Baillon's/Little Crake
Porzana pusilla/parva (Pallas, 1776/Scopoli, 1769) (14, 3)
STATUS
Palearctic.
OVERVIEW
Migration takes place early March to May and late August to November. Occasionally birds winter in Britain.
RECORDS
1) 1807 Yorkshire River Ure, Wensley, shot, 6th May.
(Dr. Sims, Transactions of the Linnean Society 14: 583-584; Anon., Zoological Journal 1: 130-131; Fleming, 1828; Yarrell, 1845; S. P. Saville, Zoologist 1864: 9119; Clarke & Roebuck, 1881; Nelson, 1907; H. S. Gladstone, Naturalist 47: 190; Mather, 1986).
History Dr Sims (1823) in the Transactions of the Linnean Society, Vol. XIV. pp. 583-584, in extracts from the minutes read on 4th November 1823, says: 'Mr Fothergill also states, that the Rallus pusillus of Gmel. (Gallinula minuta of Montagu and G. pusilla of Temminck) "was shot on the 6th of May, 1807, by John Humphrey, Esq., of Wensley, on the banks of the Yore [Ure], near that place. It was alone, and suffered itself to be approached very near, without betraying any sense of danger. It ran with great rapidity, carrying its tail erect.'
Anon. (1824) in the Zoological Journal, Vol. I. pp. 130-131, says: 'The first meeting of this Society, after the summer recess, took place on the 4th of November, 1823. The papers read were as follows: - A description of the Swallow-tailed Falcon, Falco furcatus, Linn.; taken near Hawes, in Wensley Dale, Yorkshire, in 1805; and a description of a bird, supposed to be the Rallus pusillus of Latham, shot at the same place in 1807; by W. Fothergill, Esq.; communicated by Dr Sims.'
Fleming (1828: 99) says: 'This species was first recorded by Montagu, in his Supplement to the Orn. Diet., under the title, Little Gallinule. One specimen was killed at Ashburton, in Devonshire, in 1809. Mr Fothergill likewise states (Linn. Trans, XIV. 583.), that another was shot on 6th May 1807, by John Humphrey, Esq. of Wensley, on the banks of the Yore.'
Yarrell (1845) 2nd ed. Vol. III. p. 102, says: 'An extract from the minute-book of the Linnean Society, dated November 4th, 1823, is thus inserted in the fourteenth volume of the Transactions of that Society, page 583. "In a letter from W. Fothergill, Esq., of Carr-end, near Arkrigg, in Yorkshire, it is stated that this bird was shot on the 6th May 1807, by John Humphrey, Esq., of Wensley, on the banks of the Ure, near that place. It was alone, and suffered itself to be approached very near, without betraying any sense of danger. It ran with great rapidity, carrying its tail erect.".'
S. P. Saville of King's Lynn (1864) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. XXII. p. 9119, dated 11th May 1864, says: 'The previously recorded instances of the occurrence of the Little Crake in Britain are as follows: - "The first specimen occurred in Yorkshire, on the banks of the Yore, on the 6th of May, 1847.'
Clarke & Roebuck (1881: 64) say: 'Wensley, one on the banks of the Ure, April, 1807 (Fothergill in Whitaker's Richmondshire, 1823, I. 416); recorded as Rallus pusillus, Pall., it is probably referable to this species. Mr Dresser (Birds of Europe) cites this occurrence under P. parva, and gives the date as May 6th, 1807.'
Saunders (1882-84) in Yarrell's British Birds Vol. III. p. 149, adds: 'The next record, attributed in former editions to this species, namely, that by Mr W. Fothergill, in Tr. Linn. Soc. xiv. p. 583, and in Whitaker's Richmondshire, I. p. 416 (1823), is considered by Mr W. E. Clarke (Hbk. of Yorkshire Vertebrates, p. 64) to apply in all probability to Baillon's Crake.'
Admitted by Nelson (1907) Vol. II. p. 538, under Little Crake. H. S. Gladstone (1921) in the new series of The Naturalist, Vol. 47. p. 190, gives a brief history of the Fothergill family.
Comment Recorded 16 years after the event; it would appear not to have been specifically identified. Safest option is to attribute it to a small crake sp.
2). Pre 1829 Norfolk Bradestone, killed, undated.
(Hunt, 1829; Stevenson, 1870).
History Stevenson (1870) Vol. II. p. 397, says: 'Mr Hunt, in his "List" of Norfolk Birds, published in Stacy's history of the county, in 1829, has also the following entries with reference to our smallest species of rails:- Olivaceous Gallinule - This species, originally described by Montagu, has been recently killed at Bradestone. Unfortunately the more ambitious work by the same author on "British Ornithology," of which portions were published in 1815 and 1822, was never completed, but amongst the plates, to which the letterpress is wanting, I find coloured representations of Rallus minutus and Rallus foljambii, which, in all probability, were drawn from either this specimen or the Scottow specimen. The first of these unquestionably represents an immature Little Crake, but the latter, from the distribution of the white spots over the back and wings, is far more characteristic of Baillon's Crake in adult plumage.' Further, p. 399, he adds: 'With the exception of the Bradestone bird recorded by Hunt, which, was possibly a Baillon's Crake, I see no reason, on the authorities I have quoted, to doubt the authenticity of any of the above occurrences.'
