Siberian Stonechat
Saxicola maurus (Pallas, 1773) (1, 0)
Photo © Kris Webb
STATUS
Eurasia. Polytypic.
OVERVIEW
BOU (1971) accepted two records: 1904 Norfolk and 1913 Isle of May. However, in a review (1977) the 1904 individual was found to have been misidentified and is no longer acceptable.
RECORD
1). 1913 Isle of May No locality, female, obtained, 10th October, now at National Museums of Scotland (NMSZ 1913.239.2).
(E. V. Baxter & L. J. Rintoul, Scottish Naturalist 33: 273; Eds., British Birds 7: 271; Witherby, 1920-24; Rintoul & Baxter, 1935; N. F. Ticehurst, Ibis 80: 338-341; BOURC (1939), Ibis 81: 332; I. S. Robertson, British Birds 70: 237-245; J. M. Collinson & R. Y. McGowan, British Birds 105: 318-321, plates 182-184; BOURC, Ibis 155: 205).
History E. V. Baxter & L. J. Rintoul (1913) in the Scottish Naturalist, Vol. XXXIII. p. 273, says: 'The favourable climatic conditions which prevailed during September and the first half of October, brought many interesting visitors to the Isle of May. Chief among these were the two which are the subject of this paper, both being additions to the Scottish avifauna....On 10th October our attention was caught by a most unusual looking Stonechat; in fact, at first sight the bird looked more like a small Whinchat than anything else. It was a bird of the year, but, it was necessary to compare the specimen with a series of skins, it was submitted to Dr. Hartert, who kindly examined it, and refers it to the Indian Stonechat (Saxicola torquata indica). It has once before been procured in Britain, near Cley, Norfolk, on 2nd September, 1904.'
In an Editorial (1914) in British Birds, Vol. VII. p. 271, they say: 'On October 10th, 1913, "a most unusual-looking Stonechat", at first sight looking "more like a small Whinchat than anything else", was noticed and procured by the same observers. The bird has been submitted to Dr. Hartert, who has pronounced it to be an example of Saxicola t. indica, which has only once before been recorded from the British Isles - namely, near Cley, Norfolk, on September 2nd, 1904.'
Rintoul & Baxter (1935) say: 'A young male was found by us on the Isle of May on 10th October 1913.'
Admitted nationally in the Fourteenth List Report as the first for Britain (BOURC (1939) Ibis 81: 332) who stated that the Committee examined Dr. Ticehurst's article in The Ibis, 1938, pp. 338-341, and his decision on the Isle of May bird, collected on 10 October, 1913, was accepted. It was, therefore, decided to admit Saxicola torquata maura (Pall.) to the British List.
However, after a review of plumage characters and genetic analysis the record was upheld as Saxicola m. maurus (BOURC (2013) Ibis 155: 205).
NOT PROVEN
0). 1904 Kent Fairfield, shot, 22nd May.
(N. F. Ticehurst, Hastings and East Sussex Naturalist 4: 28).
[E. M. Nicholson & I. J. Ferguson-Lees, British Birds 55: 299-384 HR].
History N. F. Ticehurst (1928) in the Hastings and East Sussex Naturalist, Vol. IV. p. 28, says: 'A specimen shot at Fairfield, Romney Marsh, on May 22nd, 1904, and formerly in Sir Vauncey Crewe's collection, is now in the Dyke Road Museum, Brighton. It has not hitherto been recorded in our Journal.'
Comment Hastings rarity. Not acceptable.
0). 1904 Norfolk Morston, male, shot, 2nd September, now at Castle Museum, Norwich.
(W. R. Ogilvie-Grant, Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 16: 10; E. C. Arnold, Zoologist 1905: 466; Arnold, 1907; H. Saunders, British Birds 1: 7; Pashley, 1925; Saunders & Clark, 1927; H. F. Witherby, British Birds 22: 46-47; Seago, 1977).
[I. S. Robertson, British Birds 70: 243-244].
History W. R. Ogilvie-Grant, Editor (1905) in the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club, Vol. XVI. p. 10, at the 117th Meeting of the Club held on 18th October 1905 at the Restaurant Frascati, London, says: 'Mr. Howard Saunders, on behalf of Mr. E. C. Arnold, of Eastbourne College, exhibited the following birds: - Pratincola maura (Pall.), the Eastern representative of the Stonechat (P. rubicola) of Western and Southern Europe. Increased blackness was the principal characteristic of this form, which ranges from the extreme east of Europe, through Asia, to Japan. The example exhibited was shot by Mr. Arnold's brother near Cley, Norfolk, on September 2nd, 1904.'
