Bufflehead
Bucephala albeola (Linnaeus, 1758) (1, 18)
Photo © Matthew K Naylor - Cresswell Pond, Northumberland, 26 February 2021
STATUS
North America. Monotypic.
OVERVIEW
Like most wildfowl there is always a suspicion of them not being wild, so, BBRC (2020 Report) have a policy whereby the legs have to be seen to be free of rings for acceptance. There are a number of June records!
BBRC RECORDS
1). 1920 Isles of Scilly Tresco, female, shot, 17th January, photo, now in the Isles of Scilly Museum.
(D. Seth-Smith, Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 40: 155; Eds., British Birds 14: 67; Witherby, 1920-24; Penhallurick, 1969; BOURC (2000), Ibis 143: 172; A. G. Knox, British Birds 94: 61-73, plate 37; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 11).
2). 1961 Buckinghamshire Foxcote Reservoir, male, 28th February to 8th March.
(C. M. Swaine and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 55: 569; A. G. Knox, British Birds 94: 61-73).
3). 1980 Outer Hebrides West Loch Bee, South Uist, male, 14th to 18th March.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 74: 464; M. J. Rogers, British Birds 85: 688, corr.; A. G. Knox, British Birds 94: 61-73).
4). 1994 Nottinghamshire Colwick, male, 17th to 26th March, photo.
(M. C. Dennis, Birding World 7 (3): 102-104, photo; Birding World 7 (12): 482, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 88: 504, plates 148 & 149; Birds of Nottinghamshire Report 1994: photos; A. G. Knox, British Birds 94: 61-73).
5). 1994 Cleveland/Yorkshire Coatham Marsh, Redcar, first-summer male, 1st to 7th June.
(Birding World 7 (6): 220, photos; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 88: 504; J. L. Sharp, County of Cleveland Bird Report 1994: 67; A. G. Knox, British Birds 94: 61-73).
6). 1997 Suffolk Heveningham Hall Lake, male, 29th November to 21st January 1998, photo.
(Birding World 10 (12): 447, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 91: 470; A. Howe, Suffolk Birds 1997: 149, plate 5; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 92: 568, plate 233; A. G. Knox, British Birds 94: 61-73).
7). 1998 Devon Roadford Reservoir, male, 20th November to 13th March 1999, photo.
(Birding World 11 (11): 408, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 92: 568; Devon Bird Report 1998: plate 3; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 93: 525; A. G. Knox, British Birds 94: 61-73).
8). 2002 Suffolk Great Livermere Lake, female, 11th to 20th June; same, 7th to 9th July; same, Layham Pits, Hadleigh, 22nd to 29th September, 8th to 9th October, photo.
(Birding World 15 (9): 359, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 97: 566).
9.0). 2004 Greater Manchester Astley Moss East Pools, male, 11th April, photo; also in Yorkshire.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 98: 638).
9.1). 2004 Yorkshire Pugney's CP, male, 12th to 22nd April, photo; same as Greater Manchester.
(Birding World 17 (4): 134, photo; Birding World 17 (12): 508, photo; British Birds 97: plate 181; Yorkshire Birding 13: 50-51; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 98: 638; Yorkshire Rare and Scarce Birds Report 2004: photo).
10). 2004 Outer Hebrides Balranald, North Uist, male, 10th May; same, Loch Branahuie, Lewis, 20th May, photo.
(Birding World 17 (5): 181, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 98: 638).
11.0). 2004 Staffordshire Croxall, Drayton Bassett & Whitemoor Hay Gravel-pits, male, intermittently from 24th May to 9th June; also in Derbyshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 98: 638; P. A. Fraser, M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 100: 23, corr.).
11.1). 2004 Warwickshire Fisher's Mill Gravel-pit, male, 4th to 6th June; same as Staffordshire; also in Derbyshire, West Midlands.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 98: 638).
11.2). 2004 West Midlands Clayhanger, male, 16th to 19th and 21st to 25th June; same as Staffordshire; also in Derbyshire, Warwickshire.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 98: 638).
11.3). 2004 Derbyshire Barrow Gravel-pits, male, 20th June, photo; same as Staffordshire; also in Warwickshire, West Midlands.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 98: 638; R. Key & R. M. R. James, Derbyshire Bird Report 2004: 144-145, photo).
12). 2006 Shetland Loch of Snarrovoe, Unst, adult male, 12th November to 20th January 2007, photo.
(Birding World 19 (11): 443, photo; P. A. Fraser and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 100: 700, plate 335; M. G. Pennington, Shetland Bird Report 2006: 111, photo; Forrester & Andrews et al., 2007: photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 101: 524; M. G. Pennington, Birding Scotland 9 (4): 171-173, plates 125 & 126).
13.0). 2007 Highland Glenbeg, Ardnamurchan, Lochaber, 7th June, photo; also in Outer Hebrides
(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 101: 523).
13.1). 2007 Outer Hebrides Loch na Muilne, Lewis, 8th to 9th June, photo; same as Highland.
(Birding World 20 (6): 228, photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 101: 524).
14). 2010 Dorset West Bexington and The Fleet, male, 6th to 30th March, photo.
(Birding World 23 (3): 94, photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 104: 565; A. Barrett, Dorset Bird Report 2010: 193, photo).
15). 2011 Cornwall Housel Bay, The Lizard and Loe Pool, juvenile, 26th October to 4th March 2012, photo; presumed same, Drift Reservoir, 3rd January.
(Birding World 24 (10): 400, photo; Birding World 25 (2): 50, photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 105: 561, plate 320; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 106: 580).
16). 2012 Lincolnshire Covenham Reservoir, first-winter, male, 27th April, photo.
(Birding World 25 (4): 136, photo; British Birds 105: plate 197; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 106: 580).
17). 2014 Orkney Holm, Mainland, adult male, 31st October to 2nd November, photo.
(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 108: 574).
18). 2020 Cornwall Stithians Reservoir, 2CY+, female, 1st January, photo; presumed same, Camel Estuary, 2nd January.
(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 577).
19.0). 2021 Warwickshire Lea Marston Lakes, 3CY+, male, 27th January to 21st February, photo; also in Northumberland.
(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 115: 561).
19.1). 2021 Northumberland Cresswell Pond, 3CY+, male, 26th February, photo; same as Warwickshire.
(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 115: 561, plate 412).
P). 2024 Clyde Carbeth Loch, adult male, 19th March; also in North-east Scotland. Perth & Kinross.
(birding information services).
P). 2024 North-east Scotland Sand Loch, Collieston, adult male, 24th to 26th March, photo; presumed same as Clyde; also in Perth & Kinross.
(P. Crockett, Scottish Birds 44: 279-281, plates 223-225).
P). 2024 Perth & Kinross Loch Leven NNR, adult male, 29th March to 6th April, photo; presumed same as Clyde, North-east Scotland.
(birding information services).
P). 2024 Shetland Ham Voe, Foula, adult male, 17th to 28th November, photo.
(birding information services).
P). 2025 Shetland Loch of Spiggie, Mainland, male, 26th January, photo.
(birding information services).
