Records Committee Decisions

10 November 2021 update

This year’s meeting took place on 15 August.  The current line-up consists of myself (Dave Harris), Steve Chastell, Jeremy Gates, Shaun Peters, John Clark, Ed Stubbs and Wes Attridge. Sadly, Wes was unable to attend. A large number of records had already been circulated electronically (see 6 February 2021 update below), but there were still many to trawl through, the vast majority of which gained acceptance.  

The results can be seen in the table below. Highlights included an exceptional influx of White-fronted Geese, the county’s first Alpine Swift since 2005, groups of three Tundra Bean Geese and Roseate Terns and two Hoopoes. Accepted BBRC records included Surrey’s first Bonaparte’s Gull and the Thursley Common Rustic Bunting.

Species	Finder(s)	Date found	Location	Decision
Alpine Swift	Helena Finden-Brown / Wildlife Aid	22 June 2021	North Cheam	Accepted
Great Northern Diver	Steve Spooner	21 November 2020	Island Barn Reservoir	Accepted
Hoopoe	John Clark	16 May 2021	Farnham	Accepted
Merlin	Joe Hobden	23 September 2020	Papercourt Water Meadows	Accepted
Merlin	Arjun Dutta	15 August 2020	Little Woodcote	Accepted
Merlin	Robin Stride	5 October 2020	Rowly	Accepted
Merlin	Steve Gale	28 March 2020	Banstead	Accepted
Quail	Sophie Dorman	26 May 2020	Dorking	Accepted
Roseate Terns (3)	Dave Harris	6 June 2021	Chelsea & Lambeth Reservoirs	Accepted
Tundra Bean Geese (3)	Kevin Duncan	22 December 2020	Thorpe	Accepted
White-fronted Geese (45)	Mark Davis	30 November 2020	Betchworth	Accepted
White-fronted Geese (19)	TJ Forster	1 January 2021	Millmore Common / Sutton Place / Westfield	Accepted
White-fronted Geese (2)	Phil Pentek	4 December 2020	Richmond Park	Accepted
White-fronted Goose	Mark Davis	9 March 2021	Bury Hill Lakes	Accepted
White-fronted Goose	Phil Pentek	17 March 2021	Richmond Park	Accepted
White-fronted Geese (3)	Ed Stubbs	19 December 2020	Unstead SF / Unstead Water Meadows	Accepted
White-fronted Geese (2)	Dave Brassington	12 December 2020	Thursley Common	Accepted
White-fronted Geese (11)	Joe Hobden	12 December 2020	Papercourt Water Meadows	Accepted
White-fronted Goose	Trevor Walker	30 November 2020	Horley	Accepted
White-fronted Goose	Gordon Hay / Ian Kehl	5 December 2020	Holmethorpe SP	Accepted
White-fronted Goose	Sam Jones	1 January 2021	Broadwater Lake	Accepted
White-fronted Goose	Ed Stubbs	7 January 2021	Shalford Water Meadows	Accepted
White-fronted Goose	Dina Burford	13 January 2021	Tice’s Meadow	Accepted
White-fronted Geese (19)	Carey Lodge	19 January 2021	Papercourt GP	Accepted
White-fronted Geese (2)	Ed Stubbs	24 December 2021	Snowdenham Mill Pond	Accepted
Whooper Swan	Mark Stanley	26 January 2021	Banstead Woods	Accepted as wild swan species
Wood Warbler	Joe Hobden	15 August 2020	Effingham Forest	Accepted
Wood Warbler	Jon Bryant	18 April 2021	Newlands Corner	Accepted
Wood Warbler	Sam Jones	25 April 2021	Puttenham Common	Accepted
Wryneck	Phil Pentek	10 September 2020	Richmond Park	Accepted
Yellow-browed Warbler	Nick Gardner	31 October 2020	Beddington Farmlands	Accepted
Hoopoe	Jeremy Gates	15 May 2020	The Sands	Accepted
Common Redpoll	Don Tyzack	6 March 2019	East Horsley	Accepted
Great Egret	James Court	6 December 2018	Frensham Great Pond	Accepted
Black Kite		8 May 2020	Richmond Park	Not proven
Hen Harrier		2 May 2021	Frensham Common	Not proven
Little Bunting		5 October 2020	Tice’s Meadow	Not proven
Olive-backed Pipit		29 September 2020	Chobham Common	Not proven
Richard’s Pipit		13 October 2020	Richmond Park	Not proven
Scaup		29 November 2020	Holmethorpe SP	Not proven
Red-footed Falcon		28 September 2018	Reigate	Not proven
Long-eared Owl		31 October 2020	Tice’s Meadow	Pending more details
BBRC decisions
Rustic Bunting	Dave Brassington	27 November 2020	Thursley Common	Accepted
Bonaparte’s Gull	Dave Harris	16 June 2020	Queen Elizabeth II Reservoir	Accepted

6 February 2021 update

The below batch of records were assessed digitally in early 2021 by each member of the Surrey Bird Club Records Committee (see here). Highlights include the vice-county’s second Short-toed Lark (and first since 1966), the seventh record of Black-winged Stilt, two Little Buntings, Ring-necked Duck, Lapland Bunting, Hoopoe and Arctic Skua.

