. X. p. 470, says: 'As recorded in the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club (XIX. No. cxxvii, p. 7 (1906), an example of the Greater Yellowshank (Totanus melanoleucus) was shot by Capt. Arthur Dorrien-Smith at Tresco Abbey, Isles of Scilly, on Sept. 16th, 1906. This was believed to be the first known instance of the occurrence of this species in Great Britain or any part of Europe. Capt. Arthur Dorrien-Smith, a few days later, obtained an immature specimen of the Common Bee-eater (Merops apiaster), which I had the pleasure of examining.'

J. Clark (1907) in the Journal of the Royal Institution of Cornwall, Vol. XVII. p. 135, under 'American Birds in Cornwall', says: 'A specimen was shot by Captain A. Dorrien-Smith on Tresco, Scilly, on the 3rd of September. Through the courtesy of Mr. T. A. Dorrien-Smith, the lord-proprietor of the Isles of Scilly, this bird was exhibited by the writer at the meeting of the Royal Institution of Cornwall, on the 29th of November, 1906.'

Howard Saunders (1907) in British Birds, Vol. I. p. 16, under 'Additions to the List of British Birds since 1899', says: 'On behalf of Capt. Arthur Dorrien-Smith, Mr. A. F. Griffith exhibited an example of this species, shot by the former at Tresco Abbey, Scilly Islands, on September 16th, 1906 (Bull. B.O.C., XIX. p. 7; also Field, November 10th, 1906, p. 823, fig.). This is the first record of the present species in England, or in Europe; of the Smaller Yellowshank there have been two occurrences, and one of these at Marazion, in Cornwall.'

Arthur A. Dorrien-Smith (1939) in British Birds, Vol. XXXIII. p. 113, says: 'It is well to state that I shot a bird of this species here on September 16th, 1906.'

Comment Ogilvie-Grant was the Assistant to R. B. Sharpe in the Bird Room at the British Museum. I am not sure whether the description provided by Frohawk relates to this individual.

2). 1927 Isles of Scilly Great Pool, Tresco, seen, 23rd to 28th August.

(Eds., Ibis 1927: 781-782; Eds., British Birds 21: 162; A. A. Dorrien-Smith, British Birds 33: 113; Penhallurick, 1969).

History In an Editorial (1927) in The Ibis, Vol. LXIX. pp. 781-782, they say: 'Major A. A. Dorrien-Smith writes to Dr. R. P. Lowe from Tresco, Scilly Islands, on 3 September last, as follows: - You will like to know that the Greater Yellowshank, Tringa melanoleuca, first shot by me on 16 September, 1906, has again turned up here - a bird appeared on 28 August, very tame and feeding hard quite close to me, and it is still here. The Lesser Yellowshank, T. flavipes, was also here from 19 August till 17 September, 1921. It will be interesting to see how long the Greater Yellowshank will remain with us.'

In an Editorial (1927) in British Birds, Vol. XXI. p. 162, they say: 'Major A. A. Dorrien-Smith states in a letter to Dr. P. R. Lowe (Ibis, 1927, p. 781) that a Tringa melanoleuca appeared at Tresco on August 28th, 1927, and was very tame and fed quite close to him. It was still there at the time of writing on September 3rd. Major Dorrien-Smith shot the first recorded British specimen at the same place in September, 1906.'

A. A. Dorrien-Smith (1939) in British Birds, Vol. XXXIII. p. 113, says: 'I watched this one, which was very tame in 1927, the bird being first seen on August 23rd and last on the 28th.'

Comment The date given in The Ibis, 1927, p. 781, is incorrect.

3). 1939 Isles of Scilly Abbey Pool, Tresco, seen, 7th May.

(A. A. Dorrien-Smith, British Birds 33: 113; B. H. Ryves & D. Valentine, Cornwall Bird-Watching & Preservation Society Report 1939: 25; Penhallurick, 1969, 1978: 427).

History A. A. Dorrien-Smith (1939) in British Birds, Vol. XXXIII. p. 113, says: 'On May 7th, 1939, at about 7 p.m., when in the garden at Tresco Abbey close to the Little Pool, I heard the piercing notes of a Yellowshank which had apparently been flushed by some people approaching the gardens. The bird came close over my head and I distinctly noticed the orange-coloured legs and that the bird was nearly as big as a Bar-tailed Godwit. The loud piercing note "chew-chew-chew, chew-chewk, chew-chew-chewk" with the orange legs and the large size of the bird convinced me that it was a Greater Yellowshank Tringa melanoleuca. The bird circled again overhead, but this time too high up for me to see it distinctly, and then it flew away in a westerly direction. It is well to state that I shot a bird of this species here on September 16th, 1906, and watched one, which was very tame in 1927, the bird being first seen on August 23rd and last on the 28th. (The date given in The Ibis, 1927, p. 781, is incorrect).

