Swainson’s Thrush
Catharus ustulatus (Nuttall, 1840) (0, 51)
Photo © Félix Uribe, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia
STATUS
North America. Polytypic.
OVERVIEW
Isles of Scilly and Shetland have both recorded 14 individuals to date, with a further five in the south-west of England. Two in Wales, seven in the Outer Hebrides, four in Orkney and two on Fair Isle with single outliers in Kent and Argyll make up the rest.
BBRC RECORDS
1). 1967 Pembrokeshire Skokholm, trapped, 14th to 19th October.
(F. R. Smith and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 61: 349; C. Bradshaw, British Birds 96: 404; BOURC (2003), Ibis 145: 178-183).
2). 1976 Kent Sandwich Bay, trapped, 27th October, photo.
(J. O'Sullivan and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 70: 430; J. H. Van Der Dol, British Birds 70: 550-552; Kent Bird Report 1976: photos).
3). 1979 Isles of Scilly Golf Course, St Mary's, at least one first-winter, 20th to 22nd October; presumed same, Garrison, St Mary's, 23rd to 28th October, photo.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 73: 521, plates 268 & 269; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 114).
4). 1979 Cornwall Cot Valley, St Just, 21st October.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 73: 521; D. J. Barker, Birds in Cornwall 1979: 62).
5). 1979 Isles of Scilly Old Grimsby, Tresco, 23rd to 25th October; presumed same, Borough Farm, Tresco, 26th to 28th October.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 73: 521; D. B. Hunt & H. P. K. Robinson, Isles of Scilly Bird Report 1979: 51-52).
6). 1980 Shetland Scatness, Mainland, 25th to 29th October.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 74: 484; Birding Scotland 8 (3): plate 113).
7). 1983 Isles of Scilly Lunnon, St Mary's, 17th to 19th October, photo.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 77: 550, plate 221; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 78: 573; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 114).
8). 1984 Isles of Scilly Parsonage, St Agnes, 30th September to 11th October, photo.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 78: 573, plates 27, 279).
9). 1987 Cornwall Cot Valley, St Just, 11th to 18th October.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 82: 542).
10). 1987 Isles of Scilly Longstone, St Mary's, 12th to 13th October, photo.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 81: 579; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 114).
11). 1987 Devon Lundy, 15th to 31st October, trapped 15th October.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 81: 579).
12). 1990 Fair Isle Hjukni Geo, 30th September to 6th October, photo.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 84: 485, plate 267; P. V. Harvey & V. Thom, Fair Isle Bird Observatory Report 1990: 21, 37; Forrester & Andrews et al., 2007: photo).
13). 1990 Isles of Scilly Trenoweth, St Mary's, 10th to 24th October, photo.
(Birding World 3 (10): 337, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 84: 485, plate 264; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 114).
14). 1990 Isles of Scilly Trenoweth, St Mary's, 13th to 17th and 23rd October.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 84: 485).
15). 1991 Isles of Scilly Sunnyside, St Mary's, 7th to 8th October, photo.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 85: 538).
16). 1993 Orkney Graemeshall, Holm, Mainland, trapped, 21st October, photo.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 87: 552).
17). 1995 Devon Lundy, trapped, 9th October, photo.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 89: 516; Devon Bird Report 1995: photo).
18). 1996 Outer Hebrides Near Lochskipport, South Uist, 6th October.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 90: 497).
20). 2000 Shetland Brae, Mainland, first-winter, 12th to 13th October.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 94: 488; I. Gordon, Shetland Bird Report 2000: 96).
19). 2000 Isles of Scilly Porth Hellick House, Bar Farm and Content, St Mary's, first-winter, 12th to 19th October, photo.
(Birding World 13 (10): 390, photo; Birding World 13 (12): 489, photo; Birding World 14 (2): 73, photo; British Birds 93: plate 365; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 94: 488, plate 341; Isles of Scilly Bird and Natural History Review 2000: plate 9; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 115).
21). 2003 Shetland Easting beach, Sandwick, Unst, first-winter, 27th to 30th September, photo.
(Birding World 16 (9): 363, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 97: 600, plate 353; M. G. Pennington, M. Pennington & M. Maher, Birding Scotland 7 (1): 35-38 plate 27; M. G. Pennington, M. Pennington & M. Maher, Shetland Bird Report 2003: 108-109, photo; Forrester & Andrews et al., 2007: photo).
22). 2003 Shetland Burrafirth, Unst, first-winter, 15th October, photo.
(Birding World 16 (10): 409, photo; Birding World 16 (12): 518, photo; British Birds 96: plate 409; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 97: 600; M. G. Pennington, M. G. Pennington & M. Maher, Birding Scotland 7 (1): 35-38, plates 28-31; M. G. Pennington, M. Pennington & M. Maher, Shetland Bird Report 2003: 108-109, photo).
23). 2003 Isles of Scilly Popplestones, Bryher, 21st October, photo.
