Western Subalpine Warbler
Curruca iberiae (Svensson, 2013) (1, 36)
Photo © Richard Brown - Skokholm, Pembrokeshire, 8 May 2020
STATUS
North Africa, Iberia, southern France and into northwest Italy. Monotypic.
OVERVIEW
The species is still undergoing changes but is treated as monotypic. S. c. inornata being a junior synonym of C. subalpina (Zuccon et al. 2020). However, the resident north-west Africa population (formerly inornata) is probably an unnamed subspecies. Currently, this is how BBRC see their records.
The 1989 record with a specimen residing in Colchester Museum has been examined and found to be of this species.
The brownish-orange underparts is a start to identification of adult males along with tail pattern.
BBRC RECORDS
1). 1924 Fife Isle of May, adult male, 30th May.
(L. J. Rintoul & E. V. Baxter, Scottish Naturalist 44: 126; Eds., British Birds 18: 302; Rintoul & Baxter, 1935; Baxter & Rintoul, 1953; BOURC (2013), Ibis 156: 237; R. W. Forrester, Scottish Birds 41: 291).
2). 1989 Essex Lawford, near Manningtree, male, freshly dead, 17th April, skin at Colchester Museum (Acc. No. 2000.204.1347), photo.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 94: 490; Wood, 2007; Wood, 2022: email, pdf; L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 116: 584).
P). 1992 Orkney North Ronaldsay, undated, DNA analysis.
(J. M. Collinson, T. J. Shannon & T. Senfeld, British Birds 117: 188).
P). 2011 Caernarfonshire Bardsey, 29th April, DNA analysis.
(J. M. Collinson, T. J. Shannon & T. Senfeld, British Birds 117: 188).
P). 2013 Caernarfonshire Mynydd Mawr, male, 19th to 30th April, DNA analysis.
(R. Pritchard, Welsh Bird Report 27: 144; J. M. Collinson, T. J. Shannon & T. Senfeld, British Birds 117: 188).
P). 2013 Fair Isle Plantation, first-year male, trapped, 3rd to 14th June, DNA analysis.
(D. Parnaby, Fair Isle Bird Observatory Report 2013: 64; J. M. Collinson, T. J. Shannon & T. Senfeld, British Birds 117: 188).
P). 2013 Fair Isle Observatory, male, trapped, 17th to 27th June, DNA analysis.
(D. Parnaby, Fair Isle Bird Observatory Report 2012: 64;J. M. Collinson, T. J. Shannon & T. Senfeld, British Birds 117: 188).
P). 2014 Fair Isle Observatory/South Feltsigeo area, male, trapped, 25th April to 2nd May, photo, DNA analysis.
(D. Parnaby, Fair Isle Bird Observatory Report 2014: 86; R. Y. McGowan & C. J. McInerny, Scottish Birds 36: 112; J. M. Collinson, T. J. Shannon & T. Senfeld, British Birds 117: 188).
P). 2015 Isle of Man Calf of Man, 14th May, DNA analysis.
(J. M. Collinson, T. J. Shannon & T. Senfeld, British Birds 117: 188).
P). 2015 Dorset Portland BO, female, trapped, 23rd May, photo, DNA analysis.
(M. J. Lawson, Dorset Bird Report 2015: 126; J. M. Collinson, T. J. Shannon & T. Senfeld, British Birds 117: 188).
3). 2015 Orkney Gravity, North Ronaldsay, 2CY, male, trapped, 20th to 21st June, photo, DNA analysis.
(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 109: 606).
4). 2015 Fair Isle Observatory, 2CY, male, trapped, 30th June to 3rd July, photo, DNA analysis.
(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 109: 606).
5). 2016 Dorset Portland BO, 2CY, male, trapped, 13th to 17th April, photo.
(C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 110: 602).
6). 2016 Fair Isle Plantation, 2CY, male, trapped, 9th May, photo.
(C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 110: 602).
7). 2016 Shetland South Biggins, Foula, 2CY+ male, 10th May, photo.
(C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 110: 602).
8). 2016 Northumberland Holy Island, 2CY, female, 14th to 16th May, photo.
(C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 110: 602; Birds in Northumbia 2016: photos).
9). 2016 Shetland Ristie, Foula, 2CY, male, 22nd May, photo, sound recording.
(British Birds 109: plate 244; C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 110: 602).
10). 2016 Fife Isle of May, 2CY, female, trapped, 27th to 31st May, photo, DNA analysis.
(C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 110: 602).
11). 2017 Yorkshire Spurn, 2CY, male, trapped, 7th to 17th April, photo, DNA analysis.
(C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 111: 602).
12). 2017 Dorset Portland BO, 2CY+ male, 13th April, photo.
