Stone Curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus)

Bred regularly until 1965 , now rare migrant

Once a common breeder, by the end of the nineteenth century it was reduced to five pairs or fewer. By the turn of the century parties of 40 in 1902 and 71 in 1905 at Dungeness were no longer exceptional. Again began a slow decline, until the last recorded breeding, at Dungeness in 1965.

With many records prior to 1952, this species would not normally be included in this list. However, as a species which causes great interest amongst birders records since 1952 are included here.

1952	Dungeness RSPB, 5 pairs, with a further 2 pairs off the reserve; some bred successfully.
1953	Dungeness RSPB, six pairs bred with possibly another. Two further pairs also bred just outside the reserve.
	Farthingloe, single bird flushed, 18th May.
	Slayhills saltings, Medway, single bird seen in flight, 19th August.
1954	Dungeness, 8 breeding pairs included 6 pairs on RSPB reserve.
	Stour Valley, Wye, single bird heard, 25th April.
	Tonbridge, 3 birds seen to land in field at 21.30hrs, before flying North.
1955	Dungeness RSPB, had 6 pairs of which 2 pairs bred successfully.
	Thanet, one heard calling on night of 13th April.
	Manston, immature found dead in road, 10th October.
1956	Dungeness, 7 pairs in breeding season, 1st April to 13th November.
1957	Dungeness, 7 pairs in breeding season, with 2 successful. One of ringed young shot in Spain in October.
	Yantlet, nr. Allhallows, single bird, 19th May.
1958	Dungeness RSPB, 5 pairs bred, with 2 broods found. 102 pairs bred off the reserve.
1959	Dungeness, recorded between 29th March and 10th October. No breeding records available.
	Cliffe, single bird, 14th April.
	St. Mary's Hoo, single bird, 24th May.
	Hoo, single bird, 29th August.
1960	Dungeness area, recorded between 13th March and 11th October. 8 pairs probably bred, with at least 6 young from 3 nests located.
1961	Dungeness area, recorded between 6th April and 6th November. 5 pairs present, but none known to have bred.
1962	Luddenham marshes, single bird, 10th June.
1963	Dungeness area, recorded between 30th March and 17th October, with possibly 6 pairs breeding.
	Sevenoaks, single bird on 31st July.
1964	Dungeness area, recorded between 26th March and 28th September, with 6 pairs breeding, all raising young.
1965	Dungeness, the first bird was seen on 31st mach, with only 1 pair breeding unsuccessfully.
	Egypt Bay, single bird, 20th August.
1966	Ciffe, single bird, 8th April.
	Dungeness, single bird, 8th April.
	Dungeness, 3 calling birds19th May until late May. No evidence of breeding.
	Sandwich Bay, single bird, 22nd July.
	St. Margaret's, single bird, 21st August.
1967	Dungeness RSPB, 1-2 birds, 3rd April to 27th September.
1968	Dungeness RSPB, 2 females, laid infrtile eggs in same nest.
	Brooks-Wicks, single bird summered.
1969	Dungeness, single birds on 11th May and 2nd September.
	Dungeness RSPB, single bird seen occasionally during July.
1970	Dungeness RSPB, single bird, 15th April.
1971	Dungeness area, up to 2 birds calling, 17th April to 19th May. No evidence of breeding.
	Halling, single bird calling at night, 18th May.
1972	Dungeness, single bird, 25th June.
	Kingsnorth, single bird, 18th August.
1973	Cottington, single bird, 27th March.
	Allhallows, single bird, 16th and 23rd September.
1975	Cliffe Pools, single bird, 31st August.
1978	Elmley, single bird, on the late date of 27th November.
1979	Dungeness RSPB, singles on 16th and 28th April.
	Sandwich Bay, single bird, 22nd September.
1980	Dungeness area, singles on 16th April, 29th June, and 1st July.
1981	St. Margaret's, single bird, 12th May.
1984	Reculver, single bird, 14th April.
	Dungeness RSPB, single bird, 16th September.
1987	Dungeness RSPB, single bird, 28th March.
	Stoke Ooze, single bird, 16th-20th September.
1988	Hawden Gravel Pits, single bird, 14th July.
	Sandwich Bay, single bird, 17th August.
1990	Cliffe Marshes, single bird, 3rd June.
1991	Capel Fleet, single bird, 5th May.
1995	Cliffe Pools, single bird, 23rd July.
	Dungeness, sinlge bird flushed fron roadside, 28th August.
1996	Dungeness, single bird, 9th April.
	Sandwich Bay, single bird, 2nd June.
1997	Dungeness RSPB, single bird, 31st July to 7th August.
1998	Langdon Cliffs, single bird, 6th October.
1999	Rye Street, single bird, 9th April.
	Dungeness, single birds on 26th May and 17th August.
2000	Funton, single bird, 19th March.
	Bockhill, single bird, 25th March.
	Dartford Marshes, single bird, 14th April.
	Sandwich Bay, single bird, 29th April.
	Sandwich Bay, single bird, 26th August.
2001	Shellness, single bird, 11th September.
2002	St. Margaret's, singles on 29th July and 1st August.
2004	Cliffe, single bird, 15th April.
	Dartford Marshes, single bird, 2nd May.
2006	Sandwich Bay, single bird, 20th March.
	Northward Hill, two birds, 21st April.
2007	Whetsted GP's, single bird, 25th March.
	Shellness, single bird, 20th June.
2008	Lade, single bird, 15th March.
	Dungeness, single bird, 13th May.
2009	Dungeness, single bird, 3rd April.
	Sandwich Bay, single bird, 19th July.
	Grove Ferry, single bird, 28th July.
	Sandwich Bay, single bird, 23rd August.
	Dengemarsh, single bird, 16th-19th October.
2010	Dungeness, single bird, 16th October.
	Dartford Marshes, single bird, 6th November.