Bulwer's Petrel
Bulweria bulwerii (Jardine & Selby, 1828)
Photo © By © Jérémie Silvestro / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=59572075
STATUS
Tropical and Temperate Oceans. Monotypic.
OVERVIEW
In a review of all seabirds by W. R. P. Bourne (Ibis 109: 141-167) the BOU (1971) under 'Introduction' p. xiv, adopted his recommendations and this record was admitted.
However, in another review by Tim Melling (British Birds 98: 230-237) the first two records were found not proven because of their involvement in the "Tadcaster Rarities" fraud, centred around David Graham.
NOT PROVEN
0). 1837 Yorkshire River Ure, near West Tanfield, found dead, 8th May, now at Yorkshire Museum, York.
(Gould, 1837; Yarrell, 1845; Yarrell, 1871-85; Harting, 1872; Cordeaux, 1872; Clarke & Roebuck, 1881; Anon., Proceedings of the Zoological Society 1887: 562-563; W. D. Roebuck & W. E. Clarke, Naturalist 14: 156; Eds., Zoologist 1888: 230-231; Nelson, 1907; Witherby, 1920-24; Witherby et al., 1940-52; W. R. P. Bourne, Ibis 109: 156; Mather, 1986; Denton, 1995; Palmer, 2000).
[T. Melling, British Birds 98: 230-237; A. H. J. Harrop, British Birds 101: 676-681].
History Yarrell (1845 (3): 637-638, 2nd ed.) says: 'For its title to a place among our British Birds I refer to Mr. Gould, who in his Birds of Europe, gives a figure from a specimen obtained in this country, with the following observations: "On the authority of Colonel Dalton, of Slenningford, near Ripon, we are enabled to add this rare species to the Fauna of Britain, from a fine specimen which was found on the banks of the Ure, near Tanfield, Yorkshire (several authors erroneously quote the site as being in Durham) on 8th May 1837; and which could not have been long dead, as it admitted of being mounted as a good cabinet specimen. It is now in the possession of Colonel Dalton".'
Accepted locally (Cordeaux 1872: 212) and (Clarke & Roebuck 1881: 86).
Howard Saunders (1884-85 (4): 35, 4th ed.) in Yarrell's British Birds, after reporting the same as the earlier editions of Yarrell, says: 'In the Birds of Great Britain, however, Mr. Gould does not figure it, and in the Introduction he merely says: "This bird, which inhabits Madeira, sometimes visits our seas, and by Yarrell and others has been included in our avifauna". The figure of the bird here given is taken from Mr. Gould's plate, and represents, therefore, the only authenticated British example of this species at present.'
Anon. (1887) in the Proceedings of the Zoological Society, pp. 562-563, at a meeting held on 15th November 1887, says 'Prof. Newton, V.P. (on behalf of Mr. William Eagle Clarke), exhibited a stuffed specimen of Bulwer's Petrel (Bulweria columbina), remarking: "Some doubt having, it seems, been expressed as to the occurrence of Bulwer's Petrel in this country, which was announced by Gould in the concluding part of his Birds of Europe, published on the 1st of August, 1837, Mr. William Eagle Clarke, Curator of the Museum of the Philosophical and Literary Society at Leeds, determined to investigate the facts; and as his search for the specimen in question has been successful, I have great pleasure in exhibiting it to you, on his behalf, to-night. I have the greater pleasure in doing this as, but for his perseverance and that of a local naturalist, Mr. James Carter, of Burton House, Masham, the specimen would probably have been for ever lost sight of, whereas we may now hope that it will find a permanently safe abode.
Gould's statement was that the specimen having been found dead on the banks of the Ure, near Tanfield in Yorkshire, on the 8th of May, 1837, was brought to Captain Dalton, of Slenningford near Ripon, a gentleman, as I learn, who had succeeded to a collection of stuffed birds begun by his father. The father was Colonel Dalton, who, curiously enough, had sent Bewick the specimen of the Common Stormy Petrel (also found dead in that neighbourhood) from which the figure and description in his well known work was taken (British Birds, ed. I. II. pp. 249-251).