Comment Not specifically identified.
3). Pre 1845 Suffolk Nacton, shot, undated.
(Yarrell, 1845; Babington, 1884-86).
History Yarrell (1845) 2nd ed. Vol. III. p. 107, says: ‘An extremely small Gallinule, probably of this same kind [Baillon's Crake], was shot at Nacton in Suffolk, many years since, and was in the possession of the late John Vernon, Esq.'
Accepted by Howard Saunders (1882-84) in Yarrell's British Birds, 4th ed. Vol. III. p. 154, under Baillon's Crake.' Babington (1884-86) p. 167, quotes the same story.
4). c. 1864 Cumbria Near Cotehill, shot, undated.
(Macpherson, 1892).
History Macpherson (1892) p. 343, says: 'About the year 1864 William Little shot a very small Crake near Cotehill, which he was not able to preserve, but which certainly represented the present species [Baillon's Crake] of the last named [Little Crake].'
5). 1888 Lincolnshire No locality, seen, October.
(Smith & Cornwallis, 1955).
History
6). 1907 Lincolnshire No locality, seen, October.
(Smith & Cornwallis, 1955).
History
7). 1908 Sussex The Crumbles, seen, May.
(Walpole-Bond, 1938).
History Walpole-Bond (1938) Vol. III. p. 334, says: 'E. C. Arnold during one day in May 1908 flushed a very small Crake from under a bramble-patch on the Crumbles, near Eastbourne.' In his "Private Notes" he recalls "At first it progressed with typical helpless flight...finally disappeared from view when at a considerable attitude.'
8). 1911 Sussex Near Eastbourne, seen, 15th October.
(Walpole-Bond, 1938; Arnold, 1940).
History Walpole-Bond (1938) Vol. III. p. 334, says: 'E. C. Arnold in his "Private Notes" saw a small Crake on 15th October 1911 at the "Mere"on his small holding near Eastbourne. "It fluttered feebly with loose legs...across ten yards of open water before pitching amongst thick reed.".'
9). 1916 Sussex Near Eastbourne, seen, 20th October.
(Walpole-Bond, 1938; Arnold, 1940).
History Walpole-Bond (1938) Vol. III. p. 334, says: 'E. C. Arnold in his "Private Notes" saw a small Crake at the "Mere"on his small holding near Eastbourne, but was unable to identify for certain.'
10). 1920 Sussex Near Eastbourne, seen, 2nd October.
(Walpole-Bond, 1938; Arnold, 1940).
History Walpole-Bond (1938) Vol. III. p. 334, says: 'E. C. Arnold in his "Private Notes" saw a small Crake at the "Mere"on his small holding near Eastbourne during October, 1920. It was first seen on 2nd, where it promptly dived, only showing once more in an opening in the reeds. Some days later a workman at the adjacent brickyard told Arnold that he had watched the bird clamber up a mass of dead sedge at a range of six yards while he lounged in a boat.'
11). 1922 Sussex Near Eastbourne, seen, 9th March.
(Walpole-Bond, 1938; Arnold, 1940).
History Walpole-Bond (1938) Vol. III. p. 334, says: 'E. C. Arnold in his "Private Notes" saw a small Crake at the "Mere"on his small holding near Eastbourne on 9th March 1922.'
12). 1927 Somerset Emborough Pond, seen, 13th December.
(F. L. Blathwayt, Report on Somerset Birds 1928: 16).
History F. L. Blathwayt (1928) in the Report on Somerset Birds, Vol. 15. p. 16, says: 'On Dec. 13th, 1927, a bird was seen at close quarters by C. R. Stonor at Emborough Pond which was unquestionably a Porzana. The description seems to answer best to the Little Crake (P. parva), though the species cannot be determined positively. The colouration is said to have very like a Water Rail and no white markings were observed. In connection with this observation it is worth noting that two small crakes which were definitely either Little or Baillon's Crakes and probably the former were seen by B. W. T. in S. Devon in Jan. 28.'
13). 1930 Lincolnshire No locality, seen, October.
(Smith & Cornwallis, 1955).
History
14). 1931 Sussex Cuckmere, seen, 6th March.
(Walpole-Bond, 1938).
History
1950-57 RECORDS
15). 1953 Norfolk Wensum marsh, Norwich, 15th December.
(M. J. Seago, Norfolk Bird Report 1953: 24).
History
16). 1954 Cheshire & Wirral Barnston, Wirral, 13th March.
().
History
17). Greater London/Surrey Beddington Sewage-farm, 13th November.
(F. H. Jones, London Bird Report 1955; Wheatley, 2007).
History P. Bond (1955) in the Surrey Bird Report, p. 14, says: 'A small Crake, about the size of a Starling, was flushed from an overgrown dyke at Beddington S.F. on November 13th. It had warm brown upper parts, steaked darker, short beak, very dark slate-blue under parts and, most striking of all, avery bright, almost cobalt blue face. In spite of getting within 10 ft. of the bird, it was impossible to obtain a good view as it dashed back and forth across the dyke with surprising rapidity. No barring was seen on the flanks, but this could have been overlooked (B.S.M., B.P.A.).'
