Eastern/Western Orphean Warbler
Sylvia crassirostris/hortensis Cretzschmar, 1830 / (Gmelin, JF, 1789)
Photo © Dhaval Vargiya, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
STATUS
Eurasia and North-west Africa. Polytypic.
OVERVIEW
BOU (1971) state two records for the period: Yorkshire (July 1948) erroneously for 1848, and Dorset (1955) which has been admitted as the first Western Orphean Warbler after Orphean Warbler was split into two full species.
NOT PROVEN
0). 1848 Yorkshire Near Wetherby, female, shot, 6th July, now at Leeds Museum, photo.
(W. M. E. Milner, Zoologist 1849: 2588-89; E. Newman, Zoologist 1851: 3107-10; Yarrell, 1856; Nelson, 1907; Witherby, 1920-24; Mather, 1986; British Birds 98: plate 123).
[BOURC (2004), Ibis 146: 192-195; T. Melling, British Birds 98: 230-237, photo].
History W. M. E. Milner of Nunappleton (1849) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. VII. pp. 2588-89, says: 'My bird is evidently a female, and was observed in company with its mate for a considerable time before it was shot. The other bird had a black head, and the description I received left no doubt on my mind that it was a male bird of Sylvia orphea. The bird of which I send you a description was shot in a small plantation near the town of Wetherby, on the 6th July 1848, and was, unfortunately, very ill set-up by the man who obtained it; it had the appearance of having been engaged in incubation from the state of the plumage. Mr. Graham, my bird-stuffer, at York, hearing that a very uncommon bird had been shot, went over to Wetherby, and, fortunately, obtained the specimen for my collection. It has the beak black and very strong, eight lines in length, the upper mandible very much grooved. The whole upper part of the plumage darl ash-coloured brown. The outer feather of the tail white, the rest of a brownish black. Chin dirty white; throat and belly brownish white; under surface of the wings and vent light brown. Legs very strong; toes and claws black. Total length 6 inches 3 lines. Since procuring this specimen, I have received a male bird from France...I may, perhaps, be allowed to add, that this is now the third addition to the list of British Birds which has been made by the zeal and activity of Mr. Graham, the Larus rossii and Otis McQueenii having first come into his hands.'
Edward Newman (1851) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. IX. pp. 3107-10, after quoting the above in full goes on to say: 'It seems not a little extraordinary, and is one of those facts in nature which we can only record without attempting to reason on it, that a bird, confined to the continent to Italy, the south of France, and to a small portion of Switzerland, should, after passing over Germany, central and northern France, and the South of Britain, reappear in Yorkshire. Anomalies of this kind do, however, frequently turn up, as though to puzzle us. Such was the occurrence of the Hawk Owl, recorded in a recent number, on the most unquestionable authority; and such have been dozens of records, which would never have been preserved, had not the Zoologist offered them so appropriate a depository.'
Yarrell (1856, 2nd supp.) says: 'This bird was in Sir William Milner's collection and was obtained for him at Wetherby by Mr. Graham, bird-preserver of York. A male was said to have been with it.'
Nelson (1907 (1): 69) adds: 'The Milner collection passed to the Leeds Museum.'
Comment In a review of this species it was found to be unacceptable (BOURC (2004), Ibis 146: 192-195). David Graham has been discredited over "The Tadcaster Rarities" fraud (T. Melling, British Birds 98: 230-237).
0). c. 1860 Sussex East Grinstead, nested, summer.
(Gould, 1862-73; Newton & Saunders, 1871-85).
[Walpole-Bond, 1938].
