Pallas's Sandgrouse
Syrrhaptes paradoxus (Pallas, 1773) (many, 7)
Photo © By Ján Svetlík - Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17742048
STATUS
Central and Eastern Palearctic. Monotypic.
OVERVIEW
Witherby (1924 (2): 493) says: ‘Greatest invasions, May, 1863 and 1888, arriving along whole east coast Great Britain and spreading over greater part British Isles, reaching O. Hebrides. Two clutches of eggs found near Beverley (Yorks.) June and July, 1888, and young birds at mouth of Findhorn, Culbin Sands (Elgin), June 1888 and Aug. 1889.
Considerable invasion May 1908, recorded Yorks., Norfolk, Essex, Kent, Surrey, Berks., Herts., Hants., Cheshire.
Other occurrences are: 1859, Norfolk, Kent, Carnarvon; 1872, Ayr; 1876, Yorks., Norfolk; 1890, Yorks., Lincs., Norfolk, Suffolk; 1891, Yorks., north Scotland; 1899, Yorks., Lincs., and possibly Holy Island; 1904, Yorks.; 1906, Yorks., Norfolk, and possibly East Lothian; 1909, Yorks.
Regards the not proven records I agree with Witherby’s publication above.
RECORDS
1). 1859 Caernarfonshire Portreuddyn Farm, Tremadoc, three, one shot, 9th July, now at City of Liverpool Museum.
(T. J. Moore, Zoologist 1859: 6728; Eds., Field 17th Sep., 1859: 235; T. J. Moore, Ibis 1860: 105-110; Dobie, 1893; Clubb, 1914; Lovegrove, Williams & Williams, 1994).
History Thomas John Moore of the Free Public and Derby Museum (1859) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. XVII. p. 6728, undated, says: 'A fine male of this rare bird was shot in a turnip field at Portreuddyn Farm, near Tremadoc, on the 9th of July last. It was observed, together with two other birds of the same kind, by a farm labourer in the employ of T. Chaffers, Esq., of 14, Great Howard Street, Liverpool, while "scuffling" the turnips. Fortunately he was provided with a gun for shooting Rooks; but, it being single-barrelled, he was unable to kill more than one bird. This was kindly forwarded to this Museum, while still in the flesh, as a donation, by Mr. Chaffers; it was shot in the head, and only one or two feathers were displaced from the crown; it has been very successfully stuffed by Mr. Butterworth, of this town, and is now open to the inspection of visitors. The two birds that escaped flew off in an easterly direction towards Merionethshire; and Mr. Chaffers has been unable to obtain any information of their having been observed either before or since. This species, which is rare in Museums, inhabits the plains of Tartary; and its occurrence in Britain is an event of importance of which is greatly enhanced by the fact of its claim to be an European species having been previously doubtful. It is included in the European list by Prince Bonaparte in his Geographical and Comparative List of the Birds of Europe and North America, but is omitted by Gould, Temminch, Schlegel and Degland. I have been informed by Mr. Sclater that he has examined a specimen of the above species shot lately in Norfolk, and that he has heard also of another. These and the birds observed in Wales doubtless originally belonged to the same flock. What special influence has this year caused them to wander so far from their native land?'
In an Editorial (1859) in The Field of 17th Sep., Vol. XIV. p. 235, he quotes the same story from The Zoologist.
T. J. Moore of the Liverpool Free Public and Derby Museum (1860) in The Ibis, Vol. II. pp. 105-110, dated 14th September 1859, says: 'The acquisition of a species new to the British Avi-Fauna is always an interesting event. In the present instance that interest is considerably increased by several important considerations. The species named at the head of this paper is not only new to Britain, but also, I believe, to Europe; for, though more than once inserted by Prince Bonaparte in his Lists of European Birds, no instance to warrant its insertion has yet been put on record. The family to which it belongs, being especially adapted to inhabit dry and arid plains, has no representative in Britain, although two species occur on the Continent (Pterocles alchata and Pt. arenarius). The genus consisted of the single species inhabiting the steppes of Tartary, made known by Pallas threequarters of a century since, until in 1850 Mr. Gould figured and described a second, obtained by Lord GifFord on the banks of the Tsumureri Lake in the country of Ladakh, under the name of Syrrhaptes tibetanus. Of the latter only a single specimen was shot by Lord GifFord; but other examples have since been collected by Captain Speke, and it has also been observed by Dr. Adams. The former is still rare in collectious. Its occurrence, therefore, in the living state in this country cannot be regarded otherwise than as an important event in the annals of British Ornithology. It is with great pleasure that, by the permission of the Committee of this Institution, I am enabled to bring under the notice of the British Association a remarkably fine adult male specimen lately shot in Wales.
