CIRL BUNTING (Emberiza cirlus)

Formerly local breeding species, now rare vagrant

1886 Nest found, and frequently heard, near Iwade, no dates.
1911 Nest found, west of Cliffe, June.
  Nest found, east of Cooling, June.
1916 Seen between Folkestone and Dover, 7th April.
1931 Nest with eggs, Sutton Valence, 24th May.
1935 Nesting pair, Biggin Hill, 26th July.
1936 Two birds, Halstow Marshes, 22nd November.
1943 Found nesting, Charing, no date.
1945 Pair, Sundridge Park, near Chislehurst, May.
  Single male, Denge Marsh, near Lydd, 21st August.
1947 Pair nested, between Bredhurst and Hempstead, no date.
  Several birds, near Wye, 19th January.
1949 Two males and a female, in mixed finch flock, Dartford Marshes, 4th December.
1950 Two males and two presumed females, Trenley Park Woods, 5th April.
1951 Nesting pair, near Plaxtol, no dates.
1952 Nesting pair, near Maidstone, no dates.
1953 Two birds, Cliffe, 21st January.
  Nesting pair for second year, near Maidstone, no dates.
  Single bird, Conyer, 25th October.
  Single bird, Elmley, 8th September.
1954 Male, Hythe, 20th June.
  Flock of eight birds, Cliffe, 17th December.
1955 Male, Sevenoaks Weald, February.
  Male, Boughton Monchelsea, March.
  Male, Aylesford Common, June.
  Male, Minnis Bay, November.
1957 Three birds, near Upchurch, 20th October.
  Single bird, Northward Hill, 16th March.
  Single bird, East Malling, 17th May.
  Single bird, Aylesford, 16th July.
  Single bird, Wye, 3rd October.
  Single bird, Dungeness, 7th November.
1958 Single birds at Sevenoaks, Cobham, and Borstal, during winter, no dates.
  One or two pairs may have bred, Funton, no dates.
  Four birds, Northward Hill area, 24th August.
  Single bird, near Bluebell Hill, no date.
  Single bird, near Bredhurst, no date.
1960 There were eight reports during the winter months, no details.
  Single bird, Cliffe, 4th April.
  Single bird, Broomfield, 27th May.
  Immature male, near Boxley, 30th August.
1961 Single bird, Dover, 2nd June, and another 19th September.
  Male, St. Margaret's, 17th November .
1962 Single bird, Grove, 1st January.
  Male, St. Margaret's, 3rd May.
1963 Male, St. Margaret's, 3rd May and 1st July.
  Single bird, Northward Hill, 8th September.
1964 Single bird, Dungeness, 8th January.
  Male, St. Margaret's, 2nd April and 1st August.
1965 Singing male, Brands Hatch, Fawkham, 7th June.
  Male, St. Margaret's, 3rd to 30thApril, 28th June, and 5th to 12th August.
1966 Male, St. Margaret's, 1st March to 29th August.
  Male, Northward Hill, 13th April.
1971 Single bird, Longfield, 8th August.
1977 Singing male, Northward Hill, 31st May.
1978 Adult male, Hollingbourne, August, no exact date.
1983 Adult male, Conningbrook, 2nd January.
2006 Singing male, Dungeness, 5th May.