I should also like to take this opportunity of correcting the date of the Yellowshank T. flavipes, recorded by the late Dr. H. Langton as having been shot at Tresco on September 2nd, 1920 (Bull. B.O.C., XLI. pp. 26-7). This bird was first observed on September 7th, 1920, and was shot on the same date.'

B. H. Ryves & D. Valentine (1939) in the Cornwall Bird-Watching & Preservation Society Report, Vol. IX. p. 25, say: 'One was observed by me on May 7th. It was in flight and came close over my head, uttering its piercing cry, after being flushed by some people approaching the Pool below the Abbey. I distinctly noted the orange-coloured legs. It flew round twice and then disappeared westward. A.A.D.S.'

4). 1943 Kent Medway Estuary, seen, 7th September to 1st October.

(R. Whitlock, South-Eastern Bird Report 1943: 47; Eds., British Birds 38: 219; Eds., British Birds 42: 157-158; T. C. Gregory, British Birds 42: 158,192, corr.; Taylor, Davenport & Flegg, 1981).

History R. Whitlock (1943) in the South-Eastern Bird Report, p. 47, says: 'About the third week of September the owner of a marshland shoot in North Kent told me that a wader bigger than a Redshank with long yellow legs and white speckled back was frequenting a freshwater fleet on his marsh and that the bird on being disturbed usually flew up and down the fleet uttering loud cries as if resenting his presence. In view of this information I arranged a visit to the marsh in the company of the owner but we failed to find the bird and later took up stands to shoot the evening duck flight.

As darkness fell a cry not unlike the "Choo-ee" call of a Spotted Redshank, but much louder and more piercing, echoed across the nearby estuarine flats so I imitated the call and the bird responded, finally settling a short distance away in the lee of a small island, where I could not see it. Shortly after this my companion fired a double shot and immediately the bird broke into a series of shrieking wheus, whaars and other cries, and continued to so protest until shooting ceased.

On rejoining my companion I told him that in my opinion the bird was a Greater Yellowshank and he then informed me that it had acted in a similar manner on previous occasions. The following day I was able to confirm this opinion by getting a clear view of the bird feeding with Redshank, hovering with out-stretched legs and in flight. The bird was present from September 7th to October 1st - T.C.G.'

In an Editorial (1945) in British Birds, Vol. XXXVIII. p. 219, in a Review of the South-Eastern Bird Report, for 1943, they say: 'This report contains a considerable amount of useful material, but there are still some records in it which certainly do not conform to the canon that all published records of rarities should be accompanied by the evidence and not rest merely on the opinion of the observer, however competent, or of editors. Such records, as we have had occasion to observe before in these notices, may be perfectly correct, but if the necessary data for forming a judgment are not given they are rendered almost worthless. This applies especially to a wader recorded without question in the Kent section as a Greater Yellowshank: nearly half a page is devoted to inconclusive observations on this bird and we are then simply told that the recorder finally confirmed his opinion of its identity - and this of a bird of which there are four English records!'

In an Editorial (1949) in British Birds, Vol. XLII. p. 158, in a footnote to the 1948 Northamptonshire occurrence Bernard Tucker, editor, says: '[In view of the 1948 occurrence I have asked Mr. T. C. Gregory to supply fuller details about a Greater Yellowshank seen by him in Kent in 1943, which though evidently correctly identified by this experienced observer was recorded with obviously inadequate particulars in the South-Eastern Bird Report for that year. This Mr. Gregory has kindly done and the amplified record will be found below - B.W.T.]'