At the end of last May, Mr. W. E. Clarke applied to Mr. Carter, and the first result of the latter's inquiry was to find that the Dalton collection had been dispersed by sale just a week before. Fortunately all the cases of stuffed birds had been bought by persons living in Ripon; and, having obtained their names from the auctioneer, Mr. Carter, after many failures and some loss of time, discovered in the possession of Mr. Jacobs, the Head-master of the Choir-School in that city, the case and the specimen before you, labelled 'Procellaria bulwerii', which he had bought with others at the Dalton sale. Beyond this fact, however, there was no note or anything to identify the specimen with the object of the search, Mr. Carter thereupon undertook to inquire of the surviving members and connections of the Dalton family, and, fortunately again, one of the latter, being Mr. George Clarke of Tanfield House, Bedale, a son-in-law of Captain Dalton, was found, who not only remembered the specimen perfectly well, having seen it 'scores of times,' but produced an old manuscript note he had made on the margin of a 'Bewick' (in which he had been accustomed to record ornithological observations), to the effect that this bird was 'found dead on the Bridge at Tanfield', and had been given to his father-in-law, who had it 'preserved by the late John Stubbs of Ripon, fishing-tackle maker and bird-stuffer'. Mr. George Clarke also remembered the owner having several times refused the offer of twenty guineas for the specimen, and after his death had looked in vain for the specimen, which, it appears, had been put away in a lumber-room and wholly forgotten.
I think, therefore, that no doubt can be entertained of our having before us the remains of the very bird which was found dead at Tanfield, as recorded by Gould, and that we are much indebted to the gentlemen concerned in hunting out this specimen, which had so long disappeared".'
W. D. Roebuck & W. E. Clarke, Editors (1888) in The Naturalist, Vol. XIV. p. 156, say: 'At the Zoological Society on November 15th last, Prof. Newton exhibited the unique British specimen of Bulwer's Petrel (Bulweria columbina), remarking that some doubt having been expressed as to the occurrence of Bulwer's Petrel in this country, announced by Gould in his Birds of Europe (1st of August, 1837), Mr. W. Eagle Clarke determined to investigate the facts; and his search for the specimen in question has been successful. Had it not been for his perseverance and that of Mr. James Carter, of Masham, the specimen would probably have been for ever lost sight of. Gould's statement was that the specimen having been found dead on the banks of the Ure, near Tanfield in Yorkshire, on the 8th of May, 1837, was brought to Capt. Dalton, of Slenningford near Ripon, a gentleman who had succeeded to a collection of stuffed birds begun by his father, Colonel Dalton, who, curiously enough, sent Bewick the specimen of the Stormy Petrel (also found dead in that neighbourhood) figured and described in his British Birds (ed. I. II. pp. 249-251).
At the end of last May, Mr. W. E. Clarke applied to Mr. Carter, who found that the Dalton collection had been dispersed by sale just a week before. Fortunately all the cases of stuffed birds had been bought by one persons living in Ripon; and having obtained their names from the auctioneer, Mr. Carter, after many failures and some loss of time, discovered in the possession of Mr. Jacobs, Head-master of the Choir-school in that city, the case and specimen labelled "Procellaria bulwerii", which he had bought with others at the Dalton sale. Beyond this fact, however, there was no note or anything to identify the specimen with the object of the search. Mr. Carter thereupon undertook to inquire of the surviving members and connections of the Dalton family, and fortunately, one of the latter, Mr. George Clarke, Tanfield House, Bedale, a son-in-law of Captain Dalton, was found, who not only remembered the specimen perfectly well, having seen it "scores of times", but produced an old manuscript note he had made on the margin of a 'Bewick' (in which he had been accustomed to record ornithological observations), to the effect that this bird was "found dead on the Bridge at Tanfield", and had been given to his father-in-law, who had it "preserved by the late John Stubbs of Ripon, fishing tackle maker and bird-stuffer". Mr. George Clarke also remembered the owner having several times refused the offer of twenty guineas for the specimen, and after his death had looked in vain for the specimen, which, it appears, had been put away in a lumber-room and wholly forgotten.
There can, then, be no doubt that this is the very bird found dead at Tanfield. It is now the property of Mr. W. E. Clarke, whose intention it is that it shall be deposited in a Yorkshire Museum.'
