Little Swift

Apus affinis (Gray, JE, 1830) (0, 29)

Photo © Hari K Patibanda, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

STATUS

Africa, southwest Asia and India. Polytypic.

OVERVIEW

Four individuals have appeared in Scotland and two in Wales, the rest in England. The earliest arrival is 28th April on the Isles of Scilly but ten have arrived in May, a further seven during June. July and August have each had singles while November has recorded four individuals. One late individual occurred on the last day of the year in Lothian 2015.

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BBRC RECORDS

1). 1981 Cornwall Skewjack, 16th May, photo.

(British Birds 74: plates 189 & 190; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 75: 512; Birds in Cornwall 1981: photo; H. P. K. Robinson, British Birds 77: 261-262; BOU, Ibis 147: 246-250).

2). 1981 Pembrokeshire Skokholm, 31st May to 1st June.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 75: 512; G. Gynn & E. Gynn, British Birds 76: 578-579).

3). 1983 Dorset Shell Bay, Studland, 26th November.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 77: 540; D. Bryer-Ash, British Birds 79: 506).

4). 1984 Lancashire & North Merseyside Seaforth, 22nd May.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 82: 535).

5). 1985 Fife St Andrews, 29th May.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 80: 548).

6). 1985 Devon Slapton Ley area, 15th to 16th August.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 79: 559).

7). 1988 Yorkshire Flamborough Head, 18th, 22nd July.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 82: 535).

8). 1991 Fair Isle North Light/Easter Lother area, 1st November.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 85: 533; H. R. Harrop, Scottish Birds 16: 276-277).

9). 1997 Isle of Wight Bembridge and Foreland, juvenile, 5th May, photo; same, Brading Marsh area, 6th May.

(K. Turner, Birding World 10 (5): 182-183, photos; Birding World 10 (12): 474, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 91: 497; J. M. Cheverton & M. S. D. Hunnybun, Isle of Wight Bird Report 1997: photos; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 102: 568).

10). 1997 Shetland Houbie, Fetlar, 29th May.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 91: 497).

11). 1997 Dorset Hengistbury Head, 5th June.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 91: 497).

12). 1998 Cleveland/Yorkshire Boulby Cliffs, 10th May.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 92: 586; M. A. Blick, Cleveland Bird Report 1998: 69-70).

13). 1998 Cornwall Porthgwarra, 10th May.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 92: 586).

14). 1998 Lincolnshire Barton-upon-Humber, 26th June.

(Birding World 11 (6): 208, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 92: 276, 586).

15). 2000 Hampshire Beaulieu Road, New Forest, 4th June.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 94: 482; J. Clark, Hampshire Bird Report 2000: 160-161).

16). 2001 Nottinghamshire Netherfield Lagoon, juvenile, 26th to 29th May, photo.

(Birding World 14 (5): 182, 183, photos; Birding World 14 (12): 501, photo; Birding World 15 (3): 127, plate 6; British Birds 94: plate 176; Birding World 14 (6): 226, photos; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 95: 503, plate 300; Birds of Nottinghamshire Report 2001: plate 7; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 102: 568).

17). 2002 Isles of Scilly Peninnis, Old Town and Buzza Area, St Mary's, 17th May, photo.

(Birding World 15 (5): 184, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 96: 583; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 93).

18). 2002 Lincolnshire Gibraltar Point NNR, 25th June.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 97: 589).

19). 2003 Isles of Scilly Hugh Town and Trenoweth, St Mary's, 28th April, photo.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 97: 589, plate 346; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 93).

20). 2004 Cornwall Porthcothan, 2nd June.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 98: 665).

21). 2004 Gwent Skirris Fawr, 6th June.

(P. A. Fraser, M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 100: 60).

22). 2005 Norfolk Cromer, 12th to 13th November, photo.

(Birding World 18 (11): 448, photos; P. A. Fraser, M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 100: 60; Norfolk Bird & Mammal Report 2005: photos).

23). 2008 Yorkshire Spurn, 26th June; presumed same, Old Moor, Wath, 2nd July, photo.

(Birding World 21 (7): 273, photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 102: 568).

24). 2012 Cheshire & Wirral/Lancashire & North Merseyside New Brighton, Wirral, juvenile, 22nd to 29th June, photo.

(Birding World 25 (6): 222, 232, photos; British Birds 105: plate 270; Birding World 25 (12): 520, photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 106: 604, plate 350; S. J. White, Lancashire Bird Report 2012: 82).

25). 2015 Lothian Thorntonloch, Dunbar, 1CY+, 31st December.

(W. Edmond & M. Gladstone, Scottish Birds 36: 183-184; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 109: 600).

26). 2018 Cleveland/Co. Durham Hartlepool Headland, 1CY, 11th to 12th November, photo.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 112: 591, plates 29 & 330).

27). 2020 Yorkshire Potteric Carr, 2CY+, 24th May.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 577).

28). 2021 Isles of Scilly Porth Hellick, St Mary's, 2CY+, 2nd June.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 115: 562).

P). 2022 Greater London Catford, 26th to 27th May.

(birding information services).

29). 2022 Somerset Brean Down, 1CY+, 30th October.

(L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 116: 559).

P). 2023 Sussex Eastbourne, 2nd January.

(birding information services).