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Rarities Panel
 

The Gibraltar Rarities Panel is set up by the Strait of Gibraltar Bird Observatory to consider records of birds not usually recorded in Gibraltar.

The membership of the Panel is: 

Dr Keith Bensusan(Chairman), Charles Perez, and Dr Ernest Garcia.

The Panel aims to ensure that published records of birds observed at Gibraltar are those which have satisfied defined, objective criteria regarding their authenticity. In common with other national Rarities Committees, the Gibraltar committee is conservative in outlook, preferring to err on the side of caution when doubts arise. The rejection of a record by the committee does not imply that the record was incorrect but only that the circumstances of the observation were insufficient to rule out all possibility of error.

The list below includes all those species for which records submitted to the Panel DO NOT require supporting descriptions. Records of any other species must be accompanied by a written description, including full details of the observation.

A written description of the bird(s) and the circumstances of the record should be submitted to the Committee Chairman, Dr. Keith Bensusan (sgbo (at) gonhs.org) in the first instance. The format favoured by the Association of European Rarities Committees is ideal (see http://www.aerc.eu/Documents.htm) and is available as a Rarities Submission Form here. A description is required for records of all species EXCEPT those specifically excluded below. Descriptions are also required for all potential additions to the Gibraltar List.

 

Rarities Panel Decisions.

Records accepted at the Rarities Panel meeting held on 26th July 2010

Date

Species

No.

Observer(s)

16-Oct-09

Baillon's Crake

1

K. Joyce

08-Nov-06

Bullfinch

1

I. Thompson

09-Nov-06

Bullfinch

1

R. Rogers

11-Nov-06

Bullfinch

1

I Thompson

30-Mar-07

Bullfinch

1

Y. Benting/S. Norman/

M. Mosquera

10-Apr-07

Bullfinch

1

S. Norman

15-Apr-07

Bullfinch

1

D. Dicker

16-Aug-08 to

29-Aug-08

Common Waxbill

1

C. Perez/M. Mosquera/

K. Bensusan/J. Cortes/R. Guillem

18-Jan-06

Eagle Owl

1

J. Cortes

06-Dec-06

Eagle Owl

1

S.Warr

10-Apr-09

Eagle Owl

1

V. Robba

19-Aug-06

Glossy Ibis

9

C. Perez

01-Apr-10

Greater Spotted Eagle

1

S. Norman/M. Mosquera

18-Apr-09

Green Woodpecker

1

S. Norman

14-May-06

Icterine Warbler

1

K. Bensusan

14-May-06

Icterine Warbler

4

J. Horton/C. Perez/

K. Bensusan

11-Mar-06

Lanner

1

I. Thompson/C. Perez

20-Apr-06

Lanner

1

J. Elliott

24-Jul-06

Lanner

1

V. Robba/S. Olivero

02-Apr-07

Lanner

1

M. Mosquera/C. Perez/

K. Bensusan/J. Cortes

16-Jun-07

Lanner

1

S. Olivero

18-Jun-07

Lanner

1

V. Robba

21-Jun-07

Lanner

1

M. Mosquera

27-Sep-07

Lanner

1

V. Robba

17-Oct-08

Lanner

1

V. Robba/S. Olivero

23-Jun-09

Lanner

1

V. Robba

19-Sep-09

Lanner

1

K. Bensusan/J. Cortes

28-Jan-10

Leach's Petrel

1

J. Yeoman

22-Feb-10

Leach's Petrel

1

C. Perez

01-Apr-10

Lesser Spotted Eagle

1

S. Norman/M. Mosquera

17-Jan-06

Long-legged Buzzard

1

 

