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MANCHESTER BIRDING SYSTEMATIC LIST AND BIRD RECORD DETAILS |
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by Ian McKerchar
This systematic list intends to provide observers with details of what records they should supply to the Greater Manchester Bird Recording Group. Your records are extremely valuable to us and continue to be utilised in the annual county bird report and importantly, used for conservation issues. The list also supplies full details of all county rarities occurring in the county, all record species counts where available and any other items of interest.
If you are in any doubt of what to provide please contact me here for advise.
KEY TO LIST HEADERS AND ABBREVIATIONS
SPECIES
The species list represents the complete list of species accepted as having occurred in the Greater Manchester and follow the guidelines of the British Ornithologists' Union. All national rarities are British Birds Rarities Committee accepted and county rarities similarly ratified by the county committee but county rarities preceding the inception of the County Rarities Committee (in 1992) are included on individual merit and after careful consideration of accounts at the time of the sightings.
STATUS COMMENTS
ABUNDANT: Occurs in large numbers in suitable habitats and seasons
COMMON: Occurs regularly or widely distributed in suitable habitat
FAIRLY COMMON: Occurs in moderate numbers in suitable habitat
UNCOMMON: Occurs in small numbers
SCARCE: One or two records each year or restricted to specific habitat
RARE: Occurs less than annually
VERY RARE: 2-10 records in the last 20 years
VAGRANT: One record in the last 20 years or ever
RECORDS REQUIRED COLUMN
A All records required
B Breeding records required (including Nest Records Card summaries) and copies of census sheets (Common Bird Census, Waterway Bird Survey)
BBRC Details of all sightings are required by the British Birds Rarities Committee, see here
C Counts required e.g. Wetland Bird Surveys (WeBS), winter flocks, include comparisons for previous years if possible
E Early and late dates required
GMRC Details of all sightings are required by the Greater Manchester County Rarities Committee, see here
H Details of any hybrids required
M Movements, migration and passage records required
R Roosts required. Please include locations, numbers and periods of use
W Wintering records required
All records of unusual behaviour or of albinism/melanism should be provided as should details of any colour-ringed birds.
ADDITIONAL NOTES IN THE COMMENTS COLUMN ON INDIVIDUAL RECORDS
These will add to the readability of the county report and are always welcome, as are short articles (about 2-300 words) on the circumstances relating to the finding of county or national rarities or unusual behaviour, for the Short Notes section. Information about breeding success or failure, particularly if a comparison can be made with previous years, is very valuable and summaries from Nest Record Cards (available form the BTO representative Steve Suttill here) are very much appreciated. If you have any queries as to the importance or relevance of any sightings you may have please contact me here.
RECORD DETAILS
This section gives full details of occurrences of rare or particularly scarce county birds, highest flock numbers and other points of interest and included graphs, charts and links to other items of interest within this website. It is intended to be as complete as possible but of course some omissions or mistakes may creep in and I would appreciate being informed of any such occurrences as and when they are found but please bear in mind that it is still a work in progress as I research older records and assess some modern day ones, the list will be updated upon the publication of the Greater Manchester Annual Bird Report each year. Reviews of some county rarities (by the county rarities committee) may be undertaken from time to time and any found not to meet the required standard will be removed from this list. I would like to thank the assistance of Ian Woosey in helping me research some of the details for this section.
ABBREVIATIONS
BBS- Breeding Bird Survey, GBS- Garden Bird Survey, NCR- Nest Record Card
ESCAPES AND RELEASES
Please report sightings of escaped and released species, along with any notes which may be relevant to their origin e.g. coloured leg rings, jesses etc.
