Rare birds in the Netherlands in 2017 Gerjon Gelling, Vincent van der Spek & CDNA his is the 38th annual report on rare birds in 2017) are repeated here without reference. Obser­ Tthe Netherlands to be published in Dutch vations not (yet) submitted but mentioned in the Birding. It comprises records from 2017 as well as 2016 report are not repeated in this report. The se­ belated and reconsidered records, dating back to quence of the records in the species accounts is 1939, which have been evaluated by the Dutch from the current year backwards, with records rarities committee, the Commissie Dwaalgasten within one year presented chronologically. Num­ Neder landse Avifauna (CDNA). Several 2017 re­ bers after each (sub)species’ name refer to the total ports are still under review or awaiting submission number of individuals 1 from 1 January 1800 to 31 and could therefore not be included. In addition, December 1979, 2 since 1 January 1980 but ex­ some reports for 2016 and earlier years are still cluding 3 the current year. Taxa marked with an under consideration for various reasons. The in­ asterisk * are new to the Dutch list. crease in records entered online on internet por­ The following CDNA members voted on some tals such as www.waarneming.nl reveals many or all of the records in this report: Garry Bakker, new details about past records. For the sake of Christian Brinkman, Thijs Fijen, Diederik Kok, completeness, date extensions or corrections are James Lidster, Eddy Nieuwstraten, Roy Slaterus, presented in this report (marked with #, without Vin cent van der Spek and Rik Winters. Marcel full record details). Haas (until May 2017) and Gerjon Gelling (from Details included for each record are, if avail­ May 2017), with the assistance of August van Rijn, able: date(s); location and/or municipality (munici­ supported the committee as non­voting archivists pal divisions as on 1 January 2018); province; and assisted by submitting many reports published number of birds if more than one, plumage and on national and regional websites. Reports can be sex; type of record if ringed, photograph ed, sound­ sub mitted, preferably using the electronic sub­ recorded, videoed or found dead (and where mission form on www.dutchavifauna.nl or filling speci men is stored, if known); names of up to three in this form after entering a record on www. observers involved in finding, identifying and re­ waarneming.nl; the online database on www. cording, and relevant references in the literature, dutchavifauna.nl contains all records of rare birds which normally include (inter)national but not re­ up to 2017 (cf Dutch Birding 34: 346, 2012). Here, gional journals, and published photo graphs. also recently accepted records or not accepted re­ Records from 2016 lasting into 2017 that already ports as well as reports currently under review are have been published in the 2016 report (Haas et al listed. [Dutch Birding 40: 357-380, 2018] 357 Rare birds in the Netherlands in 2017 Decisions regarding taxonomy have been dele­ Systematic list of records gated to the Dutch committee for avian systemat­ ics (Commissie Systematiek Nederlandse Avifauna; Ross’s Goose / Ross’ Gans CSNA). Anser rossii 0,13,0 A series of reports from September 2017 onwards (and In 2017, at least 378 species were recorded, into 2018) is still under review. which is seven species above the average of 371 over the last 10 years, and the second­best year Greenland White-fronted Goose / Groenlandse Kolgans after 2014 (388) (figure 1). This number may rise Anser albifrons flavirostris 14,74,6 depending on pending reports. 2017 was a reason­ 18 November to 28 December, Oeverlanden Grensmaas, ably good year. Three species were new to the Itteren and Borgharen, Maastricht, Limburg, six, four Dutch list in 2017: Pacific Swift Apus pacificus, adults and two juveniles, photograph ed, videoed (R van Brown Booby Sula leucogaster and Seebohm’s Tiel et al). Wheat­­ear Oenanthe seebohmi. Also new to the This nice flock is among the largest ever recorded, and was exceptionally far inland. The only three larger flocks Dutch list was the reconsidered Elegant Tern Sterna were in 2002 (10 and nine, respectively) and 2004 elegans from 2002. With these additions, the (eight). Dutch list now numbers 521 species. Other high­ lights for 2017 included the second Eastern Impe­ Ring-necked Duck / Ringsnaveleend rial Eagle Aquila heliaca, Brown Shrike Lanius Aythya collaris 5,37,2 cristatus, Moustached Warbler Acrocephalus mela- 28 January, Boschmolenplas, Heel, Maasgouw, Limburg, nopogon and Blue Rock Thrush Monticola soli- adult male, photograph ed (I Meeuwissen et al); 11 Feb­ tarius, third Western Black­eared Wheatear O his- ruary to 9 April, Appingedam­Oost, Appingedam, panica and Dark­eyed Junco Junco hyemalis, and Groningen, adult male, photograph ed, videoed (F de Boer, S Osinga et al; Dutch Birding 39: 215, plate 293, sixth Forster’s Tern S forsteri. In addition, 2017 was 2017). a good year for Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila poma- rina and Eastern Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochru- Lesser Scaup / Kleine Topper ros phoenicuroides (both with three records), Aythya affinis0,18,1 Long­billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus, 21 February to 9 April, Zuiderhaven and Dijkwielen, Booted Eagle A pennata and Arctic Warbler Phyl lo- Den Oever, Hollands Kroon, Noord­Holland, adult male, scopus borealis (all with four), White­rumped photograph ed, videoed (K de Vries, J Hendriks et al; Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis (five), Black-winged Dutch Birding 39: 140, plate 219, 2017); 26 February, Kite Elanus caeruleus (10) and Griffon Vulture Krabbersgat, Enkhuizen, Enkhuizen, Noord­Holland, male, photograph ed (F C Lanfermeijer); 16­18 December, Gyps fulvus (four records totalling 94 individ uals). Bremerbergdijk, Biddinghuizen, Dronten, Flevoland, adult male, photograph ed (W Wind et al; Dutch Birding 40: 62, plate 70, 2018) 2015 # 2­26 January (was 3­26 January), Veluwemeer, Biddinghuizen, Dronten, Flevoland, male. Classic dates and localities for this now annual spe­ cies. The Den Oever and Biddinghuizen records concern returning individuals. On 2 January 2015, a second bird, 388 already accepted, was also present at Bidding huizen. 377 378 Bufflehead / Buffelkopeend 374 375 Bucephala albeola 0,7,0 370 5 November 2016 to 27 May, Gaatkensplas and sur­ roundings, Barendrecht, Zuid­Holland, and 29 May to 3 364 365 361 September, Spaarbekken Petrusplaat, Brabantse Bies­ 357 bosch, Drimmelen, Noord­Brabant, and 20 September to 13 May 2018, Gaatkensplas and surroundings, adult male, photograph ed, videoed (M Peene, G Duif, J Dijk­ huizen et al); 24 December 2016 to 12 March and 13 October to 20 March 2018, Den Oever and IJsselmeer, Hollands Kroon, Noord­Holland, adult male, photo­ 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 graph ed, videoed (P van Franeker et al). FIGURE 1 Number of species recorded in the Netherlands 2016 19 June to 9 July, Spaarbekken Petrusplaat, Bra­ per year in 2008­17 (average is 371) / aantal soorten bant se Biesbosch, Drimmelen, Noord­Brabant, male, vast gesteld per jaar in Nederland in 2008­17 (gemid­ photograph ed (P Borgerding). deld 371) 2015 # 11 October to 26 April 2016 (was 3 November to 358 Rare birds in the Netherlands in 2017 483 Baikal Teal / Siberische Taling Anas formosa, male, with Eurasian Wigeons / Smienten A penelope, Noordwijk, Zuid­Holland, 14 February 2017 (René van Rossum) 26 April 2016), Gaatkensplas and surroundings, Baren- Baikal Teal / Siberische Taling drecht, Zuid­Holland, adult male; # 21­23 October (was Anas formosa 8,4,1 22­23 October), De Nek, Schellinkhout, Drechter land, 4­10 and 15­18 February, Zwetterpolder, Noordwijker­ Noord­Holland, male. hout, Noordwijkerhout, and 12­15 February and 19 2014 # 4 October to 28 December 2015 (was 4 October February to 5 April, Hoogewegpolder, Noordwijk, to 26 April 2015), several locations near Den Oever, Noord wijk, Zuid-Holland, first-winter male, photograph- Hollands Kroon, Noord­Holland, male. ed, videoed (M Wielstra, J Duivenvoorden et al; Dutch Both records, one from Noord­Holland and one from Birding 39: 126, plate 188, 133, plate 205, 217, plate Noord­Brabant/Zuid­Holland, concern long­staying and 298, 2017). returning individuals, the latter already since November This popular immature male was unringed, fully 2004! At first, the bird at Brabantse Biesbosch was not winged and wary, associated with a flock of Eurasian accepted in 2016 since the absence of rings was not Wigeons A penelope and left the area with them during proven. In 2017, the same bird was observed again and early spring. Not bad for a suspicious species like this better photo graphs not only proved it to be unringed but one! also showed that this was most likely the same individual as the one wintering at Barendrecht since 2004. Oriental Turtle Dove / Oosterse Tortel Streptopelia orientalis 0,7,0 Hooded Merganser / Kokardezaagbek 2012 20 October, Camping Stortemelk, Vlieland, Lophodytes cucullatus 0,2,1 Friesland, first calendar-year, photograph ed (H Zeven- 12 November to 1 December, Noorderkolk, Zwarte hui zen; Dutch Birding 38: 299, plate 468­469, 300, plate Water and Langenholte, Zwolle, Overijssel, adult male, 470, 2012). photographed, videoed (M Baljé et al). At the time, Oriental Turtle Dove was suspected but it Despite a series of sightings of certain or suspected es­ could only recently be identified with certainty based on capes, this bird made it to the Dutch list, as it certainly did new criteria for immature birds (van Duivendijk 2016). not wear a ring and was fully winged. It was seen less than The subspecies could not be determined with certainty, 10 km away from the second record in 2010 (a female), so although Rufous Turtle Dove O s meena seemed likely. this is either a very attractive place for the species, or there Totals include birds accepted as Rufous Turtle (four).