Burhinus oedicnemus

Bred regularly until 1965, now rare migrant

Once a common breeder, by the end of the nineteenth century it was reduced to five pairs or fewer. By the turn of the century parties of 40 in 1902 and 71 in 1905 at Dungeness were no longer exceptional. Again began a slow decline, until the last recorded breeding, at Dungeness in 1965.

With many records prior to 1952, this species would not normally be included in this list. However, as a species which causes great interest amongst birders records since 1952 are included here.

1952

Dungeness RSPB, 5 pairs, with a further 2 pairs off the reserve; some bred successfully.

1953

Dungeness RSPB, six pairs bred with possibly another. Two further pairs also bred just outside the reserve.

 

Farthingloe, single bird flushed, 18th May.

 

Slayhills Saltings, Medway, single bird seen in flight, 19th August.

1954

Dungeness, 8 breeding pairs included 6 pairs on RSPB reserve.

 

Stour Valley, Wye, single bird heard, 25th April.

 

Tonbridge, 3 birds seen to land in field at 21.30hrs, before flying North.

1955

Dungeness RSPB, had 6 pairs of which 2 pairs bred successfully.

 

Thanet, one heard calling on night of 13th April.

 

Manston, immature found dead in road, 10th October.

1956

Dungeness, 7 pairs in breeding season, 1st April to 13th November.

1957

Dungeness, 7 pairs in breeding season, with 2 successful. One of ringed young shot in Spain in October.

 

Yantlet, nr. Allhallows, single bird, 19th May.

1958

Dungeness RSPB, 5 pairs bred, with 2 broods found. 102 pairs bred off the reserve.

1959

Dungeness, recorded between 29th March and 10th October. No breeding records available.

 

Cliffe, single bird, 14th April.

 

St. Mary's Hoo, single bird, 24th May.

 

Hoo, single bird, 29th August.

1960

Dungeness area, recorded between 13th March and 11th October. 8 pairs probably bred, with at least 6 young from 3 nests located.

1961

Dungeness area, recorded between 6th April and 6th November. 5 pairs present, but none known to have bred.

1962

Luddenham marshes, single bird, 10th June.

1963

Dungeness area, recorded between 30th March and 17th October, with possibly 6 pairs breeding.

 

Sevenoaks, single bird on 31st July.

1964

Dungeness area, recorded between 26th March and 28th September, with 6 pairs breeding, all raising young.

1965

Dungeness, the first bird was seen on 31st March, with only 1 pair breeding unsuccessfully.

 

Egypt Bay, single bird, 20th August.

1966

Cliffe, single bird, 8th April.

 

Dungeness, single bird, 8th April.

 

Dungeness, 3 calling birds19th May until late May. No evidence of breeding.

 

Sandwich Bay, single bird, 22nd July.

 

St. Margaret's, single bird, 21st August.

1967

Dungeness RSPB, 1-2 birds, 3rd April to 27th September.

1968

Dungeness RSPB, 2 females, laid infertile eggs in same nest.

 

Brooks-Wicks, single bird summered.

1969

Dungeness, single birds on 11th May and 2nd September.

 

Dungeness RSPB, single bird seen occasionally during July.

1970

Dungeness RSPB, single bird, 15th April.

1971

Dungeness area, up to 2 birds calling, 17th April to 19th May. No evidence of breeding.

 

Halling, single bird calling at night, 18th May.

1972

Dungeness, single bird, 25th June.

 

Kingsnorth, single bird, 18th August.

1973

Cottington, single bird, 27th March.

 

Allhallows, single bird, 16th and 23rd September.

1975

Cliffe Pools, single bird, 31st August.

1978

Elmley, single bird, on the late date of 27th November.

1979

Dungeness RSPB, singles on 16th and 28th April.

 

Sandwich Bay, single bird, 22nd September.

1980

Dungeness area, singles on 16th April, 29th June, and 1st July.

1981

St. Margaret's, single bird, 12th May.

1984

Reculver, single bird, 14th April.

 

Dungeness RSPB, single bird, 16th September.

1987

Dungeness RSPB, single bird, 28th March.

 

Stoke Ooze, single bird, 16th-20th September.

1988

Hawden Gravel Pits, single bird, 14th July.

 

Sandwich Bay, single bird, 17th August.

1990

Cliffe Marshes, single bird, 3rd June.

1991

Capel Fleet, single bird, 5th May.

