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!

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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 November, photo.

(birding information services).