The 54th annual report of the British Birds Rarities Committee presents details of rare birds recorded in Britain in 2011, which was an exceptional one for rare birds, perhaps surpassed only by 2008 for the range of taxa recorded. A number of potential ‘firsts’ from 2011 are still under consideration, including white-winged scoter Melanitta deglandi, slaty-backed gull Larus schistisagus, Asian red-rumped swallow Cecropis daurica daurica/japonica and eastern black redstart Phoenicurus ochruros phoenicuroides – but even in the absence of these mega rarities the report includes a mouth-watering variety of avian strays from around the globe. The report includes the following highlights:
- 2nd Madeiran petrel Oceanodroma castro, short-toed eagle Circaetus gallicus and eastern crowned warbler Phylloscopus coronatus
- 3rd purple gallinule Porphyrio martinicus, Siberian blue robin Larvivora cyane, rufous-tailed robin L. sibilans and white-throated robin Irania gutturalis
- 4th sandhill crane Grus canadensis and American black tern Chlidonias niger surinamensis
- 5th ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla
- 5th & 6th scarlet tanager Piranga olivacea
- 6th Audouin’s gull Larus audouinii and Pacific swift Apus pacificus
- 6th & 7th spectacled warbler Sylvia conspicillata
- 7th Wilson’s snipe Gallinago delicata and northern waterthrush Parkesia noveboracensis
- 8th western sandpiper Calidris mauri, Siberian rubythroat Calliope calliope and Spanish sparrow Passer hispaniolensis
- 10th Oriental turtle dove Streptopelia orientalis and veery Catharus fuscescens