Lesser Crested Tern
Thalasseus bengalensis Lesson, R, 1831 (0, 9)
Photo © By Mike's Birds from Riverside, CA, US - Lesser crested tern, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=81469490
STATUS
Red Sea and Indian Ocean.
OVERVIEW
The second individual, a female, returned for fourteen years, mainly to the east coast, but once on the south coast and twice in Scotland. It was known to hybridize with Sandwich Terns T. sandvicensis. Two individuals have been seen in the west, on Anglesey and the Isles of Scilly.
BBRC RECORDS
1). 1982 Anglesey Cymyran Bay, adult, 13th July.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 79: 556; C. Hurford, British Birds 82: 396-398; BOURC (1988), Ibis 130: 334).
2.00). 1983 Norfolk Blakeney Point, intermittently, 9th August to 17th September; same Scolt Head, 27th August; same, Holme-next-the-Sea, 29th August, photo.
(British Birds 76: plate 231; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 79: 556; S. J. M. Gantlett, Norfolk Bird & Mammal Report 1986: 412-413; S. J. M. Gantlett, British Birds 81: 282-283).
2.01). 1984 Cleveland/Co. Durham/Yorkshire Seaton Snook, 17th to 20th June; same, South Gare, 18th to 19th June; same, Redcar, 20th June; also in Northumberland.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 79: 556).
2.02). 1984 Northumberland Farne Islands, 4th to 13th August; presumed same as Cleveland.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 79: 556).
2.03). 1985 Northumberland Farne Islands, female, 16th May to 18th July; presumed same as 1984 individual.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 79: 556).
3). 1985 Devon Dawlish Warren, adult, 17th to 20th July, photo.
(British Birds 78: plate 243; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 79: 556).
4). 1986 Sussex Rye, adult, 13th May; presumed same as 1984 individual.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 80: 545).
2.04). 1986 Northumberland Hauxley, 2nd July; same, Farne Islands NT, 14th to 15th May, 20th May, 1st June, 8th July and 10th July when associating with chick in colony of Sandwich Terns T. sandvicensis; presumed same as 1984-85 individual.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 80: 545; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 81: 567).
2.05). 1987 Northumberland Farne Islands, female, 18th May to 20th June, apparently paired with Sandwich Tern T. sandvicensis, sitting on two eggs by 25th, nest later waterlogged, one egg lost; sat on other to 11th June; presumed same as 1986 individual.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 82: 531).
2.06). 1987 Cleveland/Co. Durham/Yorkshire Dorman's Pool, 13th June; same, South Gare, 14th June, 23rd August; also, Hartlepool Docks, 23rd August; presumed returning individual of 1984.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 81: 567; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 82: 531).
2.07). 1987 Yorkshire Flamborough Head, 9th August; same as Cleveland individual.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 81: 567).
2.08). 1987 Northumberland Holy Island, 16th August; presumed same as Cleveland, Yorkshire, Lothian individual.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 81: 567).
2.09). 1987 Lothian Musselburgh, adult, 21st to 22nd August; presumed returning individual.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 81: 567; I. J. Andrews & M. R. Leven, Lothian Bird Report 1987: 79).
2.10). 1988 Northumberland Farne Islands, female, 5th to 7th May, 18th May to 5th June, 13th July; same, Hauxley, 23rd June; same, Cresswell Pond, 10th August; same, Tynemouth Haven, 12th August; presumed returning individual.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 81: 567).
2.11). 1988 Co. Durham Whitburn, 21st August; same as Northumberland.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 83: 468).
2.12). 1988 Norfolk Cley Marshes, 26th August; same, Titchwell RSPB, 3rd September; presumed returning individual.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 82: 531).
2.13). 1989 Kent Dungeness, 6th May; presumed same as Northumberland individual; also in Sussex.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 83: 468).
2.14). 1989 Sussex Seaford Head, 6th May; same, Beachy Head, 6th May; presumed same as Kent, Northumberland individual.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 83: 468).
2.15). 1989 Northumberland Farne Islands, female, 7th May to 1st July, photo, paired with Sandwich Tern T. sandvicensis, one young raised to flying stage; presumed same, Seaton Sluice, adult, 31st July; presumed returning individual of 1988.
(Birding World 2 (6): 200, photos; Birding World 7 (8): 315, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 83: 468, plate 266).
2.16). 1989 Lothian Musselburgh, adult, 7th to 16th August; juvenile hybrid, 8th to 12th, 25th August; same, Aberlady Bay, 2nd September; presumed same as 1987 Lothian individual; also in Borders.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 83: 468; Lothian Bird Report 1989: 95-96).
2.17). 1990 Northumberland Farne Islands, female, 30th April to 19th August, paired with Sandwich Tern T. sandvicensis, one young hatched, not reared to fledging stage; presumed returning individual of 1989.
(Birding World 6 (7): 267, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 84: 476).
2.18). 1990 Cleveland/Co. Durham Hartlepool Headland, 10th June; same, Reclamation Pond, 9th to 11th July; same, Seaton Snook, 12th to 13th July; all presumed same as Northumberland individual.
(Birding World 3 (7): 229, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 84: 476; Bowey & Newsome, 2012: photo).
2.19). 1990 Co. Durham Whitburn, 6th July; presumed Northumberland individual.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 85: 531).
2.20). 1991 Northumberland Farne Islands, female, 14th May to 18th August, photo, again paired with Sandwich Tern T. sandvicensis, breeding not proved; presumed same, Hauxley, 16th June; presumed returning 1990 individual.