History Walpole-Bond (1938 (2): 26) says: '...this brings us to the alleged nesting long ago (actually, I believe, it was in or just before the year 1860) of the species in Sussex, namely, at or near East Grinstead. The story, set afoot by Howard Saunders on the strength of some strange eggs sent to him by a boy, was first made public by Gould in Volume II of his Birds of Great Britain, started in 1862 and finished in 1873. A little later it was repeated by at least one other writer, to wit, Alfred Newton in Volume I. (pp. 423-4) of the fourth edition of Yarrell's History of British Birds which, though commenced in 1871, was not completed until 1885. Yet in neither print of his Manual (1889 and 99) does Saunders say a syllable anent the subject, nor, do I believe, has it been spoken of with confidence in any subsequent work....About the above Millais preserves silence, which is, perhaps, not to be wondered at.'
Comment Lacks adequate details. Not acceptable.
0). 1866 Greater London Near Holloway, Middlesex, caught, June.
(J. E. Harting, Field 22nd Apr., 1871; Yarrell, 1871-85; Saunders, 1899).
[Glegg, 1935; Not in BOU, 1971].
History J. E. Harting (1871) in The Field of 22nd Apr., Vol. XXXVII. p. ?, says: 'Since the last edition of that work [Yarrell] was published (1856) we have good reason to believe that the Orpheus Warbler has occurred again at least on two occasions in England. In June 1866, the late Mr. Hugh Hanley, of the 2nd Life Guards, well known as a bird fancier, purchased a young warbler, which had been chased and caught by a boy near Holloway. Mr. Blyth who saw it the following December, pronounced it to be without doubt a female Orpheus Warbler. As the bird when caught was unable to fly, it is evident that a pair must have nested in the neighbourhood.'
Alfred Newton (1871-74 (4): 423, 4th ed.) in Yarrell's British Birds, says: 'In June, 1866, a young bird was caught near Holloway in Middlesex, and was kept alive, by Sergeant-Major Hanley, for nearly six months, as the Editor was kindly informed by Mr. Blyth, who carefully examined the example.'
Glegg (1935: 70) placing the record in square brackets, says: 'H. Hanley of the 1st Life Guards states that in June 1866, he purchased a young warbler which could not fly, which had been chased and caught by a boy near Holloway. It was identified as a female of this species by Edward Blyth the following December. This is obviously an unsatisfactory record.'
0). 1884 Highland Broadford, Skye, Skye & Lochalsh, first-year, shot, 16th August.
("Tantara" Field 20th Sep., 1884: 431; W. E. Beckwith, Field 27th Sep., 1884: 440; Clifton, Field 4th Oct., 1884: 487; H. A. Macpherson, Field 18th Oct., 1884: 530; G. S. D. Lees, Field 1st Nov., 1884: 597).
[G. D. Lees, Field 27th Jun., 1885: 843; Saunders, 1899; BOU, 1971].
History "Tantara" (1884) in The Field of 20th Sep., Vol. LXIV. p. 431, says: 'I have been fortunate enough to obtain a specimen of the Orpheus Warbler, which was shot near Broadford, Isle of Skye, and is a bird of the year. It was badly shot in the head, and has not made a good skin. Is it not a very rare bird in the British Islands? [Is our correspondent quite satisfied that the bird in question is not a Blackcap? We are not sure that the Blackcap has ever been met with in Skye, but, as it ranges from Lapland to the Cape, it is more likely to occur than the Orpheus Warbler, whose range lies more to the eastward (south and south-eastern Europe, Palestine, and India). The author of Our Summer Migrants thus writes (p. 52): "The bird may be briefly described as a large form of the Blackcap, exceeding it by half an inch in total length, and by a quarter of an inch in length of wing, the male having the black crown which characterises our well-known songster, and resembling it generally in appearance. It differs, however, in having the bill shining black instead of horn colour, the underparts white instead of grey, the legs brown instead of slate colour, and the outer tail feathers margined with white instead of being uniformly grey".
[We should be glad to know whether this description applies to the bird procured in Skye, and at what date it was obtained. - Ed.]
