THE BIRDS OF SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE
THE BIRDS OF SOUTH
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
BLACK GUILLEMOT - Uria grylle
As with all reports of
rare and scarce birds they are subject to ratification by the respective
rarities committees
In the UK Black
Guillemot is a fairly common breeding bird in western and northern Scotland. In
the rest of Great Britain they only breed at St. Bees Head in Cumbria, on the
Isle of Man and Anglesey in North Wales. These birds often over winter in
their breeding areas moving to open waters if necessary but usually not
migrating very far south. Some historical names for Black Guillemot include; Tystie (from the Old Norse 'teiste'), Sea Turtle, Turtur, Puffinet and Scraber.
There has been one Black Guillemot reported from S.
Gloucestershire in;
1998: (1)
On October 27th an adult still in summer plumage was seen and watched for ten minutes drifting up the R. Severn off Severn Beach. This occurrence constitutes the first record of this species for S. Gloucestershire.