(Birding World 4 (7): 232, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 85: 531, plate 223).
2.21). 1991 Cleveland/Co. Durham Reclamation Pond, 16th June; presumed same as 1991 Northumberland.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 89: 507).
2.22). 1991 Yorkshire Filey, 24th August; presumed same as Northumberland individual.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 86: 492).
2.23). 1991 Suffolk Benacre, adult, 25th August; presumed same as Northumberland individual.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 86: 492).
2.24). 1992 Northumberland Farne Islands, female, 1st May to 21st July, photo, again paired with Sandwich Tern T. sandvicensis, mating observed 31st May, one young raised to flying stage; presumed same, Long Nanny, 19th May, Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, 22nd July; also in Suffolk; presumed returning individual of 1991.
(Birding World 5 (12): 469, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 86: 492, plate 167; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 87: 533; M. A. Ogilvie and the Rare Breeding Birds Panel, British Birds 88: 85).
2.25). 1992 Suffolk Minsmere RSPB, adult, 4th to 6th August; presumed returning individual
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 86: 492).
2.26). 1993 Northumberland Farne Islands, female, intermittently, 3rd May to 8th August; presumed returning individual of 1992.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 87: 533).
2.27). 1993 Borders St Abb's Head NNR, 16th May; presumed same as 1987 and 1989 Lothian individual.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 87: 533).
2.28). 1993 Yorkshire Beacon Lane Ponds, Kilnsea, 15th to 20th June; presumed same as Northumberland.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 88: 520).
2.29). 1993 Lincolnshire Saltfleetby, adult female, 20th June, photo, mating with Sandwich Tern T. sandvicensis; presumed returning individual.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 87: 533).
5). 1993 Norfolk Scolt Head, probably male, 8th to 15th, 21st July; same, Thornham, 11th July; same, Sheringham, 22nd August.
(Eds., Birding World 6 (7): 267-268; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 87: 533; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 91: 482).
2.30). 1994 Northumberland Farne Islands, female, intermittently, 29th April to 24th August, photo, again paired with Sandwich Tern T. sandvicensis, one egg hatched, no young reared; presumed same, Hauxley, 4th June; same, Cresswell Pond, 3rd July; presumed returning individual of 1993.
(Birding World 7 (7): 262, photo; Birding World 7 (8): 312, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 88: 520, plate 157).
2.31). 1994 Cleveland/Co. Durham Hartlepool Headland, 12th May; same, Seaton Snook, 18th and 26th May; same, Teesmouth, 21st May; same, North Gare, 28th May; all presumed same as Farne Islands NT, Northumberland.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 88: 520).
2.32). 1994 Yorkshire Beacon Lane Ponds, Kilnsea, 29th May to 3rd June; presumed same as 1994 Northumberland.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 89: 507).
6). 1995 Dorset Hengistbury Head, 25th April.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 89: 507).
2.33). 1995 Northumberland Farne Islands, female, intermittently, 2nd May to 28th August, photo; nested twice, first clutch abandoned, chick from second lost; all identical to Sandwich Tern T. sandvicensis, but no mate identified; same, Lindisfarne NNR, 18th June; same, Cresswell Pond, 4th July; same, Hauxley, 8th to 9th July; same, Tynemouth, 11th July, again, 29th to 30th July; same, Long Nanny, 13th July; all presumed returning individual of 1994.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 89: 507).
2.34). 1995 Cleveland/Co. Durham/Yorkshire South Gare, 14th to 15th May, photo; same, Hartlepool, 11th June; 15th July; same, Seal Sands and Seaton Snook, 12th to 16th June; same, Seaton Snook, 15th July; all same as Northumberland.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 89: 507; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 91: 482).
2.35). 1996 Northumberland Farne Islands, female, 16th May to 13th August, paired with Sandwich Tern T. sandvicensis, one young reared; presumed returning individual.
(Birding World 9 (7): 257, photo; Birding World 9 (8): 294, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 90: 487; M. A. Ogilvie and the Rare Breeding Birds Panel, British Birds 92: 143).
7). 1996 Isles of Scilly Green Island and Skirt Island, Tresco, adult, 2nd to 4th August.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 90: 487).
2.36). 1996 Kent Pegwell Bay, 22nd August; presumed returning individual.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 91: 482).
2.37). 1997 Northumberland Farne Islands, 3rd May to 31st July, again paired with Sandwich Tern T. sandvicensis, incubating by 25th May, one egg hatched 10th June, young fledged by 8th July, colour-ringed young seen La Paracou, near Sables d'Olonne, Vendée, France, 23rd September; presumed returning individual of 1996.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 91: 482; M. A. Ogilvie and the Rare Breeding Birds Panel, British Birds 92: 415).
8). 1998 Sussex Rye, 4th May.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 92: 583).
9.0). 2005 Norfolk Cromer, adult, 16th July; same, various locations along north and northeast Norfolk coast, 16th to 20th July, photo; also in Suffolk.
(Birding World 18 (7): 273, photos; Birding World 18 (12): 509, photo; British Birds 98: plate 314; P. A. Fraser, M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 100: 54, plate 18; Norfolk Bird & Mammal Report 2005: photo).
9.1). 2005 Suffolk Minsmere RSPB, adult, 20th to 21st July; same, Bawdsey, 22nd July, photo; same as Norfolk.
(P. A. Fraser, M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 100: 54; D. Fairhurst, Suffolk Birds 2005: 168-169, plate 13).
