Pacific Golden Plover
Pluvialis fulva (Gmelin, JF, 1789) (2, 0)
Photo © Rob Stonehouse - Boulmer, Northumberland, 17 August 2020
STATUS
Holarctic. Monotypic.
OVERVIEW
American and Pacific Golden Plovers were considered conspecific prior to 1986 under the name of Lesser Golden Plover.
BOU (1971) stated three records of fulva, but the 1887 Orkney specimen was examined recently and found to be dominica.
RECORDS
1). 1870 Greater London/Surrey Epsom, shot, 12th November.
(Bucknill, 1900; H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 2: 150; Hartert et al., 1912; BOU, 1915).
History Bucknill (1900: 283-284) says: 'There is a bird in the Charterhouse collection which is labelled "Plover (small like Golden)". It has been carefully examined, after being uncased, by Mr. H. L. Popham, who is, of course, well acquainted with the species, and was pronounced by him to be a specimen of C. fulvus - a conclusion already arrived at by others less competent to judge.
It was shot on Epsom Racecourse on November 12, 1870, and was presented to Mr. Stafford by a Mr. Aubrey, then a clerk at Nine Elms Station.'
Admitted by H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst (1908) in British Birds, Vol. II. p. 150, under 'On the More Important Additions to our Knowledge of British Birds since 1899'.
Comment It was not until 1908 that this record was formally accepted, afterwards appearing in the BOU List (1915: 243).
2). 1896 Essex Shellhaven Point, Coryton, shot, 6th August, now at the Booth Museum, Brighton.
(H. Nunn, Zoologist 1897: 330; H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 2: 150; Hartert et al., 1912; Witherby, 1920-24; Glegg, 1929; Hudson & Pyman, 1968; Cox, 1984; Wood, 2007).
History H. Nunn of 5, Spurrow Corner, Minories (1897) in The Zoologist, 4th series, Vol. I. p. 330, says: 'On August 6th, 1896, I shot a small Golden Plover off Shell Haven Point, opposite Hole Haven (River Thames), which I sent at once for preservation to Mr. Cook, taxidermist, of 31, Lower Road, Rotherhithe. I recently took it to the British Museum (South Kensington), where it was instantly identified as the Asiatic species, Charadrius dominicus. As this bird is, I believe, of very rare occurrence in this country, I thought the record might prove of interest to your readers.
It can be seen at any time at my address, and I shall be happy to afford any of your readers further information as to where and how it was shot. I may add in corroboration that a friend, Mr. Herrtage, of the firm of Smith and Herrtage, 22, New North Road, City Road, was with me when I shot the bird, and he got out of the punt and picked it up.'
Admitted by H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst (1908) in British Birds, Vol. II. p. 150, under 'On the More Important Additions to our Knowledge of British Birds since 1899', who say: 'One (which was afterwards identified at the British Museum) was shot by Mr. H. Nunn off Shell Haven Point, on the Thames, Aug. 6th, 1896 (H. Nunn, Zool., 1897, p. 330).'
Wood (2007: 59) states that this specimen is in the Booth Museum of Natural History, Brighton, but erroneously states the date as 1882, but gives the correct date in the species account (p. 240).
Comment It was sold to Sir Vauncey Harpur Crewe. Mr. H. F. Witherby, in his Practical Handbook, referred it to the American form P. d. dominica. William Glegg traced the specimen to the Booth Museum, Brighton, Sussex, where Mr. A. E. Griffiths informed him that he had submitted it to Dr. Hartert, who identified it as of this species.
NOT PROVEN
0). 1874 Norfolk Leadenhall Market, obtained, December.
(H. E. Dresser, Ibis 1875: 513; H. Stevenson, Transactions of the Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists' Society 2: 213; Yarrell, 1871-85).
[H. E. Dresser, Ibis 1875: 513; J. H. Gurney, jun., & T. Southwell, Transactions of the Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists' Society 4: 401; Smart, 1886; Southwell, 1890].