For those with records still pending, the committee hopes to provide a new batch of decisions soon. Meanwhile, please submit details or photos of any rare birds found as soon as possible after the event, following the guidelines here.

Species	Finder(s)	Date found	Location	Decision
White-fronted Geese (22)	Guy Norman	8 December 2020	Burpham Water Meadows	Accepted
Whooper Swans (4)	Dave Harris	27 September 2020	Walton Reservoirs (Chelsea and Lambeth)	Accepted
Ring-necked Duck	Gordon Hay	15 December 2020	Priory Park, Reigate	Accepted
Black-winged Stilts (2)	Len Winchcombe	9 June 2020	Tice’s Meadow	Accepted
Arctic Skua	Peter Alfrey	2 October 2020	Beddington Farmlands	Accepted
Spoonbill	Kevin Duncan	10 October 2020	Longside Lake	Accepted
Spoonbill (same as above)	James Lowther / Sarah Weingarten	10 October 2020	London Wetland Centre	Accepted
Cattle Egrets (4)	Ed Sames	5 October 2020	Papercourt Water Meadows	Accepted
Honey Buzzards (2)	Gerry Hinchon	29 July 2019	Undisclosed	Accepted
Honey Buzzard	Ed Stubbs	9 August 2020	Unstead SF	Accepted
Goshawk	Steve Gale	18 September 2020	Beddington Farmlands	Accepted
Goshawk	Patrick Venables	7 November 2020	Thursley Common	Accepted
Hen Harrier	Dave Brassington	8 October 2020	Thursley Common	Accepted
Hoopoe	Margo Scott	7 May 2020	Woking	Accepted
Wryneck	Robin Stride	21 September 2020	Winterfold	Accepted
Merlin	Gareth James	20 September 2020	Lydling Farm, Shackleford	Accepted
Short-toed Lark	Ed Stubbs	19 September 2020	Lydling Farm, Shackleford	Accepted
Yellow-browed Warbler	Graham Croney	5 October 2020	Hogsmill Open Space	Accepted
Yellow-browed Warbler	Richard Page-Jones	10 October 2020	Rotherhithe	Accepted
Lapland Bunting	Matt Phelps	12 October 2020	Clandon Wood	Accepted
Snow Bunting	Dave Harris	28 November 2020	Island Barn Reservoir	Accepted
Little Bunting	Ed Stubbs	19 October 2020	Thursley Common	Accepted
Little Bunting	Matt Hall / Graham Robson	24 December 2020	Thursley Common	Accepted

20 September 2020 update

The Surrey Bird Club Records Committee met on 20th September 2020 in Walton-on-Thames (in accordance with the COVID-19 rules in force on that date). Present were Dave Harris, David Campbell, Steve Chastell, John Clark and Shaun Peters. 

Notable birds included two Bee-eaters, Red-footed Falcon, Roseate Tern, Richard’s and Red-throated Pipits, a Rose-coloured Starling, and perhaps the most amazing of all the first wild White-tailed Eagle in the County since 1906!

All those considered appear in the table below.  An increasing number of submissions these days are backed up by photos, making the task for the committee far more straightforward. Please submit details of any rare birds found as soon as possible after the event, following the guidelines here.