T. C. Gregory (1949) in British Birds, Vol. XLII. p. 158, says: 'In the South-Eastern Bird Report for 1943 a Greater Yellowshank (Tringa melanoleuca) is recorded on my authority as having been observed in North Kent from September 7th to October 1st, 1943. As the particulars there given are somewhat meagre the following may be added in fuller authentication of the record. When walking on the tide-line the bird looked much taller than the Redshank with which it was feeding. Its bill was stout and somewhat upcurved, obviously longer than that of the accompanying Redshank. The flight was swift with the neck outstretched, the wings appearing noticeably dark in comparison with the body plumage and without any white. When feeding it dashed through the water as Greenshanks will do, presumably in pursuit of fish. It was restless in its behaviour and kept joining small parties of Redshanks feeding on the tide-line, but usually dropped into deeper water. Occasionally it hovered above them with the yellow legs downstretched. Other characters, such as the white-flecked upper-parts and white rump, agreed perfectly with this species. The bird was excessively noisy. It had various notes, but "whee-whee-whee" [sic] was the predominant one. The call note was apparently "choo-eee" (or "tu-whee"), as it responded to my imitation of that call.' Further, p. 192, a correction of the call is made "wheu-wheu-wheu".'

Comment Most of T. C. Gregory's records are either rejected or very suspect. Important identification details missing.

5). 1948 Northamptonshire Northampton Sewage-farm, adult, seen, 21st to 22nd August.

(F. K. Boston, E. H. Lousley & B. W. Tucker, British Birds 42: 155-157; Taylor MS., 1959).

History F. K. Boston, E. H. Lousley & B. W. Tucker (1949) in British Birds 42: 155-157, say: 'On August 22nd, 1948, we observed a Greater Yellowshank (Tringa melanoleuca) on the Northampton Sewage Farm. The bird was watched for a considerable time under excellent conditions of light with field-glasses and a telescope at ranges from about 40 to as little as 25 yards (subsequently measured). Greenshanks (T. nebularia) and two Spotted Redshanks (T. erythropus) were present on the same pool and at one period for certainly over a minute the Greater Yellowshank, a Greenshank and a Spotted Redshank were all feeding within a few yards of one another, so that all three were in the field of the glasses at once.

The opportunities for comparison with related species were thus ideal, and indeed the conditions of observation in every respect could hardly have been bettered. The size was approximately the same as Greenshank, but it was a noticeably stouter, more robust-looking bird. This was especially noticeable in flight, when it looked much stockier, without the slender, rather attenuated form of a Greenshank, The bill was quite straight and of similar stoutness to a Greenshank's, a trifle shorter than that of the Greenshank observed near it, and conspicuously stouter than a Spotted Redshank's.

The general effect of the plumage was grey-brown, not so grey as a Greenshank. The crown was quite strongly streaked with blackish and whitish or grey. There was a definite, but not very prominent, light eye-stripe. The back and sides of the neck were streaked. The upper-parts in general, i.e., mainly the wing-coverts, showed a fairly strongly chequered pattern somewhat like a Wood-Sandpiper, the mantle being more streaked and the streaks fairly prominent. The under-parts were white, but the whole breast very strongly and boldly streaked with blackish and the flanks had a few prominent blackish bars. This strong marking of the breast contributed to making the bird at a little distance look much darker, less grey and white, than a Greenshank. Some blackish feathers on the upper-parts were evidently a part of the summer plumage and the fact that the long secondaries were not prominently barred as in a juvenile seems to leave no reasonable doubt that the bird was adult. The flight pattern was distinctive, the white base to the tail not being continued up the back between the wings as in a Greenshank, while the upper tail-coverts and base of the tail appeared dull white, shading off into a buffish effect towards the end of the tail, produced by the brownish barrings and markings. The legs were not of the striking orange-yellow usually described and figured; at close range they could be seen to be of a kind of yellowish flesh colour, the yellowish quite definite but not at all bright.

The bird called quite freely with an extremely Greenshank-like note repeated ordinarily three times (once four) in the manner stressed by American observers as characteristic, in contrast to that of the Yellowshank ( Tringa flavipes), which is rarely more than double. This call was so Greenshank-like that it is doubtful whether it would have been differentiated if heard without the birds being seen. Even Greenshanks appeared to be deceived, as one answered it when it called and joined it in the air when it flew. It fed by picking food from the surface of mud and water and its whole behaviour was very like a Greenshank's. When preening it was observed to dip its bill in the water, like various other species of Tringa.

There is reason to believe that it arrived on the previous day, August 21st, and was probably seen arriving by Mr. R. E. Burton. It is also substantially certain that it had left by the 23rd, when B.W.T. revisited the farm in company with Mr. W. B. Alexander, and it was not seen again. Unlike such species as the Pectoral Sandpiper, the Greater Yellowshank breeds only in North America and not in Siberia, so that it must be assumed that the bird had crossed the Atlantic.

