Sora

Porzana carolina (Linnaeus, 1758) (5, 16)

Photo © Rob Stonehouse - Tresco, Isles of Scilly, 3 October 2016

STATUS

Nearctic. Monotypic.

OVERVIEW

Formerly known as the Carolina Crake.

In 2010 a traditionally accepted record of a Baillon's Crake from 1932 was re-identified as a Sora becoming the second record of three occurrences for Wales. Three have been found in Scotland but the Isles of Scilly with nine records is the best area to see a Sora, although three in Devon is the best on mainland England.

One has overwintered in Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands during December 2004 to January 2005.

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RECORDS

1). 1864 Berkshire River Kennet, near Newbury, adult, shot, October, now at Natural History Museum, Tring.

(H. S. Eyre, Zoologist 1865: 9540; A. Newton, Proceedings of the Zoological Society 1865: 196; Eds., Field 11th Mar., 1865: 171; Harting, 1872; BOU, 1883; Yarrell, 1871-85; Eds., Ibis 1911: 772; BOU, 1915; Eds., British Birds 14: 47; Witherby, 1920-24).

2). 1888 East Glamorgan Cardiff Docks, caught alive, spring.

(Cardiff Naturalists' Society, Transactions of the Cardiff Naturalists' Society 31: 28, 113; R. Bowdler Sharpe, Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 12: 26; Witherby, 1920-24; Eds., British Birds 14: 47; Lovegrove, Williams & Williams, 1994; Hurford & Lansdown, 1995).

3). 1901 Argyll Tiree, immature male, shot, 25th October.

(R. Bowdler Sharpe, Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 12: 26; E. Lort Phillips, Field 7th Dec., 1901: 907; F. G. Gunnis, Annals of Scottish Natural History 1902: 9-10; H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 2: 129; P. Anderson, Scottish Naturalist 33: 218; Witherby, 1920-24; Eds., British Birds 14: 47;  Baxter & Rintoul, 1953; Forrester & Andrews et al., 2007).

4). 1913 Outer Hebrides Ness, Lewis, immature male, shot, 12th November, now at Natural History Museum, Tring (BMNH 1913.11.11.1).

(W. R. Ogilvie-Grant, Country Life 21st Nov., 1913: 725; W. R. Ogilvie-Grant, British Birds 7: 202-203; Witherby, 1920-24; Eds., British Birds 14: 47; Baxter & Rintoul, 1953; Cunningham, 1983; Forrester & Andrews et al., 2007).

5). 1932 Meirionnydd Aberdyfi Golf Course, juvenile, found dead below wires, 7th January, now at National Museum of Wales, Cardiff.

(E. H. T. Bible, British Birds 25: 305; Lovegrove, Williams & Williams, 1994; J. Green, Welsh Birds 7: 146).

6). 1973 Isles of Scilly Big Pool, St Agnes, immature, 26th September to 9th October.

(F. R. Smith and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 67: 320; D. I. M. Wallace, Isles of Scilly Bird Report 1973: 19-21; D. I. M. Wallace, British Birds 69: 443-447; K. E. Vinicombe, British Birds 78: 145-146; BOURC (1974), Ibis 116: 578).

7). 1981 Caernarfonshire Bardsey, adult, trapped, 5th August, photo.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 75: 497; P. Roberts, Bardsey Observatory Report 1981: 50-52; P. J. Roberts, British Birds 77: 108-112, plate 38; K. E. Vinicombe, British Birds 78: 145-146).

8). 1982 Isles of Scilly Porth Hellick Pool, St Mary's, adult, 27th September.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 76: 490; J. A. Hazell, Isles of Scilly Bird Report 1982: 50-51).

9). 1982 Shetland Punds, Foula, adult, 30th October.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 77: 520).

10). 1983 Isles of Scilly Great Pool, Tresco, first-winter, 19th to 20th October.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 77: 520; K. E. Vinicombe, British Birds 78: 145-146).

11). 1985 Sussex Pagham Lagoon, 26th October to 24th December, photo, possibly since 24th October.

(R. M. Lord, British Birds 79: 94; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 79: 542, plates 30-31 & 278; Saunders, 1991: 103, photo).

12). 1991 Isles of Scilly Porth Hellick Pool, St Mary's, first-winter, 15th October to 1st November, probably since 4th October, photo.

(Birding World 4 (10): 338, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 85: 521, plate 44; Isles of Scilly Bird Report 1991: photo; British Birds 97: plate 25; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 40).

13). 2000 Devon Stover CP, Newton Abbot, first-winter, 18th January to 5th April, photo.

(B. Heasman, Birding World 13 (1): 8-9, photo; Birding World 13 (2): 46, photo; Birding World 13 (3): 94, photo; Birding World 13 (12): 483, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 93: 569, plate 77; B. Heasman, Devon Bird Report 2000: 175-176, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 94: 468, plate 258).

14). 2004 Nottinghamshire Attenborough, adult, 12th December to 1st January 2005, photo.

(Birding World 17 (12): 486, photo; P. Buxton, Birding World 17 (12): 500-501, plates 1-4; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 98: 646, plates 54, 55 & 418; P. A. Fraser, M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 100: 34).

15). 2005 Isles of Scilly Lower Moors, St Mary's, first-winter, 23rd September to 1st November.

(Birding World 18 (9): 355, photo; Birding World 18 (10): 403, photo; Birding World 18 (12): 512, photo; British Birds 98: plate 395; P. A. Fraser, M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 100: 34, plate 5; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 40).

16). 2006 Lincolnshire Gibraltar Point NNR, first-winter, trapped, 5th to 18th March, photo.

(Birding World 19 (3): 93, photos; Birding World 19 (12): 519, photo; British Birds 99: plates 99 & 100; P. A. Fraser and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 100: 708, plate 338; C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 111: 568).

17). 2013 Isles of Scilly Great Pool, Tresco, first-winter male, 9th to 29th October, photo.

(British Birds 106: plate 468; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 107: 595).

18.0). 2013 Isles of Scilly Lower Moors, St Mary's, 19th October, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 107: 595).

18.1). 2014 Isles of Scilly Lower Moors, St Mary's, 2nd to 3rd February, photo; presumed same, 3rd to 10th April, photo; presumed same as 2013 Lower Moors.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 108: 580).

19). 2016 Isles of Scilly Great Pool, Tresco, 1CY, 3nd to 11th October, photo.

(C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 110: 573).

20). 2016 Devon Exminster Marshes RSPB, 1CY, female, found dead, 17th October, photo, now at Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter.

(C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 110: 573; M. Lock, Devon Bird Report 2016: 56).

21). 2020 Devon Lundy, 1CY, 12th to 13th September, photo.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 578).