Solitary Sandpiper

Tringa solitaria Wilson, A, 1813 (5, 34)

Photo © Joe Pender - St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly

STATUS

North America. Polytypic.

OVERVIEW

Six have occurred in Scotland, three of which were in the Outer Hebrides. Greater London, Essex, Surrey, Hertfordshire and Kent have amassed seven individuals, amazingly. Singles in Lancs, Wilts and Notts with two in Norfolk, otherwise the main area for this North American vagrant is the south-west.

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BBRC RECORDS

1). 1869 Clyde River Clyde, Lanarkshire, shot, undated.

(Anon., Proceedings of the Glasgow Natural History Society 2: 7; R. Gray, Ibis 1870: 292; Gray, 1871; Harting, 1872; Witherby, 1920-24; Baxter & Rintoul, 1953; BOU, 1971).

2). 1882 Isles of Scilly Lower Moors, St Mary's, shot, 19th September.

(T. Cornish, Zoologist 1882: 432; Yarrell, 1871-85; Seebohm, 1883-85; Smart, 1886; J. Clark & F. R. Rodd, Zoologist 1906: 341; J. Clark, Journal of the Royal Institution of Cornwall 17: 135; Witherby, 1920-24; Penhallurick, 1969).

3). 1884 Cornwall Near Marazion, shot, October.

(T. Cornish, Zoologist 1885: 113; J. H. Gurney, jun., Transactions of the Norfolk & Norwich Naturalists' Society 4: 454; J. Clark, Journal of the Royal Institution of Cornwall 17: 135; Witherby, 1920-24; Penhallurick, 1969).

4). 1942 Norfolk Rush Hills, Hickling Broad, 1st to 2nd August.

(J. Vincent, British Birds 36: 97; J. Vincent, Wild Bird Protection in Norfolk 1942: 12-13; Seago, 1977).

5). 1947 Norfolk Cley Marshes and Salthouse, seen, 3rd to 29th September.

(T. Hedley Bell, C. K. James, G. W. Rayner & C. C. Rose, British Birds 41: 354-355; C. E. Gay, Wild Bird Protection in Norfolk 1947: 15, 30-31; Seago, 1977).

6). 1962 Nottinghamshire Nottingham Sewage-farm, trapped, 24th August to 1st September, photo.

(A. Dobbs, British Birds 56: 63-64; D. D. Harber & C. M. Swaine and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 56: 399; British Birds 57: plates 44A-44B; Birds of Nottinghamshire Report 2000: plates 8 & 9).

7). 1963 Lincolnshire Bardney Ponds, 10th to 12th August.

(D. D. Harber and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 57: 267; A. D. Townsend, British Birds 58: 191-192).

8). 1966 Wiltshire Rodbourne Sewage-farm, Swindon, juvenile, 13th to 25th September, trapped 17th September, photo.

(F. R. Smith and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 60: 318, plate 40; G. L. Webber, British Birds 61: 265-267; Wiltshire Ornithological Society, 2007).

9.1). 1967 Essex/Greater London River Stort Valley, Roydon, 24th September to 9th October; presumed same as Hertfordshire.

(F. R. Smith and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 61: 341; Wood, 2007; Self, 2014).

9.0). 1967 Greater London/Hertfordshire Rye Meads, Hoddesdon, trapped, 24th September to 9th October, crossed over to Royden, Essex, on a number of occasions.

(F. R. Smith and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 61: 341).

10). 1974 Isles of Scilly Rosevear, 23rd July; same, St Mary's, 24th July; same, Tresco, 25th July.

(F. R. Smith and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 68: 316; R. W. Allen, Isles of Scilly Bird Report 1974: 23).

11). 1974 Essex/Greater London Rainham Marshes, 1st to 6th September.

(F. R. Smith and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 68: 316; J. Smith, Essex Bird Report 1974: 61).

12). 1974 Isles of Scilly Great Pool and Abbey Pool, Tresco, 8th to 11th September.

(F. R. Smith and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 68: 316).

13). 1975 Isles of Scilly Great Pool, Tresco, 12th September.

(J. N. Dymond and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 69: 336; W. E. Oddie, Isles of Scilly Bird Report 1975: 30-31).

14). 1977 Greater London/Surrey Perry Oaks Sewage-farm, 22nd July.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 71: 504; Wheatley, 2007).

15). 1979 Cornwall Stithians Reservoir, juvenile, 10th to 19th September, photo.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 73: 510, plate 252; Birds in Cornwall 1979: photo).

16). 1980 Cornwall Drift Reservoir, 28th August to 1st September.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 74: 472).

17). 1983 Isles of Scilly Great Pool, Tresco, juvenile, 19th September, 11th to 13th and 19th to 23rd October; presumed same, Porth Hellick, St Mary's, 20th September; same, Newford Duck Pond and Upper Newford, St Mary's, 21st September to 2nd October; same, Bryher, 18th October, photo.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 77: 527, plate 220).

