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St Helena is so far off the main migration routes that vagrants are very scarce. The island is, however, very much under-watched and much is undoubtedly missed. October to early December tends to be the best period for accidentals.
A European White Stork Ciconia ciconia was photographed at Sisters Walk, on 2 October 2007; this species is a very rare accidental visitor to the island.
Sightings during the period 1998 to 2002 include Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis, Grey Heron Ardea cinerea, White Stork Ciconia ciconia, Allen’s Gallinule Porphyrio alleni, Sanderling Calidris alba, Red Knot C. canutus and White-rumped Sandpiper C. fuscicollis.
Star rarities during the past 20 years include Murphy’s Petrel Pterodroma ultima, Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio and Amur Falcon Falco amurensis.
A full list of vagrants to 2002 is given below.
| Wandering Albatross | Diomedea exulans |
Giant Petrel |
Macronectes giganteus or halli |
| Southern Fulmar | Fulmarus glacialoides |
| Pintado Petrel | Daption capense |
| Murphy’s Petrel | Pterodroma ultima |
| Broad-billed Prion | Pachyptila vittata |
| Cory’s Shearwater | Calonectris diomedea |
Sooty Shearwater |
Puffinus griseus |
| Audubon’s Shearwater | Puffinus lherminieri |
| Black-crowned Night Heron | Nycticorax nycticorax |
| Cattle Egret | Bubulcus ibis |
| Grey Heron | Ardea cinerea |
European White Stork |
Ciconia ciconia |
| Amur Falcon | Falco amurensis |
| Spotted Crake | Porzana porzana |
| Allen’s Gallinule | Porphyrio alleni |
| American Purple Gallinule | Porphyrio martinica |
| Purple Swamphen | Porphyrio porphyrio |
| American Golden Plover | Pluvialis dominica |
| Grey Plover | Pluvialis squatarola |
| Blacksmith Lapwing | Vanellus armatus |
| Red Knot | Calidris canutus |
| Sanderling | Calidris alba |
| White-rumped Sandpiper | Calidris fuscicollis |
| Pectoral Sandpiper | Calidris melanotos |
| Ruff | Philomachus pugnax |
| Green Sandpiper | Tringa ochropus |
| Ruddy Turnstone | Arenaria interpres |
| Yellow-billed Sheathbill | Chionis albus* |
| Long-tailed Skua | Stercorarius longicaudus |
| Barn Swallow | Hirundo rustica |
* probably arrived on board ship
Last page update 23rd July 2008
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