This bird was received at this Museum on the 12th of July last, 'in the flesh', that is to say, recently dead and not yet skinned. It was in excellent feather, and presented only very slight traces of shot-marks about the head. It had evidently been dead a day or two, as the body was beginning to smell and the feathers to become loose: the eyes also were shrivelling up, and were too far gone to determine their colour, except that it was very dark.
It was immediately placed in the hands of Mr. Butterworth, a skilful taxidermist of this town, who succeeded admirably in skinning and stuffing it, although, as I subsequently learned, it had been dead fully three days, during which the weather was excessively hot, and favourable to decomposition.
Dr. Collingwood, Lecturer on Botany at the Liverpool School of Medicine, kindly examined for me the contents of the proventriculus and gizzard. He found therein turnip-seed and unripe seeds of the Furze (Ulex) only, and no trace of insect food.
Our Museum is indebted for this valuable donation to Mr. Thomas Chaffers, of Great Howard Street, Liverpool, the bird having been shot by a labourer on a farm held by him on the estate of T. Madoc, Esq., called Portreuddyn Farm, situate near Tremadoc, at the north end of Cardigan Bay, on land reclaimed from the sea.
The account given to Mr. Chaffers by Owen Quin, the labourer alluded to above, and subsequently also to myself, on a visit made by Quin to the Museum, is as follows:—
On Saturday, July 9, he was engaged 'scuffling' turnips in a field at Portreuddyn Farm, called the Trath. This field consists of loamy sand, is close to the river Glasslyn, and one mile from the sea at Portmadoc. About three o'clock in the afternoon he heard at a short distance a cry with which he was not familiar. On looking attentively in the direction from which it proceeded, he observed three birds running about and pecking among the drills, and making what he described as a "chattering whistling” noise. They were then all three together, and, so far as he could observe, all three alike. Having fortunately, under a hedge near at hand, a gun with which to shoot rooks from an adjoining potato field, he fetched and loaded it. By that time two of the birds had gone some forty yards further off. These he thought he could kill at one shot, but to get near enough must have passed and alarmed the single bird and pi-obably the others. He therefore wisely contented himself with aiming at this, fired, and killed it. Having only a single-barrelled gun, he could not get a shot at the other birds, which flew swiftly away at a height of thirty or forty feet direct eastward across the river into Merionethshire, effectually preventing him from following them. Another man was working in the field at the time, but saw nothing of the birds until the dead one was shown to him. Mr. Chaffers has since made numerous inquiries, but has been unable to hear of any person having observed them either before or after their appearance in his field as related above....
Its claim to be inserted in the European list can now no longer be questioned; for, in addition to the specimen exhibited, another was killed about the same time in Norfolk for the knowledge of which I am indebted to Mr. P. L. Sclater and Mr. A. Newton, but am possessed of no other information than that it was forwarded to Mr. Leadbeater, of London, for stuffing. That it was out of the same original flock as the Portreuddyn specimen cannot be doubted; and it will be extremely interesting to compare the dates of their capture. That others have fallen on their route from Tartary is of course most probable; it is to be hoped that they may have passed into the hands of ornithologists, and that the facts may be made known.'
Clubb (1914: 55) says: 'Case 227. Of the specimens in the case the male with the wings closed is from Tremadoc, North Wales, July 8th, 1859; it is one of the first examples known to be taken in Europe.'