Includes all data up to and including 2008
| SPECIES/SUB SPECIES | CURRENT COUNTY STATUS | RECORDS REQUIRED | COMMENTS | RECORD DETAILS |
| Mute Swan | fairly common resident | B, C | DETAILS | |
| Bewick's Swan | rare winter visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Whooper Swan | uncommon winter visitor and passage migrant | A | DETAILS | |
| Greater Snow Goose | vagrant, occasional feral birds | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Bean Goose | very rare winter visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Pink-footed Goose | common winter/passage visitor | A | details of flight direction and skeins required, some feral birds are resident | DETAILS |
| Greylag Goose | uncommon feral resident and summer visitor | A | DETAILS | |
| White-fronted Goose | rare winter visitor, occasional feral birds | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Canada Goose | common resident | B,C | DETAILS | |
| Barnacle Goose | all record are currently considered of feral origin | A | ||
| Brent Goose | scarce visitor | A, GMRC | individuals should be assigned a particular race wherever possible | DETAILS |
| Egyptian Goose | scarce resident | A | ||
| Common Shelduck | uncommon passage migrant and scarce breeder | A | DETAILS | |
| Ruddy Shelduck | rare visitor, all records currently considered of feral birds | A | DETAILS | |
| Red-crested Pochard | rare passage migrant and winter visitor, many are escapes | A | ||
| Canvasback | vagrant | A, BBRC | DETAILS | |
| Common Pochard | abundant winter visitor, uncommon breeder | B, C, H | DETAILS | |
| Ferruginous Duck | very rare visitor | A, BBRC | ||
| Ring-necked Duck | rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Tufted Duck | abundant winter and passage visitor, uncommon breeder | B, C, H | DETAILS | |
| Greater Scaup | uncommon visitor, mainly winter | A | DETAILS | |
| Lesser Scaup | very rare visitor | A, BBRC | DETAILS | |
| Common Eider | very rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Mandarin | uncommon naturalised resident, breeding since 1993 | A | DETAILS | |
| Common Scoter | uncommon passage migrant | A | DETAILS | |
| Velvet Scoter | very rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Long-tailed Duck | rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Smew | irregular, scarce winter visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Bufflehead | vagrant | A, BBRC | DETAILS | |
| Common Goldeneye | fairly common winter visitor, increasing summer records | C, E | records of all records of summering birds required | DETAILS |
| Goosander | fairly common winter visitor, increasing summer records and rare breeding | A | records can be summarised at regular sites | DETAILS |
| Red-breasted Merganser | scarce winter and passage visitor | A | DETAILS | |
| Ruddy Duck | A | all information on this species currently remains confidential | ||
| Gadwall | uncommon localised resident and passage migrant, breeding since 1981 | B, C | DETAILS | |
| Eurasian Wigeon | Uncommon passage migrant and winter visitor | A | DETAILS | |
| American Wigeon | vagrant | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Blue-winged Teal | vagrant | A, BBRC | DETAILS | |
| Northern Shoveler | uncommon resident and fairly common passage/winter visitor, scarce breeder | B,C | DETAILS | |
| Mallard | abundant resident | B,C | DETAILS | |
| Northern Pintail | uncommon winter visitor and passage migrant | A | DETAILS | |
| Garganey | uncommon summer visitor and passage migrant, very rare breeder | A | DETAILS | |
| Common Teal | uncommon resident, common passage and winter visitor, scarce breeder | A | DETAILS | |
| Green-winged Teal | very rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Red Grouse | uncommon resident | A | DETAILS | |
| Red-legged Partridge | uncommon introduction resident | A, H | details of releases required | |
| Grey Partridge | fairly common but declining localised resident | A | details of releases required | DETAILS |
| Common Quail | scarce migrant and summer visitor | A, GMRC | descriptions required for non-calling birds | DETAILS |
| Common Pheasant | common resident, frequent introductions for shooting | B, C | details of releases required | |
| Red-throated Diver | rare winter visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Black-throated Diver | very rare winter visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Great Northern Diver | rare winter visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| White-billed Diver | vagrant | A, BBRC | DETAILS | |
| Northern Fulmar | very rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Manx Shearwater | very rare autumn visitor | A, GMRC | stranded bird should be released at sea at night | DETAILS |
| Macaronesian Shearwater | vagrant | A, BBRC | DETAILS | |
| European Storm-petrel | vagrant | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Leach's Storm-petrel | rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Northern Gannet | rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Great Cormorant | common winter visitor, summering in small numbers | C | all records of the continental race 'sinensis' required | DETAILS |