(C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 111: 602).
13). 2017 Fair Isle Chalet, 2CY, male, trapped, 30th to 31st May, photo, DNA analysis.
(C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 111: 602; C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 112: 603).
P). 2018 Pembrokeshire Skomer, 20th May, DNA analysis.
(J. Green, Scarce and Rare Birds in Wales 2019: 25; J. M. Collinson, T. J. Shannon & T. Senfeld, British Birds 117: 188).
P). 2018 Dorset Portland, 8th June, DNA analysis.
(J. M. Collinson, T. J. Shannon & T. Senfeld, British Birds 117: 188).
14). 2019 Isles of Scilly Campsite, St Agnes, 2CY+, male, found dead, 17th April, photo, DNA analysis.
(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 113: 630).
15). 2019 Isles of Scilly Wingletang, St Agnes, 2CY+, male, 23rd to 24th April, photo.
(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 113: 630).
16). 2019 Devon Lundy, 2CY, male, trapped, 1st to 5th May, photo, DNA analysis.
(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 113: 630).
17). 2019 Suffolk Orfordness, 2CY, male, trapped, 7th May, photo, DNA analysis.
(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 113: 630).
18). 2019 Shetland Kettla Ness, West Burra, 2CY, male, 16th May, photo.
(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 113: 630).
19). 2019 Yorkshire Flamborough Head, 2CY+, male, 24th June.
(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 113: 630).
20). 2019 Orkney Upper Linney, North Ronaldsay, 2CY+, female, trapped, 24th August, photo, DNA analysis.
(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 113: 630).
21). 2019 Outer Hebrides Nasg, Barra, 1CY+, trapped, 8th to 12th October, photo, DNA analysis.
(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 113: 630).
22). 2019 Shetland Hillwell, Mainland, 2CY+, female, 15th to 19th October, photo, sound recording, DNA analysis.
(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 113: 630; British Birds 117: plate 126).
23). 2020 Isles of Scilly Garrison, St Mary's, 2CY, male, 7th to 9th May, photo, sound recording.
(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 606; Isles of Scilly Bird and Natural History Review 2020: photo).
24). 2020 Pembrokeshire Skokholm, 2CY, female, trapped, 8th May, photo, DNA analysis.
(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 606).
25). 2020 Fair Isle Observatory, 2CY, female, trapped, 31st May, photo, DNA analysis.
(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 606).
26). 2021 Pembrokeshire Skokholm, 2CY+, female, trapped, 18th July, photo, DNA analysis.
(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 115: 593; British Birds 117: 127).
P). 2021 Yorkshire Filey, 10th October, DNA analysis.
(J. M. Collinson, T. J. Shannon & T. Senfeld, British Birds 117: 189).
27). 2021 Isles of Scilly Content Farm, St Mary’s, 1CY, 29th October to 3rd November, photo.
(L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 116: 584).
28). 2022 Cornwall Housel Bay, 2CY+, male, 14th April, photo.
(L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 117: 713).
29). 2022 Yorkshire Spurn, 2CY, female, trapped, 27th to 28th April, photo, DNA analysis.
(L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 116: 584).
30). 2022 Shetland Bruray, Out Skerries, 2CY+, male, 20th May, photo, video.
(L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 116: 584).
31). 2023 Borders Mire Loch, St Abb's Head, 2CY+, male, 6th May, photo.
(L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 117: 713).
32). 2023 Shetland Quendale, Mainland, 2CY, male, 12th to 21st May, photo.
(L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 117: 713).
33). 2023 Dorset Portland Bill, 2CY+, trapped, 20th May, photo, DNA analysis.
(L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 117: 713).
34). 2023 Orkney Ancum, North Ronaldsay, 2CY, male, trapped, 20th to 21st May, photo, DNA analysis.
(L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 117: 713).
35). 2023 Fair Isle Plantation then Gully, 2CY+, male, trapped, 22nd May to 4th June, photo, DNA analysis.
(British Birds 117: plate 128; L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 117: 713).
36). 2023 Fair Isle Setter, 2CY, male, trapped, 22nd May, photo, DNA analysis.
(British Birds 117: plates 138-140; L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 117: 713).
37). 2023 Pembrokeshire Skokholm, 2CY, male, trapped, 24th June, photo, DNA analysis.
(British Birds 117: plate 129; J. M. Collinson, T. J. Shannon & T. Senfeld, British Birds 117: 189, plate 129; L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 117: 713).
P). 2024 Pembrokeshire Ramsey Island, 17th March, photo.
(birding information services).
P). 2024 Dorset Portland, male, in song, 14th to 17th April, photo.
(birding information services).