Species	Observer(s)	Date	Location	Decision
Bee-eater	John Birkett	31/05/2020	Sanderstead	Accepted
Bee-eater	Steve Gale	01/06/2020	Howell Hill, Ewell	Accepted
Black Kite	Wes Attridge	10/04/2019	Capel	Accepted
Cattle Egret (6)	David Warren	17/08/2020	Beddington SF	Accepted
Cattle Egret (2)	Kevin Duncan	07/07/2020	Tice’s Meadow	Accepted
Ferruginous Duck	Jeremy Gates et al	11/11/2019	Papercourt GP	Accepted
Gannet	Ed Stubbs	26/03/2019	Unstead SF	Accepted
Glossy Ibis	Andy Little	17/09/2020	Tice’s Meadow	Accepted
Golden Oriole	P Marshall	26/05/2019	Thursley Common	Accepted
Goshawk	Sam Jones	08/05/2020	Frensham Common	Accepted
Great Grey Shrike	Trevor Synman	21/09/2019	Chobham Common	Accepted
Great Grey Shrike	Trevor Walker	28/10/2019	Horley	Accepted
Great Northern Diver	Dudley Cox	01/12/2018	Frensham Great Pond	Accepted
Great Skua	Wes Attridge	24/09/2018	Leith Hill	Accepted
Great White Egret	Martin Kettle	01/11/2017	Stoke Lake	Accepted
Great White Egret	Martin Kettle	20/10/2018	Stoke Lake	Accepted
Great White Egret	Dave Harris	06/05/2019	Walton Res (Chelsea/Lambeth)	Accepted
Great White Egret	Steve Spooner	06/01/2019	Woking	Accepted
Great White Egret	John Cadera	24/08/2020	Southwark	Accepted
Great White Egret	Zach Pannifer	29/08/2020	Beddington SF	Accepted
Hen Harrier	Glenn Jones	24/03/2019	Beddington SF	Accepted
Hen Harrier	Ed Stubbs	19/11/2019	Lydling Farm, Shackleford	Accepted
Hen Harrier (ringtail, juv male)	Simon Hammond	24/07/2020	Canon’s Farm	Accepted
Honey Buzzard	Shaun Ferguson	01/09/2019	Thursley Common	Accepted
Honey Buzzard	Wes Attridge	09/05/2020	Capel	Accepted
Honey Buzzard	Shaun Ferguson	29/07/2020	Canon’s Farm	Accepted
Hoopoe	Pete Alfrey	15/04/2018	Beddingon SF	Accepted
Hoopoe	C & S Paine	28/04/2020	Epsom & Walton Downs	Accepted
Hoopoe	Kevin Guest	30/04/2020	Epsom & Walton Downs	Accepted
Hoopoe	Keith Barton	10/05/2020	Chobham	Accepted
Hoopoe	N Allen	04/09/2020	Reigate	Accepted
Hoopoe	Wes Attridge	03/05/2020	Capel	Accepted
Manx Shearwater	D Woodruff	12/09/2020	Woking	Accepted
Ortolan Bunting	Ed Stubbs	01/09/2018	Alldens Hill, Thorncombe Street	Accepted
Ortolan Bunting	Ed Stubbs	02/09/2018	Alldens Hill, Thorncombe Street	Accepted
Ortolan Bunting	Ed Stubbs	03/09/2018	Alldens Hill, Thorncombe Street	Accepted
Ortolan Bunting	Ed Stubbs	25/08/2019	Alldens Hill, Thorncombe Street	Accepted
Ortolan Bunting	Ed Stubbs	26/08/2019	Alldens Hill, Thorncombe Street	Accepted
Ortolan Bunting	Arjun Dutta	10/09/2020	Wallington	Accepted
Pink-footed Goose	Steve Chastell	09/02/2019	Burpham Water Meadows	Accepted
Quail	Ed Stubbs	14/06/2020	Shackleford	Accepted
Red-footed Falcon	James Sellen	18/05/2020	Thursley Common	Accepted
Red-throated Diver	Dave Harris et al	18/03/2019	QE2 & Island Barn Res	Accepted
Red-throated Pipit	Ed Stubbs	15/10/2019	Hascombe	Accepted (also Accepted by BBRC)
Richards Pipit	Pete Alfrey et al	29/10/2018	Beddington SF	Accepted
Ring-necked Duck	Shaun Peters	23/03/2019	Frensham Great/Little Ponds	Accepted
Roseate Tern	Dave Harris	22/06/2020	Queen Elizabeth II Res	Accepted
Rose-coloured Starling	Christine Muir	31/05/2020	Horley	Accepted
Shag	A Stotnicki	06/09/2020	Kingston Bridge	Accepted
Siberian Chiffchaff	Ed Stubbs & Abel Barker	04/12/2019	Unstead SF	Accepted
Spoonbill	Pete Alfrey	16/04/2020	Beddington SF	Accepted
Spoonbill (2)	Roger Browne	01/10/2019	Beddington SF	Accepted
Spoonbill (2)	Kevin Duncan	22/05/2020	Tice’s Meadow	Accepted
Spoonbills (4)	Dave Warren	17/10/2019	Beddington SF	Accepted
Spotted Crake	Kit Britten	10/04/2019	Shalford Water Meadows	Accepted
Stone Curlew	Nick Gardner	31/03/2019	Beddington SF	Accepted
Stone Curlew	Ed Stubbs	04/08/2019	Alldens Hill, Thorncombe Street	Accepted
Storm Petrel	Steve White	25/04/2019	Beaver Farm Fishery, Lingfield	Accepted
White Stork	Alison Gilry	31/08/2020	Colley Hill	Accepted
White-tailed Eagle	Isaiah Rowe	14/04/2020	Worcester Park	Accepted
Whooper Swan	Steve Read	02/12/2019	Richmond Park	Accepted
Wryneck	WWT	05/09/2019	LWC	Accepted
Wryneck	Graham Harris	15/09/2019	Dungeon Hill, Woodmanstern	Accepted
Wryneck	P Pentek	06/09/2020	Richmond Park	Accepted
Wryneck	Ed Stubbs	02/09/2020	Shackleford	Accepted
Yellow-browed Warbler	Richard Page-Jones	18/12/2019	Rotherhithe	Accepted
Not Proven
Bee-eater		02/08/2019	South Nutfield
Black Kite		08/04/2020	Warlingham
Black Kite		03/05/2020	Stoneleigh Broadway, Epsom
Black Kite		10/05/2020	Addlestone
Cattle Egret (2)		09/09/2019	Tice’s Meadow
Common Crane		19/11/2019	Runnymede
Common Crane (2)		24/09/2018	Tice’s Meadow
Great White Egret		04/06/2019	Salfords
Little Stint		01/08/2020	Tice’s Meadow
Rose-coloured Starling		18/05/2019	Mitcham Common
Spoonbill (2)		22/08/2019	Beddington SF