Belted Kingfisher

Megaceryle alcyon (Linnaeus, 1758) (1, 4)

Photo © Keith A Naylor, Peterculter, 5th April 2005

STATUS

Nearctic. Monotypic.

OVERVIEW

The first for Britain was not recorded until ten years later and finally admitted onto the British List 72 years after its occurrence.

The individual in 2005 was tracked by good fortune from mid-England to North-east Scotland.

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RECORDS

1). 1908 Cornwall River Allen, Sladesbridge, female, shot, November.

(D. Seth-Smith, Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 39: 6-7; F. C. R. Jourdain, British Birds 12: 160-161; F. G. Stevenson, British Birds 12: 216; W. B. Alexander & R. S. R. Fitter, British Birds 48: 8; Penhallurick, 1978; BOURC (1980), Ibis 122: 564).

2). 1979 Cornwall Sladesbridge, first-winter male, 2nd October to June 1980; probably same, Boscathnoe Reservoir, Penzance, adult male, 23rd to 29th August 1980, photo.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 73: 516; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 74: 480; Birds in Cornwall 1980: photo).

3.0). 2005 Staffordshire Tixall, first-summer male, 1st April, photo; also in Yorkshire, North-east Scotland.

(Birding World 18 (3): 98, photo; R. Broadbent, G. Broadbent & I. Broadbent, Birding World 18 (4): 159-163, plates 1 & 2; P. A. Fraser, M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 100: 60).

3.1). 2005 Yorkshire Eastrington Ponds, first-summer male, 2nd April; presumed same as Staffordshire.

(R. Broadbent, G. Broadbent & I. Broadbent, Birding World 18 (4): 159-163; Yorkshire Birding 14: 39-42; P. A. Fraser, M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 100: 60).

3.2). 2005 North-east Scotland Peterculter, first-summer male, 4th to 8th April, photo; presumed same as Staffordshire.

(R. Broadbent, G. Broadbent & I. Broadbent, Birding World 18 (4): 159-163, plates 3-9; Birding World 18 (12): 508, photo; K. Lansdown, Birding Scotland 8 (2): 79-82, plates 81-87; British Birds 98: plates 144 & 145; K. Landsman, North-east Scotland Bird Report 2005: 123-125, photo; A. Fraser, M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 100: 60; British Birds 101: plate 239; British Birds 102: plate 278).

4). 2018 Isles of Scilly Porth Hellick, St Mary's, 2CY+, male, 18th April, photo.

(British Birds 111: plate 248; C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 112: 592, plate 332).

5). 2021 Lancashire & North Merseyside River Ribble, Redscar Woods, Brockholes LWT, 1CY, male, 8th, 14th and 25th to 26th, again, 28th to 30th November, photo, again, 9th March 2022; presumed same, Leeds Liverpool Canal, Chorley/Withnell Fold area, male, 12th, 17th and 29th December, photo; same, River Darwen, Roach Bridge, Samlesbury, male, 20th December to 6th January 2022, again 29th January to 4th and 10th to 16th February and 17th March to 19th April 2022, photo; same, Knights Bottom Lake, 28th December, 1st to 3rd January and 19th April 2022.

(British Birds 115: plate 256; C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 115: 583, plate 438; L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 116: 577, plate 346).