135

Pomarine Skua

Stercorarius pomarinus

Very rare vagrant. 4 records.
1859 Chesham - 1 shot in Nov or Dec
1982 Willen - Immature from 13-15th Nov.
1985 Caldecotte - An adult on 11th Nov.
1994 Campbell Park, Milton Keynes - 1 over W on 5th Nov.

136

Arctic Skua

Stercorarius parasiticus

Very rare vagrant. 2 records.
1983 Calvert - A dark phase adult on 28th Aug.
1985 Marsworth - A dark phase adult on 23rd Aug.

137

Long-tailed Skua

Stercorarius longicaudus

Very rare vagrant. 1 record.
1982 Little Chalfont - An immature from 12-17th Oct feeding on a freshly ploughed field.

138

Great Skua

Catharacta skua

Very rare vagrant. 5 records.
1983 Wilstone Res - 1 on 3rd Sep flew SW into Bucks.
1987 Willen - 1 on 25th Aug.
1995 Little Marlow GP - 1 circled and flew off W on 1st Jan.
1998 Foxcote Res. - An adult on 27th Sep.
2001 Lacey Green - 1 picked up injured on 19th Oct was taken to St Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital.

Skua Sp.

Stercorarius Sp

Skuas not specifically identified..
1936 Olney - 2 on 20th Oct; a day after gales.
1990 Wilstone Res - 6 on 17th Aug flew west into Bucks and were either Arctic or Long-tailed Skuas.
2000 Drayton Parslow - 1 over on 3rd Nov was not a Great Skua.

139

Mediterranean Gull

Larus melanocephalus

Scarce but increasing migrant and winter visitor. 
See Chart

140

Franklin's Gull

Larus pipixcan

Very rare vagrant. 1 record.
1999 Willen - A summer-plumaged adult seen late on 30th Jun and early the following morning.

141

Little Gull

Larus minutus

Scarce migrant.    See Chart

142

Sabine's Gull

Xema sabini

Very rare vagrant. 7-8 records.
1981 Willen - An adult and immature on 1th Oct.
1987 Colnbrook - A juvenile on 17th Oct, flying NE..
1987 Colnbrook - Adult on 21st Oct, 3 adults from 22-24th Oct, 1 from 26th-28th Oct.
The 1987 records followed the "great storm" of 15th Oct when many Sabine's Gulls were blown into southern England.
1997 Little Marlow GP - A juvenile on 26th Sep.
1997 Calvert - A juvenile on 3rd Oct.
1998 Foxcote Res. - A juvenile on 27th Sep.
2001 Foxcote Res. - 16th-19th Sep. A juvenile seen to come into roost on consecutive evenings.
2003 Foxcote Res - 1 adult on 19th Oct.

143

Black-headed Gull

Larus ridibundus

Common migrant and winter visitor.   Small numbers seen during the summer months.

144

Ring-billed Gull

Larus delawarensis

Very rare vagrant.  10 records.
1991 Fulmer - An adult on 24th Jan.   This bird subsequently took up residence in Uxbridge.
1991 Little Marlow GP - A 2nd winter bird from 7th-9th and 16th Nov.  What was probably the same bird was seen at Pickeridge Quarry near Stoke Common on 23rd Nov.
1992 Little Marlow GP - The same individual as seen in November 1991 was relocated on 21st Feb.
1994 Willen - Adult on 9th Feb.
1994 Hedgerley - Adult on 16th Feb.
1994 Little Marlow GP - A 2nd winter bird on 10 dates between 26th Sep and 25th Nov.    See Photo
1995 Little Marlow GP - The 1994 bird was seen again on 12th & 26th Feb and 10th Mar. An adult bird seen on several dates from 29th Sep to end Dec may have been the same bird.
2002 Little Marlow GP - A 2nd winter bird on 20th & 30th Mar.
2003 Foxcote - A 2nd winter on 28th Jan.
2003 Little Marlow GP - An adult on 1st Apr was also seen on 2nd, 3rd and 5th.  See Photo
2004 Little Marlow GP - A 2nd summer bird on 14th July and on many days between 16th July and 6th Aug. See Photo
2004 Caldecotte Lake - An adult on 26th Nov.

