Bobolink

Dolichonyx oryzivorus (Linnaeus, 1758) (0, 36)

Photo © Richard Brown - Skokholm, Pembrokeshire, 21 September 2023

STATUS

North America. Monotypic.

OVERVIEW

Two individuals have made the East coast with just seven on Mainland Britain. Scotland has recorded eight and Wales three, but the area with the most occurrences are the Isles of Scilly.

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BBRC RECORDS

1). 1962 Isles of Scilly Big Pool, St Agnes, first-winter male, 19th to 20th September, trapped 19th September.

(I. C. T. Nisbet, British Birds 56: 204-217; D. D. Harber & C. M. Swaine and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 56: 406; J. L. F. Parslow & M. J. Carter, British Birds 58: 208-214; BOURC (1971), Ibis 113: 144).

2). 1968 Isles of Scilly St Mary's, 10th October.

(F. R. Smith and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 62: 486).

3). 1975 Shetland Out Skerries, 18th September.

(J. N. Dymond and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 69: 355; T. A. Walsh, British Birds 70: 222-223).

4). 1975 Isles of Scilly Peninnis Head and Lower Moors, St Mary's, 9th October.

(J. N. Dymond and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 69: 355; P. J. Grant, Isles of Scilly Bird Report 1975: 35; D. J. Holman, British Birds 70: 223-224).

5). 1976 Isles of Scilly Great Porth, Tresco, 28th to 29th September.

(J. O'Sullivan and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 70: 440).

6). 1979 Isles of Scilly St Agnes, 7th October.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 73: 530).

7). 1981 Isles of Scilly Tremelethen/Parting Carn area, St Mary's, 7th October.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 75: 531).

8). 1983 Isles of Scilly Golf Course, St Mary's, 22nd September to 4th October; possibly another, Hugh Town, 8th to 14th October, photo.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 77: 560, plates 16 & 226; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 152).

9). 1984 Devon Lundy, 23rd to 25th September.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 78: 586).

10). 1985 Isles of Scilly Longstone Lane, St Mary's, female or immature, 9th to 21st October, photo.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 79: 584, plate 286).

11). 1986 Outer Hebrides St Kilda, 28th September.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 81: 593).

12). 1986 Fair Isle Upper Stoneybrake, Springfield and Field, 29th September to 2nd October.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 80: 568; P. V. Harvey & N. J. Riddiford, Scottish Bird Report 1986: 256).

13). 1991 Devon East Soar, 17th to 21st September, photo.

(Birding World 4 (9): 306, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 85: 552, plate 107; Devon Bird Report 1991: photo).

14). 1991 Isles of Scilly Old Town Bay, St Mary's, 11th October; same, Airfield Lane, St Mary's, 12th to 15th October.

(Birding World 4 (10): 339, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 85: 552).

15). 1992 Dorset Portland Bill, 14th to 18th September, photo.

(Birding World 5 (9): 332, photo; Birding World 5 (12): 478, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 86: 536, plate 207).

16). 1995 Isles of Scilly Salakee, St Mary's, 20th October.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 89: 526).

17). 1996 Isles of Scilly Longstone, St Mary's, 6th October; same, Carn Friars, St Mary's, 7th to 8th October, photo.

(Birding World 9 (10): 386, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 90: 517; ; Isles of Scilly Bird Report 1996: photo).

18). 1996 Isles of Scilly Bryher, 8th October; same, Old Grimsby, Tresco, 11th October; presumed same, Bryher, 12th to 15th October.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 90: 517; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 94: 500, corr.).

19). 1998 Shetland Durigarth, Mainland, 28th September to 5th October, photo.

(Birding World 11 (9): 330, photo; Birding Scotland 2 (2): plate 43; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 92: 606; K. Osborn, Shetland Bird Report 1998: 95, photo).

20). 1999 Pembrokeshire Skokholm, first-winter, 13th to 14th October, photo.

(Birding World 12 (11): 437, photo; Birding World 12 (12): 499, photo; British Birds 92: plate 293; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 93: 564, plate 343; Welsh Bird Report 13: photo).

21). 2000 Shetland Out Skerries, first-winter, 21st to 22nd September, photo.

(Birding World 13 (9): 356, photo; Birding World 13 (12): 494, photo; British Birds 93: plate 366; Birding Scotland 4 (1): plate 34; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 94: 500, plate 277; M. McKee, Shetland Bird Report 2000: 98, photo; Forrester & Andrews et al., 2007: photo).

22). 2001 Devon Prawle Point, first-winter, 9th to 15th October, photo.

(Birding World 14 (10): 411, photo; Birding World 14 (12): 510, photo; Birding World 15 (8): 341, plates 8 & 9; British Birds 94: plate 355; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 95: 523; Devon Bird Report 2001: photo).

23). 2001 Yorkshire Long Bank, Easington, age uncertain, 27th October, photo.

(Birding World 14 (10): 411, photo; Yorkshire Birding 10: 125-128; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 95: 523; Yorkshire Rare and Scarce Birds Report 2001: photo).

24). 2002 Dorset Hengistbury Head, first-winter, 1st to 23rd November, photo.

(Birding World 15 (11): 456, photos; Birding World 15 (12): 522, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 96: 605, plates 33 & 375; Dorset Bird Report 2002: photo).

25). 2003 Isles of Scilly Fraggle Rock, Bryher, 16th to 17th October, photo.

(Birding World 16 (10): 415, photo; Birding World 16 (12): 524, photo; British Birds 96: plate 422; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 97: 622; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 152; British Birds 101: plate 233).

26). 2005 Shetland Ham, Foula, 30th September to 4th October, photo.

(P. A. Fraser, M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 100: 102).

27). 2008 Shetland Hametoun, Foula, 28th September, photo.

(Birding World 21 (10): 417, photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 102: 595; P. R. Gordon & M. S. Scott, Scottish Birds 30: 163-164, plates 135 & 136).

28). 2008 Cornwall Porth Joke, 11th October, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 102: 595).

29). 2008 Isles of Scilly Castella Down, St Agnes, 21st October.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 102: 595; G. Gordon, Isles of Scilly Bird and Natural History Review 2008: 119-120).

30). 2010 Gower Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir, Port Talbot, first-winter, 20th September, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 104: 624).

31). 2010 Pembrokeshire Skomer, 8th to 11th October, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 104: 624).

32). 2012 Shetland Brake, Mainland, 28th October, photo.

(Birding World 25 (10): 418, photo; Scottish Birds 33: plate 79; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 106: 634, plate 376).

33). 2019 Lincolnshire Theddlethorpe Dunes, 1CY+, 18th October, photo.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 113: 649).

34). 2023 Pembrokeshire Skokholm, 1CY, 21st September, photo.

(L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 117: 728).

35). 2023 Isles of Scilly Near Coastguards, St Agnes, 1CY, 25th September, photo; presumed same, Porth Hellick and Airfield Lane, St Mary's, 29th September to 5th October, photo.

(L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 117: 728).

36). 2023 Isles of Scilly Airfield Lane, St Mary’s, 1CY, 30th September to 7th October, photo.

(L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 117: 728).