4). 1859 Norfolk Walpole St Peter, male, early July, now at King's Lynn Museum.
(F. L. Currie, Ibis 1859: 472; T. J. Moore, Zoologist 1859: 6728; F. Currie, Zoologist 1859: 6764).
History Thomas John Moore of the Free Public and Derby Museum (1859) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. XVII. p. 6728, undated, says: 'I have been informed by Mr. Sclater that he has examined a specimen of the above species shot lately in Norfolk, and that he has heard also of another.'
Frederick Currie of King's Lynn (1859) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. XVII. p. 6764, dated 29th September 1859, says: 'Early in the month of July last a very beautiful specimen of the Pallas's Sandgrouse was shot in the parish of Walpole St. Peter's, in this county, about two miles from the Wash. The bird was alone when shot, but at least one other, apparently of the same species, was observed about the same time in the neighbourhood. There is reason to believe the present specimen to be an adult male, in perfect plumage, the beautifully elongated feathers of the tail and wings happily uninjured. It has been beautifully mounted by Mr. Leadbeater, of Brewer Street, and is now in the Lynn Museum. This is, I believe, the first occurrence of this bird in England, if not in Europe.'
In an Editorial (1859) in The Ibis, Vol. I. p. 472, they say: 'The following letter relates to the occurrence of Pallas's Sandgrouse (Syrrhaptes paradoxus) in Norfolk. No doubt it was one of the same flock that was observed near Tremadoc in Wales on the 9th of July, as recorded in The Zoologist, and of which one was obtained, and is now in the Derby Museum at Liverpool. Through the kindness of Mr. Leadbeater, we had ourselves an opportunity of examining the present specimen, which was a bird in fine plumage, and more darkly banded on the breast than is represented in the plate given in Gray and Mitchell's Genera (Vol. III. pl. 134). The native country of this Sand-grouse is the barren steppes of the Kirghiz Tartars; and I am not aware of any authentic instance of its previous occurrence in Europe. It was first described by Pallas in his Travels (Vol. II. App. p. lll), and again in his Zoographia Rosso-Asiatica (Vol. II. p. 74). A second species of this peculiar form has of late years been discovered in Ladakh, and is figured in Mr. Gould's Birds of Asia, part ii., under the name of Syhhaptes tibetanus. While agreeing with the type-species in the singular structure of the feet*, it wants the acuminated terminations of the primaries.'
Frederick L. Currie (1859) in The Ibis, Vol. I. p. 472, in a Letter, says: 'Early in the month of July last, a very beautiful specimen of Pallas's Sand-grouse (Syrrhaptes paradoxus) was shot in the parish of Walpole St. Peter's, in this county (Norfolk), about two miles from the Wash. I should have made you acquainted with this interesting occurrence before, but have been waiting to gather all the information I could concerning the capture of this rare and curious bird. I regret to say I am unable to add any particulars of importance, except that, though solitary when shot, at least one other, apparently of the same species, was observed about the same time in the neighbourhood, but was pursued without success. The bird was skinned before I had an opportunity of seeing it, and though by a very unskilful hand, fortunately no material damage was done to it. I at once applied in order to ascertain whether the carcase had been preserved or examined, but I found that the operator's interest had not extended beyond the removal of the skin; this is much to be regretted. We must, however, congratulate ourselves upon our good fortune in securing the bird at all, considering it was shot by a labouriug youth wholly unacquainted with its value, and who was quite as likely to have plucked and eaten, or thrown the prize away (the fate of many a valuable specimen), as to have placed it in the hands of the Rev. R. Hankinson, to whom the Lynn Museum is indebted for this most interesting specimen, beautifully mounted by Mr. Leadbeater of Brewer Street. There is reason to believe our bird to be a male adult, in perfect plumage. I believe this species has not before been taken in this country, or even in Europe; upon this point you will be able to inform your readers. It cannot be too strongly impressed upon those into whose hands such rare birds fall, that the contents of the crop, and the bones of the skeleton, especially the sternum or breast bone, should be preserved.'
