Crested Lark

Galerida cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) (10, 13)

Photo © Kris Webb

STATUS

Southern Palearctic and Afrotropic. Polytypic.

OVERVIEW

Since 1950 just three individuals away from southern counties of England - Fair Isle, Yorkshire and Caernarfonshire.

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BBRC RECORDS

1). Pre 1845 Sussex Littlehampton, killed, undated.

(Yarrell, 1845; Yarrell, 1871-85; J. E. Harting, Zoologist 1889: 415; Borrer, 1891; Witherby, 1920-24).

2). 1846 Cornwall Marazion Marsh, two, males, both shot, 9th September, G. c. cristata.

(E. H. Rodd, Zoologist 1846: 1497; E. H. Rodd, Transactions of the Penzance Natural History Society 1: 88-89; Newman, 1866; E. H. Rodd, Zoologist 1870: 2233; Harting, 1880; Witherby, 1920-24; Witherby et al., 1940-52; Penhallurick, 1978).

4). 1850 Cornwall Marazion Marsh, shot, 24th October.

(E. H. Rodd, Zoologist 1851: 3033; Newman, 1866; E. H. Rodd, Zoologist 1870: 2233; Harting, 1880; Penhallurick, 1978).

5). 1863 Sussex Shoreham-by-Sea, caught, 20th October, now at Booth Museum, Brighton (BoMNH 208073).

(G. D. Rowley, Ibis 6: 224; Borrer, 1891; Witherby, 1920-24; Walpole-Bond, 1938; Shrubb, 1979; James, 1996).

6). 1865 Cornwall Budock Bottoms, Falmouth, shot, December.

(Bullmore, 1867; Yarrell, 1871-85; Harting, 1880; Penhallurick, 1978).

7). 1879 Kent Dover Cliffs, caught, 22nd April.

(Ticehurst, 1909; Witherby, 1920-24; Taylor, Davenport & Flegg, 1981).

8). 1880 Cornwall Polbrean, The Lizard, female, shot, 12th June.

(H. P. Hart, Zoologist 1880: 302; Witherby, 1920-24; Penhallurick, 1978).

9). 1881 Sussex Portslade-by-Sea, adult male, caught, 10th October, now at Booth Museum, Brighton (BoMNH 208072).

(T. Parkin, Zoologist 1881: 492; W. Borrer, Zoologist 1881: 494; Borrer, 1891; Booth, 1901; Walpole-Bond, 1938; Shrubb, 1979; James, 1996).

10). 1947 Greater London/Surrey River Thames, between Hammersmith Bridge and Chiswick Eyot, Middlesex, two, seen, 8th March.

(C. B. Ashby, London Bird Report 1947: 6; M. Curtis, British Birds 41: 345; London Natural History Society, 1957; Parr, 1972; Wheatley, 2007).

12). 1952 Fair Isle Near Chapel, 2nd November.

(K. Williamson, Fair Isle Bird Observatory Report 1952: 6; K. Williamson, Fair Isle Bird Observatory Bulletin 1 (9): 29; K. Williamson, British Birds 46: 211; K. Williamson, British Birds 46: 423; E. V. Baxter, Scottish Naturalist 67: 99; Thom, 1986; Dymond, 1991; R. Riddington & D. Coutts, Fair Isle Bird Observatory Report 2013: 11).

13). 1958 Devon Exmouth, 29th December to 3rd January 1959; same, 10th January 1959.

(G. A. Pyman and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 53: 167; G. A. Pyman and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 53: 422).

14). 1965 Cornwall Marazion, 4th April.

(D. D. Harber and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 59: 292).

15). 1972 Somerset Steart Point, 8th April.

(F. R. Smith and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 66: 345).

16). 1972 Yorkshire Tunstall, trapped, 11th June.

(F. R. Smith and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 66: 345; J. R. Mather, Yorkshire Naturalists' Union Ornithological Report 1972: 26).

17). 1975 Kent Dungeness, 28th September to 1st October.

(J. N. Dymond and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 69: 344).

18). 1982 Caernarfonshire Bardsey, 5th to 6th June.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 76: 505).

19). 1996 Suffolk Landguard, 2nd, 9th October, photo.

(M. Grantham & P. Holmes, Birding World 9 (10): 392-393, photos; Birding World 9 (12): 475, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 90: 491, plate 180; P. Holmes, Suffolk Birds 1996: 173-174, plate 15).

20). 2009 Kent Dungeness, 27th April to 4th May, photo.

(British Birds 102: plate 183; Birding World 22 (5): 178, photo; D. Walker, Birding World 22 (5): 219, photo; Birding World 22 (12): 501, photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 103: 608, plate 331; Kent Bird Report 2009: plate 19).

21). 2009 Wiltshire Whiteparish, 15th to 16th November, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 103: 608).

22). 2012 Kent Dungeness, 7th May.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 106: 607).

23). 2013 Kent Kingsdown beach, 1st June, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 107: 618).