(Birding World 16 (10): 408, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 97: 600; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 115).
24). 2004 Isles of Scilly Plantation, Gugh, 26th October.
(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 98: 674).
25). 2007 Shetland Houbie, Fetlar, first-winter, 28th September to 4th October, photo.
(Birding World 20 (9): 370, photo; British Birds 100: plate 328; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 101: 561, plate 286; British Birds 107: plate 38).
26). 2008 Cornwall Lizard village, 1CY+, 21st to 24th October, photo.
(C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 111: 604).
27). 2010 Fair Isle Lower Stoneybrek, 15th September.
(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 104: 607; D. N. Shaw, Fair Isle Bird Observatory Report 2009-10: 54, 121).
28). 2010 Shetland Levenwick, Mainland, first-winter, 2nd to 3rd October, photo.
(Birding World 23 (10): 427, photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 104: 607).
29). 2011 Shetland Dalsetter, Mainland, 21st to 23rd September, photo.
(Birding World 24 (9): 367, photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 105: 603).
30). 2011 Orkney Kirbuster Farm Museum, Birsay, Mainland, 21st October, photo.
(Birding World 24 (10): 427, photo; Scottish Birds 32: plate 73; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 105: 603).
31). 2012 Shetland Da Loch, Foula, 23rd September, photo.
(D. Brown, S. L. Rivers & C. D. Scott, Scottish Birds 33: 164-167, plates 143 & 144; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 106: 619).
32). 2012 Outer Hebrides Northbay House, Morgan, Barra, first-winter, 2nd to 3rd October, photo; presumed same, Creachan, Brevig, Barra, trapped, 4th October, photo.
(Birding World 25 (10): 409, photo; D. Brown, S. L. Rivers & C. D. Scott, Scottish Birds 33: 164-167, plates 145 -147; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 106: 619).
33). 2014 Shetland Norwick, Unst, first-winter, 28th September, photo.
(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 108: 615).
34). 2015 Pembrokeshire Skokholm, 2CY, trapped, 2nd to 10th June, photo, DNA analysis.
(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 109: 613, plate 337).
35). 2015 Shetland Houbie, Fetlar, 2CY, 15th to 16th June, photo.
(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 109: 613).
36). 2015 Orkney Lady, Sanday, 1CY, 28th September, photo.
(Scottish Birds 36: plate 74; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 109: 613).
37). 2015 Shetland Baltasound, Unst, 1CY, 4th October, photo.
(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 109: 613).
38). 2016 Argyll Balephuil, Tiree, 1CY, 22nd to 23rd September.
(J. Bowler, A. Stevenson & P. Aley, Scottish Birds 37: 63-64; C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 110: 607).
39). 2016 Outer Hebrides Bornish, South Uist, 1CY+, 22nd to 25th September, photo.
(J. Bowler, A. Stevenson & P. Aley, Scottish Birds 37: 65-66, plates 38 & 39; C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 110: 607).
40). 2016 Shetland Aith, Fetlar, 1CY+, 3rd to 10th October, photo.
(J. Bowler, A. Stevenson & P. Aley, Scottish Birds 37: 66-68, plates 40 & 41; C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 110: 607, plate 334).
41). 2018 Shetland Aywick, Yell, 1CY, 9th to 14th October, photo.
(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 112: 606).
42). 2019 Isles of Scilly Carreg Dhu, St Mary's, 1CY, 10th October.
(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 113: 632).
43). 2020 Orkney Swannay, Mainland, 1CY, trapped, 17th to 29th September, photo.
(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 610).
44). 2020 Isles of Scilly Standing Stones Field, St Mary's, 1CY+, 7th to 8th October.
(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 610).
45). 2020 Isles of Scilly Popplestone Fields, Bryher, 1CY+, 10th to 15th October, photo.
(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 610, plate 417; Isles of Scilly Bird and Natural History Review 2020: photo).
46). 2022 Outer Hebrides Creachan, Barra, 1CY+, trapped, 28th September, photo.
(L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 116: 585).
47). 2022 Shetland West Yell, Yell, 1CY, 29th September to 1st October, photo.
(L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 116: 585).
48). 2022 Isles of Scilly Racket Town, Tresco, 1CY+, 6th to 13th October, photo.
(L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 116: 585, plate 352; L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 117: 716).
49). 2022 Outer Hebrides Carinish, North Uist, 1CY+, 16th to 17th October, photo.
(L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 116: 585).
50). 2023 Outer Hebrides Castlebay, Barra, 1CY, 9th to 10th October, photo.
(B. Taylor, K. Taylor & I. Ricketts, Scottish Birds 44: 167-174, plate 135; L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 117: 716).
51). 2024 Outer Hebrides Hirta, St Kilda, 1CY, 10th September, photo.
(C. Nisbet, Scottish Birds 45: 83-84, plate 81; P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 118: ).
P). 2025 Shetland Ham, Foula, 3rd October.
(birding information services).