18). 1984 Hertfordshire Tring Reservoirs, juvenile, 5th to 12th October.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 78: 551).

19). 1984 Isles of Scilly Porth Hellick Pool, St Mary's, juvenile, 8th to 14th October, photo; same, Tresco, 19th October.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 78: 551, plate 33).

20). 1985 Isles of Scilly Porth Hellick Pool, St Mary's, 30th August.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 79: 550).

21). 1987 Isles of Scilly Great Pool, Tresco, juvenile, 28th September to 5th October.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 82: 526).

22). 1988 Isles of Scilly Bryher, juvenile, 1st September; same, Porth Hellick, St Mary's, 3rd to 10th September, photo.

(Birding World 1 (9): 301, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 82: 526).

23). 1989 Hertfordshire Kimpton Mill, probably adult, 13th to 15th August.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 83: 464).

24). 1990 Outer Hebrides Malaclete, North Uist, juvenile, 20th October.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 84: 472).

25). 1992 Fair Isle Field, juvenile, 13th to 15th September, photo, T. s. solitaria.

(Birding World 5 (9): 329, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 86: 484, plate 158; R. Riddington, Scottish Birds 17: 62-63, photo; R. Y. McGowan & D. N. Weir, British Birds 95: 313-314, plate 194; Birding Scotland 6 (2): plate 72; Forrester & Andrews et al., 2007: photo).

26). 2000 Isles of Scilly Porth Hellick, St Mary's and Tresco, first-winter, 22nd September to 21st October, photo.

(Birding World 13 (9): 345, photo; Birding World 13 (10): 387, photo; Birding World 13 (12): 485, photo; British Birds 93: plate 346; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 94: 475, plate 262; Isles of Scilly Bird and Natural History Review 2000: plate 3).

27). 2002 Greater London/Hertfordshire Rye Meads, adult, 13th to 16th September, photo.

(Birding World 15 (9): 354, 359, photos; Birding World 15 (12): 513, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 96: 572; Self, 2014).

28). 2003 Isles of Scilly Porth Hellick Pool and Lower Moors, St Mary's, adult, 23rd to 27th July, photo; same, Simpson's Field, Tresco, 25th, 27th July.

(R. L. Flood, Birding World 16 (7): 284, photo; Birding World 16 (12): 510, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 97: 582; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 61).

29). 2003 Outer Hebrides Gravir, Lewis, 23rd to 24th October, photo.

(Birding World 16 (10): 401, photo; M. Witherall, Birding Scotland 6 (4): 183-185, plates 168, 172-174; British Birds 96: plate 405; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 97: 582, plate 341).

30). 2005 Isles of Scilly Off Barnaby Lane and Big Pool, St Agnes, first-winter, 4th to 6th November, photo.

(Birding World 18 (11): 444, photo; Birding World 18 (12): 512, photo; P. A. Fraser, M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 100: 44; Birding World 20 (8): 341, photo; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 61).

31). 2007 Outer Hebrides St Kilda, 27th to 31st August, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 101: 542).

32). 2009 Shetland Ristie, Foula, adult, 6th to 9th May, photo.

(Birding World 22 (5): 184, photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 103: 590, plate 320).

33). 2010 Devon Black Hole Marsh, Seaton Wetlands, juvenile, 10th to 15th October, photo.

(Birding World 23 (10): 418, photo; Birding World 23 (12): 539, photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 104: 584).

34). 2011 Isles of Scilly Newford Duck Pond then Lower Moors, St Mary's, juvenile, 14th September to 6th October, photo.

(Birding World 24 (9): 365, photo; Birding World 24 (10): 411, photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 105: 585, plate 337).

35). 2011 Lancashire & North Merseyside Humblescough Farm, Nateby, juvenile, 2nd to 6th October, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 105: 585).

36). 2012 Isles of Scilly Hell Bay Hotel/Dump area, Bryher, juvenile, 12th to 14th October, photo; presumed same, Lower Moors then Old Town, St Mary's, 15th to 17th October.

(Birding World 25 (10): 403, photo; British Birds 105: plate 424; Birding World 25 (12): 521, photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 106: 594, plate 344).

37). 2018 Isles of Scilly Great Pool, Tresco, 2CY+, 15th to 25th August, photo.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 112: 579, plate 321).

38). 2020 Isles of Scilly Porth Hellick, St Mary's, 2CY+, 18th May, photo.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 584, plate 391; Isles of Scilly Bird and Natural History Review 2020: photo).

39). 2023 Kent Stodmarsh NNR, juvenile, 15th to 16th October, photo, again, 26th October to 3rd November, photo.

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

P). 2024 Isles of Scilly Porthhellick Pool, St Mary’s, 14th June, photo; same, Lower Moors, St Mary’s, 17th to 18th June, photo.

(birding information services).