Great Snipe Gallinago media (Latham, 1787)
- One, not aged, 6th March 1949 (B. King, R.H. Poulding.).
- One, not aged, 27th Dec. 1950 (B. King & M.J. Wotton.).
I am a littled saddened to have report that the two records above are now deemed not acceptable in the review of historical records that pre-dated the formation of the British Birds Records Committee (BBRC) set up in 1953. Full details are available via the link below (see 5). It may be of some interest in this context to know that I have in my possession four bound volumes of the Report on Somerset Birds that were owned by Bernard King, in which there is a pencil sketch of the Great Snipe at Blagdon Lake, drawn by Michael J. Wotton of the bird found by him and Bernard King on 27th Dec. 1950. There is also a postcard from J.D. Wood, editor of British Birds, to Bernard King, dated 3rd March 1950, apologising for the delay in replying, saying that Bernard W. Tucker agrees the identification, and that he is in very poor health. The retrospective review states “December (winter) records are probably misidentified. Not known to have been seen by a competent authority. Not acceptable.”
In due course, I will attempt to photograph the drawing and card for inclusion here.
Bibliography (sources of information):
- Blaythwayt, Rev F.L. (ed.). Report on Somerset Birds, 1949. Somersetshire Archaeol. & Nat. Hist. Soc.
- Davis, H.H. (ed.). Ornithological Notes Bristol District, 1949. Bristol Naturalists’ Society.
- McGeoch, J.A. Somerset Birds, 1968. Somersetshire Archaeol. & Nat. Hist. Soc.
- Tucker, Dr B.W. (ed.). Report on Somerset Birds, 1950. Somersetshire Archaeol. & Nat. Hist. Soc.
- Great Snipe (4/4) — Historical Rare Birds
Last update: 19th December 2024