W. E. Beckwith of Eaton Constantine, Salop (1884) in The Field 27th Sep., Vol. LXIV. p. 440, says: 'I have carefully examined the bird mentioned by "Tantara", and have no doubt that it is an immature specimen of the Orpheus Warbler (Sylvia orphea). It is altogether larger than the Blackcap, the bill and legs being remarkably strong. The skin, which is a good deal injured, is now at Henry Shaw's, Shrewsbury.'
[It is satisfactory to know that the bird in question has been correctly identified, and that its reported occurrence in Skye need not rest upon anonymous testimony. We are none the less obliged to our correspondent "Tantara" for his letter, which has been the means of establishing an interesting fact. - Ed.]
Lord Clifton (1884) in The Field of 4th Oct., Vol. LXIV. p. 487, says: 'I think that other readers besides myself would have been glad of a few particulars as to plumage of the Skye specimen. The white on the outer tail feathers is a sure mark of distinction from the Blackcap. Some years ago - about September, I believe - I caught a young one with an injured wing, but let it go again. It was like a large Lesser Whitethroat, had a very strong black bill, and uttered the loudest screams I ever heard from so small a bird.'
H. A. Macpherson of Carlisle (1884) in The Field of 18th Oct., Vol. LXIV. p. 530, says: 'I must join with Lord Clifton in asking the owner of the warbler in question to favour your readers with further particulars. The island of Skye is not without its share of small summer visitors, including the Common Whitethroat, Willow Wren, Spotted Flycatcher (much on the increase), and the Sedge Warbler; but, even granting that the Broadford bird has been correctly identified (and I submit that it should be compared with skins before its record can be considered fully made out), it would still be interesting to learn whether the bird had been bred in the island, and on what date and with what winds it was obtained.'
George S. Dunville Lees of Woodhill, Oswestry (1884) in The Field of 1st Nov., Vol. LXIV. p. 597, replies: 'I have been from home, or I should have answered Mr. Macpherson's letter before this. The Orpheus Warbler was shot by me on Aug. 16. We were out after rabbits, when I saw a bird quite unknown to me; it was flying from small bush up a gully. I shot it, and made the best skin of it I could, and sent it to Shaw, of Shrewsbury; he was not at home at the time, but his grandson wrote saying he had received a Wheatear from me; and it was not for months that Shaw himself wrote to me saying what he considered the bird to be. I then went again to the place, but nearly all migratory birds had left. The bird is a young one of this year. I do not wish to send the bird to strangers, but if anyone really wishes to ascertain for himself, he can do so by going to Shrewsbury.'
George Dunville Lees (1885) in The Field of 27th June, Vol. LXV. p. 843, says: 'If you remember, in last September I wrote a letter from the Isle of Skye, saying I had shot the young of the Orpheus Warbler. The bird was identified by Shaw, of Shrewsbury, and Mr. Beckwith. I have now brought the specimen up with me to town, and taken it to Mr. Dresser, of 110, Cannon Street, who tells me it is not the Orpheus, but the Barred Warbler (Sylvia nisoria).'
Comment Misidentified. Not acceptable. See also under Barred Warbler.
0). Pre 1889 Kent No locality, obtained, undated.
(Dowker, 1889).
[BOU, 1971].
History Dowker (1889) says: 'It is a very rare accidental visitor, and the only specimen is in the Dover Museum, procured by Mr. C. Gordon.'
0). 1890 Devon Exmouth, male, seen, 16th April.
(W. S. M. D'Urban, Zoologist 1890: 467).
[H. Saunders, Zoologist 1891: 272-273; Not in BOU, 1971].
History W. S. M. D'Urban of Exmouth (1890) in The Zoologist, 3rd series, Vol. XIV. p. 467, says: 'On April 16th last there was a great rush of Warblers arriving all along the South Coast, - Willow Warblers, Blackcaps (males), and Wheatears, - and whilst watching a Blackcap feeding on ivy berries in my garden, at 10, Claremont Terrace, Exmouth, where I was then residing, another bird, with a jet-black head, but pure white throat and under parts, and with a slender beak, longer and larger in proportion than in the Blackcap, settled on a twig quite close to it, and I was able to compare the two birds. The sun was shining very brightly at the time, and I did not notice the white tail-feathers. It was certainly smaller than the Blackcap, but nevertheless I have little doubt that it was a male Orphean Warbler.'