In an Editorial (1888) in The Zoologist, 3rd series, Vol. XII. pp. 230-231, it says: 'The following remarks by Prof. Newton, recently published in the Proceedings of the Zoological Society, and relating to a specimen of this bird found in Yorkshire, will be read with interest by every ornithologist. On exhibiting the specimen in question, on Nov. 15, 1887, Prof. Newton said: - "Some doubt having, it seems, been expressed as to the occurrence of Bulwer's Petrel in this country, which was announced by Gould in the concluding part of his Birds of Europe, published on the 1st of August, 1837, Mr. William Eagle Clarke, Curator of the Museum of the Philosophical and Literary Society at Leeds, determined to investigate the facts; and as his search for the specimen in question has been successful, I have great pleasure in exhibiting it, on his behalf. I have the greater pleasure in doing this as, but for his perseverance and that of a local naturalist, Mr. James Carter, of Burton House, Masham, the specimen would probably have been for ever lost sight of, whereas we may now hope that it will find a permanently safe abode. Gould's statement was that the specimen having been found dead on the banks of the Ure, near Tanfield, in Yorkshire, on the 8th of May, 1837, was brought to Capt. Dalton, of Slenningford, near Ripon, a gentleman, as I learn, who had succeeded to a collection of stuffed birds begun by his father. The father was Colonel Dalton, who, curiously enough, had sent Bewick the specimen of the common Stormy Petrel (also found dead in the neighbourhood) from which the figure and description in his well-known work was taken (British Birds, ed. I. II. pp. 249-251). At the end of last May, Mr. W. E. Clarke applied to Mr. Carter, and the first result of the latter's inquiry was to find that the Dalton collection had been dispersed by sale just a week before. Fortunately all the cases of stuffed birds had been bought by persons living in Ripon; and, having obtained their names from the auctioneer, Mr. Carter, after many failures and some loss of time, discovered in the possession of Mr. Jacobs, Head-master of the Choir-School in that city, the case and the specimen in question, labelled 'Procellaria bulwerii', which he had bought with others at the Dalton sale. Beyond this fact, however, there was no note or anything to identify the specimen with the object of the search. Mr. Carter thereupon undertook to inquire of the surviving members and connexions of the Dalton family, and, fortunately again, one of the latter, being Mr. George Clarke, of Tanfield House, Bedale, a son-in-law of Captain Dalton, was found, who not only remembered the specimen perfectly well, having seen it 'scores of times', but produced an old manuscript note he had made on the margin of 'Bewick' (in which he had been accustomed to record ornithological observations), to the effect that this bird was "found dead on the bridge at Tanfield", and had been given to his father-in-law, who had it "preserved by the late John Stubbs, of Ripon, fishing-tackle maker and bird-stuffer". Mr. George Clarke also remembered the owner having several times refused the offer of twenty guineas for the specimen, and after his death had looked in vain for the specimen, which, it appears, had been put away in a lumber-room and wholly forgotten. I think, therefore, that no doubt can be entertained of our having before us the remains of the very bird which was found dead at Tanfield, as recorded by Gould, and that we are much indebted to the gentlemen concerned in hunting out this specimen, which had so long disappeared".
[We understand that the specimen which has been thus rescued from oblivion is now in the possession of Mr. W. Eagle Clarke, and that he intends to deposit it in the Yorkshire Museum. Ed.]
Admitted nationally (Saunders (1899, 2nd ed.; Witherby, Jourdain, Ticehurst & Tucker 1940-52) and accepted locally detailing the whole saga (Nelson 1907 (2): 762-764).
Denton (1995) in his Birds in the Yorkshire Museum adds that "a single case contains two birds mounted of this species, this one and the 1908 Yorkshire record".
Palmer (2000) adds: 'The skin is presumed to be one of two specimens now held at York Museum; the second was washed up dead at Scalby Mills, Scarborough, North Yorkshire in 1908.'
0). 1849 Yorkshire Scarborough, obtained, spring.
(E. T. Higgins, Zoologist 1849: 2569; Meyer, 1850; Cordeaux, 1872; Harting, 1872; Clarke & Roebuck, 1881).
[Clarke & Roebuck, 1881; Yarrell, 1871-85; Ibis 109: 157; T. Melling, British Birds 98: 230-237; A. H. J. Harrop, British Birds 101: 676-681].
History E. T. Higgins of Penrith (1849) in The Zoologist, 1st series, Vol. VII. p. 2569, dated 25th July, 1849, says: 'By a letter received from Mr. Graham, the talented bird-stuffer of York, I hear that a specimen of that exceedingly rare bird, Bulwer's Petrel, was obtained at Scarborough during the spring.'