13-Aug-07

Long-legged Buzzard

1

M. Mosquera

08-Aug-06

Moroccan Wagtail

1

C. Perez

21-Oct-08

Red-breasted Flycatcher

1

R. Marsh

27-Nov-08

Red-breasted Flycatcher

1

I Thompson

05-May-07

Redshank

4

A. Fortuna

30-Aug-07

Redshank

1

C. Perez/AYome/

J. Cortes/S.Warr

27-Jun-07

Roseate Tern

2

C. Perez

28-Aug-06

Royal Tern

1

C. Perez/AYome

23-Jul-06 to

24-Jul-06

Ruppell's Vulture

1

K. Bensusan/TJ/C. Perez/

T. Jesty/V. Robba

19-Nov-06

Sanderling

6

C. Perez/E. Garcia

25-Nov-09

Shelduck

15

S. Monhagan

05-Dec-09

Shelduck

5

S. Monhagan

08-Dec-09

Shelduck

14

S. Monhagan

02-Jul-06

Slender-billed Gull

1

C. Perez

05-Aug-06

Slender-billed Gull

2

C. Perez/J. Cortes

22-Jul-07

Slender-billed Gull

2

A. Fortuna/H. Vangils/

A. Yome/K. Bensusan

12-Mar-06

Sooty Shearwater

2

R. Rutherford

05-Oct-08

Sooty Shearwater

2

C. Perez/A. Yome/

R. Marsh/J. Yeoman

25-Aug-05

Spoonbill

25

C. Perez/J. Martinez

27-Jun-06

Spoonbill

1

C. Perez

05-Aug-06

Spoonbill

2

C. Perez

22-Sep-08

Trumpeter Finch

1

C. Perez/K. Bensusan

14-Aug-07

White-rumped Swift

1

M. Mosquera

24-Mar-06

Woodcock

1

P. Warne

22-Nov-06

Woodcock

1

P. Warne

03-Nov-07

Woodcock

1

P. Acolina/E. Debono

07-Mar-06

Woodlark

2

I. Thompson/P. Rocca

 

Records accepted at the Rarities Panel meeting held on 4th October 2005

26/07/1967 Red-backed shrike                                                    1 E.F.J. Garcia
03/09/1993 Cetti’s Warbler                                                            1 ringed C. Perez, K. Bensusan
07/10/1994 Sedge Warbler                                                            1 ringed C. Perez, R. Rutherford
08/10/1994 Cetti’s Warbler                                                            1 ringed J. Cortes
18/03/1995 Sooty Shearwater                                                       2 C. Perez
30/09/1995 Coal Tit & 24/03/1995                                                1 ringed, then re-trapped
21/10/1995 Sooty Shearwater                                                        1 C. Perez
28/08/1998 Lammergeier                                                               1 C. Perez, K. Bensusan, J. Tebar
22/09/1998 Sedge Warbler                                                             1 ringed
17/10/1998 Sooty Shearwater                                                        2 J. Cortes, K. Bensusan
02/10/1999 Great Shearwater                                                        1 J. Cortes, C. Perez
16/04/2001 Sedge Warbler                                                             1 ringed C. Perez
23/05/2001 Lanner                                                                           1 K. Bensusan, J. Cortes
30/06/2001 Lanner to 24/07/2001                                                  1 J. Cortes
27/04/2002 Alpine chough                                                               3 C. Perez
28/04/2002 Black Vulture                                                                 1
07/05/2002 Black Vulture                                                                 1
09/06/2002 Black Vulture                                                                 1 J. Cortes
04/09/2002 Lanner                                                                            1 P. Rocca
31/10/2002 Bullfinch                                                                         1 ringed
07/01/2003 Guillemot                                                                       1 R. Rutherford
21/03/2003 Bullfinch                                                                         1 ringed I. Thompson
30/03/2003 Black Vulture                                                                 1 K. Bensusan, I. Thompson
31/05/2003 Lanner                                                                           1 P. Rocca
22/07/2003 Long-legged buzzard                                                  1 K. Bensusan
06/09/2003 Sanderling                                                                    2 K. Bensusan, C. Perez
20/09/2003 Lesser whitethroat                                                      1 ringed R. Marsh
08/11/2003 Cetti’s Warbler                                                             1 A. Fortuna
08/03/2004 Lanner                                                                           1 P. Rocca
09/04/2004 African chaffinch                                                           1 ringed I. Thompson
17/04/2004 Magpie                                                                           1 J. Cortes, V. Robba
05/05/2004 Laughing Gull                                                               1 R. Rutherford
25/06/2004 Crested Tit                                                                     1 P. Rocca
04/08/2004 Lanner                                                                            1 P. Rocca
11/08/2004 Purple Swamphen                                                       1 J. Cortes, K. Bensusan, C. Perez
08/11/2004 Bullfinch                                                                          9, 8 ringed R. Denyer, T. Beasley
12/11/2004 Long-tailed tit                                                               10  ringed R. Denyer, T. Beasley
14/11/2004 Bullfinch                                                                          1 ringed
14/11/2004 Indigo bunting                                                                1 Trapped, Tony Beasley.
19/11/2004 Cetti’s Warbler 15/01/2005                                         1 K. Bensusan, D. Federico
31/01/2005 Sanderling                                                                      1 C. Perez, K. Bensusan
28/04/2005 Seebohm’s wheatear                                                   1 K. Bensusan
02/09/2005 Long-legged buzzard                                                    2 C. Perez, K. Bensusan, et al.