Howard Saunders (1891) in The Zoologist, 3rd series, Vol. XV. pp. 272-273, says: 'I have just been reading up the Zoologist for 1890, after more than a year's absence from England, and at p. 467, I note the remarks on the 'Supposed Occurrence of the Orphean Warbler in Devonshire', by Mr. W. S. M. D'Urban. From his description of the bird observed on April 16th, 1890, its smaller size as compared side by side with the Blackcap, its pure white throat, and slender beak, I should say that the stranger was probably an adult Black-headed Warbler, Sylvia melanocephala. This (often called the Sardinian Warbler, a misleading name, conducive to confusion with Sylvia sarda) is a common species in the South of France and the Peninsula (as well as in other parts of Southern Europe), and might easily be swept up with the tide of migration during a gale to our western shores.'
Comment Misidentified. Not acceptable.
0). 1903 Sussex Near St Leonards-on-Sea, female, shot, 7th October.
(R. B. Sharpe, Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 14: 16; "Hy.S." Field 14th Nov., 1903: 844; H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 1: 56; Walpole-Bond, 1938).
[E. M. Nicholson & I. J. Ferguson-Lees, British Birds 55: 299-384 HR].
History R. Bowdler Sharpe, Editor (1903) in the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club, Vol. XIV. pp. 16-17, at the 99th Meeting of the Club held on 21st October 1903 at the Restaurant Frascati, London, says: 'Mr. W. Ruskin Butterfield exhibited a female specimen of the Orphean Warbler (Sylvia orpheus, Temm.) which had been shot by Mr. A. Kite on Filsham Farm close to St. Leonards-on-Sea, Sussex, on Oct. 7th, 1903. The specimen was brought to Mr. George Bristow of that place and examined in the flesh by Mr. Butterfield. In the 4th edition of Yarrell's British Birds two reputed occurrences of this species in England were mentioned, but in neither case was the evidence beyond question. It was therefore satisfactory that at length an authenticated specimen had been produced.'
"Hy.S." (1903) in The Field of 14th Nov., Vol. CII. p. 844, says: 'On the 7th ult., Mr. A. Kite, of Filsham Farm, near St. Leonard's-on-Sea, had the good fortune to secure a hen bird of this species (Sylvia orphea). Although two occurrences were recorded in Yarrell, in neither case was the evidence beyond question. This last specimen was seen in the flesh by Mr. Butterfield, who announced the fact at the last meeting of the British Ornithologists' Club.'
Admitted by H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst (1907) in British Birds, Vol. I. p. 56, under 'On the More Important Additions to our Knowledge of British Birds since 1899,' adding: 'This is the third record of the occurrence of this species in the British Isles.'
Accepted locally (Walpole-Bond 1938 (2): 26).
Comment Hastings rarity. Not acceptable.
0). 1905 Sussex Near St Leonards-on-Sea, immature male, picked up dead, 16th September.
(W. R. Ogilvie-Grant, Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 16: 35; E. N. Bloomfield, Hastings and East Sussex Naturalist 1: 17-18; H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 1: 56; Walpole-Bond, 1938).
[E. M. Nicholson & I. J. Ferguson-Lees, British Birds 55: 299-384 HR].
History W. R. Ogilvie-Grant, Editor (1905) in the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club, Vol. XVI. p. 34, at the 118th Meeting of the Club held on 15th November 1905 at the Restaurant Frascati, London, says: 'Mr. C. B. Ticehurst exhibited the following birds which had been obtained in Sussex: - "...2. Orphean Warbler (Sylvia orphea). An immature male was picked up dead under the telegraph wires near St. Leonards on September 16th, 1905, and brought in to Mr. Bristow, the taxidermist. It was a fresh, clean-looking bird and had a bare spot under the chin, where it had struck the wires. It was seen by Dr. N. F. Ticehurst two days later.".'