5). 1859 Kent Romney Marsh, shot, November.
(A. Newton, Ibis 1864: 186; Ticehurst, 1909; Harrison, 1953).
History A. Newton (1864) in The Ibis, Vol. VI. p. 186, says: 'I am informed by Mr. George Jell, of Lydd in Kent, that he stuffed a specimen which was killed, in November 1859, at New Romney in that county, and is now in the possession of Mr. Simmons, a gentleman living at East Peckham, near Tonbridge.'
1863-64 Invasion
Alfred Newton estimated that at least 700 individuals left their home on the Kirghiz Steppes to irrupt across Europe as far westwards to Ireland.
I have records for 892 individuals in my database for the two years 1863-64, but, there may be quite a bit of duplication with the individuals concerned.
). 1872 Ayrshire Girvan, Ayrshire, four, 25th June, one 29th June.
(Glasgow Herald; R. Gray, Zoologist 1872: 3196; Field 27th July 1872: 78; R. Gray, Ibis 1872: 355; McWilliam, 1936).
History R. Gray of Glasgow (1872) in The Zoologist, 2nd series, Vol. VII. p. 3196, dated 2nd July, 1872, quoting from the Glasgow Herald, says: 'Those of your readers who are interested in Scottish Ornithology will, I daresay, be glad to hear that a remarkable Asiatic bird - Pallas's Sandgrouse, a sudden irruption of which occurred in Great Britain in 1863 - has this year again made its appearance. On Tuesday, the 25th of last month, one was seen basking on a sandy pathway above the banks of the river near the twon of Girvan. On being distrubed, it flew over an adjoining wall, on the other side of which there were three more. A few days later - namely, on Saturday, the 29th - another was seen near the same place; and I may add that no doubt need be entertained as to the identity of the species, as in both instances the birds were approached within a distance of only a few yards. I shall be very glad to learn whether these birds have been seen in any other part of the West of Scotland.'
Robert Gray (1872) in The Ibis, Vol. XIV. pp. 335-336, in a Letter dated 11th July 1872. says: 'As every thing relating to the reappearance in Great Britain of Pallas's Sand-Grouse may be said to possess unusual interest, I beg leave to send you the following note from a lady whose pursuits are in many respects closely associated with my own, and who has had the pleasure of seeing at least four specimens of that remarkable bird alive in Ayrshire:— "Girvan, July 2. On Tuesday last (25th June), while walking on the sandy pathway leading to the north shore, I saw a strange bird basking on the hot sand a few yards before me. It got up almost immediately on being disturbed, and after a few hurried steps it darted swiftly over an adjoining wall. A____, who was with me, at once noticed its long pointed wings; and as we were both satisfied that the bird was a stranger, we hastened through the stile near at hand to see what had become of it. To my great surprise and delight I found it had joined three other birds of the same kind on the other side, and that they were Sand-Grouse. The four, after quietly crouching among the tufts of grass, seeing themselves watched, ran wildly about for a few minutes, and then by short flights led us both some distance after them until I had quite time enough to observe their appearance and plumage accurately. We have no doubt as to our recognition of the birds, having repeatedly got so near them. They looked scared and restless when followed, and had evidently arrived but a short time before, as we had never previously seen them, though we walked almost daily in the same direction. A few days afterwards, namely on Saturday the 29th, we saw another (perhaps one of the four) in the same place; but it flew off at once and gave us no opportunity of watching its movements.
I may add that the locality where these birds were seen, though somewhat exposed as a place of public resort, is one likely enough to attract them, the path, which is of considerable breadth, being covered deeply with dry sand and stones, which, on hot days especially, form just such a spot as Sand-Grouse would delight to bask in. There are, indeed, many similar places much more retired between the town of Girvan and the ruins of Turnberry Castle, a distance of six miles; and I hope yet to be able to report that they have bred in the district.'
). 1876 Cleveland/Co. Durham/Yorkshire Teesmouth, Durham, three, late August.
