Common Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos)

OTHER NAMES: Rufous Nightingale, Western Nightingale, Nightingale

Latin Etymology: Luscinia ("Nightingale") megarhynchos ("great bill")

                             Adult male Common Nightingale (subspecies L. m. megarhynchos) at Cliffe Pools, Kent - May 2014

Featured Subspecies: Luscinia megarhynchos megarhynchos

Weight: 20g  /  Length: 15-16cm  /  Wingspan: 20-22.5cm

UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List - Least Concern

The Nightingale is in theory one of the most iconic of British birds, though perhaps uniquely, more famed for its song than it's fairly average appearance.  It does indeed have a very distinctive song - powerful, elaborate, varied and much more rich sounding than any other bird in the UK.  It is however, a difficult bird to hear and an even more difficult one to see - it is increasingly rare in much of its range and very skulking where it is difficult to observe in the deep brambles and thickets where it lives.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Muscicapidae
Genus: Luscinia
Subspecies: L. m. megarhynchos, L. m. africana, L. m. golzii

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A breeding Summer Migrant to the South (6700 males)

 - A number seen and heard around Cliffe Pools in May 2014, heard arpund Rye Harbour in May 2012.

SPAIN - Spanish - Ruiseñor común ("Common Nightingale")

A locally common Summer migrant

 - MADRID 2015 TRIP: Several heard near Patones
 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Common along the river at El Pardo 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Little Tern (Sternula albifrons)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Sternula ("diminutive of Sterna - black tern) albifrons ("white forehead")

Adult Little Tern (subspecies S. a. albifrons) at Rye Harbour, Kent - May 2012

Featured Subspecies: Sterna albifrons albifrons
Weight: 50g  /  Length: 20-28cm  /  Wingspan: 45-55cm
UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Little Tern is the smallest and one of the rarest species of Tern in the UK - it requires undisturbed shingle on while to nest which is difficult to find in this modern age - with dog walkers and the like disturbing them preventing them from nesting, and as a species which is a notoriously poor breeder this is a bit of a problem.  They are much smaller than other terns found in the UK, and the telltale sign is their yellow beak with a black tip which gives them away.   A charming little bird, the best places to see them are protected sites where fences keep them safe from predators and humans.

Related Species:
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Sternidae
Genus: Sternula
Subspecies: S. a. albifrons, S. a. guineae, S. a. sinensis

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Rare and very local breeding Summer migrant (1,900 pairs)

 - Birds seen at publicized colony at Rye Harbour in May 2015

ITALY - Italian - Fraticello

A rare breeder

 - SICILY 2018 TRIP - Seen from Syracuse 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red-List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur)

OTHER NAMES: Turtle Dove
Latin Etymology: Streptopelia ("collar-dove") turtur ("turtle dove")

Adult European Turtle Dove (subspecies S. t. turtur) at Brigstock, Northants - July 2011

Featured Subspecies: Stretopelia turtur turtur
Weight: 130g  /  Length: 24-29cm  /  Wingspan: 47-55cm
UK RED LIST / IUCN Red List: Vulnerable

The rarest of the five members of the pigeon family found in the UK, it resembles the Collared Dove but with a mottled brown and black back. Increasingly rare for reasons which include loss of habitat and poaching as it migrates over the Mediterranean. The best way to locate it is to listen for its call, which sounds like it is vibrating version of a pigeon call. It is our only migrant pigeon and thus is only found for a few months during the summer.

Related Species:
Order: Columbiformes
Family: Columbiidae
Genus: Streptopelia
Subspecies: S. t. turtur, S. t. arenicola, S. t. hoggara, S. t. rufescens

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Rare and decreasing Summer migrant (14,000 territories)

 - Seen on several occasions in Summer at Fermyn Woods and heard at Rye Harbour

ITALY - Italian - Tortora Comune ("Common Turtledove")

A Summer migrant.

