Royal Tern
Thalasseus maximus (Boddaert, 1783) (0, 5)
Photo © By Charles J. Sharp - Own work, from Sharp Photography, sharpphotography, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47806876
STATUS
Coastal North, Central and South America. Monotypic.
OVERVIEW
Two earlier accepted records, 1965 Kent and 1971 Cornwall, after review have been found not proven. The Lothian and Caernarfonshire individuals were considered to be the race T. m. albididorsalis, however, that race has now become a full species, West African Crested Tern. As some of the records were racially decided, and with the species now determined monotypic, most of the individuals have come from the Americas.
BBRC RECORDS
1). 1979 East Glamorgan Kenfig Pool, first-winter, 24th November, ringed as a nestling in North Carolina, USA, T. m. maximus.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 75: 510; S. J. Moon, British Birds 1976: 335-339; BOURC (1991), Ibis 133: 222; M. Grantham, Birding World 17 (10): 440; C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 111: 583; BOURC (2018), Ibis 160: 937).
2). 1987 Gower Mumbles, first-winter, metal ring on left leg, 21st December.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 85: 530).
3). 1999 Lothian Thorntonloch, adult, 9th August; same, Musselburgh, 9th August.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 93: 538; I. J. Andrews, Birding Scotland 2 (4): 165-167; Lothian Bird Report 1999: 127-129).
4). 2009 Caernarfonshire Porth Ceiriad, adult, 15th June; presumed same, Abersoch, 15th June, photo; same, Black Rock Sands, Porthmadog, 15th June; same, Llandudno, 20th June, photo.
(Birding World 22 (6): 238, plates 6-8; British Birds 102: plate 285; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 103: 600, plate 324; Welsh Birds 7: 149, photo).
5.0). 2018 Sussex Church Norton, 3CY, 19th to 20th June, photo, T. m. maximus; also in Anglesey, Devon, Dorset, Isles of Scilly, Pembrokeshire.
(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 112: 586).
5.1). 2018 Dorset Ferrybridge and Weymouth, 3CY, 20th June, photo, T. m. maximus; same as Sussex; also in Anglesey, Devon, Isles of Scilly, Pembrokeshire.
(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 112: 585).
5.2). 2018 Anglesey Traeth Dulas and Traeth Lligwy, 3CY, 10th to 11th December, photo; presumed same as Sussex; also in Devon, Dorset, Isles of Scilly, Pembrokeshire, T. m. maximus.
(British Birds 112: plate 28; C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 112: 585).
5.3). 2018 Devon Ilfracombe, 3CY, 18th December; same as Sussex; also in Anglesey, Dorset, Isles of Scilly, Pembrokeshire, T. m. maximus.
(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 112: 585).
5.4). 2018 Pembrokeshire Gann Estuary, 3CY, 22nd December, photo, T. m. maximus; same as Sussex; also in Anglesey, Devon, Dorset, Isles of Scilly.
(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 112: 586).
5.5). 2018 Isles of Scilly Hugh Town, St Mary's and Tresco Channel, 3CY, 26th December, photo, T. m. maximus; same as Sussex; also in Anglesey, Devon, Dorset, Pembrokeshire.
(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 112: 585-586).
5.6). 2019 Cornwall Hayle Estuary, 4CY, 3rd June, photo; presumed returning individual.
(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 588, plate 395).