Meyer (1850 (7): 197) says: 'Bulwer's Petrel is one of the rarest of British Birds; it has been figured by one or two Ornithologists, but we should hardly have done so in our present work if we had not been informed, very lately, that a second specimen had been taken at York by fishermen during the past winter, and that a third was killed off a collier at Scarborough. Our drawing is made from a specimen in the possession of Mr. Gardner, a bird-stuffer in London, and the dimensions were also obtained from the same specimen.'
Accepted locally (Cordeaux 1872: 212) and by Clarke & Roebuck (1881: 86) who say: 'This record is eminently unsatisfactory, from the absence of details necessary to substantiate the occurrence of so rare a bird.'
Howard Saunders (1884-85 (4): 35, 4th ed.) in Yarrell's British Birds, in a footnote, says: 'There is a report of a second occurrence which can hardly be considered satisfactory.'
Not admitted nationally (Witherby, Jourdain, Ticehurst & Tucker 1940-52).
0). 1880 Suffolk Near Ipswich, obtained, undated.
(J. E. Taylor, Hardwicke's Science Gossip 1880: 18).
[Eds., Hardwicke's Science Gossip 1880: 65; BOU, 1971].
History J. E. Taylor (1880) in Hardwicke's Science Gossip, Vol. XVI. p. 18, says: 'A specimen of this very rare bird was recently discovered about two miles from Ipswich, where it was intended to do duty as a "crow" in the used-up attempt to "scarecrow" other birds. The specimen has been secured for the Ipswich Museum.'
In an Editorial (1880) in Hardwicke's Science Gossip, Vol. XVI. p. 65, it says: 'There was a mistake in the identification of the specimen thought to be this very rare bird, to which reference was made in our January number. It turns out to be the black variety of the Pomatorhine Skua.'
Comment Misidentified. Not acceptable.
0). 1888 Isle of Wight Freshwater Bay, obtained, autumn.
(H. Hadfield, Zoologist 1889: 28).
[J. H. Gurney, jun., Zoologist 1889: 150-151; Not in BOU, 1971].
History Henry Hadfield of Ventnor (1889) in The Zoologist, 3rd series, Vol. XIII. p. 28, says: 'I am informed by Mr. Henry Rogers, of Freshwater, that the following species have been procured there last autumn: - Bulwer's Petrel.'
J. H. Gurney, jun., of Keswick Hall, Norwich (1889) in The Zoologist, 3rd series, Vol. XIII. pp. 150-151, says: 'I learn that the supposed Bulwer's Petrel alluded to by Mr. Rogers (p. 28) has the lower part of the back white, and pale yellow oval patches on the webs of the feet. Hence it is to be inferred that it is not a Bulwer's, but a Wilson's Petrel, Oceanites oceanica. It was found dead on the shore of Freshwater Bay, Isle of Wight, last autumn, after a severe storm, and is now in the collection of Dr. Hollis, of Freshwater. This is the second Wilson's Petrel which has been picked up at or near Freshwater (cf. Yarrell, British Birds, IV. p. 50), or at any rate, which is said to have been found there.'
Comment Misidentified. Not acceptable.
0). 1897 Isles of Scilly No locality, 2nd October, now at Oldham Museum.
(Journal of Biological Curation 1: 53-70).
[BOURC (1992), Ibis 134: 213; A. H. J. Harrop, British Birds 101: 676-681].
History One in Oldham Museum, obtained near Scilly on 2nd October 1897 (J. Biol. Curation, I: 53-70). Identification is not questioned but there are elements of doubt concerning the claimed circumstances of collection and the provenance of the specimen. The record is not considered to be acceptable (BOURC (1992) Ibis 134: 213).
Comment Lacks adequate details. Not acceptable.
0). 1903 Sussex Near Beachy Head, picked up dead, 3rd February, now at Booth Museum, Brighton (BoMNH 204820).
(R. B. Sharpe, Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 13: 51; N. F. Ticehurst, Zoologist 1903: 420; H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 2: 373; Walpole-Bond, 1938; des Forges & Harber, 1963; James, 1996).
[W. R. P. Bourne, Ibis 109: 141-167; James, 1996].
History R. Bowdler Sharpe, Editor (1903) in the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club, Vol. XIII. p. 51, at the 94th Meeting of the Club held on 18th February 1903 at the Restaurant Frascati, London, says: 'On behalf of Mr. N. F. Ticehurst, Mr. Bonhote recorded the occurrence of Bulwer's Petrel (Bulweria bulweri) in Sussex, a specimen having been picked up dead near Beachy Head on the 3rd of February, 1903, and brought to Mr. Ticehurst in the flesh. This was the second instance of the occurrence in this Petrel in Great Britain, the first specimen having been obtained in Yorkshire in 1837. The present occurrence took place after a succession of strong S.W. gales.'