| European Shag | rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Great Bittern | scarce visitor | A | ||
| Little Bittern | vagrant | A, BBRC | DETAILS | |
| Night Heron | very rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Cattle Egret | vagrant | A, BBRC | DETAILS | |
| Little Egret | uncommon visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Great White Egret | very rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Grey Heron | fairly common resident | B, C | DETAILS | |
| Purple Heron | very rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| White Stork | very rare passage migrant, most recent records relate to known escapes | A, GMRC | look for leg rings | DETAILS |
| Glossy Ibis | vagrant | A, BBRC | DETAILS | |
| Eurasian Spoonbill | rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Little Grebe | fairly common resident and summer visitor | B, C, W | DETAILS | |
| Great Crested Grebe | Fairly common resident and summer visitor | B, C, W | DETAILS | |
| Red-necked Grebe | rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Slavonian Grebe | scarce visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Black-necked Grebe | uncommon passage visitor and scarce breeder since 1992 | A | DETAILS | |
| Honey Buzzard | rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Black Kite | very rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Red Kite | uncommon visitor | A, GMRC | note and report colour, letters or numbers on any wing tags | DETAILS |
| Marsh Harrier | uncommon visitor | A | DETAILS | |
| Hen Harrier | uncommon winter visitor and passage migrant | A | DETAILS | |
| Montagu's Harrier | vagrant | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Northern Goshawk | rare visitor, possibility of escapes and known falconers birds are high | A, GMRC | ||
| Eurasian Sparrowhawk | common resident | B, M | notes on prey species required | DETAILS |
| Common Buzzard | uncommon resident and breeder, passage migrant | A | DETAILS | |
| Rough-legged Buzzard | very rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Osprey | uncommon passage migrant | A | DETAILS | |
| Common Kestrel | common resident and winter visitor | B | ||
| Red-footed Falcon | very rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Merlin | uncommon winter visitor, passage migrant and scarce breeder | A | DETAILS | |
| Eurasian Hobby | uncommon summer visitor, passage migrant and very rare breeder | A | ||
| Peregrine Falcon | uncommon winter visitor/resident and scarce breeder | A | DETAILS | |
| Water Rail | uncommon resident, winter visitor and passage migrant | A | may be summarised for sites used frequently | |
| Spotted Crake | rare migrant | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Little Crake | vagrant | A, BBRC | DETAILS | |
| Baillon's Crake | vagrant | A, BBRC | DETAILS | |
| Corncrake | rare migrant | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Common Moorhen | abundant resident | B, C | counts of 10+ birds required | DETAILS |
| Eurasian Coot | abundant resident and winter visitor | B, C | monthly maxima and counts of 20+ birds required | DETAILS |
| Common Crane | rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Eurasian Oystercatcher | fairly common passage migrant and summer visitor, uncommon breeder | A | DETAILS | |
| Black-winged Stilt | vagrant | A, BBRC | DETAILS | |
| Avocet | scarce passage migrant and very rare breeder | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Stone-curlew | vagrant | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Collard Pratincole | very rare visitor | A, BBRC | DETAILS | |
| Little Ringed Plover | fairly common summer visitor, uncommon breeder | A | schedule 1 species, inform police if breeding site threatened | DETAILS |
| Common Ringed Plover | fairly common visitor, scarce breeder | A | DETAILS | |
| Kentish Plover | vagrant | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Eurasian Dotterel | scarce passage migrant | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| European Golden Plover | fairly common winter visitor, scarce breeder | B, C, M | all rooftop flocks required | DETAILS |
| Grey Plover | uncommon passage migrant | A | DETAILS | |
| Northern Lapwing | common resident and winter visitor | B, C | details required of breeding success/failure, flocks of over 50, hard weather movements and all rooftop flocks | DETAILS |
| Red Knot | scarce passage migrant | A | DETAILS | |
| Sanderling | uncommon passage migrant | A | DETAILS | |
| Little Stint | rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Temminck's Stint | rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| White-rumped Sandpiper | vagrant | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Pectoral Sandpiper | rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Curlew Sandpiper | rare passage migrant | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Purple Sandpiper | very rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Dunlin | common passage migrant, scarce breeder | A | DETAILS | |