 

LIST OF SPECIES WHICH DO NOT REQUIRE WRITTEN DESCRIPTIONS

Black-necked Grebe

Cory's, Balearic and Levantine Shearwaters

European & Leach's Storm Petrels

Northern Gannet, Great Cormorant & Shag

Night, Squacco, Purple & Grey Herons

Little & Cattle Egrets

Black & White Storks

Eurasian Spoonbill

Greater Flamingo

Greylag Goose

Common Shelduck

Mallard & Common Scoter

Honey & Common Buzzards

Black-shouldered, Red & Black Kites

Egyptian, Griffon & Black Vultures

Marsh, Hen & Marsh Harriers

Short-toed & Booted Eagles

Goshawk & Sparrowhawk

Osprey

Common & Lesser Kestrels

Merlin, Hobby, Eleonora's Falcon, Lanner & Peregrine

Barbary Partridge & Common Quail

Common Crane

Oystercatcher, Black-winged Stilt, Avocet & Stone Curlew.

Kentish Plover, Northern Lapwing, Sanderling, Whimbrel, Common Sandpiper, Eurasian Woodcock, Common Redshank & Turnstone

Great, Arctic & Pomarine Skuas

Mediterranean, Little, Black-headed, Slender-billed, Audouin's, Lesser Black-backed & Yellow-legged Gulls  & Kittiwake

Gull-billed, Caspian, Lesser Crested, Sandwich, Common, Little & Black Terns

Razorbill & Atlantic Puffin

Woodpigeon, Rock, Collared & Turtle Doves

Rose-ringed & Monk Parakeets

Great Spotted & Grey Cuckoos

Barn, Scops, Little & Tawny Owls

European & Red-necked Nightjars

Common, Pallid & Alpine Swifts

River Kingfisher, European Bee-eater, European Roller, Hoopoe & Wryneck

Short-toed, Thekla, Wood & Sky Larks

Sand, Crag & House Martins

Barn & Red-rumped Swallows

Tawny, Tree & Meadow Pipits

Yellow (flava, flavissima, iberiae & cinereocapilla), Grey & Pied (alba & yarrellii) Wagtails

Wren, Dunnock & Alpine Accentor

Rufous Bush Chat, Robin, Nightingale, Bluethroat, Common & Black Redstarts, Whinchat & Stonechat

Northern & Black-eared Wheatears

White-backed & Blue Rock Thrushes, Ring Ouzel, Blackbird, Song & Mistle Thrushes, Redwing

Zitting Cisticola, Blackcap, Common Whitethroat, Common & Iberian Chiffchaffs, Firecrest

Grasshopper, Reed, Olivaceous, Melodious, Dartford, Spectacled, Subalpine, Sardinian, Orphean, Garden, Western Bonelli's, Wood & Willow Warblers

Spotted & Pied Flycatchers

Blue & Great Tits

Short-toed Treecreeper

Golden Oriole

Woodchat & Southern Grey Shrikes

Jackdaw & Raven

Common & Spotless Starlings

House, Spanish & Tree Sparrows

Chaffinch, Brambling, Serin, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Siskin, Linnet, Red Crossbill, Trumpeter Finch & Bullfinch

Cirl, Rock, Ortolan & Corn Buntings

The Rarities Panel may on occasion request a description and further details for any bird recorded in Gibraltar, even if on the list above, particularly if the record is outside the season when the bird is usually recorded.

Any enquiries as well as details of all rarities observed should be referred to Dr. Keith Bensusan (sgbo (''at'') gonhs.org).