N. F. Ticehurst (1903) in The Zoologist, 4th series, Vol. VII. p. 420, says: 'February 3rd, 1903. A male Bulwer's Petrel (Bulweria bulweri) picked up dead on the beach near Beachy Head after a succession of strong S.W. gales. It was seen by me in the flesh, and had evidently been dead several days. It was exhibited on my behalf at the British Ornithologists' Club (vide Bull. B.O.C., XCV.). This is only the second time that this Petrel has occurred in the British Isles.'
Admitted by H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst (1909) in British Birds, Vol. II. p. 373, under 'On the More Important Additions to our Knowledge of British Birds since 1899'.
W. R. P. Bourne (1967) in The Ibis, Vol. CIX. pp. 141-167, says: 'This was reported to have been picked up under Beachy Head by some unnamed person on 3rd February 1903, "shown in the flesh" to N. F. Ticehurst (1903), and sold to the uncritical collector Vauncey Crewe (Walpole Bond 1938). Due to just occurring outside the area selected as characteristic for "Hastings Records" it was still classed as acceptable.'
Locally, Walpole-Bond (1938 (3): 73) adds: 'On the death of Sir V. H. Crewe, the Dyke Road Museum, Brighton, acquired the specimen.'
Admitted nationally (Witherby, Jourdain, Ticehurst & Tucker 1940-52) and accepted locally (des Forges & Harber 1963).
Comment In a review of all seabirds by W. R. P. Bourne (Ibis 109: 141-167) the BOU (1971) under 'Introduction' p. xiv, adopted his recommendations and this record was admitted. Not admitted nationally (BOU 1971). Not acceptable.
0). 1904 Sussex Near St Leonards-on-Sea, female, found dead, 4th February.
(R. B. Sharpe, Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 14: 49-50; H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 2: 373; Walpole-Bond, 1938).
[E. M. Nicholson & I. J. Ferguson-Lees, British Birds 55: 299-384 HR].
History R. Bowdler Sharpe, Editor (1904) in the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club, Vol. XIV. pp. 49-50, at the 103rd Meeting of the Club held on 17th February 1904 at the Restaurant Frascati, London, says: 'Mr. W. Ruskin Butterfield exhibited a female specimen of Bulweria bulweri, which had been found dead on the shore a little to the west of St. Leonards-on-Sea, on the 4th of February, 1904. The specimen was closely examined by Mr. Butterfield soon after it was picked up, and while it was still sodden with sea-water. He was able to match it with skins from Madeira. It was not a little singular that a second Sussex example of Bulwer's Petrel should occur almost on the same day of the year as the first (cf. Bull. B.O.C., Vol. XIII. p. 51, 1903), and also after prolonged south-westerly gales. The present specimen was the third known to have occurred in Britain. During the recent gales large numbers of sea-birds had succumbed, and most of those found dead on the beach were in very poor condition.'
Admitted by H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst (1909) in British Birds, Vol. II. p. 373, under 'On the More Important Additions to our Knowledge of British Birds since 1899' and accepted locally (Walpole-Bond 1938 (3): 73).
Comment Hastings rarity. Not acceptable.
0). 1908 Yorkshire Near Scalby Mills, Scarborough, found dead, 28th February, now at Yorkshire Museum, York.
(W. E. Collinge, Naturalist 48: 128; Eds., British Birds 16: 28; Witherby, 1920-24; Witherby et al., 1940-52; W. R. P. Bourne, Ibis 109: 156; Mather, 1986; Denton, 1995).
[BOURC (2005), Ibis 147: 249; A. H. J. Harrop, British Birds 101: 676-681].
History Walter E. Collinge (1922) in the new series of The Naturalist, Vol. XLVIII. p. 128, says: 'A Bulwer's Petrel was washed ashore at Scalby Mills, on February 28th, 1908. It was found by Mr. A. W. Linfoot, who, in spite of its somewhat bad condition, managed to preserve and set up the bird, and he has recently very kindly presented it to the Yorkshire Museum. We have a further specimen obtained at Tanfield in 1837.'
