A List of National and County Rarities Recorded in Christchurch Harbour

When the county boundaries were re-drawn in 1974, the CHOG recording area became part of Dorset, having previously been within Hampshire. The rather bizarre situation now exists of Hampshire having discarded all records for the area and Dorset not taking them up. Consequently, there are a number of "lost" records, despite them having BBRC acceptance. Most notable is Citrine Wagtail, which is still needed for the Dorset list!

Italics relate to records prior to 1956, when CHOG was formed

Continental Cormorant - sinensis

2001: 25th-26th August - Parky Meade Rail, Stanpit, colour-ringed bird in the nest in 2001 in Holland

Greylag Goose

1978: 20th February - 10 birds were considered to be wild

Barnacle Goose

1985: 19th November - 6 birds north-east, with a single Brent Goose
1991: 28th November - 21 birds
1992: 24th January - 20 birds east

Black Brant - nigricans

2002: 12th-14th November - Stanpit
2004: 5th January - Stanpit

Egyptian Goose

1993: 27th March - Stanpit
1996: 25th July- 3 birds on Stanpit
1996: 13th August - Stanpit
1996: 21st September - 2 birds on Stanpit
1996: 27th November - 2 birds on Stanpit

Ruddy Shelduck

1990: 17th October
1993: 9th December - 6 birds

American Wigeon

1987: 2nd May - drake on Stanpit
1994: 8th-12th March - first-winter drake on East Marsh, Stanpit

Green-winged Teal

2000: 27th December - drake around Barn Bight, Hengistbury
2001: 1st-17th April - drake off Fisherman's Bank, Stanpit

Blue-winged Teal

1989: 17th September - female-type bird on Stanpit
2001: 13th-15th September - first-winter drake around Parky Meade Rail, Stanpit

Ferruginous Duck

1981: 24th August - 1 drake
1988: 21st-22nd November - 1 duck

Surf Scoter

2001: 8th October - 1 drake west past the Beach Huts, Hengistbury

Cory's Shearwater

1987: 3rd June - 1 past Hengistbury
1987: 5th June - 2 past Hengistbury
1988: 4th June - 1 east past Hengistbury

Little Shearwater

1984: 13th June - 1 bird west amongst a flock of Manx Shearwater

Night Heron

1989: 22nd April - first-summer bird on Stanpit
2000: 1st May - first-summer bird over Fisherman's Bank, Stanpit

Little Bittern

1869: Summer - Priory Marsh, Stanpit, pair bred and raised 3 young, now in Red House Museum

Squacco Heron

1996: 19th June - Hengistbury

1893: June

Cattle Egret

1996: 12th October - Priory Marsh, Stanpit
2006: 9th September-10th October - 2 birds ranging from Central Marsh, Priory Marsh and Wick Fields. Only 1 bird from 25th September onwards.
2006: 23rd December - Wick Fields

Great White Egret

1974: 12th-13th June - Stanpit
1998: 2nd February - south-west over Stanpit
2003: 24th January - south over Stanpit
2005: 18th-19th October - by Holloway's Dock and over the Beach Huts
2007: 26th May - north over the harbour towards Avon Valley

Purple Heron

1970: 13th September - adult flying west over Hengistbury
1976: 2nd June
1983: 22nd May - adult
1986: 2nd June - north
1987: 12th June
1990: 26th April - adult north
1990: 28th July - immature
1991: 28th May - adult north
1993: 18th May - adult east
1994: 10th May
1994: 21st May
1994: 30th May
1994: 15th June - all different birds
2000: 17th May - adult
2001: 10th May - north

White Stork

2002: 5th and 7th September - same bird from Coward's Marsh seen over and then from the harbour

Glossy Ibis

1972: 10th August - one over Stanpit

White-tailed Eagle

1871: 4th December - shot at Hengistbury, now in the Hart collection (Wise)
1885: Summer - one roosted throughout on Hengistbury. One can only imagine the bird and the unspoilt habitat!

