THE BIRDS OF SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE
PALLAS'S SANDGROUSE – Syrrhaptes paradoxus
As with all reports of rare and scarce birds they are subject to ratification by the respective rarities committees
The first British record for Pallas's Sandgrouse (named after the German zoologist Peter Simon Pallas) was a party of three near the River Glaslyn at Tremadoc in Caernarvonshire on July 9th 1859. In the 19th Century large irruptions of this species headed westwards into Europe. Invasions were noted in May 1863, 1888 and 1908, but smaller numbers were noted in many of the years with birds also recorded in 1872, 1876, 1890, 1899, 1904, 1906 and 1909.
In 1888 an the irruption occurred on a massive scale with up to 2,000 in Scotland and in the region of 5,000 noted across the British Isles. Breeding occurred in Yorkshire in 1888, Scotland in 1888/89 and probably Suffolk in 1888.
There have been around thirteen Pallas's Sandgrouse reported from S. Gloucestershire, they are;
1888: (c. 13)
Eight were recorded on June 3rd at Hambrook, possibly as many as ten. This occurrence constitutes the first record of this species for S. Gloucestershire; One was 'obtained' sometime in July at Yate; Two were seen sometime in July at Hambrook.