History H. E. Dresser of The Firs, South Norwood (1875) in The Ibis, Vol. XVII. p. 513, dated June, 1875, says: 'I may also take the present opportunity of recording an undoubted occurrence of the Eastern Golden Plover, Charadrius fulvus, in Great Britain. In December last Mr. Bidwell, a gentleman who visits Leadenhall market regularly, to pick up specimens of rare birds and eggs at game-dealers' shops, told me that he had seen an odd variety of the Golden Plover. I immediately went to the market, and found amongst a lot of Golden Plovers from Norfolk the specimen in question. It was badly damaged, and having been kept in the shop during mild weather for ten days, it had already become tainted, so that it was only with the greatest difficulty that it could be preserved; but I have succeeded in getting it made into a passable skin. It closely resembles examples of Charadrius fulvus from Asia, and has most of the feathers on the upper parts margined with yellow. It measures, culmen 1.1 inch, wing 6.0, tail 2.3, tarsus 1.6, middle toe and claw 1.05. I preserved the sternum, and gave it to Professor Newton, of Cambridge, soon after I procured the bird; but having been so closely occupied during the last few months, I have, up to the present time, omitted to place the occurrence of this rare European Plover on record.'
H. Stevenson (1874-79) in the Transactions of the Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists' Society, Vol. II. p. 213, says: 'To Mr. Edward Bidwell and Mr. H. E. Dresser we are indebted for the identification of a single specimen of this rare European plover which was sent up to Leadenhall Market from Norfolk, with a lot of Golden Plover in December, 1874, and is a species new not only to this county but to Great Britain. By a letter from Mr. Dresser in the Ibis (1875, p. 513) we learn that his attention was first directed to the bird by Mr. Bidwell, who informed him that he had seen an old variety of the Golden Plover in Leadenhall Market. He at once went to examine it, and as before stated, amongst a number of Golden Plover, recently sent up from Norfolk, he recognised this rarity which "closely resembles examples of C. fulvus from Asia, and has most of the feathers on the upper parts margined with yellow". Mr. Dresser further describes this specimen "as badly damaged and, having been kept in the shop during mild weather for ten days, it had already become tainted", but he succeeded in making a passable skin of it.'
Howard Saunders (1882-84 (3): 276, 4th ed.) in Yarrell's British Birds, says: 'In December, 1874, an example was found in Leadenhall Market amongst a lot of Golden Plovers, and was said to come from Norfolk (Ibis, 1875, p. 513), but although there is nothing improbable in this statement, the evidence appears to be hardly strong enough to justify the admission of this species as a British Bird....and in the autumn of 1882, Mr. J. H. Gurney, jun., found in Leadenhall Market an example which had, no doubt, been killed somewhere in Western Europe (Ibis, 1883, p. 198).'
J. H. Gurney, jun., & T. Southwell (1884-89) in the Transactions of the Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists' Society, Vol. IV. p. 401, placed the record in square brackets.
Smart (1886: 58) under 'Pacific Golden Plover', says: 'Mr. Saunders considers that the bird, stated to have been brought with other Plovers from Norfolk to Leadenhall Market, in December, 1874, "and there observed by Mr. Bidwell, and identified by Mr. Dresser, may not improbably have occurred in that County, but the evidence is not sufficient "to justify the admission of this species as a British Bird".'
Southwell, Editor (1890 (3): 410) in Stevenson's Birds of Norfolk, under 'Appendix C' says: 'The following five species, I think, cannot be unreservedly admitted to the Birds of Norfolk. I have, therefore, thought it best to refer to them in an appendix by themselves, stating, as fully as the evidence enables me, the claims in each individual case. - This species has been admitted to the list of British birds on the strength of a specimen found in Leadenhall Market, in December, 1874, said to have been received from Norfolk (Dresser, Ibis, 1875, p. 513).
It is also included in the 2nd edition of Lubbock's Fauna of Norfolk, 1879; and in Mr. Stevenson's list of Norfolk Birds in White's Directory of Norfolk, dated 1883, but in most subsequent lists it has been regarded as doubtful, and Mr. Howard Saunders, in the 4th edition of Yarrell's British Birds, observes that "although there is nothing improbable" in the statement that it was sent from Norfolk, "the evidence appears to be hardly strong enough to justify the admission of this species as a British bird", and, therefore, as a Norfolk bird also. Mr. J. H. Gurney, jun., remarks, 'Catalogue of Birds of Norfolk' (in Mason's History of Norfolk), with regard to this occurrence, "Without wishing to throw doubt on this particular bird, I must say that my experience of London markets leads me to consider "localities" worth next to nothing from that quarter", a sentiment with which my experience of some other markets has led me to perfectly agree.'
Comment Not known where killed. Not acceptable.