Black Kite

1981: 21st May - over Stanpit
1987: 4th May - over Hengistbury

Rough-legged Buzzard

2002: 25th March - seen from Hengistbury flying south, before turning north-east and leaving over Stanpit

Red-footed Falcon

1974: 18th September - second-year male at Hengistbury
1984: 7th June - female at Stanpit
1991: 28th May - male at Hengistbury
1992: 3rd-4th June - first-summer male on the top of the head, Hengistbury
2004: 8th September - an immature around the HHC, Hengistbury

Little Crake

1970: 21st-27th March - female on Wick Hams, Hengistbury
1994: 17th August - juvenile male, moulting to first-winter, in Parky Meade Rail, Stanpit

Crane

1963: 3rd November - 26 south-east over Hengistbury
1987: 22nd October - 14 south over Hengistbury
1988: 22nd February - 7 north
1994: 17th January - in the harbour
1994: 17th October - 11 south-west over Hengistbury

Black-winged Stilt

1987: 2nd May - 2 on Stanpit
1990: 12th-13th May - first-summer on Stanpit

American Golden Plover

1992: 22nd-24th May - adult on Stanpit
1998: 6th May - moulting adult on Stanpit

Pacific Golden Plover

1990: 25th-27th July - Stanpit
2002: 10th August - over the Nursery, Hengistbury
2003: 31st August - over South Marsh, Stanpit

Dotterel

1960: 31st August and 2nd September - Hengistbury
1972: 27th-28th May
1975: 21st May - 2 birds on Hengistbury
1990: 30th April - 6 north
1992: 14th August - Stanpit
1997: 10th May - a pair on Stanpit golf course
2005: 29th April - a trip of 4 over Hengistbury
2006: 14th September - heard and seen over Stanpit

Baird's Sandpiper

1988: 6th-19th October - juvenile
1998: 24th August-2nd September - juvenile in Stanpit Bight, Stanpit

Broad-billed Sandpiper

1986: 16th-17th May - 2 birds on Stanpit

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

1996: 17th September - for just 5 minutes on Priory Marsh, Stanpit

Dowitcher sp.

1968 : 23rd-27th September - 2 on Stanpit
1973: 2nd-3rd December - Stanpit

1872: September - male shot on Stanpit, now at the Red House Museum
1902: 7th October - juvenile female shot on Stanpit, now at the Red House Museum

Wise states these have been identified to Short-billed Dowitcher, with the 1902 bird sub-species hendersonii.

Marsh Sandpiper

2000: 10th-15th April - off Fisherman's Bank, Stanpit

Lesser Yellowlegs

1976: 16th-31st October - Stanpit
1994: 4th-12th December - varying between Stanpit and Wick Fields

Terek Sandpiper

1988: 15th-24th July - Stanpit
1998: 13th-16th May - mainly off Fisherman's Bank, Stanpit

Spotted Sandpiper

1976: 7th-14th May - adult bird in breeding plumage
1984: 14th September - juvenile on Stanpit
2005: 5th June - adult in breeding plumage on Stanpit

Red-necked Phalarope

1983: 25th April-3rd May - moulting adult
1984: 21st-28th September - Stanpit
1984  28th-30th September - same bird moved to Hengistbury
1984: 3rd-5th October - moulting adult at Hengistbury
1987: 16th and 18th October - Hengistbury
1988: 1st September - Hengistbury
1991: 19th-22nd June - adult male in breeding plumage on Stanpit
1993: 8th-17th September - spent some time at Stanpit from Christchurch Waterworks
2005: 7th November - on sea drifting slowly west past the Beach Huts

Sabine's Gull

Except for the the 1987 Great Storm records, the list is known to be incomplete.

