GULL-BILLED TERN

(Gelochelidon nilotica)

Rare Vagrant

pre-1824 Near Sandwich, no date.
1839 Lydd, killed, June.
1862 RomneyMarsh, 12th September.
ca.1886 Near Whitstable, shot, possibly 1887.
1940 East Kent, no locality, 25th April.
1954 Hacklinge, adult, 9th August.
1955 Dungeness, single bird, 13th August.
1956 Dungeness, two, 13th August.
  The Midrips/Wicks area, nr. Dungeness, two, 3rd September.
1957 Dungeness, three, 25th May.
1958 Dungeness, 2nd May.
1960 Near Deal, single bird, 10th June.
  Reculver, single bird, 11th-16th June.
  Dungeness, three, 19th June.
  Dungeness, 17th September.
  Shellness, Sheppey, 1st October.
1962 Stour Estuary, 7th May.
  Sandwich Bay, 21st, 26th, 27th, and 29th August.
  Sandwich Bay, 2nd-4th September.
1963 Dungeness, 25th-26th April.
  Dungeness, four, 26th June, and three, 27th June.
1964 Stodmarsh, 22nd August.
  Dungeness, two, 22nd August.
1965 Sandwich Bay, 1st May.
1967 Dungeness, 4th August.
  Sandwich Bay, 15th-16th August.
  Dungeness, 29th August.
1968 Shellness, Sheppey, 5th September.
1971 Dungeness, two, 9th July.
1973 Sandwich and Pegwell Bays, 16th August.
1975 Allhallows, 4th October.
1978 Sandwich Bay, 18th May.
1979 Dungeness, 31st July.
1980 Dungeness, 28th July.
1983 Pegwell Bay, 8th June.
1986 Sandwich Bay, 16th July.
2000 Yantlet Creek, 5th May.
2005 Dungeness, second year, 4th, 6th-7th, and 9th-16th May. Presumed same as East Sussex 7th May. Click for photo
2006 Dungeness Reserve, adult, 25th May.