Page:VCH Surrey 1.djvu/258

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A HISTORY OF SURREY 199. Oyster-Catcher. Htematopus ostralegus, Linn. A casual visitor, recorded on less than a dozen occasions (Bucknill, p. 288). 200. Avocet. Recurvirostra avocetta, Linn. Appears to have occurred in Surrey two or three times only (Bucknill, p. 290). 201. Black-winged Stilt. Himantopus candi- dusy Bonnaterre. A small flock of six occurred on Frensham Pond in 1779, another single bird at the same place in 1 832, and a third instance at Vachery in 1848. These are the only county records (Bucknill, pp. 290-292). 202. Grey Phalarope. Phalaropus fulicarlus (Linn.). An irregular straggler to the county, where it has been obtained on more than a score of occasions. In some winters large immigra- tions of this species occur in this country, and it is during such periods that the bulk of the county specimens have been taken (Bucknill, pp. 292-295). 203. Red - necked Phalarope. Phalaropus hyperboreus (Linn.). A very rare straggler, there being only three definite local records (Bucknill, p. 295). 204. Woodcock. Scolopax rusticula. Linn. A common enough winter visitor, and in former years a tolerably common breeding species, but as such now very rare. 205. Great Snipe. Gallinago major (Gmelin). Recorded on some few occasions, but un- fortunately on incomplete evidence (Bucknill, p. 298). 206. Common Snipe. Gallinago ccelestis (Frenzel). A common winter visitor, and rather local, though not extremely uncommon, as a nesting species. Formerly bred quite freely in the then secluded, low-lying open grounds of the county. The melanism known as Sabine's snipe has been taken locally once or twice. 207. Jack Snipe. Gallinago gallinula (Linn.). A regular winter visitor, but not common, except on the rough marshy grounds of con- siderable extent, where it can find suitable feed ing- places. 208. Dunlin. Tringa alpina. Linn. Another spring and autumn migrant of occasional occurrence. Has been recorded on five or six occasions, but is not, perhaps, so rare as it would appear (Budnil/, p. 305). 209. Little Stint. Tringa minuta, Leisler. Only once definitely recorded, but probably a rare visitor on migration (Bucknill, p. 307). 210. Curlew-Sandpiper. Tringa subarquata (Gttldenstadt). Another rare migrant, only noticed in the county once or twice (Bucknill, p. 304). 211. Purple Sandpiper. Tringa striata, Linn. Twice shot in Surrey. A rare straggler (Bucknill, p. 306). 212. Knot. Tringa canutus, Linn. A straggler on migration. Three or four have been shot at different times (Bucknill, p. 35)- 213. Sanderling. Calidris arenaria (Linn.). A rare visitor on migration ; has been shot locally on a few occasions (Bucknill, p. 303). 214. Ruff. Machetes pugnax (Linn.). An accidental straggler to the county. Some were taken near Godalming in 1836, and others in 1 840 at the same place ; but there is no recent local record (Bucknill, p. 307). 215. Common Sandpiper. Tetanus hypoleucus (Linn.). A regular and fairly common visitor in spring and autumn, frequenting the ponds and streams in the rural districts. Possibly has bred occasionally in the county (Bucknill, p. 3")- 216. Wood - Sandpiper. Totanus glareola (Gmelin). A rare visitor on its vernal and autumnal migration. Recorded on about half a dozen occasions (Bucknill, p. 310). 217. Green Sandpiper. Totanus ochropus (Linn.). A spring and autumn migrant, but not common. Reported to have nested in the county, but on unsatisfactory evidence. May not infrequently be observed on the Mole, Wey and Thames, and the margins of the large lakes. 2 1 8. Redshank. Totanus calidris (Linn.). An occasional spring and autumn migrant ; observed and shot on several occasions (Bucknill, p. 312). 219. Spotted Redshank. Totanus foscus (Linn.). Once obtained at Godalming in 1855 (Bucknill, p. 313). 220. Greenshank. Totanus canescens (Gmelin). An occasional migrant in spring and autumn ; shot and observed in the county about a dozen times (Bucknill, p. 314). 216