1970: 19th September - immature off Hengistbury
1976: 25th April - immature off Hengistbury
1987: 16th October - 7 birds
1987: 17th October - 1 bird
1987: 18th October - 14 west off Hengistbury
1987: 19th October - 58 west off Hengistbury, including flocks of 22 and 9
1987: 21st October - 1 west off Hengistbury
1987: 22nd October - 4 west off Hengistbury
1987: 25th October - 1 bird in the harbour
1987: 26th October - 2 east off Hengistbury
1987: 9th November - 1 bird
1987: 12th November - 1 bird
1987: 16th November - 1 bird
1993: 30th June - Hengistbury
1994: 29th December - adult off Hengistbury
2004: 18th September - single bird off Hengistbury
2005: 11th November - juvenile west past Hengistbury

1896: 26th September - resting on an old anchor in the harbour, in Hart Collection
1921: 31st August

Bonaparte's Gull

1975: 14th March - adult
1981: 20th April - Hengistbury

Ross's Gull

1974: 16th June-20th August - first-summer bird on Stanpit
2004: 11th September - adult briefly off South Marsh, Stanpit

Gull-billed Tern

1959: 2nd September - Stanpit
1993: 5th-6th October
2004: 26th October - off Fisherman's Bank, Stanpit

Caspian Tern

1958: 7th September - Mudeford, presumably in the recording area
1968: 20th July - Stanpit
1980: 26th July - Stanpit
1988: 15th-17th and 21st June - Stanpit
1992: 15th August - Hengistbury
2001: 12th June - off South Marsh, Stanpit
2001: 23rd and 27th July - around Stanpit Bight, Stanpit

Lesser Crested Tern

1995: 25th April - west over the Common at Hengistbury

Elegant Tern

2005: 10th May - adult, initially on East Marsh, Stanpit, then off Mudeford Quay.

Whiskered Tern

1967: 13th-16th August - Stanpit
1988: 30th May - adult at Stanpit
1988: 16th June - adult at Stanpit

White-winged Black Tern

1967: 2nd-3rd November - immature off Hengistbury
1976: 16th -30th October - Stanpit
1986: 21st and 24th August - immature bird which spent the interim at Coward's Marsh
1988: 7th September - juvenile at Hengistbury
1991: 1st-3rd September - juvenile at Stanpit
1992: 22nd August - moulting adult at Stanpit
2004: 10th August - moulting adult off Fisherman's Bank, Stanpit

Black Guillemot

1980: 2nd January - off Hengistbury
1983: 30th October - off Hengistbury
1985: 1st November - off Hengistbury
1988: 26th January - off Hengistbury
1991: 6th January - off Hengistbury
1992: 2nd December - off Hengistbury
2004: 28th January - west past Hengistbury

Great Spotted Cuckoo

1994: 20th April - Hengistbury

Pallid Swift

2002: 22nd November - ranging over Stanpit and Hengistbury. A Bobolink was also present on this day!

Alpine Swift

1995: 12th October - over Wick
1998: 5th September - from Hengistbury
2004: 30th March - briefly over the Nursery, Hengistbury, before leaving over Mudeford Quay

Bee-eater

2002: 21st August - heard and then seen high over Priory Marsh

Short-toed Lark

1991: 17th October - Stanpit
1991: 29th October - Hengistbury
1995: 29th April - Hengistbury

Shore Lark

1974: 3rd November -Hengistbury
1984: 3rd-4th November - Stanpit
1988: 12th December - Stanpit
1992: 26th October - Stanpit
1992: 20th December - Hengistbury
1996: 15th November - Stanpit
1997: 16th January - Stanpit

Red-rumped Swallow

1973: 12th September - Hengistbury
1987: 2nd May - 2 birds at Stanpit
1987: 6th May - Hengistbury
1989: 9th April - Stanpit
1998: 28th February - Hengistbury
2005: 30th April - past the HHC, Hengistbury

Red-throated Pipit

1987: 25th May - Hengistbury
2000: 24th August - heard and seen over the HHC, Hengistbury

Scandinavian Rock Pipit - littoralis

1971: 28th February - trapped at Hengistbury
1975: November - 6 birds at Stanpit during November
1992: recorded in spring
1996: one wintered on Stanpit
1997: 6th March - 2 birds at Hengistbury
1999: 30th March
2000: 7th and 13th March
2005: January to March - up to 10 birds on Stanpit
2007: February and March - up to 10 on Stanpit
Now believed to be regular in winter