(Nelson, 1907; Stead, 1964).
History Nelson (1907 (2): 499), says: 'Since that date there is no evidence of any other occurrence of the species in this county until 1876, in which year several parties were noted on the Continent, and, at the latter end of August, I saw three on the sands near the Teesmouth. They were very wild, not permitting an approach nearer than a hundred yards, at which distance I distinctly identified them through a telescope. A shooter in the locality informed me he had followed the same three birds for a whole day, but in vain.'
1888-90 Invasion
Second invasion occurred during 1888, arriving along whole east coast of Britain and spreading over greater part British Isles, reaching Outer Hebrides. Two clutches of eggs found near Beverley (Yorks.) June and July, 1888, and young birds at mouth of Eindhorn, Culbin Sands (Elgin), June 1888 and Aug. 1889.
I have records for 5516 individuals in my database for the three years 1888-90, but, there may be quite a bit of duplication with the individuals concerned.
). 1891 Yorkshire Rowlstone, six, two shot, May.
(B. B. Haworth-Booth, Naturalist 21: 327; Mather, 1986).
History B. B. Haworth-Booth of Hullbank Hall, near Hull (1895) in the new series of The Naturalist, Vol. XXI. p. 327, says: 'Sand Grouse (Syrrhaptes paradoxus). I saw in May 1891 a small flock of six or seven near the cliff top at Rowlstone. I took them at first, though unusually late in the season, for Golden Plover. A correspondent in The Field in the following week alluded to their similarity of flight. I have a fine pair shot soon afterwards in Holderness.'
). 1899 Lincolnshire North Wolds, 30, late February to 25th March; one, 19th May.
(J. Cordeaux, Ibis 1899: 472-474; H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 2: 126; Lorand & Atkin, 1989).
History J. Cordeaux (1899) in The Ibis, Vol. XLI. pp. 472-474, says: 'Between the last week in January, this year, and the 23rd of March, a flock of about thirty Sand-Grouse (Syrrhaptes paradom) frequented a comparatively limited area on the Lincolnshire North Wolds, in the same parish and on the same farm where they first appeared in 1888. Their chief haunt has been a sandy field of twenty-five acres, recently laid down for permanent pasture, on the northern slope of the wold, and in a very retired situation. The birds were first seen by the rabbiter (Grimoldly), who recognized them at once, having obtained five in the same locality in 1888, one of which I got (the rest, alas ! were eaten). They were subsequently seen and accurately described to me by other competent observers. I drove over on two occasions and examined the field; but was not fortunate in seeing the Sand-Grouse, although I found indications of their recent presence, and some feathers, which I sent to Professor Newton for confirmation. On asking the shepherd on the next farm whether he had seen any strange birds about, he at once replied, "Do you mean the Sand-Grouse, sir?"; and on my replying "Yes", said he hail done so several times, and recognized them as the same birds, one of which he had got, seen in 1888. He further said they were much tamer during the arctic weather (snow and frost) in March, and used to come to some wheatstacks placed in a row on the wold-side, and once he saw them in the paddock near his cottage. He had got so near as to see their "little woolly feet", and once watched them following in file, like Partridges, down a furrow; but they (wobbled about a good deal and did not walk steady. He thought they left the farm with the braak-up of the storm later in March. They had a curious cry. During their stay on the wold they used almost daily to take a flight of about a mile to two fields sown with wheat. Here they were repeatedly flushed by competent observers, all of whom remarked on their peculiar pointed wings and very rapid flight. The district is so extensive, lonely, and thinly populated that, now the corn is sown, they might remain for months without again coming under observation.
When I was at Flamborough Head in April, Mr. Matthew Bailey, of that place, said a man (Mainprice) had observed a flock of what he at first thought were Golden Plover, in March; but on walking towards them he saw he was mistaken, and, when they rose, that they were Sand-Grouse, the same as those which he had shot in 1888.
P.S.- Subsequently to writing this letter I have been told of a single Sand-Grouse seen on May 19th, on the adjoining farm to that on which they first appeared in February this year; also of a small flight seen in the Spurn district on the evening of May 13th.'