The Meteorological Office of the Air Ministry was therefore consulted in order to find out whether anything in the meteorological conditions prevailing on the American side during the few days preceding August 21st would appear to have been especially favourable to such a crossing. We were informed in reply that: "There were no strong westerly winds along the Atlantic coast of North America on the 16th, 17th and 18th. On the 19th there was a depression east of Nova Scotia which deepened and moved eastward slowly. On the 21st there was a south-westerly wind, strong to gale between the Azores and longitude 10°W".

The writer considered it conceivable that a passive air-borne object (if a bird were regarded as such) "might have been carried from near Newfoundland on the 19th to England on the 22nd", but added that "as you say this arrival was a very exceptional occurrence one would expect to find exceptional wind conditions in the North Atlantic to account for it, and I do not think one could say that the wind conditions from the 16th to 21st were exceptional".

It appears, therefore, that the occurrence cannot be related to any very obviously favourable wind conditions over the Atlantic, though it will be realized that it cannot be considered in any way certain that the bird had not reached the British Isles some time before it visited Northampton, which it may have been led to do by falling in with other waders on the coast.'

[Although there are only four accepted records of the Greater Yellowshank for England (to which another is added below [1943 Kent]) and two for Ireland, I have no hesitation in claiming the above as a fully authenticated record of this very rare visitor. The full details obtained of plumage, size, bill, appearance in flight and notes are quite conclusive, in spite of the fact that the legs were not of the bright yellow which appears to be usual.

This last fact appears to call for comment in view of the curious circumstance that two or three examples of apparently carefully identified American waders in England, which have come to my notice in recent years, appear to have had unusually coloured legs. A wader which was almost certainly a Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos) seen in Oxfordshire on August 19th, 1943, by Mr. W. B. Alexander, well-known as a most experienced and accurate observer, was recorded in square brackets in the Report of the Oxford Ornithological Society on account of its having had blackish legs; and another record from Shetland which appeared to agree perfectly with a Pectoral Sandpiper in every other way was rejected after consultation with Dr. Ludlow Griscom, the well-known American ornithologist and authority on field identification, because the description of the leg colour appeared to be outside the normal range of variation in that species. One or two other very probable, but slightly more problematical cases need not be particularized.

The whole thing may of course be mere coincidence and it may seem far-fetched to suggest any connexion [sic] between aberrant leg colouring and the fact that the birds were out of their normal range. Food is known to influence the colours of the soft parts of birds. It certainly seems improbable that a bird of no more specialized feeding habits than a wader would find such a deficiency of some type of food in Europe, as compared with America, as to affect its pigmentation, and to suggest any physiological correlation between pigmentary deficiency and abnormal migratory behaviour seems too fanciful altogether; yet the facts are so curious that I feel justified in drawing attention to them.

In the present case it is of course conceivable that the bright orange-yellow leg colour is characteristic of the breeding-season and becomes dulled in winter, but I can find no evidence in American literature of a seasonal change and apparently birds on normal autumn passage in the United States have the legs bright yellow. - B.W.T.]

6). 1949 Essex Abberton Reservoir, 28th to 31st July.

(A. Marshall & G. A. Pyman, British Birds 43: 130-131; Hudson & Pyman, 1968; Cox, 1984).

History A. Marshall & G. A. Pyman (1950) in British Birds, Vol. XLIII. pp. 130-131, say: 'On July 28th, 1949, A.M. saw at Abberton Reservoir, near Colchester, Essex, a bird which at first sight appeared to be a stockily built Greenshank (Tringa nebularia). On further examination, however, it was found that the bird was browner than a Greenshank, lacked the conspicuous white rump of that species and, furthermore, possessed legs of a pale, lemon yellow colour. A number of bold blotches and streaks on the sides of the breast were extremely conspicuous, as were also a few black feathers on the upper-parts which, incidentally, were strongly chequered, conspicuously so when the feathers were ruffled. The bill was quite straight and comparatively stout.