0). 1882 Norfolk No locality, shot, autumn.
(J. H. Gurney, jun., Ibis 1883: 198-199; J. E. Harting, Zoologist 1894: 428).
[BOU, 1971].
History J. H. Gurney, jun., (1883) in The Ibis, Vol. XXV. pp. 198-199, says: 'On the 10th of November I bought, in Leadenhall Market, for the sum of fifteen pence, an American Golden Plover, Charadrius virginicus, a female by dissection, and apparently adult. The salesman was somewhat vague as to where it came from, first giving ("Norway" as a locality, then "Holland". I should never like, from experience, to believe in any Leadenhall "locality" unless I actually saw the box, with the bird in it, unpacked; but that it was killed somewhere in Europe there can be very little doubt. On the 10th, and again a few days later, I looked to see if there were any American Grouse in the market, with which it might possibly have come over; but there were not any. The great similarity of this species to the Asiatic Golden Plover (C. fulvus), which is a somewhat smaller bird, has induced some ornithologists to think they are the same; but, in the opinion of Mr. H. E. Dresser, Mr. H. Seebohm, and other authorities, they are perfectly distinct.
On comparing my example with a series of C. fulvus in the collection of Mr. Seebohm, they all proved to be smaller, while, on the other hand, the measurements, and the plumage also, in every respect, fitted exactly with a C. virginicus in Mr. Osbert Salvin's collection marked "female, Medellin, U.S. of Colombia", and quite sufficiently well with other specimens in the same collection.
In The Ibis for 1875 (p. 513) Mr. Dresser records, and gives the measurements of, an individual of C. fulvus, obtained in Leadenhall Market by Mr. Edward Bidwell, believed to have come from Norfolk. For comparison I will give the principal measurements of my bird. Wing from carpal joint 7 inches, tarsus 1.62, beak along the ridge 0.9, middle toe and claw 1.12, tail 2.75. Both C. virginicus and C. fulvus have occurred in Heligoland (Ibis, 1875, p. 184, 1877, p. 165).'
In an Editorial (1894) in The Zoologist, 3rd series, Vol. XVIII. p. 428, Harting says: 'The closely allied Asiatic Golden Plover, which is doubtfully distinct, has been recorded to have been met with on two occasions in Norfolk, viz., in December, 1874, and again in the autumn of 1882.'
Comment Not known where killed. Not acceptable.
0). 1914 Sussex Wartling, male and two females, shot, 23rd April, male and female now at Leicester Arts & Museums (Acc. No. L.Z162.1969.106.0 & L.Z162.1969.57.0)..
(T. Parkin, British Birds 8: 52; Walpole-Bond, 1938; A. H. J. Harrop, British Birds 111: 228-230).
[E. M. Nicholson & I. J. Ferguson-Lees, British Birds 55: 299-384 HR].
History T. Parkin (1914) in British Birds, Vol. VIII. p. 52, says: 'On April 23rd, 1914, a party of five or six birds of this species appeared on Wartling Marsh, near Hurstmonceux, of which three were shot (one male and two females) and sent to Mr. George Bristow (taxidermist, of Silchester Road, St. Leonards-on-Sea), who brought me up one of the birds in the flesh for the purpose of identification. It had all the appearance of being just recently killed. I could not, however, be certain whether it was a specimen of Charadrius d. fulvus or of Ch. d. dominicus, the American Golden Plover. I forwarded the bird to Mr. W. R. Ogilvie-Grant of the British Museum (Natural History Department), who kindly identified it for me, and wrote that "the bird appears to be without doubt the Eastern Asiatic Plover, Ch. fulvus".
In the Hand-List of British Birds mention is made of but two or three examples in Great Britain, none of which were obtained in Sussex.'
Accepted locally (Walpole-Bond 1938 (3): 142).
Comment Hastings rarities. Not acceptable.
0). 1915 Kent Romney Marsh, six: male, two females and at least three others, 20th September, male and two females now at Leicester Arts & Museums (Acc. No. L.Z252.1982.489.0, L.Z252.1982.58.0 & L.Z252.1982.0.0)..
(H. W. Ford-Lindsay, British Birds 9: 212; W. Ruskin Butterfield, Hastings & East Sussex Naturalist 2: 201; A. H. J. Harrop, British Birds 111: 228-230).