Admitted by H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst (1908) in British Birds, Vol. II. p. 126, under 'On the More Important Additions to our Knowledge of British Birds since 1899'.
). 1899 Lincolnshire Holbeach Marsh, 13, two shot, 16th March.
(Lorand & Atkin, 1989).
History Lorand & Atkin (1989) state that two were shot from a flock of thirteen on 16th March 1899 on Holbeach Marsh.
). 1899 Northumberland Holy Island, seen, 12th May.
(G. Bolam, History of Berwickshire Naturlists' Club 17: 102-103; Galloway & Meek, 1978-83).
History George Bolam (1899-1900) in the History of Berwickshire Naturlists' Club, Vol. XVII. pp. 102-103, says: 'About the middle of May, 1899, a bird, which, from the accurate descriptions given, could have been nothing else than a Sandgrouse, was seen by two different people on Holy Island. This was during the stream of migration which, as already noticed, took place about the 12th May, and, as the bird allowed of an approach to within a few yards, a mistake in identification was scarcely possible. Moreover, as tending to confirm this record, it may be worth pointing out that the late Mr. John Cordeaux, in The Naturalist for June 1899, makes mention of a visitation of Sandgrouse to the Lincolnshire Wolds, from the end of February to 25th March in that year, where also a single bird was seen on 13th May, and another on 19th of the same month.'
). 1899 Yorkshire Easington, small flock, 13th May.
(J. Cordeaux, Ibis 1899: 472-474; Naturalist 25: 175; H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 2: 126).
History J. Cordeaux (1899) in The Ibis, Vol. XLI. pp. 472-474, says: '...P.S.- Subsequently to writing this letter I have been told of a single Sand-Grouse seen on May 19th, on the adjoining farm to that on which they first appeared in February this year; also of a small flight seen in the Spurn district on the evening of May 13th.'
Admitted by H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst (1908) in British Birds, Vol. II. p. 126, under 'On the More Important Additions to our Knowledge of British Birds since 1899'.
). 1906 Norfolk Winterton, 20, seen, 11th June.
(J. H. Gurney, jun., Zoologist 1907: 130; H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 2: 127; Hartert et al., 1912).
History J. H. Gurney, jun., of Keswick Hall, Norwich (1907) in The Zoologist, 4th series, Vol. XI. p. 130, says: 'June 11th. Mr. R. Vincent, who is familiar with all ourBroadland birds, writes to the Rev. M. C. Bird of his having seen a flock of about twenty Sand-Grouse on this day, "chattering as they flew over him".'
Admitted by H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst (1908) in British Birds, Vol. II. p. 127, under 'On the More Important Additions to our Knowledge of British Birds since 1899'.
). 1906 Norfolk Somerton, ten, seen, 17th June.
(J. H. Gurney, jun., Zoologist 1907: 130; H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 2: 126; Hartert et al., 1912).
History J. H. Gurney, jun., of Keswick Hall, Norwich (1907) in The Zoologist, 4th series, Vol. XI. p. 130, says: 'June 17th. Ten Sand-Grouse seen by Mr. D. Annison at Somerton, as I am informed by Mr. Bird, probably a part of the same flock seen on the 11th; and Mr. Annison, being familiar with them in 1888, was qualified to identify them.'
Admitted by H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst (1908) in British Birds, Vol. II. p. 127, under 'On the More Important Additions to our Knowledge of British Birds since 1899'.
). 1906 Yorkshire No locality, some, July.
(J. H. Gurney, jun., Zoologist 1907: 130; H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 2: 127; Hartert et al., 1912).
History J. H. Gurney, jun., of Keswick Hall, Norwich (1907) in The Zoologist, 4th series, Vol. XI. p. 130, says: 'In July some more were reported to Mr. T. W. [T. H. ?] Nelson, in Yorkshire.'
Admitted by H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst (1908) in British Birds, Vol. II. p. 127, under 'On the More Important Additions to our Knowledge of British Birds since 1899'.