145

Common Gull

Larus canus

Common winter visitor.  Scarce in summer.

146

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Larus fuscus

Common migrant and winter visitor.   Small numbers seen during the summer months.

147

Herring Gull

Larus argentatus argentatus

Locally common migrant and winter visitor.

148

Caspian Gull

Larus argentatus cachinnans

Passage migrant and winter visitor in modest numbers.
Caspian Gull was split from Herring Gull during 2007.  To view a chart of Bucks records click on  Caspian Gull.

149

Yellow-legged Gull

Larus michahellis

Regular passge migrant and winter visitor.   Counts just into double figures have been recorded.

To view a chart of Bucks records click on Yellow-legged Gull .

150

Iceland Gull

Larus glaucoides glaucoides

Scarce winter visitor.   See Chart

151

Glaucous Gull

Larus hyperboreus

Scarce winter visitor.   See Chart

152

Great Black-backed Gull

Larus marinus

Uncommon winter visitor.  Flocks of 100-200 birds are sometimes recorded at rubbish tips and roost sites.

153

Kittiwake

Rissa tridactyla

Scarce migrant.    See Chart

154

Caspian Tern

Sterna caspia

Very rare vagrant. 3 records.
1992 Willen - 1 on 17th Apr.
1996 Caldecotte - 1 flew through on 13th Apr.
2001 Willen - 1 on 11th May See Photo

155

Sandwich Tern

Sterna sandvicensis

Scarce migrant.   See Chart

156

Roseate Tern

Sterna dougallii

Very rare vagrant. 5 records.
1944 Marlow - 1 on 6th Sep.
1982 Willen - 2 on 4th June.
1983 Mount Farm, Bletchley - Adult on 8th May.
1994 Willen - An adult on 7th May.
2000 Little Marlow GP - A 1st summer bird for 30 mins on 28th May.

157

Common Tern

Sterna hirundo

Local breeding summer visitor and locally common migrant. The only regular breeding sites are at Willen Lake, Linford, College Lake and Little Marlow.

158

Arctic Tern

Sterna paradisaea

Passage migrant seen mainly during spring passage. 
See Chart

159

Little Tern

Sterna albifrons

Scarce passage migrant seen mainly during spring passage.    See Chart

160

Whiskered Tern

Chlidonias hybridus

Very rare vagrant. 2 records.
1994 Willen - 2 adults from 16th to 21st May.  The same birds were also thought to have been seen on Rockland Broad, Norfolk the day before they appeared at Willen (during E winds).  On the day after they left two Whiskered Terns were seen at Cley, Norfolk, where they were seen to fly out to sea.
2001 Willen - An immature bird present from 29th until 31st when it flew off, later being found in Bedfordshire.   Unfortunately it was not positively identified until 31st.  See Photo

161

Black Tern

Chlidonias niger

Fairly common migrant in both spring and autumn but with significantly more birds seen in the spring.  See Chart

162

Little Auk

Alle alle

Rare vagrant. 19 records.
1893 Newport Pagnall
1901 (or earlier) Bulstrode Park, Gerrards Cross
1912 Quainton
1912 Towersey
1912 Ivinghoe
1917 Wendover
1917 Weston Turville Reservoir
1919 Skirmett
1983 Aylesbury - 14th Feb.
1986 Wingrave - Found at Wingrave on 2nd Feb; released at Wilstone Res where it stayed for a few hours.
1987 Akeley - 25th Nov.
1988 Willen - 28th-31st Oct
1988 Medmenham - 21st Nov
1993 Willen - 1 on 22nd Oct.
1995 Bledlow - 1 flying over ploughed field on 30th Oct.
1995 Bourne End - 1 on the Thames on 2nd Nov.
1997 Bellingdon, near Chesham - 1 picked up on 16th Oct later died.
1999 Stokenchurch - 1 found on 20th Nov was taken to St Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital.
2008 Milton Keynes - 1 found in Feb was taken to St Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital but later died

163

Guillemot

Uria aalge

Very rare vagrant. 1 record.
1852 Fenny Stratford - 1 caught in the R Ouzel on 13 or 14th Nov.