| Broad-billed Sandpiper | vagrant | A, BBRC | DETAILS | |
| Ruff | scarce passage migrant | A | DETAILS | |
| Jack Snipe | uncommon winter visitor | A | disturbance at roost sites should be kept to a minimum and not counted more than once a month | DETAILS |
| Common Snipe | fairly common passage/winter visitor, uncommon breeder | B, C, M | DETAILS | |
| Great Snipe | vagrant | A, BBRC | DETAILS | |
| Eurasian Woodcock | fairly common winter visitor and uncommon breeder | A | DETAILS | |
| Black-tailed Godwit | uncommon passage migrant | A | DETAILS | |
| Bar-tailed Godwit | scarce passage migrant | A | DETAILS | |
| Eurasian Whimbrel | uncommon passage migrant | A | DETAILS | |
| Eurasian Curlew | fairly common passage migrant and summer visitor, uncommon breeder | A | DETAILS | |
| Common Sandpiper | fairly common passage migrant and summer visitor, scarce breeder, rare in winter | B, E, M, W | DETAILS | |
| Spotted Sandpiper | very rare visitor | A, BBRC | DETAILS | |
| Green Sandpiper | Uncommon passage migrant and winter visitor | A | DETAILS | |
| Spotted Redshank | scarce passage migrant | A | DETAILS | |
| Common Greenshank | uncommon passage migrant | A | DETAILS | |
| Lesser Yellowlegs | vagrant | A, BBRC | DETAILS | |
| Marsh Sandpiper | vagrant | A, BBRC | DETAILS | |
| Wood Sandpiper | scarce passage migrant | A | DETAILS | |
| Common Redshank | fairly common passage migrant and summer visitor, uncommon breeder and scarce over winterer | B, C, E, M, W | DETAILS | |
| Turnstone | uncommon passage migrant | A | DETAILS | |
| Red-necked Phalarope | very rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Grey Phalarope | very rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Pomerine Skua | very rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Arctic Skua | rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Long-tailed Skua | vagrant | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Great Skua | very rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Kittiwake | uncommon passage migrant | A | DETAILS | |
| Little Gull | uncommon visitor | A | DETAILS | |
| Sabine's Gull | very rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Black-headed Gull | abundant resident and winter visitor, uncommon breeder | B, C, H, R, U | counts required in excess of 150 | DETAILS |
| Mediterranean Gull | uncommon visitor, rare breeder | A | DETAILS | |
| Yellow-legged Gull | scarce passage and winter visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Herring Gull | common winter visitor and passage migrant | C, M, R | counts of the' British' race argenteus required in excess of 50, all counts of the 'Scandinavian' race argentatus required | DETAILS |
| Great Black-backed Gull | uncommon winter visitor | C, R | counts required in excess of 10 | DETAILS |
| Lesser Black-backed Gull | common passage and winter visitor, uncommon resident | C, M, R | counts required in excess of 50 | DETAILS |
| Caspian Gull | very rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Glaucous Gull | rare winter visitor | A | DETAILS | |
| Iceland Gull | scarce winter visitor | A | the race Kumlien's Gull is GMRC | DETAILS |
| Ring-billed Gull | very rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Common Gull | common winter visitor and passage migrant | C, M, R | counts required in excess of 20 | DETAILS |
| Little Tern | scarce passage migrant | A | DETAILS | |
| Caspian Tern | vagrant | A, BBRC | DETAILS | |
| Whiskered Tern | vagrant | A, BBRC | DETAILS | |
| Black Tern | uncommon passage migrant | A | DETAILS | |
| White-winged Black Tern | rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Sandwich Tern | uncommon passage migrant | A | DETAILS | |
| Roseate Tern | vagrant | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Arctic Tern | uncommon passage migrant | A | DETAILS | |
| Common Tern | fairly common summer visitor and passage migrant, scarce breeder | B, C, E, M | all sightings from the east of the county required | DETAILS |
| Common Guillemot | very rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Little Auk | very rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Puffin | vagrant | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Pallas's Sandgrouse | vagrant | A, BBRC | DETAILS | |
| Feral Pigeon | abundant resident | C | counts required in excess of 100 | |
| Stock Dove | fairly common resident | B, C | comparison with previous years in specific areas required | DETAILS |
| Woodpigeon | abundant resident and passage migrant | C, M, R | only breeding records from annual census plots required | DETAILS |
| Collard Dove | abundant resident | C, R | early and late breeding records required, unusual breeding locations required | DETAILS |
| European Turtle Dove | rare summer visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Common Cuckoo | uncommon summer visitor | A | breeding host species information required | |
| Ring-necked Parakeet | scarce resident and breeder | A | DETAILS | |
| Barn Owl | uncommon resident | A | breeding records required, also any details of escapes or releases under licence | |
| Little Owl | fairly common resident | A | all breeding records required | |
| Tawny Owl | fairly common resident | A | all breeding records required | DETAILS |
| Long-eared Owl | uncommon resident and winter visitor | A, R | all breeding records required and winter roosts | DETAILS |
| Short-eared Owl | uncommon winter visitor, passage migrant and rare breeder | A | all breeding records required | DETAILS |
| European Nightjar | rare summer visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Common Swift | common summer visitor | B, C, E | DETAILS | |
| Alpine Swift | very rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Common Kingfisher | fairly common resident | A | all breeding records required | |
| European Bee-eater | very rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Hoopoe | very rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Wryneck | very rare migrant | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Green Woodpecker | uncommon resident | A | all breeding records required | DETAILS |
| Great Spotted Woodpecker | fairly common resident | B | ||
| Lesser Spotted Woodpecker | scarce resident | A | all breeding records required | |
| Woodlark | very rare migrant | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Eurasian Skylark | common resident, migrant and winter visitor | B, C, M, W | DETAILS | |
| Shore Lark | vagrant | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Sand Martin | fairly common summer visitor and passage migrant | B, C, E, M, R | counts of active nest holes throughout breeding season required, also quarry activity affecting breeding. Flocks in excess of 20 required, also site summaries at regular locations | DETAILS |
| Barn Swallow | common summer visitor | B, C, E, M, R | flocks required in excess of 50 | DETAILS |
| Red-rumped Swallow | very rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| House Martin | fairly common summer visitor | B, C, E, M | breeding locations and numbers of active nests required, with year-to-year comparisons | DETAILS |
| Richard's Pipit | very rare passage migrant | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Tawny Pipit | vagrant | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Tree Pipit | uncommon summer visitor and passage migrant | A | currently one of our single most misidentified species, observers should ensure to confirm identification | DETAILS |
| Meadow Pipit | fairly common resident, common summer visitor to uplands, passage migrant and winter visitor | B, C, M, W | wintering and passage flocks of over 25 required | DETAILS |
| Red-throated Pipit | vagrant | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Rock Pipit | uncommon passage migrant | A | all records probably relate to the Scandinavian race 'littoralis' | DETAILS |
| Water Pipit | rare visitor | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Yellow Wagtail | uncommon summer visitor, passage migrant and breeder | A | all other races are GMRC | DETAILS |
| Grey Wagtail | fairly common resident | B, C, M, R, W | DETAILS | |
| Pied Wagtail | common resident, White Wagtail is an uncommon passage migrant | B, C, M, R | passage and winter flocks/roosts of over 20 required, all White Wagtail (alba) required | DETAILS |
| Bohemian Waxwing | irregular winter visitor | A | DETAILS | |
| Dipper | uncommon resident | A | all breeding records required | DETAILS |
| Wren | abundant resident | C, R | communal roost details required, GB, garden records not required | DETAILS |
| Dunnock | abundant resident | C | GBS count required, garden records not required | DETAILS |
| European Robin | abundant resident | C | GBS counts required, garden records not required | DETAILS |
| Common Nightingale | very rare migrant | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Bluethroat | vagrant | A, GMRC | DETAILS | |
| Black Redstart | scarce passage migrant and winter visitor, rare breeder | A | DETAILS | |
| Common Redstart | scarce summer visitor, passage migrant and breeder | A | DETAILS | |
| Whinchat | uncommon passage migrant and breeder | A | DETAILS | |
| Stonechat | uncommon winter visitor and passage migrant, scarce breeder | A | DETAILS | |
| Northern Wheatear | fairly common summer visitor and passage migrant, uncommon breeder | B, E, M | All records of Greenland Wheatear required | DETAILS |
| Eastern Black-eared Wheatear | vagrant | A, BBRC | DETAILS | |
| Desert Wheatear | Vagrant | A, BBRC | DETAILS | |
| Black-throated Thrush | Vagrant | A, BBRC | DETAILS | |
| Ring Ouzel | scarce summer visitor and passage migrant | A | DETAILS | |
| Common Blackbird | abundant resident and winter visitor | C, M | GBS counts required as are NRC summaries, garden records not required | DETAILS |
| Fieldfare | common winter visitor and passage migrant | C, E, M, R | flocks/roosts over 50 required, as are GBS records | DETAILS |
| Song Thrush | common resident and winter visitor | B, M | DETAILS | |