Blyth’s Pipit

Anthus godlewskii (Taczanowski, 1876) (0, 30)

Photo © Rob Stonehouse

STATUS

Eurasia. Monotypic.

OVERVIEW

Thirteen have appeared in south-west England, three in East Anglia, one in Kent, two on the east coast in Yorkshire and one amazingly inland in Nottinghamshire.

Autumn records are from September (one) through to November with seven records. However there have been three winter arrivals (December) all staying longer than a week.

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BBRC RECORDS

1). 1988 Fair Isle Quoy, 13th to 23rd October, photo.

(D. Russell, Birding World 1 (11): 395-397; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 96: 584; BOURC (2004), Ibis 146: 192-195; BOURC (2018), Ibis 160: 938).

2). 1990 Cornwall Skewjack, first-winter, c. 22nd October to 1st November, photo.

(C. D. R. Heard, Birding World 3 (11): 375-378, photos; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 89: 512; Birds in Cornwall 1990: photo; BOURC (1998), Ibis 140: 182).

3). 1993 Isles of Scilly Golf Course, St Mary's, first-winter, 20th to 22nd October, photo.

(L. G. R. Evans, Birding World 6 (10): 398-400, photos; D. Page, British Birds 90: 404-409, plates 141-148; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 90: 492; Isles of Scilly Bird Report 1993: photo).

4). 1993 Fair Isle Meoness, first-winter, 31st October to 4th November, trapped 1st November, photo.

(A. Leitch, Birding World 6 (11): 435-436, photos; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 89: 512).

5). 1994 Suffolk Landguard, first-winter, 4th to 10th November, trapped 10th, photo; taken by Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus on 10th November, tail feathers retained by R. I. Thorpe.

(Birding World 7 (11): 425, photo; M. Marsh & N. Odin, Birding World 7: 473-475, photos; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 88: 528; BOURC (1997), Ibis 139: 198).

6). 1994 Kent South Swale NR, Seasalter, 7th November to 11th December, photo.

(Birding World 7 (12): 464, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 89: 512; A. Rowlands, Kent Bird Report 1995: 124-125, plate 9).

7). 1996 Norfolk Sheringham and Weybourne area, first-winter, 14th to 16th October.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 90: 492).

8). 1998 Dorset Portland Bill, two, 22nd to 24th November, one to 6th December, both trapped 22nd November, photo.

(Birding World 11 (11): 414, photos; Birding World 11 (12): 467, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 92: 586, plate 25; Dorset Bird Report 1998: photo).

10). 1999 Norfolk Happisburgh, 25th to 29th September.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 95: 504).

11). 2002 Nottinghamshire Gringley Carr, first-winter, 28th December to 5th January 2003, photo, video, sound recording.

(Birding World 16 (1): 6, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 96: 584; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 97: 591).

12). 2004 Cornwall Treeve Common, Land's End area, first-winter, trapped, 15th November to at least 20th December, photo.

(Birding World 17 (11): 451, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 98: 667; Birds in Cornwall 2004: photo).

13). 2005 Caernarfonshire Bardsey, 16th to 17th October.

(Birding World 18 (10): 414, photo; British Birds 99: plate 23; P. A. Fraser and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 100: 727).

14). 2005 Isles of Scilly Peninnis, St Mary's, first-winter, 23rd October, photo.

(P. A. Fraser, M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 100: 74).

15). 2006 Shetland Compass Head, Sumburgh, Mainland, first-winter, 12th October, photo.

(Birding World 19 (10): 409, photo; P. A. Fraser and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 100: 727, plate 348; J. J. Gilroy, Shetland Bird Report 2006: 113, photo; Forrester & Andrews et al., 2007: photo).

16). 2006 Isles of Scilly Riding Stables, St Mary's, first-winter, 18th to 21st October, photo; same, Airfield, St Mary's, 22nd October; same, Peninnis Head, St Mary's, 23rd to 24th October; same, Giant's Castle/Airfield/Salakee area, 25th to 27th October.

(Birding World 19 (10): 409, photo; Birding World 19 (12): 525, photo; British Birds 99: plate 364; Isles of Scilly Bird and Natural History Review 2006: plate 12; P. A. Fraser and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 100: 727; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 101).

17). 2006 Fair Isle Near Shirva, 21st October; same, Barkland, 21st October; same, Burkle/Quoy area, trapped Quoy, 21st to 24th October,  photo.

(British Birds 99: plate 363; P. A. Fraser and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 100: 727; Fair Isle Bird Observatory Report 2006: photo).

18). 2007 Isles of Scilly Old Grimsby, Tresco, first-winter, 16th to 23rd October, photo.

(Birding World 20 (10): 406, photo; British Birds 101: plate 38; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 101: 553, plate 279; Isles of Scilly Bird and Natural History Review 2007: plate 19; Birding World 23 (9): 402-403, plates 7 & 8).

19). 2007 Shetland West Voe of Sumburgh, Mainland, 17th to 18th October, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 101: 554; Shetland Bird Report 2007: photo).

20). 2007 Cornwall Brew Pool, Sennen, first-winter, 20th October to 1st November, photo, sound recording.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 102: 601, rejected; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 104: 618).

21). 2007 Fair Isle Boini Mire, first-winter, trapped, 27th October, photo, died later, now at National Museums of Scotland (NMS.Z 2008.115).

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 101: 553).

22). 2014 Isles of Scilly Airfield, St Mary's, first-winter, 5th to 9th October, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 108: 623).

23). 2014 Pembrokeshire St David's Head, first-winter, 18th November, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 108: 623).

24). 2014 Yorkshire Calder Wetlands, 1CY, 8th December to 6th January 2015, photo.

(British Birds 108: plate 3; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 108: 624, plate 371; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 109: 619).

25). 2015 Norfolk Stiffkey, 1CY, 2nd to 3rd October, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 109: 619).

26). 2015 Isles of Scilly Peninnis Head, St Mary's, 1CY, 13th to 25th October, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 109: 619).

27). 2015 Yorkshire Spurn, 5th November, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 109: 619).

28). 2016 Avon Blagdon Lake, 1CY, 14th to 29th December, photo.

(C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 110: 620).

29). 2018 Isles of Scilly Porth Hellick, St Mary's, 1CY, 31st October to 4th November, photo.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 112: 612).

30). 2021 Orkney Holland, North Ronaldsay, 1CY+, 1st November, photo, sound recording.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 115: 602).