 - SICILY 2018 TRIP - One seen at Fiume Ciane 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Eurasian Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)

OTHER NAMES: Whimbrel, May Curlew, May Whaap, May Fowl, Half Curlew

Latin Etymology: Numenius (bird mentioned by Hesychius) phaeopus ("brown foot")

Adult Whimbrel (subspecies N. p. phaeopus) at Trevose Head, Cornwall - May 2012

Featured Subspecies: Numenius phaeopus phaeopus
Weight: 270-493g  /  Length: 37-47cm  /  Wingspan: 75-90cm
UK RED LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Whimbrel visually looks very much like a smaller curlew with the differences not necessarily being obvious to the casual observer at quick glance but most notably the different calls (whimbrels being a 7-note piping sound) and the shorter and more sharply curving beak. The whimbrel is much rarer than the curlew however which has a population in the region of 200 times the size. The whimbrel mainly breeds in Northern Scotland but, fortunately for me, can be seen on passage in other parts of the UK - in this case, Rainham, Trevose Head and Crayford Marshes along the Thames.  

Related Species:
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Scolopacidae
Genus: Numenius
Subspecies: N. p. phaeopus, N. p. alboaxillaris, N. p. variegatus

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Rare breeding species (400-500 pairs) and rare Wintering species (around 30 birds)

 - Seen on passage at Trevose Head, Rainham Marshes and Crayford Marshes.
SINGAPORE - A passage migrant and winter visitor

 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: Common at Sungei Buloh

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis)

OTHER NAMES: Boatswain, Surf Tern
Latin Etymology: Thalasseus ("fisherman") sandvicensis (named for Sandwich, Kent)

Assorted age and gender Sandwich Terns (subspecies T. s. sandvicensis) at Farne Islands, Northumbria - July 2009

Featured Subspecies: Thalasseus sandvicensis sandvicensis OR monotypic
Weight: 180-300g  /  Length: 34-45cm  /  Wingspan: 100cm

UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Sandwich Tern is an exclusively coastal tern which breeds primarily along the East and South Coasts during the Summer although it may be seen on passage elsewhere. It is technically our second most common tern after the Arctic, but, both of the above I would consider harder to see on the basis that they are purely coastal dwelling rather than the common tern which breeds inland. Terns are easiest to photograph when on the ground and I would recommend going to the Farne Islands in the breeding season for this species.

Related Species:

Order: Charadriiformes

Family: Laridae (Formerly Sternidae)

Genus: Thalasseus
Subspecies: Either T. s. sandvicensis, T. s. acuflavidus, T. s. eurygnathus or monotypic*

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Local Summer breeding migrant (12,000 pairs)

 - Birds seen commonly at a large number of sites, including but not limited to Trevose Head, Rye Harbour, Oare Marshes and Farne Islands

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto 

*The American subspecies acuflavidus and eurygnathus are split as Cabot's Tern and Cayenne Tern, either as one or two species, which I will treat as separate should I see them, but I mention them here for clarity. 

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Common Eider (Somateria mollissima)

OTHER NAMES: Eider, Cuddy Duck, St. Cuthbert's Duck

Latin Etymology: Somateria ("body wool") mollissima ("very soft")

Adult female Common Eider (subspecies S. m. mollissima) - Seahouses, Northumbria - July 2009

Featured Subspecies: Somateria mollissima mollissima
Weight: 1900-2200g

Length: 50-71cm

Wingspan: 104cm
UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Eider is a very large duck, and a sea duck. Seeing one is largely dependent on location over luck, at the right time of year, visiting a place where they live will practically guarantee seeing them, and their very distinctive (and to me at least, slightly humorous) "ahhhWOOOUH" call makes them easy to find. I recommend Seahouses in Northumbria as a prime place to see them, they live along the rocky beach in front of the town.

Related Species:
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Somateria
Subspecies: F. m. mollissima, F. m. faroeensis, F. m. borealis, F. m. v-nigrum, F. m. dresseri, F. m. sedentaria

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - An localised resident breeding species (27,000 territories) and scarce Wintering species (63,000 birds)

 - Seen at Seahouses and single Wintering birds at Penzance and Rye Harbour

Further Notes: Arkive, BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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