Cabot’s Tern, Siberian Stonechat, Hudsonian Whimbrel, Pale Martin (and more)

Cabot’s Tern, Siberian Stonechat and Hudsonian Whimbrel are on the British List but as subspecies. A paper released publicly today upgrades them to full species status. The Pale Martin I think is one of those highly likely (perhaps even overlooked) potential vagrants. It’s also been upgraded. There’s lots more to read in this Ibis paper.

Read the full paper: Sangster et al 2011 TSC 7th report IBIS   

I think members of the Taxonomic Sub-Committee (T.S.C.) of the BOURC have done a great job. The identification paper on Cabot’s Tern * cited in the report is of course available on the memory stick.

* Garner, M., Lewington, I. & Crook, J. 2007. Identification of American Sandwich Tern (Sterna sandvicensis acuflavida). Dutch Birding 29: 273 – 287.

The first ‘twitchable’ record of Cabot’s Tern might not be far away. Who knows how to identify one !  Time to get the stick? Just mail me as per here.

2 different species appear in the excellent photos below: One is a Cabot’s Tern, one is a Sandwich Tern. By great guys who take great photographs: