Tuesday 21 April 2015

STONE CURLEW

 Stone-curlew at Beddington this evening found by Glenn Jones. The first site record since 1982. This is the seventh record for the farmlands following records in 1955, 1957, 1971 (2 records), 1979 and 1982.
 Only possible identification issue (a remote one) is of an escaped Burhinus. The white and black wing bars bordering the mid-wing panel is diagnostic of Stone-curlew (Senegal Thick-knee has a dark wing bar on the lesser/median coverts and Water Dikkop has a white bar there but it does not have a black lower border- the feet also project beyond the tail in flight in Water Dikkop).Worldwide in the Thick-knee family there are (according to HBW) two genera, nine species and 19 taxa. There are six races of Stone-curlew and based on location (and showing the typical rich sandy brown colouration) this is most probably B.o. oedicneumus.  
 Flying over the Beddington village houses
  Mobbed by a crow between the wires
 Canons Farm birders (the nearest patch) make it before it gets dark. Unfortunately not all the locals got it- hope it's still there tomorrow. 
  Dave 'Swift'- the second twitch in as many weeks thanks to his new heart- which luckily held out in all the excitement
Glenn Jones- finder. Cheers Glenn!

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