After watching the bird for some time both on that day and again on July 29th, A.M. reached the definite conclusion that it could be none other than a Greater Yellowshank (Tringa melanoleuca). On July 31st, G.A.P. accompanied A.M. to the reservoir, where the bird was found to be still present and, after a detailed examination at a range of about 40 yards through 10 x 50 binoculars, unhesitatingly concurred in A.M.'s identification. As regards the other details as to plumage, etc., it will suffice to say that these and, for that matter, also those given above, agreed more or less exactly with the description of the Greater Yellowshank observed by Mr. B. W. Tucker and others at the Northampton Sewage Farm on August 22nd, 1948 (antea, Vol. XLII. pp. 155-8) and the theory is advanced that these two sets of observations may refer to one and the same bird. Northampton is about 80 miles from Abberton in a straight line and, although there is nearly a year's difference between the two occurrences, the bird, being so far outside its normal range, might surely quite conceivably have stayed in the country during the intervening period and, indeed, might well do so indefinitely. Not a single factor in the weather conditions obtaining for some weeks prior to the occurrence under review could, it is felt, satisfactorily account for the bird's presence.

Unfortunately, the bird was quite silent throughout the hours during which it was under observation. It frequently waded in the shallows, snatching food from the mud and dipping its bill into the water, but never probed. It was quite wild and the two observers found it impossible to approach closer than the distance described above. At one time it was in close proximity to a pair of Redshank (Tringa totanus), which it considerably exceeded in size, being possibly one-third larger. Black-headed Gulls (Larus ridibundus) and Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) were frequently seen to "mob" it.

No trace of the bird could be found during the course of visits paid to the reservoir by A.M. on August 4th and G.A.P. on August 7th, but it may be mentioned that on the latter occasion a Greenshank was present, thus affording an opportunity for a mental comparison to be made between the presumed Greater Yellowshank and the species which it most closely resembles. The differences were found to be most distinct, especially worthy of note being the slimmer build, far greyer upper-parts and the much larger area of white on the tail and rump of the Greenshank, the latter, unlike the case of the Greater Yellowshank, extending up between the wings.

This constitutes the ninth occurrence of this species in the British Isles and the first for the east coast of England.'

1950-57 RECORDS

7). 1955 Cornwall/Devon Tamar Lakes, first-winter, 11th October.

(F. E. Carter, British Birds 49: 230-231; M. Brooks-King, Devon Bird-Watching and Preservation Society Report 1955: 28; B. H. Ryves, H. M. Quick & A. G. Parsons, Cornwall Bird-Watching & Preservation Society Report 1955: 23-24; Moore, 1969; Penhallurick, 1969).

History F. E. Carter (1956) in British Birds, Vol. XLIX. pp. 230-231, says: 'On 11th October 1955, I came across a wader about the size of a Greenshank (Tringa nebularia), but with long, vivid yellow legs, standing and preening in a pool of water surrounded by soft mud, at Tamar Lake - which lies across the Cornwall/Devon border. The light was ideal and I was able to watch the bird for over an hour. My first impression was that, in spite of its size, it must be a Lesser Yellowlegs (T. flavipes) and, still retaining a clear picture of a bird of that species I had seen on the Camel estuary with Mr. T. J. Willcocks in September 1954 (antea, Vol. XLVIII. p. 364), I began to make notes of comparison. It was soon evident that several well-remembered features of the Lesser Yellowlegs did not correspond with the bird preening in the shallow pool now before me.

The most important and quite obvious feature was the bill which was stoutish at the base and definitely, though only slightly, upturned. It tapered rather more finely towards the tip than the bill of a Greenshank. I clearly recalled the straight and slender bill of the Lesser Yellowlegs and noted this point as an important contrast. I was also struck by the more robust appearance and larger size of this bird as compared to the slender and fragile-looking Tringa flavipes which was actually a little smaller than a Redshank (T. totanus). The greyish mantle had a brownish tinge and was freely flecked with white and similar in pattern to the Lesser Yellowlegs. The whitish eye-stripe, was definite though not conspicuous; under-parts and front of neck were pure white. When it was feeding, there was no probing in the mud but a dainty snatching from the surface of the water with frequent swift dipping movements, similar to those of a Greenshank. Often its long yellow legs were submerged as the bird waded into deep water. There were yet two important features to convince me that this rare wader was in fact a Greater Yellowlegs (T. melanoleuca) so I moved out from my place of concealment and put the bird up. With full-throated Greenshank-like calls of two, three and four syllables it flew round and round noisily and literally rent the air with strident, vigorous cries of "tu-ee, tu-ee" which terminated with its descent and a musical yodelling of "ku-lee, ku-lee, ku-loo".

