Alpine Accentor

Prunella collaris (Scopoli, 1769) (10, 22)

Photo © Wikimedia Commons

STATUS

Southern and Eastern Palearctic. Polytypic.

OVERVIEW

Since 1955 all records have been seen at the coast, so all these inland records do not stand up to close scrutiny. Amazingly, one comes along in 2024 inland! Migration takes place mid March to May and October to November.

Records between 1955-2022 were between March and June (16), and October and November (6); all coastal - Fair Isle; in the west: Pembs., Scilly, Cornwall, Devon; in the east: Lincs., Norfolk (5), Suffolk (3); in the south: Kent, Sussex, Hants., Dorset.

---

BBRC RECORDS

1). 1817 Essex/Greater London Forest House, Epping Forest, near Walthamstow, killed, August.

(J. Pamplin, Loudon's Magazine of Natural History 5: 288; Jenyns, 1835; Yarrell, 1845; Yarrell, 1871-85; BOU, 1883; Christy, 1890; Saunders, 1899; Glegg, 1929; Self, 2014).

2). 1833 Somerset Deanery Garden, Wells, shot, undated.

(Yarrell, 1845; Smith, 1869; Saunders, 1899; Somerset Ornithological Society, 1988; Ballance, 2006).

3). 1862-63 Yorkshire Near Scarborough, shot, undated.

(W. W. Boulton, Zoologist 1863: 8766; Nelson, 1907; Mather, 1986).

4). 1885 Dorset Castle Gardens, Christchurch, adult male, shot, undated, now at Chilcomb House, Winchester (Acc. No. HMCMS:Bi1983.2.1).

(Eds., Ibis 1903: 438; Kelsall & Munn, 1905; H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 1: 109; Clark, 2022).

5). 1906 Cornwall Looe, adult male, 9th to 11th November, when shot.

(J. Clark, Zoologist 1907: 283; H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 1: 109; Penhallurick, 1978).

6). 1908 Fair Isle No locality, seen, 6th October.

(W. E. Clarke, Annals of Scottish Natural History 1909: 73; Annals of Scottish Natural History 1909: 201; Clarke, 1912; Thom, 1986; Dymond, 1991).

7). 1921 Sussex Seaford Head, seen, 7th, 18th and 20th April.

(J. Walpole-Bond, British Birds 25: 225-226; Shrubb, 1979).

8). 1922 Sussex Rottingdean, seen, 16th March.

(J. Walpole-Bond, British Birds 25: 225-226; Shrubb, 1979).

9). 1932 Kent Leathercote Point, St Margaret's Bay, seen, 1st May.

(G. E. Took, British Birds 26: 275; Taylor, Davenport & Flegg, 1981).

10). 1932 Cornwall Lantivet Bay, Polperro, male, in song, seen, 14th to 16th June.

(E. Crankshaw, British Birds 26: 97; Penhallurick, 1978).

11). 1955 Sussex Telscombe Cliffs, 24th April.

(B. James & C. M. James, British Birds 48: 373-374; Shrubb, 1979).

12). 1959 Fair Isle Wester Lother, 27th to 28th June.

(G. A. Pyman and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 53: 426; P. E. Davis, Fair Isle Bird Observatory Bulletin 4: 97; Thom, 1986).

13). 1975 Kent Ramsgate, 7th May.

(J. N. Dymond and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 69: 367, rejected; J. O'Sullivan and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 70: 448).

14). 1976 Kent Dungeness, 8th May.

(J. O'Sullivan and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 70: 437).

15). 1977 Isles of Scilly Peninnis Head, St Mary's, 30th October; same Giant's Castle, 31st October to 9th November, photo.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 71: 515, plate 193; D. B. Hunt, Isles of Scilly Bird Report 1977: 52; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 107).

16). 1978 Dorset Portland Bill, 8th to 30th April, trapped 11th April, photo.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 72: 532, plate 223).

17). 1978 Norfolk Sheringham, 30th April to 4th May, trapped 1st May, photo.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 72: 532; Norfolk Bird & Mammal Report 2002: photo).

18). 1990 Isle of Wight The Needles, 27th May to 6th June, photo.

(M. Hunnybun, Birding World 3 (5): 164-165, photos; Birding World 3 (6): 192, photo; British Birds 83: plate 296; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 84: 482; Saunders, 1991: 113, photo; M. Hunnybun, Isle of Wight Bird Report 1990: 88-90, photo).

19). 1990 Cornwall Rough Tor, 4th November.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 84: 482).

20). 1993 Devon Lundy, 8th May, photo.

(Eds., Birding World 6 (5): 180, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 87: 545).

21). 1994 Lincolnshire Saltfleetby, adult, 14th to 18th November, photo.

(G. P. Catley, Birding World 7 (11): 436-437, photos; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 88: 531; P. Troake, Linconshire Bird Report 1994: 73, photo).

22). 1997 Pembrokeshire Strumble Head, 30th October, photo.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 91: 500).

23). 2000 Kent Bockhill, St Margaret's, 6th May.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 94: 485).

24). 2000 Suffolk Corton, 13th May, photo; possibly same as Kent.

(R. Smith, Birding World 13 (5): 194-195, photos; Birding World 13 (12): 489, photo; British Birds 93: plate 193; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 94: 485).

25). 2002 Suffolk Minsmere RSPB, 16th to 19th March, photo.

(Birding World 15 (3): 93, photos; Birding World 15 (12): 517, photo; British Birds 95: plate 161; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 96: 587, plate 363).

26). 2004 Norfolk Overstrand, 20th April, photo.

(Birding World 17 (4): 143, photo; Birding World 17 (12): 523, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 98: 670; B. Murphy & S. Chadwick, Norfolk Bird & Mammal Report 2004: 288, photo).

27). 2014 Norfolk Holme BO, 26th April, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 108: 621, plate 369).

28). 2016 Norfolk Scolt Head, 2CY+, 12th April, photo.

(C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 110: 619).

29). 2016 Hampshire Brownwich Cliffs, 2CY+, 13th April photo.

(C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 110: 619, plate 344; Hampshire Bird Report 2016: photo; Clark, 2022, photo).

30). 2016 Lincolnshire Gibraltar Point, 2CY+, 7th May, photo.

(C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 110: 619).

31). 2022 Suffolk Slaughden, Aldeburgh, 1CY+, 27th to 29th October, photo.

(L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 116: 590).

32). 2022 Norfolk Blakeney Point, 1CY+, , 30th to 31st October, photo.

(L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 116: 590, plate 356).

P). 2024 Buckinghamshire Pitstone Quarry, 5th May, photo.

(birding information services).