164

Razorbill

Alca torda

Very rare vagrant. 1 record.
1996 Caldecotte - 1 on 22nd Feb.

165

Puffin

Fratercula arctica

Rare vagrant. 11 records.
1881 Near Aylesbury - 1 caught after gales on 14th Oct.
1914 near Hambleden - 1 on 19th Nov at Oaken Grove.
1918 Aston Clinton - 1 on 23rd Nov.
1923 Kingsey - 1 picked up dying on 25th Nov.
1931 Nash - 1 picked up on 31st Oct, later died.
1947 near Ivinghoe Beacon - 1 picked up on 17th Oct.
1955 near High Wycombe - 1 a few days before 25th Oct was later released.
1958 Shardeloes - A juvenile from 18th-20th Oct.
1974 Loudwater - A juvenile picked up later died.
1977 Quarrendon, Aylesbury - 1 late June/early July later released at sea.
1979 Amersham - 1 on 17th Feb was later released at sea.

166

Pallas's Sandgrouse

Syrrhaptes paradoxus

Very rare vagrant. 3 records.
1888 Farnham Royal - A flock reported.
1896 near Halton - 3 flying overhead on 28th Aug.
1908 near Buckland - 7-8 on 1st Dec flew up from a Turnip field.

167

Feral Pigeon

Columba livia 'feral'

Common resident.

168

Stock Dove

Columba oenas

Common resident.

169

Woodpigeon

Columba palumbus

Very common resident.

170

Collared Dove

Streptopelia decaocto

Common resident.

171

Turtle Dove

Streptopelia turtur

Uncommon breeding summer visitor. Declining.

172

Ring-necked Parakeet

Psittacula krameri

Very local resident but becoming more widespread.  The main concentration is in the SE corner of the county in the Boveney, Dorney and Burnham areas but has more recently spread along the Thames Valley to Marlow and beyond.   During the winter the species often visits gardens for food on bird tables.

173

Cuckoo

Cuculus canorus

Common breeding summer visitor.

174

Barn Owl

Tyto alba

Scarce resident.

175

Little Owl

Athene noctua

Fairly common introduced resident.

176

Tawny Owl

Strix aluco

Fairly common resident.

177

Long-eared Owl

Asio otus

Rare resident and scarce winter visitor.

178

Short-eared Owl

Asio flammeus

Scarce winter visitor.

179

Nightjar

Caprimulgus europaeus

Rare summer visitor. No longer breeds regularly.

180

Swift

Apus apus

Common breeding summer visitor.

181

Alpine Swift

Apus melba

Very rare vagrant. 1 record
2006 Berghers Hill - 1 on 8th April.
2006 Little Marlow GP - 1 on 16th Apr is considered to be the same as above.  It was also seen in nearby Maidenhead (Berks).

182

Kingfisher

Alcedo atthis

Local resident.

183

Bee-eater

Merops apiaster

Very rare vagrant. 9 records.
1866 Dropmore - 1
1927 Skirmett - 1 in last week of Oct.
1976 Buckingham - 1 on 8th May.
1979 Chalfont St Giles - 1 on 27th Apr.
1997 Chesham Bois - A Bee-eater Sp over on 1st Jun is presumed to be on this species.
1997 Great Missenden - Five over on 28th Jul.
2002 Gerrards Cross - 1 over calling on 15th Aug.
2002 Beaconsfield - 4 over on 11th Sep.
2004 Princes Risborough - 1 feeding from power lines on 12th June.