In flight, the wings were dark and broad at the base, giving what I described as an "umbrella effect"; the "jizz" of the bird was stockier than that of a Greenshank, and the general impression I got was one of superb strength and control, of deliberate movement without apparent effort. On the wing, with neck outstretched and long legs extended well beyond the tail, the white rump and base of tail were exposed, and, in contrast to a Greenshank, there was no white wedge continuing up the middle of the back. Two special features convinced me of the correctness of my identification: (i) the stoutish, upturned bill; and (2) the vigorous, strident calls, together with the impression of a much stronger personality than the Lesser Yellowlegs possessed. Unfortunately, the bird could not be found the next day, nor was it seen subsequently.'

[We consulted Mr. Ludlow Griscom on the question of the "pure white" under-parts described by Mrs. Carter since this feature is not brought out in the details given in The Handbook.

Adults in summer plumage are, of course, heavily streaked and spotted on the foreneck and breast and in winter these areas are still narrowly streaked. However, Mr. Griscom points out that the immature in first-winter plumage is immaculate white below with the streaking (in extreme specimens) very fine indeed and confined to the foreneck, so much so that, unless the observer was very close and knew exactly what to look for, "he could scarcely be blamed for reporting the under-parts as pure white". - Eds.]

8). 1957 North-east Scotland Ythan Estuary, Aberdeenshire, juvenile male moulting into first-winter, 25th October, found dead later same day, now at Harrison Institute, Sevenoaks, Kent (HZM 2.14793).

(J. G. Harrison & J. M. Harrison, Scottish Birds 1: 94; J. W. Campbell, Scottish Birds 1: 256; Thom, 1986; P. R. Gordon & D. L. Clugston, Scottish Birds 18: 137; A. G. Knox, Birding Scotland 9 (1): 39-40, plates 40-42; Forrester & Andrews et al., 2007).

History J. G. Harrison & J. M. Harrison (1958) in Scottish Birds, Vol. I. p. 94, say: 'On 25th October 1957, J. G. H. watched a Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca at close range sitting on the golf course beside the Ythan Estuary, Aberdeenshire, and within thirty yards of the houses of Newburgh. The bird allowed close approach and behaved in a most odd manner, sitting with its head hunched into its shoulders and with the plumage fluffed out. When it flew it quickly pitched again and was silent.

Searching for it later the same day J.G.H. found it dead, with feathers scattered around: it appeared to have been killed by some animal, probably a dog from the village. The bird was extremely wasted. It was sent to J.M.H. who found that it was suffering from an extensive enteritis. It was an immature male in moult to winter plumage. This appears to be the first record for the mainland of Scotland, the previous record being from Shetland in 1953.'

NOT PROVEN

0). 1907 West Midlands Powell's Pool, Sutton Coldfield, three seen, one shot, 22nd November.

(B. A. Carter, Journal of the Birmingham Natural History and Philosophical Society 1923).

[F. C. R. Jourdain & H. F. Witherby, British Birds 4: 109; Witherby, 1920-24; Norris, 1947].

History F. C. R. Jourdain & H. F. Witherby (1910) in British Birds, Vol. IV. pp. 109-110, placing the record in square brackets, say: 'On November 22nd, 1907, the keeper at Sutton Park (Warwickshire) noticed three strange birds which were very noisy and not particularly shy. One of these he shot and forwarded to the office of the Birmingham Daily Mail for Mr. Coburn to name. Subsequently the bird was purchased by Mr. Coburn who was much surprised to find that "such an extraordinary rarity had been shot within about ten miles of the city of Birmingham".

Mr. Coburn further states that he purposely delayed publishing his notes on the bird until a sufficient time had elapsed for the survivors to get safely out of the country! A doubtfully humane and certainly not scientific reason. Mr. Coburn thinks that the birds made a sort of grand tour, coming to England via Greenland and Iceland, looking in at Birmingham en route, and then, after making their way to the Land's End, taking passage across the Atlantic home again!

Mr. Coburn points out also that he had in 1904 studied this species in central British Columbia, where he procured many specimens. Here we may perhaps be allowed to protest against this method of recording the presence of rare birds. Surely it would have been possible for Mr. Coburn to have submitted the specimen in the flesh to some qualified and disinterested ornithologist, who would be able to confirm his identification, even if he were unwilling to exhibit the specimen at one of the B.O.C. meetings, a usual procedure in the case of the capture of a rare species.'

Norris (1947: 66) placing the record in square brackets, says: 'On 22nd November, 1907, Mr. O. Bennion, shot one of the three birds present at Powell's Pool, Sutton Coldfield. The individual shot had strayed to the far side of the pool and was outside of the park's jurisdiction.

