Eyebrowed Thrush

Turdus obscurus Gmelin, JF, 1789 (0, 29)

Photo © George Gay - North Ronaldsay, Orkney, 7 November 2024

STATUS

Eurasia. Monotypic.

OVERVIEW

Three/four spring records, one April, two May and another on 20th June. During autumn two have arrived late September, one in November, but the main arrival is October. Two winter records (Dec-Feb) in 1964 and 2021 . The species has occurred three times in a single year, 1964, 1987 and 2020 and twice in 1981, 1984 and 2021.

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BBRC RECORDS

1). 1964 Northamptonshire Oundle, first-winter, 5th October.

(D. D. Harber and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 58: 364; J. L. F. Parslow, British Birds 61: 218-223; BOURC (1971), Ibis 113: 143).

2). 1964 Outer Hebrides North Rona, first-winter, 16th October.

(D. D. Harber and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 58: 364; J. L. F. Parslow, British Birds 61: 218-223; D. G. Andrew, Scottish Birds 3: 391; N. Picozzi, Scottish Birds 3: 419-420; N. Picozzi, Birding Scotland 3 (4): 148-149).

3). 1964 Isles of Scilly St Agnes, 5th December.

(D. D. Harber and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 58: 364; J. L. F. Parslow, British Birds 61: 218-223).

4). 1978 Clyde Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire, male, 22nd October.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 72: 535; D. l. Clugston, British Birds 74: 527-528).

5). 1981 Yorkshire Aldbrough, 16th to 23rd April.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 77: 550).

6). 1981 North-East Scotland Newburgh, male, 27th May.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 75: 517).

7). 1984 Orkney Evie, Mainland, first-winter, 25th to 26th September.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 78: 573).

8). 1984 Isles of Scilly Salakee, St Mary's, male, 20th October.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 78: 573; R. A. Ives, Isles of Scilly Bird Report 1984: 52).

9). 1987 Fair Isle Gully, first-winter, 7th to 15th October, trapped 7th October.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 81: 580).

10). 1987 Isles of Scilly Four Lanes End, St Mary's, first-winter, 12th October.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 81: 580).

11). 1987 Isles of Scilly Barnaby Lane, St Agnes, first-winter, 27th October.

(K. D. N. Shaw, Twitching 1: 378; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 81: 580).

12). 1990 Isles of Scilly New Grimsby, Tresco, first-winter male or female, 21st October.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 84: 485).

13). 1991 Isles of Scilly Telegraph, St Mary's, first-winter, 12th to 13th October, photo; presumed same, Tresco, 15th to 16th October; presumed same, St Mary's, 18th October.

(Birding World 4 (10): 339, photo; Birding World 4 (12): 431, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 85: 538; Isles of Scilly Bird Report 1991: photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 89: 516; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 117).

14). 1992 Fair Isle Houll, first-winter, 4th October, photo.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 86: 511, plate 182).

15). 1993 Isles of Scilly Porthloo Lane, St Mary's, first-winter, 7th to 14th October, photo; presumed same, St Warna's Cove, St Agnes, 15th to 16th October, photo.

(Birding World 6 (10): 387, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 87: 552, plate 157; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 117).

16). 1995 Angus & Dundee Auchmithie, male, 28th to 30th May, photo.

(Birding World 8 (5): 171, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 89: 516, plate 198).

17). 1999 Caernarfonshire Bardsey, first-winter, trapped, 12th October, photo.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 93: 552; Welsh Bird Report 13: photo).

18). 2001 Outer Hebrides Hirta, St Kilda, first-winter, 1st to 2nd October, photo.

(Birding World 14 (12): 505, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 95: 508).

19). 2009 Orkney North Ronaldsay, first-winter, 5th to 6th October, photo.

(Birding World 22 (10): 407, photo; British Birds 102: plate 422; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 103: 618, plate 340; Scottish Birds 31: plate 142).

20). 2012 Shetland Harrier, Foula, 13th October.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 106: 619).

21). 2014 Orkney Observatory, North Ronaldsay, adult male, 30th September, photo.

(Scottish Birds 34: plate 354; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 108: 616, plate 361).

22). 2015 Shetland Symbister, Whalsay, 2CY, female, 20th June, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 109: 615).

23). 2016 Northumberland Bolam Lake, Belsay, 2CY+ male, 4th November, photo.

(C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 110: 608, plate 335; R. Moore, Birds in Northumbria 2016: 12-13, photo).

24). 2020 Orkney Waterhouse, North Ronaldsay, 1CY, 2nd to 8th October, photo.

(Scottish Birds 40: plate 247; Scottish Birds 41: plate 84; C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 611, plate 418).

25). 2020 Shetland Burravoe, Brae, Mainland, 1CY, trapped, 7th October, photo.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 611).

26). 2020 Shetland Velzie, Fetlar, 1CY+, 7th October, photo.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 611).

27). 2021 Kent Ash, Canterbury, 2CY, male, 14th January to 3rd March, photo.

(N. McCanch, British Birds 115: 526-527; C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 115: 596).

28). 2021 Highland Kincraig, Aviemore, 1CY, female, 28th October to 1st November, photo.

(K. Ringland, Scottish Birds 42: 186-187, plate 148; C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 115: 596).

29). 2023 Orkney Mirbister, Harray, 7th October.

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

P). 2024 Orkney Shooting Gallery, North Ronaldsay, 7th and 9th November, photo.

(birding information services).