In an Editorial (1922) in British Birds, Vol. XVI. p. 28, they say: 'Dr. W. E. Collinge records (Nat., 1922, p. 128) that an example of Bulweria bulwerii washed ashore at Scalby Mills, near Scarborough, was found on February 28th, 1908, by Mr. A. W. Linfoot, who preserved the bird and has recently presented it to the York Museum.'
Admitted nationally (Witherby, Jourdain, Ticehurst & Tucker 1940-52).
Denton (1995) in his Birds in the Yorkshire Museum, adds: '...a single case contains two birds mounted of this species, this one and the 1837 Yorkshire record.'
Comment Published fourteen years after the event. In a review of all seabirds for the BOU by W. R. P. Bourne (Ibis 109: 141-167), the BOU (1971) in their introduction p. xiv, adopted his recommendations and this record was admitted. The BOURC (2005) have now rejected this record (Ibis 147: 249).
0). 1908 Sussex Cliff End, Pett, found alive, 4th September.
(W. R. Ogilvie-Grant, Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 23: 32; H. F. Witherby, British Birds 2: 282-283, photo; H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst, British Birds 2: 373; Walpole-Bond, 1938).
[E. M. Nicholson & I. J. Ferguson-Lees, British Birds 55: 299-384 HR].
History W. R. Ogilvie-Grant, Editor (1908) in the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club, Vol. XXIII. p. 32, at the 145th Meeting of the Club held on 18th November 1908 at Pagani's Restaurant, London, says: 'On behalf of Mr. C. J. Carroll, Mr. Ogilvie-Grant exhibited a male specimen of Bulwer's Petrel (Bulweria bulweri) which had been picked up after strong south-westerly gales at Cliff End, Pett Level, near Hastings, on September the 4th, 1908. When found, the bird was still alive, and it had been examined in the flesh by Mr. Ruskin Butterfield. This is the fourth occasion on which this Petrel has been recorded from the British Islands: one being noted in Saunders' Manual; a second having been picked up dead at Beachy Head, Sussex, on the 3rd of February, 1903; while a third was found at St. Leonards on the 4th of February, 1904.'
H. F. Witherby (1909) in British Birds, Vol. II. pp. 282-283, says: 'A male example of Bulwer's Petrel (Bulweria bulweri) was picked up much exhausted, but still alive, at Cliff End, near Winchelsea, Sussex, on September 4th, 1908, after strong south-westerly gales. The bird was taken to Mr. Bristow, of St. Leonards, for preservation, and was there seen in the flesh by Mr. W. R. Butterfield. It was eventually purchased by Mr. C. J. Carroll, by whose courtesy we have been allowed to photograph the stuffed bird. It was exhibited on Mr. Carroll's behalf by Mr. W. R. Ogilvie-Grant at the meeting of the British Ornithologists' Club held on November 18th, 1908. There have only been three previous occurrences of Bulwer's Petrel in the British Isles, and of these two have also been in Sussex. A Yorkshire example is quoted in Howard Saunders' Manual (2nd ed., p. 749), and on February 3rd, 1903, one was found dead at Beachy Head, while on February 4th, 1904, another was picked up dead at St. Leonards (Bull, B.O.C., XIII. p. 51, and XIV., p. 49). This Petrel breeds on the islands of the Madeira and Canary groups, and is also found in the middle of the Pacific in the Hawaiian group, as well as in the Bonin and Volcano Islands far to the south-east of Japan.'
Admitted by H. F. Witherby & N. F. Ticehurst (1909) in British Birds, Vol. II. p. 373, under 'On the More Important Additions to our Knowledge of British Birds since 1899' and accepted locally (Walpole-Bond 1938 (3): 73).
Comment Hastings rarity. Not acceptable.
0). 1911 Sussex Pevensey, male, found dead, 24th October.
(H. W. Ford-Lindsay, British Birds 5: 198; W. R. Ogilvie-Grant, Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 32: 289; E. N. Bloomfield, Hastings & East Sussex Naturalist 2: 3; Walpole-Bond, 1938).
[E. M. Nicholson & I. J. Ferguson-Lees, British Birds 55: 299-384 HR].
History H. W. Ford-Lindsay (1911) in British Birds, Vol. V. p. 198, says: 'On October 24th, 1911, during a strong gale from the southwest, a specimen of Bulwer's Petrel (Bulweria bulweri) was picked up on the shore at Pevensey, Sussex. Upon dissection it proved to be a male. This is the fifth British example, and with one exception, all have been obtained in Sussex.'