This incident was first reported by Miss B. A. Carter (1923) in the Journal of the Birmingham Natural History and Philosophical Society in a paper titled 'The Birds of Sutton Park'.'

Witherby (1924) placed the record in square brackets.

Comment Probably misidentified. Not acceptable.

0). 1915 Sussex Winchelsea, female, shot, 4th October, now at Booth Museum, Brighton.

(H. W. Ford-Lindsay, British Birds 9: 213; W. Ruskin Butterfield, Hastings & East Sussex Naturalist 2: 201; Walpole-Bond, 1938).

[E. M. Nicholson & I. J. Ferguson-Lees, British Birds 55: 299-384 HR].

History H. W. Ford-Lindsay (1916) in British Birds, Vol. IX. p. 213, says: 'A specimen of the Greater Yellowshank (Tringa melanoleuca) was shot at Winchelsea, Sussex, on October 4th, 1915, and examined by me in the flesh the next day. It proved to be a female, and was in full plumage, the ashy-brown extending to the lower-back and rump.'

Walpole-Bond (1938 (3): 193) says: 'Now in the Booth Museum, Brighton, it was formerly in the collection of Mr. J. B. Nichols.'

Comment Hastings rarity. Not acceptable.

0). 1938 East Glamorgan River Ogmore, seen, 7th to 18th February.

(G. C. S. Ingram & H. Morrey Salmon, Transactions of the Cardiff Naturalists' Society 1938: 18).

[G. C. S. Ingram & H. Morrey Salmon, Transactions of the Cardiff Naturalists' Society 1938: 18].

History G. C. S. Ingram & H. Morrey Salmon (1938) in the Transactions of the Cardiff Naturalists' Society, Vol. LXXI. p. 18, recording the record in square brackets, say: 'A bird possibly of this species was first seen by Mr. G. E. Blundell near the moth of the River Ogmore on February 7th, 1938, and subsequently by Mrs. Blundell and himself on the 9th, 12th and 18th; it was seen also by Mr. H. E. David on the 15th. We saw the bird on the 10th, at long range across the river and under extremely bad weather conditions, but were unable on that account to see it clearly enough to identify it, except to confirm approximate size and yellowish legs. We spent many hours searching for it up and down the river on the 13th, 18th and 20th, but failed to see anything like it.'

0). 1950 Cornwall St Anthony-in-Meneage, 26th August.

(B. H. Ryves, A. G. Parsons & H. M. Quick, Cornwall Bird-Watching & Preservation Society Report 1950: 27; Penhallurick, 1969).

[Not in BOU, 1971].

History B. H. Ryves, A. G. Parsons & H. M. Quick, Editors (1950) in the Cornwall Bird-Watching & Preservation Society Report, Vol. XX. p. 27, say: 'On August 26th, I was told by Mr. Vague that he had seen a "Yellowshank" at St. Anthony, and I went at once to verify it. It had the look of a Greenshank, but had a definite fawn coloured rump, very long, bright yellow legs and a long, dark beak. It had a speckled throat and there were speckles about its face and the tail coverts were barred. It was as large as, or larger, than a Greenshank and dwarfed the neighbouring Redshanks, among which it was actively chasing sandhoppers on the beach. (Mrs. S. J. White).'

Comment No conclusive identification details for this sight record of a difficult species. Not acceptable.

0). 1953 Shetland Boddam Voe, Mainland, 26th to 27th May.

(L. S. V. Venables, J. Peterson & W. Kay, Fair Isle Bird Observatory Bulletin 1 (11): 18; E. V. Baxter, Scottish Naturalist 67: 99; R. K. Cornwallis, British Birds 47: 423; Eds., British Birds 48: 363; Thom, 1986).

[D. I. M. Wallace, C. Bradshaw & M. J. Rogers, British Birds 99: 463].

History L. S. V. Venables, J. Peterson & W. Kay (1953) in the Fair Isle Bird Observatory Bulletin, Vol. I (XI). p. 18, say: 'One at Boddam Voe, Dunrossness, on May 26th-27th, was seen by L.S.V.V., Dr. J. F. Monk and others.'

D. I. M. Wallace, C. Bradshaw & M. J. Rogers (2006) in British Birds, Vol. XCIX. p. 463, in a review of certain rarities during the period 1950-57, found this record to be unacceptable.