184

Hoopoe

Upupa epops

Scarce migrant.  See Chart
Undated Chesham - A record published by Clark Kennedy.
1760 Ford - 1 shot.
1916 Taplow - Bred in a garden.
All records from 1980 are given below :-
1980 Bourne End - 1 on 12th Apr.
1980 Burnham Beeches - 1 on 15th Apr.
1980 Yardley Chase -1 10th-13th May.
1981 Lye Green near Chesham - 1 on 6th-7th July reported to have been present for 3 weeks.
1981 Ley Hill - 1 in the 1st week July may have been the Lye Green individual.
1984 Bockmer End - 1 on 20th Apr.
1984 Foxcote - 1 on 22nd Apr.
1984 Weston Underwood and Olney - 1 22nd Apr to 7th Jul.
1989 Bourne End - 1 17th-18th Apr.
1989 The Lee - 1 on 2nd Oct.
1990 Winslow - 1 on 30th Nov and 7th Dec was also reported in Jan 1991.
1993 Naphill - 1 over on 26th Apr.
1995 High Wycombe - 1 in several gardens on 8th Oct.
1996 North Crawley - 1 on 14th Apr.
1997 Wendover Woods - 1 on 23rd Apr.
1998 Marsh Gibbon - 1 in garden on 17th May.  See Photo
1999 Maids Moreton - 1 at Bycells Farm on 26th Apr.
2002 Woodham - 1 from early June to later July was ringed and thought to be an escape.  See Photo
2003 Lodge Hill - 1 on 30th May  See Photo
2004 Towersey (Oxfordshire) - 1 1st  to 11th May may have strayed into Bucks.  See Photo
2005 Central Milton Keynes - 1 on unused land 7th-9th Apr See Photo
2006 Wooburn Green - 1 20th Apr.
2007 Flackwell Heath - 1 22nd Apr.   See Photo.

185

Wryneck

Jynx torquilla

Scarce migrant. Former breeding summer visitor until the 1950s.   Nearly all the records listed refer to birds seen in gardens. All records from 1985 onwards are listed, but see chart for distribution of all records..
1985 Chalfont St Peter - Reported to have bred.  Birds were  seen at the site on unspecified dates in both 1986 and 1987. In 1988 1 present from 10th May to 31st Aug.
1986 Great Kingshill - 1 on 4th Sep.
1988 Moorend Common - 1 10th-17th May.
1989 Whitchurch - 1 feeding on ants on 5th Sep.
1989 High Wycombe - 1 on 5th and 6th Sep.
1991 Aston Abbots - 1 on 7th Sep.
1991 Winslow - 1 on 12th Oct.
1994 Wing - Daily from 5th to 11th Sep.
1994 Speen - 1 on 7th Sep.
1995 Beaconsfield - 1 in the 2nd week Apr.
1995 Grendon Underwood - 1 on 26th Sep.
1996 High Wycombe - 1 in gardens 31st Aug to 2nd Sep.
1996 Amersham - 1 on 1st-2nd Sep   See Photo
1996 Little Frieth - 1 on 12th Sep.
1997 Newport Pagnall - 1 in garden on 23rd Aug.
1997 High Wycombe - 1 in garden on 25th Aug.
1997 Wolverton - 1 in garden on 4th Sep.
2000 Princes Risborough - 1 in garden on 4th Aug for about a week.
2000 Hazlemere - 1 in a garden on 10th May.
2000 Aylesbury - A juv in a birders garden on 2nd & 3rd Sep.  See Photo
2001 Whaddon - 1 on 25th Aug.
2002 Meadle - 1 in a garden on 27th Aug.
2002 Dinton - 1 in a garden on 13th Oct.
2003 Dorton - 1in a garden on 3rd Sep.
2004 Whitchurch - 1 in garden 28th & 30th Aug, 1st-2nd Sep.
2006 Taplow - 1 in a garden on 28th Apr.

186

Green Woodpecker

Picus viridis

Fairly common resident.

187

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Dendrocopos major

Fairly common resident.

188

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Dendrocopos minor

Uncommon resident.