Song Sparrow
Melospiza melodia (Wilson, A, 1810) (0, 8)
Photo © By Rhododendrites - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=82884899
STATUS
North America to central Mexico. Polytypic.
OVERVIEW
Spring arrival dates are from 9th April to 18th May with just one autumn record. Five of the eight Nearctic individuals have reached Fair Isle.
There was an Isle of Man record in 1971.
BBRC RECORDS
1). 1959 Fair Isle Ward Hill, male, trapped, 27th April; same, South Haven, 27th April to 10th May, trapped 6th May, photo.
(P. E. Davis & R. H. Dennis, British Birds 52: 419-421, plate 70; G. A. Pyman and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 53: 429; P. E. Davis, Fair Isle Bird Observatory Bulletin 4: 97; J. W. Campbell, Scottish Birds 1: 254; I. C. T. Nisbet, British Birds 56: 212; BOURC (1960), Ibis 102: 630; Williamson, 1965; BOURC (1997), Ibis 139: 199; M. Grantham, Birding World 18 (3): 130).
2). 1964 Yorkshire Spurn, trapped, 18th May, photo.
(D. D. Harber and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 58: 370; B. R. Spence & J. Cudworth, British Birds 59: 198-201, photos; Neal, 1996, photo).
3). 1970 Caernarfonshire Bardsey, 5th to 8th May, trapped, 5th May.
(F. R. Smith and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 64: 366; Birding World 18: 130).
4.0). 1979 Fair Isle Setter, male, 17th April to 7th May, trapped, 17th April; also in Shetland
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 73: 528; Fair Isle Bird Observatory Report 1979: photo; Birding World 5 (4): 140, photo; I. J. Andrews & K. A. Naylor, Scottish Birds 23: 110).
4.1). 1979 Shetland Sumburgh, Mainland, 10th June; same as Fair Isle.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 73: 528; I. J. Andrews & K. A. Naylor, Scottish Birds 23: 110).
5). 1989 Fair Isle Gully, male, trapped, 11th April; same, North Haven, 11th to 26th April, photo.
(Birding World 2 (4): 118, photos; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 83: 489; Forrester & Andrews et al., 2007: photo).
6). 1994 Lancashire & North Merseyside Seaforth, 15th to 17th October, photo.
(T. Vaughan, Birding World 7 (10): 407-409, photo; Birding World 7 (12): 493, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 88: 548; Birding World 10 (4): photo; White, McCarthy & Jones, 2008: photo).
7). 2018 Fair Isle Plantation, 2CY+, trapped, 15th to 18th May, photo.
(British Birds 111: plate 284; C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 112: 618, plate 351).
8). 2020 Fair Isle Vaadal and Gully, 2CY+, 9th to 10th April, photo.
(British Birds 113: plate 111; C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 621, plate 430).
P). 2023 At Sea Sea area Fair Isle, on board Federal Severn, 25th April.
(birding information services).
P). 2023 Caernarfonshire Bardsey, 9th May, photo..
(birding information services).
