Bridled Tern

Onychoprion anaethetus (Scopoli, 1786) (1, 25)

Photo © Aviceda, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

STATUS

Widespread in tropical oceans. Polytypic.

OVERVIEW

The first three records involved individuals found dead, while the fourth record involved a wing being picked up. Two individuals have wandered far from the coast reaching Rutland Water, Leicestershire & Rutland and Earl’s Barton GPs, Northamptonshire.

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BBRC RECORDS

1). 1931 Kent Dungeness, male, found dead, 19th November.

(Bulletin of the British Oology Association 33-34 (1932): 97; H. F. Witherby, British Birds 28: 91; BOURC (1934), Ibis 76: 634-635).

2). 1954 Gower Three Cliffs Bay, found freshly dead, 11th September, wing now at National Museum of Wales, Cardiff (Z.1955.145).

(H. Morrey Salmon, Transactions of the Cardiff Naturalists' Society 1953-54: 23; H. Morrey Salmon, British Birds 48: 90; Lovegrove, Williams & Williams, 1994).

3). 1958 Avon Near Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, found dead, 17th October.

(M. A. Wright, British Birds 53: 32; G. A. Pyman and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 53: 166).

4). 1977 Devon Lundy, fairly fresh wing found, 22nd April, now retained by A. Cleave.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 72: 528).

5). 1979 Orkney Stromness, Mainland, first-summer, 6th to 7th August.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 73: 513).

6). 1980 Man, Isle of Calf of Man, adult, 5th September.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 74: 477).

7). 1982 Cornwall St Ives, probably first-winter, 14th October.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 76: 501).

8). 1984 Leicestershire & Rutland Rutland Water, adult, 8th to 9th June.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 78: 559).

9). 1984 Dorset Lodmoor, Weymouth, adult, 11th July.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 79: 557).

10). 1988 Anglesey Cemlyn Bay, 1st to 23rd July, photo.

(K. Croft, Birding World 1 (7): 230-231, photos; British Birds 81: plate 316; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 82: 531, plates 327 & 331; Saunders, 1991: 97, photo).

11.0). 1988 Northumberland Coquet Island, 11th to 12th, 21st July, 13th to 20th, 23rd to 28th August; same, Hauxley, 12th July, photo; also in Cleveland, North-east Scotland.

(Birding World 1 (8): 264, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 82: 531, plate 328; N. A. Gartshore, Birds in Northumbria 1988: 89-90, photo).

11.1). 1988 North-East Scotland Sands of Forvie, 2nd August; probably same as Northumberland; also in Cleveland.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 83: 468).

11.2). 1988 Cleveland/Co. Durham Hartlepool Headland, 9th August; presumed same as Northumberland; also in North-east Scotland.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 82: 531).

11.3). 1989 Northumberland Hauxley, 16th July; same, Seaton Sluice, 16th July; presumed returning individual, Northumberland, 1988.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 83: 468).

12). 1990 Yorkshire Scarborough, 18th October.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 84: 477).

13.0). 1991 Essex/Greater London West Thurrock, adult, 2nd June; same, Hanningfield Reservoir, 2nd June; also in Kent.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 85: 531; Self, 2014).

13.1). 1991 Kent Broadness, adult, 2nd June; presumed same as Essex.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 85: 531).

14). 1991 Isles of Scilly Tresco and Crow Sound, 6th July to 13th August, photo.

(Birding World 4 (8): 267, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 85: 531, plate 45; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 79).

15.0). 1992 Northumberland Coquet Island, 14th August, photo; also in Yorkshire.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 87: 533).

15.1). 1992 Yorkshire Flamborough Head, 18th August; presumed same as Northumberland.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 87: 533).

16). 1993 Sussex Rye Harbour, adult, 16th to 17th May, photo.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 87: 533, plates 138 & 139).

17). 1993 Northamptonshire Earls Barton Gravel-pits, 29th May.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 87: 533).

18). 1993 Highland The Perches, Eigg, Lochaber, 21st July.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 87: 533).

19.0). 1994 Yorkshire Fairburn Ings, 3rd June; also in Cumbria.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 88: 522).

19.1). 1994 Cumbria Foulney Island, 3rd to 5th June; presumed same as Yorkshire.

(Birding World 7 (6): 217, 221, photos; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 88: 522).

20). 1994 Argyll Tiree, 30th June to 9th July, photo.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 89: 507).

21). 2003 Angus & Dundee Arbroath, Angus, adult, 19th July.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 98: 661; S. R. Green, Birding Scotland 6 (3): 130-131).

22). 2006 Essex Dovercourt, Harwich, 25th August, photo.

(Birding World 19 (8): 314, photo; P. A. Fraser and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 100: 719, plate 343).

23). 2010 Northumberland East Chevington, adult, 21st June, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 104: 586).

24.0). 2013 Northumberland Farne Islands, adult, 1st to 4th July, 13th to 24th July, 15th to 19th August, photo; presumed same, Cresswell Pond and East Chevington, 5th to 8th July, photo; also in Cleveland, Fife, North-east Scotland.

(British Birds 106: plate 299; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 107: 605; Birds in Northumbria 2013: photo).

24.1). 2013 Cleveland/Co. Durham Saltholme RSPB, adult, 6th July, photo; same as Northumberland; also in Fife, North-east Scotland.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 107: 605).

24.2). 2013 Fife Isle of May, 26th July, photo; same as Northumberland; also in Cleveland, North-east Scotland.

(M. Newell, Scottish Birds 33: 358-359, plates 325-329; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 107: 605).

24.3). 2013 North-East Scotland Cairnburg, Fraserburgh, adult, 4th August; presumed same, Ythan Estuary, 8th August, photo; same as Northumberland; also in Cleveland, Fife.

(M. Souter, Scottish Birds 33: 360-361, plates 330-335; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 107: 605).

24.4). 2014 Fair Isle Buness then Shalstane, 16th to 19th June, photo; presumed same as 2013 individual.

(British Birds 107: plate 256; D. Parnaby, Scottish Birds 34: 371-373, plates 371-376; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 108: 590).

24.5). 2014 Northumberland Inner Farne, Farne Islands, adult, 20th June to 6th July, photo; presumed same, 12th July; presumed same as 2013 individual.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 108: 591, plate 339; Birds in Northumbria 2014: photo).

24.6). 2014 Lothian Cockenzie, Port Seton and Seacliffe, 9th to 10th July, photo; presumed same as 2013 individual.

(W. Barber, Scottish Birds 34: 374, plate 377; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 108: 590).

24.7). 2014 Cleveland/Co. Durham Hartlepool Headland and Seaton Carew, adult, 13th July; presumed same as 2013 individual.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 108: 590).

24.8). 2014 Co. Durham Whitburn Coastal Park, adult, 13th July; presumed same as 2013 individual.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 108: 590).

25). 2014 Cornwall Pendeen Watch, 2CY+, 21st October.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 109: 590).

26). 2023 Caernarfonshire Hafan-y-Môr, 6th to 9th August.

(BBRC - Web-WIP-11-3-24).

P). 2024 Northumberland Coquet Island, adult, 1st to 13th June, photo; same as Île aux, Moutons, Finistère, Brittany, France.

(birding information services).