Stone Curlew Burhinus oedicnemus
Broughton Trout Pools - 8th May 2007
Photos copyright
Mike Wallen
This individual was found by Mike on an early morning walk. By the time Mike had dashed home for his camera the bird could not be seen until a Crow flushed it. Mike quickly managed to get these two record shots under difficult conditions.
2007 has been a good year for passage Stone Curlews in Bucks. Hopefully this will be reflected with breeding success in England. It has not be known to have bred in Bucks for many years.
Quainton Hills - 22nd April 2007
Photos copyright Tim Watts
This bird was found by Tim on a regular search for migrants on the Quainton Hills. It initially flew from close range and flew from view. It was relocated after a search of one and a half hours when Tim managed to get a few record shots. It was then flushed by horse riders and dogs.
As can be seen, the bird is colour ringed. We will try and establish where it was ringed and publish here in due course.
Rowsham, Nr Aylesbury - 14th April 2006
Photos copyright Tim Watts
This bird was a surprise bird for Mike Wallen while he was walking his dog early morning. He initially saw it in flight and then located it on the ground. After returning home for his camera and alerting other birders, the bird was eventually relocated and stayed long enough for those birders fast enough to get there in the limited time it was there.
College Lake - 1st/2nd May 2004
Photo copyright Dave Bilcock
This individual stayed at College Lake for two days. The bird was colour ringed; right leg white above and below knee, left yellow and BTO ring below knee. Details received back on bird are as follows: "This bird is BTO ringed EG88218, ringed as a chick in Berkshire on 30 May 2003. It was known to fledge and seen in autumn at a day-roost. We have an agreement with the BTO not to release exact breeding locations of ringed stone curlews when they are recovered or resighted. The most precise information I can give you is that the bird was ringed within 15km of Reading."
This species bred in the county prior to 1947 but is now a rare passage migrant. It is by nature a very secretive bird and coupled with the fact that it is quite likely to turn up at sites that are not regular bird watching sites, it is likely that it is overlooked.