Red-flanked Bluetail
Tarsiger cyanurus (Pallas, 1773) (2, 1)
Photo © KG Webb - Lower Moors, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, 3 December 2022
Ex BBRC species 31/12/2016
STATUS
Central and Eastern Palearctic. Monotypic.
OVERVIEW
BOURC (1952) in their fourth List of British Birds stated that in Scotland, one was obtained and one seen, but the latter record (Orkney 1948) was later found to be unacceptable (BOU, 1971).
RECORDS
1). 1903 Lincolnshire North Cotes, adult male, seen, 21st September.
(G. H. Caton Haigh, Zoologist 1904: 293; Eds., British Birds 47: 28-30; Smith & Cornwallis, 1955; P. A. D. Hollom, British Birds 49: 359; BOU, 1971).
History G. H. Caton Haigh (1904) in The Zoologist, 4th series, Vol. VIII. p. 293, says: 'On Sept. 21st I shot a couple of Bluethroats on hedges near the coast, and at least one other was seen. On the same day my keeper, who was with me, saw a bird which he described as a Redstart, but with a bluish-grey back and bright blue tail. It perched for a moment on the hedge which he was beating only a few yards before him, and then flew away inland, and could not be found again, although much time was spent in the search. I only saw it in flight at sixty or seventy yards distance, when it seemed blue on both wings and tail. It was probably an example of Nemura cyanura, but, not having obtained it, identity must remain a mystery.'
In an Editorial (1954) in British Birds, Vol. XLVII. pp. 28-30, they say: 'The extract quoted below is from page 82 of the typescript of an as yet unpublished book by the late G. H. Caton Haigh entitled 'Birds of a Lincolnshire Parish being A List of the Birds of North Cotes with Notes on the Autumn Migration'.
The MS. is among those in the care of the Bird Room at the British Museum (Natural History), and we are very grateful to Sir Norman Kinnear for drawing attention to this record and to Mr. J. D. Macdonald for giving us access to Mr. Caton Haigh's note-books. The quotation is exact and complete except for one or two minor corrections in punctuation and grammar: Blue-tailed Warbler.
On September 19th, 20th and 21st, 1903, there occurred one of the greatest mass migrations of small birds that has taken place in the last half century. Redstarts were far the most abundant but Pied Flycatchers, Robins, Willow Wrens, Goldcrests and Wheatears swarmed and a few Blue-throats were present. When beating the hedge running along the land side of the sea bank my keeper (F. Bacon), who was on one side of the hedge, stopped me saying: "On the hedge in front of me is the prettiest bird I have ever seen". Asked to describe it he said: "It is like a large Redstart with the red parts blue".
All his attempts to make the bird fly to my side of the hedge failed and after making several short nights along the opposite side it flew inland and could not be found again though searched for carefully for three days. I had several short views of this bird as it passed low in thin parts of the hedge but had no chance of shooting it. The keeper's description seemed to me to be correct. The head and upper back and wings were bluish-grey, the lower back and tail bright blue and there was a white eye stripe and a touch of rust colour on the sides. I did not see its under-parts but the keeper described it as white. I had no doubt as to the identity of this rare visitor but as I was unable to produce the bird I considered that the evidence was not sufficient to add this species to the British list. I did not therefore place the occurrence on record. It is not a likely species to be imported as a cage bird and its range is similar to that of other birds which have straggled to this country.
"Blue-tailed Warbler" was one of several English names in use for the Red-flanked Bluetail (Tarsiger cyanurus) and it seems clear from this description that the bird was indeed an adult male of that species, an occurrence preceding by forty-four years the 1947 record in Shetland that added this bird to the British list (vide Scot. Nat., Vol. LX. pp. 6-7 and plate 1). It is obvious that Caton Haigh was in his own mind satisfied with the identification and that it was only the policy of that period towards birds not actually obtained that prevented him from recording: it as a new British species. Therefore, having regard to the capabilities, experience and critical outlook of the observer and the satisfactory description, there seems no good reason to doubt the record. Nevertheless, in view of the great length of time that has elapsed, as neither of the observers is alive and because most of the description is based upon the words of F. Bacon (and not Caton Haigh), it seems safer to prefix the occurrence with the word "probable".