E. N. Bloomfield (1906) in the Hastings and East Sussex Naturalist, Vol. I. pp. 17-18, says: 'I am indebted to Messrs. N. F. Ticehurst and W. Ruskin Butterfield for the following notices of rare birds which have occurred in our own and in neighbouring districts. In the Hastings district - Sylvia orpheus, Temm., Orphean Warbler, near St Leonards, September 16th, 1905, second Sussex and British specimen.'
Admitted by H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst (1907) in British Birds, Vol. I. p. 56, under 'On the More Important Additions to our Knowledge of British Birds since 1899', adding: 'This is the fourth record of the occurrence of this species in the British Isles.'
Accepted locally (Walpole-Bond 1938 (2): 26).
Comment Hastings rarity. Not acceptable.
0). 1909 Sussex Horsham, adult male, seen, 11th May.
(Walpole-Bond, 1938).
[BOU, 1971].
History Walpole-Bond (1938 (2): 26-27) says: 'On May 11th, 1909, near Horsham, I heard, when some way off, coming from a small way-side plantation of oaks boasting a good growth of underwood a song that was entirely new to me. It was boisterous, persistent and barely melodious, though a few chastened notes, quite inaudible at any distance, possessed points for praise and reminded me more than a trifle of parts of the Blackcap's refrain religiously modulated. After a good deal of manoeuvring I got several good views of the chorister which was then seen to be a warbler slightly superior in size to, say, atricapilla, with greyish-brown upper-plumage except for the crown which was blackish, pale under-parts (indeed, the throat was really white), some white on the outer rectrices and pallid-looking irides. That he was an old male "Orphean", I have no doubt whatsoever. After that day I never saw him again....'
Comment Not admitted nationally (BOU 1971). Not acceptable.
0). 1916 Sussex St Leonards-on-Sea, male, shot, 21st September, now at Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery (Acc. No. 1962Z10.674).
(J. B. Nichols, British Birds 11: 45; W. R. Butterfield, Hastings and East Sussex Naturalist 2: 247; Walpole-Bond, 1938; Watson, 2010).
[E. M. Nicholson & I. J. Ferguson-Lees, British Birds 55: 299-384 HR].
History J. B. Nichols (1917) in British Birds, Vol. XI. p. 45, says: 'I wish to record the occurrence of the following birds in Sussex in 1916: - Orphean Warbler (Sylvia h. hortensis). - A male shot at the old Brickfields, West St. Leonards-on-Sea, Sussex, on September 21st, 1916, was examined in the flesh by myself on September 22nd. This is, I believe, the fifth recorded English specimen.'
Accepted locally (Walpole-Bond 1938 (2): 27).
Watson (2010) in detailing the J. L. Auden collection in the Birmingham Museum lists a male specimen that was obtained at the Old Brickfield, West St Leonards, Sussex, on 21st September 1916, adding that it was bought at the sale of J. B. Nichols collection who had bought it from Bristow on 22nd September 1916.
Comment Hastings rarity. Not acceptable.
0). 1952 Sussex Peasmarsh, female, 27th April at least.
(N. F. Ticehurst, Hastings and East Sussex Naturalist 8: 62).
[N. F. Ticehurst, Hastings and East Sussex Naturalist 8: 62].
History N. F. Ticehurst (1953) in the Hastings and East Sussex Naturalist, Vol. VIII. p. 62, recording the record in square brackets, says: 'A female, Peasmarsh, Ap. 27th and following few days; seen in gorse, flies close to ground, brownish head, greyish back and wings, white throat and outer tail feathers, slightly larger than Blackcap (W.J.B.).'