1908-09 Invasion
Considerable invasion May 1908, recorded Yorks., Norfolk, Essex, Kent, Surrey, Berks., Herts., Hants., Cheshire.
I have records for 99 individuals in my database for the two years 1908-09, but, there may be quite a bit of duplication with the individuals concerned.
NOT PROVEN
0). 1865 Clyde Near Paisley, Renfrewshire, caught, July.
(J. Robertson & T. T. MacKeith, Scottish Naturalist 35: 269).
[Witherby, 1920-24].
History J. Robertson & T. T. MacKeith (1915) in the Scottish Naturalist, Vol. XXXV. p. 269, under 'The Birds of Renfrewshire', say: 'An example of Pallas's Sandgrouse was caught near Paisley in July 1865, and survived in captivity for about eighteen months (Gray).'
0). 1866 Staffordshire Swinfen, shot, undated.
(E. D. Hamel, Zoologist 1873: 3801; Norris, 1947).
[Witherby, 1920-24].
History Egbert D. Hamel of Tamworth (1873) in The Zoologist, 2nd series, Vol. VIII. p. 3801, dated 13th October, 1873, says: 'A friend of mine has a Pallas's Sandgrouse which was shot at Swinfen, near here, in 1866, three years after the great flight recorded in The Zoologist.'
Admitted locally by Norris (1947: 60).
0). 1872 Northumberland Sunderland Burn Crumbles, Beadnell, six, seen, 16th to 20th May.
(H. B. Tristram, Ibis 1872: 334; F. R. Simpson, History of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club 6: 344-345; Hancock, 1874).
[Witherby, 1920-24].
History H. B. Tristram of Greatham Vicarage (1872) in The Ibis, Vol. XIV. pp. 334-335, in a Letter dated 8th July 1872. says: 'A small flock of Pallas's Sand-Grouse (Syrrhaptes paradoxus) was observed for about a fortnight on the coast of North Northumberland, opposite the Fern Islands, from the last week in May till about the 6th of June. The birds confined themselves to the low flats on the mainland, never being observed on the islands. They were much persecuted, and consequently very wild. About the end of the first week of June they disappeared altogether. Only one of the flock was obtained. This bird was examined by the Rev. C. Thorp, but he did not ascertain the exact particulars of its capture.'
F. R. Simpson (1872) in the History of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club, Vol. VI. pp. 344-345, under 'Notes of supposed re-appearance of the Sand Grouse' says: 'I have to mention to this Club the supposed re-appearance of the Sand Grouse, as reported to me by Mr J. Coldwell, of Beadnell. I say supposed re-appearance, because unfortunately none of the birds have been captured. Mr Coldwell first observed them on Sunderland Burn Crumbles, on the 16th May. Being very anxious to secure a specimen, he was diligent and persevering in pursuit, but failed in his object; the birds being so exceedingly shy and wary, that he only once succeeded in getting within range. He shot one, as he supposed, and let it lie where it fell, hoping the others might again come about it; but after waiting a short time in vain, and then going to pick up his bird, was mortified to see it rise and go away, apparently unhurt. He never had another chance. The number of Sand Grouse he reports as six - three of larger size, about the size of a hen pheasant; colour over the back a reddish brown, but decidedly paler than the grouse. The breast was lighter coloured, with a broad dark crescent band across it; this not so marked in the smaller birds. There were haunting the same ground, and at times in company with them, two other birds, which he describes as long-legged, taller, and thinner-bodied than the Sand Grouse, and which he does not think were bitterns. He did not see the birds after the 20th, but frequently heard them calling amongst the corn, and believes they remained in the neighbourhood till about the middle of June. I may mention also, that on the last-noted appearance of the Pallas Sand Grouse (1863), they haunted the same and adjoining links to south and east; and would, I believe, have bred there had they not been molested. The flock that I first observed in that year numbered about fifteen birds....