W. R. Ogilvie-Grant, Editor (1913) in the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club, Vol. XXXII. p. 289, on the unexpected occurrences for 1911, says: 'One found dead, Pevensey (Sussex), October 24th.'
Accepted locally (Walpole-Bond 1938 (3): 73).
Comment Hastings rarity. Not acceptable.
0). 1914 Sussex Jury's Gap, male, shot, 16th March, now at Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery (Acc. No. 1962Z1.393).
(J. B. Nichols, British Birds 8: 13; Walpole-Bond, 1938; Watson, 2010).
[E. M. Nicholson & I. J. Ferguson-Lees, British Birds 55: 299-384 HR].
History J. B. Nichols (1914) in British Birds, Vol. VIII. p. 13, says: 'I should like to put on record the following occurrences of rare vagrants in Kent and Sussex: - Bulwer's Petrel (Bulweria bulwerii). - A male was shot while fluttering about a pool on the beach at Jury's Gap, Lydd, Kent, on March 16th, 1914. It was subsequently examined in the flesh by Mr. H. W. Ford-Lindsay. This is the sixth recorded British specimen.'
Accepted locally (Walpole-Bond 1938 (3): 73).
Watson (2010) in detailing the J. L. Auden collection in the Birmingham Museum lists a male specimen obtained at Jury's Gap, Kent, on 16th March 1914, without further detail.
Comment Locality is in Sussex (Sussex BR 1953: 5). Hastings rarity. Not acceptable.
0). 1929 Lancashire & North Merseyside Lune Estuary, Lancaster, seen, 12th December.
(H. W. Robinson, Lancashire and Cheshire Fauna Committee Report 1930: 9).
[BOU, 1971].
History H. W. Robinson (1930) in the Lancashire and Cheshire Fauna Committee 16th Report, p. 9, says: 'On December 12th, 1929, Mr. G. G. Parkinson and a friend watched a bird during a gale on the Lune, near Lancaster, which they could not identify, but from their excellent description I had no hesitation in saying it must have been an example of Bulwer's Petrel, Bulweria bulweri. Although they did not mention the fact in the first letter, they had already come to that conclusion after consulting books. This, too, is new to our area.'
0). 1949 Shetland Off Sumburgh, Mainland, 7th September.
(K. Williamson, Fair Isle Bird Observatory Bulletin 1 (6): 29).
[BOU, 1971].
History K. Williamson (1951) in the Fair Isle Bird Observatory Bulletin, Vol. I (VI). p. 29, says: 'When crossing Sumburgh Roost on a visit to Fair Isle on September 7th 1949, W. B. Alexander had a brief view of a Leach's Petrel, and, in the same instant, another petrel larger than Leach's but too small and too black to be a Sooty Shearwater. Miss W. Flower, who also saw the birds, had much the same impression. Unfortunately, the notorious roll of The Good Shepherd precluded an extended observation.
These incidents, tantalisingly brief and indecisive as they are, are more suggestive of Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii than of any other likely species....In his own case he [W. B. Alexander] considers the view which circumstances afforded him was insufficiently critical to permit definite identification (in litt.). The more recent observation does not materially alter the situation, and we must hope for some better opportunity of adding the name of Bulwer's Petrel to the Scottish list.'
0). 1952 Fair Isle Head of Tien, 18th January.
(K. Williamson, Fair Isle Bird Observatory Bulletin 1 (6): 29; P. E. Davis, Fair Isle Bird Observatory Bulletin 5 (1): 6).
[P. E. Davis, Fair Isle Bird Observatory Bulletin 5: 6; Not in BOU, 1971].
History K. Williamson (1951) in the Fair Isle Bird Observatory Bulletin, Vol. I (VI). p. 29, says: 'James A. Stout recently sent the following report: - "Jan. 18th: strong squally N. wind, sleet showers, visibility fairly good...saw a black bird nearly twice as big as a Storm Petrel fly close past me to SSE. at Head of Tien today. It had a petrel's bill, but that was about all I could be sure of as it was going very fast, - a bird I've never seen before, whatever it was"! He is familiar with the small Storm and Leach's Petrels, and also with the Sooty Shearwater, as a result of sailing regularly aboard The Good Shepherd.
These incidents, tantalisingly brief and indecisive as they are, are more suggestive of Bulwer's Petrel Bulweria bulwerii than of any other likely species....The more recent observation does not materially alter the situation, and we must hope for some better opportunity of adding the name of Bulwer's Petrel to the Scottish list.'