E. C. Arnold of Eastbourne College (1905) in The Zoologist, 4th series, Vol. IX. p. 466, says: 'Dr. Bowdler Sharpe and Mr. Howard Saunders decided that a dark Stonechat, shot by my brother, G. F. Arnold, near the same place as the Yellow-breasted Bunting (between Wells and Cromer) on Sept. 2nd, 1904, wind W.N.W., was a specimen of Pratincola maura. It will shortly be presented to the Eastbourne Museum.'
Arnold (1907: 60) says: 'On the 2nd of the same month [September, 1904] my brother, G. F., had secured a far greater rarity in the shape of a Siberian Stonechat (Pratincola maura) - the first specimen ever taken in the British Isles. This bird he shot on a gorse common not far off, and he all but threw it away. He was induced to shoot by the bird's unusually dark appearance, but on picking it up he found that it was moulting heavily and that the dark look was in a great measure due to this. He fortunately brought it home, and I had it stuffed on the off-chance of its turning out a melanism. For over a year it remained in my collection, a seedy-looking bird, which I regarded with no particular respect, and then Mr. Howard Saunders saw and identified it, and it was subsequently exhibited at the British Ornithologists' Club. It returned from that ordeal invested with the halo of renown, and I now shudder to think how near we came to making away with it. It is in the Eastbourne Museum.'
Pashley (1925) says: '1904. August 22nd. Mr. Howard Saunders called, and we had a long chat. September 2nd. Mr. Arnold got a Stonechat, which we thought was a melanistic variety, but which turned out to be a S. torquata indica.' Further on, under 'List of Cley Birds', he adds: 'I received the only British specimen (a male) on September 2nd, 1904, from Mr. E. C. Arnold, and set it up for him. Mr. Howard Saunders saw it in my shop but thought it was only a melanistic Stonechat; when he compared it with skins in the National Museum found he had made a mistake.'
Howard Saunders (1907) in British Birds, Vol. I. p. 7, under 'Additions to the List of British Birds since 1899', says: 'On behalf of Mr. E. C. Arnold, of Eastbourne College, Eastbourne, a male, shot near Cley, Norfolk, on September 2nd, 1904, was exhibited at the B.O.C. (Bull., XVI. p. 10).'
H. F. Witherby (1928) in British Birds, Vol. XXII. pp. 46-47, in a Review of W. E. Clarke's 3rd ed. of Saunders's Manual of British Birds, says: 'For years Howard Saunders's Manual was the standard authority for British ornithology until his last (1899) edition became too out of date to be so regarded. The present edition we fear falls short in the accuracy sustained in Saunders's own two editions....There are many details in the book to which we take exception, and there are also certain records which do not appear to have been published previously, and it must suffice to refer here to a few of these items....The Indian Stonechat is stated to have been exhibited at the B.O.C. by Mr. G. F. Arnold, by whom it was shot, whereas it was shown by Howard Saunders on behalf of Mr. E. C. Arnold.'
Comment Misidentified. Not acceptable.
0). 1909 Sussex Jury's Gap, adult male, shot, 24th April.
(E. N. Bloomfield, Hastings and East Sussex Naturalist 1: 206-207; Walpole-Bond, 1938).
[E. M. Nicholson & I. J. Ferguson-Lees, British Birds 55: 299-384 HR].
History E. N. Bloomfield (1909) in the Hastings and East Sussex Naturalist, Vol. I. pp. 206, 207, says: 'We are again indebted to Dr. N. F. Ticehurst for a long list of rare birds which have occurred in our own and neighbouring districts, to which Mr. Butterfield has made some good additions. In neighbouring districts - Saxicola maura, Pallas, Siberian Stonechat, Jury's Gap, adult male, April 24th 1909.'
Walpole-Bond (1938 (2): 104) placing the record in square brackets, says: 'A strange-looking adult male Stonechat shot at or near the Sussex-Kent boundary in Romney Marsh at Jury Gap on April 24th, 1909, was at the time pronounced by Norman Ticehurst to be of the Siberian race Saxicola torquata maura (Pall.), and so as such was it recorded. But later on he concluded that the bird may have been an Indian Stonechat, S. t. indica (Blyth), though, alas, by then all trace of its whereabouts had been lost. And this is still the case. Small wonder that even an expert like Ticehurst should possibly have blundered. For the two forms are much alike.'
Comment Locality is in Sussex (Sussex Bird Report 1953: 5). Hastings rarity. Not acceptable.