Smith & Cornwallis (1955: 115) after quoting from the MS., say: 'There seems no good reason to doubt this record as recorded by British Birds as a "probable".
F. Bacon, who was regularly with Caton-Haigh would have been a careful observer and Haigh himself confirmed adequate details. We fully accept it.'
P. A. D. Hollom (1955) in British Birds, Vol. XLIX. p. 359, in a review of The Birds of Lincolnshire (Smith & Cornwallis, 1955), says: 'Several records accepted by earlier workers in the county...on the other hand the Red-flanked Bluetail of 1903 (antea, Vol. XLVII. pp. 28-30) is accepted without any reservation.'
Admitted nationally in their fifth Check-list as the first for Britain (BOU 1971).
2). 1947 Shetland Near Skaw, Whalsay, first-winter, shot, 7th October, photo, now at Shetland Museum (A58-2001).
(S. Bruce, Scottish Naturalist 60: 6-7, plate I; Eds., British Birds 41: 214-215; C. P. H. Grant, Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 69: 46; Thom, 1986; Forrester & Andrews et al., 2007).
History Samuel Bruce (1948) in the Scottish Naturalist, Vol. LX. pp. 6-7, says: 'On 7th October 1947 I observed a small bird near Skaw on Whalsay which, by its mode of feeding, I took to be a redbreast. On getting my glass on the bird I was somewhat startled to find that it had a blue rump and that the orange markings were confined solely to its flanks. It was busy catching insects around the pools of water on the barren hills and frequently perched on high tussocks to dart down after them- It was rather shy and kept flitting about quickly from pool to pool around which its food was most plentiful, never rising very high but keeping low to the ground. It carried the wings rather under the tail. I did not hear it make any sound. In order to establish its identity I procured it. The specimen was eventually identified as Tarsiger cyanurus (Pall.) - the identification being confirmed by Mr. N. B. Kinnear at the British Museum. This would appear to be the first time this species has been recorded in the British Isles.'
C. P. H. Grant, Editor (1949) in the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club, Vol. LXIX. p. 46, at the 483rd Meeting of the Club held on 16th February 1947 at the Rembrandt Hotel, London, says: 'Mr. W. E. Glegg exhibited this specimen and remarked: - I exhibit on behalf of Mr. S. Bruce of Lerwick, the first British specimen of the Red-flanked Bluetail.
The specimen was obtained by Mr. Bruce on Whalsay, Shetland, on 7th October, 1947. The sex has not been determined....As the record has been fully dealt with in the Scottish Naturalist, Vol. LX. p. 6, 1948, accompanied by an excellent coloured illustration, there is no more to add. There is an interesting sequel to this, for it is reported in The Field, Vol. CXCI. p. 609, 1948, that two of this species were observed at Skaill, Orkney, on 2nd May, 1948. The identification appears to be satisfactory.'
Admitted nationally as the first for Scotland by Forrester & Andrews et al. (2007 (2): 1093) who add: 'Specimen now at Shetland Museum (A48-2001).'
1950-57 RECORD
3). 1956 Kent Sandwich Bay, first-winter male, killed in Heligoland trap, 28th October.
(E. H. Gillham, Kent Bird Report 1956: 33; D. F. Harle, British Birds 51: 37; Taylor, Davenport & Flegg, 1981).
History E. H. Gillham (1956) in the Kent Bird Report, Vol. V. p. 33, says: 'On Oct. 28 a freshly dead first winter male was picked up in a trap at Sandwich Bay where, presumably, it had been killed by a weasel which escaped from the catching box shortly before the bird was found. U.B., G.D., J.W. and D.M.B., who were operating the trap, showed the dead bird to J.N.H. and D.F.H., and the last-named sent it to the British Museum of Natural History for confirmation. The full details of this record, which is the first for the county and the second fully authenticated one for the British Isles, will appear in British Birds in due course.'