1995

Cliffe Pools, single bird, 23rd July.

 

Dungeness, single bird flushed from roadside, 28th August.

1996

Dungeness, single bird, 9th April.

 

Sandwich Bay, single bird, 2nd June.

1997

Dungeness RSPB, single bird, 31st July to 7th August.

1998

Langdon Cliffs, single bird, 6th October.

1999

Rye Street, single bird, 9th April.

 

Dungeness, single birds on 26th May and 17th August.

2000

Funton, single bird, 19th March.

 

Bockhill, single bird, 25th March.

 

Dartford Marshes, single bird, 14th April.

 

Sandwich Bay, single bird, 29th April.

 

Sandwich Bay, single bird, 26th August.

2001

Shellness, single bird, 11th September.

2002

St. Margaret's, singles on 29th July and 1st August.

2004

Cliffe, single bird, 15th April.

 

Dartford Marshes, single bird, 2nd May.

2006

Sandwich Bay, single bird, 20th March.

 

Northward Hill, two birds, 21st April.

2007

Whetsted GP's, single bird, 25th March.

 

Shellness, single bird, 20th June.

2008

Lade, single bird, 15th March.

 

Dungeness, single bird, 13th May.

2009

Dungeness, single bird, 3rd April.

 

Sandwich Bay, single bird, 19th July.

 

Grove Ferry, single bird, 28th July.

 

Sandwich Bay, single bird, 23rd August.

 

Dengemarsh, single bird, 16th-19th October.

2010

Dartford Marshes, single bird, 6th November.

2011 Sandwich Bay, single bird, 26th May.
2012 Swanscombe Marshes, single bird, 27th April.

 

Dungeness, single bird in “desert”, 8th May.

2013 Grove Ferry, single bird, 28th April.
  Reculver, single bird, presumed same as Grove Ferry, 29th April.

2014

Reculver, single bird seen and photographed, 19th July.

2015

Pegwell Bay, single bird, 9th May.

 

Dartford Marshes, single bird heard, 13th May.

 

Sandwich Bay, single bird, 17th May.

2016

Dungeness RSPB, single bird, 18th August.

 

Murston, single bird, 30th November.

2017

Reculver, single bird, 2nd May.

 

Dungeness BO, single bird, 3rd May.

 

Reculver, another bird, 23rd May.

 

Pegwell Bay, another bird, 6th July.

 

Pegwell Bay, juvenile, 17th August until 6th October.

2018

Sandwich, single bird sound recorded at 04:30am, 16th April.

 

Sandwich, single bird heard, 1st and 2nd July.

2019

Stonar, Sandwich, a bird was sound recorded at 00:30am, 31st March.

 

Hinxhill, nr. Ashford, injured bird, 14th April.

2020 Dungeness BO, single bird sound recorded on the night of 3rd-4th April.
  Stonar, single bird sound recorded on the night of 6th April.
  Ash, single bird, flew over, 7th April.
  Sandwich Bay, single bird sound recorded on 10th September.
  Dungeness RSPB, single bird flushed, 7th October.
2021 Dungeness BO, single bird sound recorded on the night of 2nd March.
  Dungeness BO, single bird sound recorded on the night of 30th March.
  Stonar, nr. Sandwich, single bird sound recorded on the night of 30th March.
  Stonar, nr. Sandwich, single bird sound recorded on the night of 18th April.
  Walmer, single bird sound recorded on the night of 18th April.
  Dungeness BO, single bird sound recorded on the night of 19th April.
  Sandwich Bay, single bird, 25th June.
  Kingsdown, single bird, 17th August.
  St Margaret’s-at-Cliffe, single bird, 24st August.
2022 Chamber’s Wall, single bird sound recorded on the night of 14th April.
  Stonar, nr. Sandwich, single bird sound recorded on the night of 15th April.
  Stonar, nr. Sandwich, single bird sound recorded on the nights of 2nd and 3rd May.
  Cliffe Pools, up to three birds present on various dates, between 16th July and 30th August.
 
Sandwich Bay BO, single bird sound recorded on the night of 27th August.
  Dungeness Bo, single bird sound recorded on the night of 11th September.
2023 Cliffe Pools, single bird, 22nd March.
  Cliffe Pools, single bird, 22nd August until 4th October.
2024 Stodmarsh NNR, single bird, 18th April.
  Plum Pudding, Reculver Marshes, single bird, 13th May.

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