It is exceedingly to be regretted that the dropped bird was not more severely hit; had it been secured our doubts would have been removed. As it is, if these six birds were Sand Grouse, as Mr Coldwell confidently affirms, they would seem to have been of the larger variety (Pterocles alchata), of which the birds of the first year are, I believe, smaller than the mature bird, and of which, so far as I know, we have no recorded visits to our shore. The dropped bird was reported to have been afterwards picked up; but I regret to have to add, after subsequent inquiries, that such report was unfortunately not true. The description given accords most nearly with that of P. alchata.'
0). 1872 Somerset Near Huntspill, two, shot, undated.
(Somerset Ornithological Society, 1988; Ballance, 2006).
[Witherby, 1920-24].
History Ballance (2006) mentions two that were shot near Huntspill in 1872.
0). 1876 Norfolk Winterton, 15/20, 27th May.
(Southwell, 1890; A. Patterson, Zoologist 1900: 534).
[Witherby, 1920-24].
History Southwell, Editor (1890) in Stevenson's Birds of Norfolk, Vol. III. p. 392, under 'Appendix', says: 'Between the years 1863 and 1888 I am not aware that any occurrence in England was recorded, but while investigating the various instances in the latter year, with a view of ascertaining the earliest date on which examples were seen in this county, I was surprised to learn from Mr. E. J. Boult, of Potter Heigham, that on the 27th May, 1876, he had seen fifteen or twenty of these birds rise from the south sand hills, at Winterton, and go away at a great pace to the northward. Although diligently searched for they were not seen again. I have not the slightest hesitation in accepting Mr. Boult's statement as perfectly accurate; and it is further borne out by the fact that in the same year examples were obtained both in Ireland and Modena, a circumstance of which Mr. Boult was not aware.'
Arthur Patterson (1900) in The Zoologist, 4th series, Vol. IV. p. 534, under 'The Birds of Great Yarmouth' says: 'During the invasion of this species in 1863 (when sixty were killed in Norfolk), several were obtained here. The North Denes and sand-hills were most frequented. The first Norfolk bird was found dead in the surf on May 23rd. A gunner named Nudd, on June 6th, shot a male out of a flock of nine. He mistook them for Plover, but described them to me as "running about like Rats." On May 27th, 1876, a flock was observed on the Winterton sand-hills; and in May, 1888, a second invasion occurred, when over eleven hundred were seen in Norfolk, and one hundred and eighty-six were killed. A male and female were seen on the Denes as late as Dec. 2nd (vide Stevenson's Birds of Norfolk, vol. i. pp. 376-404 ; also vol. iii. pp. 392-396).'
0). 1892 Norfolk Thetford, three, seen, mid-February.
(F. W. King, Field 20th Feb., 1892: 248).
[Witherby, 1920-24].
History Frederick William King of Rushford Lodge, Thetford (1892) in The Field of 20th Feb., Vol. LXXIX. p. 248, dated 17th February, says: 'As I have not seen any Sandgrouse mentioned in your paper the last few weeks, it may interest some of your readers to hear that three of these birds passed close to my keeper a few days ago, flying very swiftly eastward.'
0). 1907 Greater London Hendon, Middlesex, seen, 23rd September.
(W. Wells Bladon, Field 5th Oct., 1907: 631; W. Wells Bladon, British Birds 1: 190).
[Witherby, 1920-24].
History W. Wells Bladon (1907) in The Field of 5th Oct., Vol. CX. p. 631, and in British Birds, Vol. I. p. 190, says: 'At noon on Monday, September 23rd, when sitting with Mr. Henry M. Hill on the lawn in front of his residence, Downage, Hendon, I saw a Pallas's Sand-Grouse (Syrrhaptes paradoxus) flying towards us. It was alone and, at an altitude of not more than sixty feet, passed directly over our heads, giving me a splendid opportunity of carefully observing and identifying it. It flew rapidly over the house, taking a course due north. I have never previously had the pleasure of seeing this bird alive, but have had ample opportunities of studying, amongst others, the specimens which were obtained in Staffordshire, in 1863, by the late Mr. Samuel Yates of Eccleshall.'
