Northern Gannet Morus bassanus (Linnaeus, 1758)

RSPB Bempton Cliffs, East Yorks. © Nigel Milbourne 2023

  1. One, probable adult, 8th Aug. 1924 (D. Carr et al.).
  2. Two, not aged, 18th Sep. 1950 (G.C. Buxton), presumed same one corpse, 4th or 5th year, 8th Oct. (G.C. Buxton, P.J. Chadwick, B. King). See note 1 below.
  3. One corpse, not aged, 12th Jan. 1952 (G. Bright, R. Glanville).
  4. One, juvenile, 17th Sep. 2000 (N.R. Milbourne). See note 2 below.
  5. One, adult, 15th-17th Sep. 2004 (A. Herring, N.R. Milbourne et al.) See note 3 below.
  6. One, 2nd-year dead on last date, 21st-23rd Sep. 2004 (N.R. Milbourne et al.).
  7. One, sub-adult 5th or 6th year, 25th May 2006 (N.R. Milbourne).
  8. One, juvenile, 18th Oct, 2009 (N.R. Milbourne). See note 4 below.
  9. One, sub-adult 5th or 6th year, 21st Aug. 2016 (K. Rhodes, S. Hale et al.).

Note 1: I have not accorded this as a separate record because Somerset Birds indicated that this was probably one of the two birds previously noted on 18th September 1950.

Note 2: Avon Bird Report 2000 cites this as the second record for Blagdon but it would appear to be either the 3rd or 4th.

Note 3: Avon Bird Report 2004 incorrectly gives the dates as 15th-16th September.

Note 4: Avon Bird Report 2009 gives the dates as 18th-19th October but the bird clearly flew off to the west on 18th having toured Barrow Tanks and Chew Valley Lake before arriving at Blagdon.

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Bibliography (sources of information):

  1. British Ornithologists’ Union (BOU) website
  2. British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) website
  3. Davis, A.H. (ed.) Avon Bird Report, 2000. Avon Ornithological Group.
  4. Davis, H.H. (ed.). Ornithological Notes Bristol District, 1952. Bristol Naturalists’ Society.
  5. Rose, Dr H.E. (ed.). Avon Bird Report, 2004. Avon Ornithological Group.
  6. Rose, Dr H.E. (ed.). Avon Bird Report, 2006. Avon Ornithological Group.
  7. Rose, Dr H.E. (ed.). Avon Bird Report, 2009. Avon Ornithological Group.
  8. Taylor, W.R. Report on Somerset Birds, 1952. Somersetshire Archaeol. & Nat. Hist. Soc.
  9. Tucker, Dr B.W. (ed.). Report on Somerset Birds, 1950. Somersetshire Archaeol. & Nat. Hist. Soc.