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The Birds Of South Gloucestershire          Lapland Bunting - calcarius lapponicus

 

Lapland Bunting is at home in the far north; they rear their families in great haste where eggs are incubated and the fledglings weaned in less than a month. It is possible that they nested in this country around ten thousand years ago when ice affected Britain and dwarf Arctic Willows flourished here in Norfolk and Suffolk. Calcarius stems from the Latin 'calcrius' contracted to 'calx' or 'calc' a possible reference to the 'longspur' the posterior rounded extremity of the foot. Lapponicus is a direct reference to Lapland, the general breeding grounds.

 

There have been nineteen Lapland Buntings reported from S. Gloucestershire;

 

2010: (c.10)

One was seen on the gravel track at Cake Pill, Aust Warth and four were seen at Oldbury Power Station, two on the salt marsh between the Power Station and Thornbury Yacht Club at ST: 601 933 and two fly-over's on October 13th; On October 14th one was noted over New Passage early morning; One possibly this species was heard distantly at Oldbury Power Station on October 16th; One was seen at Aust Warth at 07:50 on October 20th; One was noted flying south-west over Northwick Warth towards New Passage at 12:30 on December 3rd.

 

2008: (1)

A female was found at around 10:00 on March 24th in ploughed fields at the junction of West Littleton Road and Northfield Lane at Marshfield (ST: 776 742) it was present for four days and was last seen on March 27th. This occurrence represents the first inland report of this species for S. Gloucestershire. (Martyn Hayes)

 

 

Lapland Bunting at Northfield Lane. March 2008. Rob Laughton.

 

2007: (1)

A moulting adult male was seen at Northwick Warth on the salt marsh in the evening on October 3rd. (John Martin, Dick Reader, Paul Bowerman)

 

 

Lapland Bunting at Northwick Warth. October 2007. Paul Bowerman.

 

2003: (1)

On November 19th a single bird was observed firstly on Northwick Warth then later at Aust Warth before flying off over Aust Cliff. (Brian Lancastle)

 

1996: (2)

On January 29th at Oldbury-on-Severn a 1st winter bird was trapped ringed, released and re-trapped on February 2nd; (JMC Hutchinson, AD Mitchell) One was seen in flight on March 17th at Northwick Warth. (Brian Lancastle)

 

1989: (1)

One was found on September 2nd at Aust Warth. (Tony Scott)

 

1988: (1)

One on October 16th was located at Severn Beach. (Brian Lancastle)

 

1986: (1)

One, a 1st winter female,  was found on February 9th at New Passage. (Brian Lancastle)

 

1984: (1)

On October 27th one was seen at Severn Beach. (Brian Lancastle)

 

1981: (1)

A 1st winter bird was reported from Severn Beach on December 18th. This occurrence constitutes the first report of this species for S. Gloucestershire. (Gordon Youdale)

 

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