[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. 212, says: 'On September 20th, 1915, I examined three specimens of Golden Plover that had just been shot on Romney Marsh, and found they belonged to the Asiatic species Charadrius d. fulvus. They proved to be one male and two females. The man who shot them stated that he had shot more and eaten them, and offered to send any wings still in the dust-hole. Four wings arrived, which left no doubt that these birds were also of the same species. I am sending one for examination.'
[The wing is undoubtedly that of an Eastern Golden Plover; it measures only 165 mm. - H.F.W.]
Comment Hastings rarities. Not acceptable.
0). 1938 Kent Dungeness, seen, 6th September.
(R. Whitlock, South-Eastern Bird Report 1938: 60; H. G. Alexander, British Birds 47: 401-403; N. F. Ticehurst, Hastings and East Sussex Naturalist 5: 204).
[BOU, 1971].
History R. Whitlock (1938) in the South-Eastern Bird Report, Vol. V. p. 60, says: 'On Sept. 9th Miss C. H. James, Mr. W. E. Kenrick and I saw a Golden Plover fly over our heads (not more than 30 feet up), uttering a strange tri-syllabic cry, somewhat like a Grey Plover's inverted. The axillaries and underside of the wing generally were certainly not white. The bird flew over Dungeness beach and away to the south. I think there can be no doubt that it was a Lesser Golden Plover, but it is impossible to say to what subspecies (American or Asiatic) (H.G.A.).'
H. G. Alexander (1954) in British Birds, Vol. XLVII. pp. 401-403, says: 'On September 6th, 1938, Miss C. K. James, W. E. Kenrick and I were walking towards the sea a mile west of Dungeness Point, Kent, when we heard the call-note of a wader coming towards us from the north. It was a clear double call, a good deal like the triple note of a Grey Plover (Squatarola squatarola). The bird flew right over our heads, and continued out to sea. When it came close over our heads, our comment was: "It is only a Golden Plover after all".
However, a few minutes later I asked my companions what colour they would say the undersides of the wings were. We all agreed that they looked brown and that we had not seen a trace of white on the axillaries. It seemed probable that the bird we had seen was an Asiatic Golden Plover (Pluvialis dominica fulva), whose usual alarm-note on the breeding-ground is given in the Handbook (Vol. IV. p. 374) as a disyllabic "kleeeyee".
But none of us had had any experience of this bird in the field, and as it did not settle for a closer examination we did not venture to record it at the time. Since then, in India, I have had several opportunities of seeing the Asiatic Golden Plover, and when I first met with a party on the coast of Bengal I was a good deal disappointed that, far from making a clear double call, they only made slight single "twee" notes, not readily distinguishable from notes one may hear from flocks of Golden Plover (P. apricaria) in England. I have had the same experience on several subsequent occasions.
However, during the winter of 1953-54 I have had two experiences which have now convinced me that our provisional identification of the Dungeness bird was correct. In October, 1953, I was staying with His Highness K. S. Dharmakumarsinhji at Bhavnagar, and on the afternoon of the 19th we were sitting by the shore watching a number of small waders when suddenly I heard a double call-note which seemed to stir some dim memory. It was repeated several times as the bird drew near, and then an Asiatic Golden Plover most politely settled on the rocks just in front of us.
So, said I to myself, that is the solution. This clear double call-note is the cry of the single bird on migration. On February 7th and 8th, 1954, I was staying with Mr. P. K. Sen Gupta by the vast Chilka salt-lake in Orissa. Golden Plovers were not uncommon, scattered along the shores of the lake. For the first time I was able to study them at leisure. When they flew a short distance, either they were silent or they uttered a slight single whistle. But when they took longer flights, several times I heard the full double whistle, more or less as syllabalized in The Handbook. I noted that it was subject to some variation. Sometimes it was hardly more than a single note, "twee", at other times almost three notes, "tyew-ee".
Whether it will be thought that the interval of time is such that the record of 1938 must still remain somewhat doubtful, I leave to the Editors of British Birds to decide. But in any case, perhaps the occurrence of a suspected Asiatic Golden Plover in Kent is worth putting on record: also the fact, as my recent observations show, that the double call-note of the breeding-ground is also used as a flight call in winter-quarters.'
[Although the evidence cannot be regarded as conclusive, we feel that this record is certainly worth publishing in the "probable" form in which it is submitted. - Eds.]
Comment Recorded as a probable only.