D. F. Harle (1958) in British Birds, Vol. LI. p. 37, says: 'On 28th October 1956, at Sandwich Bay Kent, G. Dunkling, U. Benecke and D. M. Batchelor found a dead bird which they brought to me. It had been freshly killed, and a Weasel (Mustela nivalis) which left the scene as they appeared was thought to be responsible. The bird was a Red-flanked Bluetail (Tarsiger cyanurus) and we provisionally identified it as a first-winter male - a conclusion that was subsequently confirmed by the British Museum (Natural History), where the skin is now deposited. This is only the second or third British record of this Asiatic and E. European species, one having been shot in Shetland in 1947 (Scot. Nat., Vol. LX. pp. 6-7), some 44 years after one was thought to have been seen in Lincolnshire in September 1903 (antea, Vol. XLVII. pp. 28-30).
At the time we measured the bird and took a full description, as well as making coloured drawings. A copy of the full details has been supplied to the Editors of British Birds. As the skin can be examined in London, it seems sufficient to give only a short description here. The crown, nape, mantle and sides of neck were olivaceous-brown and the back was grey (indistinct as a result of the mauling' the bird had received), shading to "Blue Tit blue" on the rump; the outer webs of the tail feathers were also blue, the outer pair obscurely so, the central feathers darker than the rest; wing-feathers were predominantly grey-brown, with pale chestnut outer webs and with black shafts that in the case of the secondaries exceeded the tips of the feathers; the chin was reddish-buff and the breast and belly white, the latter tinged lemon-yellow; the sides of the breast were brownish-buff where they joined bright orange flanks. The tail was markedly forked, the "centre" being 4 mm. shorter than the longest feathers.'
NOT PROVEN
0). 1948 Orkney Skaill, Mainland, two, seen, 2nd May.
(P. Scott, Field 29th May 1948: 609; C. H. B. Grant, Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 69: 46).
[Not in BOU, 1971].
History Patrick Scott of Sandwick (1948) in The Field of 29th May, Vol. CXCI. p. 609, says: 'On May 2nd, Mrs Scarth, at Skaill, on the Atlantic side of the main island of Orkney, observed two most unusual birds in the neighbourhood of her house. When I arrived one of them had disappeared, and the other, I thought at first, was an unusual type of Robin red-breast, until, on getting my glasses on it, realised it was a bird I had never seen before.
It was very confiding as if it had been on a long migratory flight. It carried its wings rather under its tail and all the time I had it under observation made no noise. In flight it never rose very high from the ground.
I noted down its colours carefully, and the most amazing feature was its blue rump, and the orange markings confined to its flanks. Me, George Arthur, in Kirkwall, identified it from Wardlaw Ramsay's book A Guide to the Birds of Europe and North Africa (page 131) as the same species of bird Mr. Bruce had observed near Skaw on Whalsay in the Shetland Islands, on October 7th, 1947.
I only saw the one bird. The pair could only have remained in the Orkney Islands for a very short time, for, in spite of keeping a good look-out I have never seen or heard of either of them since. All credit must go to Mrs Scarth for first observing the pair.'
C. H. B. Grant, Editor (1949) in the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club, Vol. LXIX. p. 46, at the 483rd Meeting of the Club held on 16th February 1947 at the Rembrandt Hotel, London, says: 'Mr. W. E. Glegg exhibited this specimen and remarked: - ...There is an interesting sequel to this, for it is reported in The Field, Vol. CXCI. p. 609, 1948, that two of this species were observed at Skaill, Orkney, on 2nd May, 1948. The identification appears to be satisfactory.'
Not admitted nationally (BOU 1971).