Citrine Wagtail

1966: 15th October - 2 first-winter birds on the mud off the tip of South Marsh

Grey-headed Wagtail - thunbergi

1996: 8th-11th September - Stanpit
2001: 23rd May - Stanpit

Ashy-headed Wagtail - cinereocapilla

1984: 3rd May

Waxwing

1958:
1966: 7 birds
1988:
1989:
2005: 23rd January - a flock of around 30 birds east over harbour

Siberian Stonechat - maura

1990: 7th October - male at Hengistbury
2005: 24th October - male on Wick Fields

Fan-tailed Warbler

2000: 20th-31st May - singing male on Hengistbury and occasionally Stanpit. The 3rd British record

Marsh Warbler

1982: 18th May-24th July - single male on Wick Fields
1987: 13th October - Hengistbury
1988: 12th October - Hengistbury

Great Reed Warbler

1989: 24th September-2nd October - Hengistbury, trapped on 24th

Subalpine Warbler

1988: 3rd-4th June - male on Wick Fields
1993: 10th-15th April - male on the Long Field, Hengistbury
2004: 18th April - male on Wick Fields
2006: 7th-18th April - first-year bird on Crouch Hill, Stanpit

Siberian Chiffchaff - tristis

1995: 23rd November - Stanpit
2000: 20th February - Priory Marsh, Stanpit
2002: 13th February-25th April - Stanpit Golf Course
2007: 11th-26th March - 2 birds around Stanpit Golf Course

Greenish Warbler

1985: 1st-3rd October - Hengistbury, trapped on 2nd

Radde's Warbler

2003: 23rd October - in the field adjacent to the HHC, Hengistbury

Dusky Warbler

1991: 29th October - Hengistbury
1997: 30th November - Wick Ditch
2004: 11th October - in the HHC grounds, Hengistbury

Western Bonelli's Warbler

1975: 31st May - single male on Hengistbury, most likely to be western
1984: 24th-25th May - singing male on Hengistbury
1989: 29th-31st August - Hengistbury

Red-breasted Flycatcher

1982: 31st October-1st November - Hengistbury
1984: 29th October - the Nursery, Hengistbury
1986:
1987:
1988: 11th October - Hengistbury
1988: 12th October - adult male on Hengistbury. Report reads as if this is a different bird
1990:
1992: 3rd October - an immature by Whitethroat Corner, Hengistbury
1993: 22nd August - female at Stanpit
1993: 15th September - first-year on the Batters, Hengistbury
1994: 27th September - Wick Ditch
1995: 11th-12th September - Wick Ditch
1995: 12th September - immature on the Batters, Hengistbury
1996: 20th September - first-year bird Hengistbury
1999: 27th October - one on Hengistbury
2006: 28th September - the Batters, Hengistbury

Crested Tit

1846: no date - one of the continental race mitratus shot in a clump of firs near Stanpit

Penduline Tit

1988: 21st-22nd October - juvenile at Stanpit
1996: 9th October - 2 juveniles at Hengistbury
2000: 4th November - HHC reedbed, Hengistbury

Chough

1871: 3rd January - 3 birds shot in the harbour, now in the Hart collection

Red-eyed Vireo

1987: 12th October - the Batters, Hengistbury

Mealy Redpoll

1985: 24th November - 2 birds
1986: 9th-12th February - 1 bird at Hengistbury

Common Rosefinch

1990: 19th October - Hengistbury
1991: 21st May - first-summer male on Hengistbury
1993: 2nd June - first-summer male on Hengistbury
1996: 29th May - female on Hengistbury
2000: 29th September - bird heard and seen on Hengistbury
2004: 9th October - 2 birds east over Hengistbury

Northern Parula

1985: 30th September-12th October - first-winter female on Hengistbury, trapped on the 9th

Rustic Bunting

1993: 20th March - male on Stanpit

Little Bunting

1976: 1st May - trapped at Wick Hams, Hengistbury
1995: 30th December - Stanpit
1998: 9th October - HHC hedge
2006: 9th October - in the Barn Field
2007: 8th April - male singing in Double Dykes, then off towards Wick

Incomplete list, 9 records in total

Bobolink

2002: 1st-23rd November - Wick Fields. It was also possible to see Pallid Swift during the bird's stay!