Baker, E. C. S. 1930. Fauna of British India Birds including Ceylon and Burma. Horsfield, T. 1821. Systematic arrangement and description of birds from Birds. 7. i-viii, 1-484. London: Taylor & Francis. the island of Java. Trans. Linn. Soc., London 13: 133-200. Blyth, E. 1846. Notices and descriptions of various new or little known ICZN (International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature). 1999. species of birds. J. Asiatic Soc. Bengal 15 (172): 280-325. International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. i-xxix, 1-306. London: Blyth, E. 1850. Conspectus of the Ornithology of India, Burma and the The International Trust for Zoological Nomenclature. Malayan Peninsula, inclusive of Sindh, Asám, Ceylon, and the Peters, J. L. 1940. Check-list of Birds of the World. 4. i-xii, 1-291. Cambridge, Nicobar Islands. J. Asiatic Soc. Bengal XIX (Part I New Series XLII Mass..: Harvard Univ. Press. Issue VI): 499-515. Ripley, S. D. 1961. A synopsis of the birds of India and Pakistan together with Blyth, E. 1852. Catalogue of the Birds in the Museum [of the] Asiatic Society. those of Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan and Ceylon. i-xxxvi, 1-703. Bombay: i-xxxiv, 1-403 (1849). Calcutta: Asiatic Society. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. Dickinson, E. C. 2003. The Howard & Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds Ripley, S. D. 1982. A synopsis of the birds of India and Pakistan together with of the World. 1-1039. London: Christopher Helm. those of Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. i-xxvi, 1-653. Bombay: Dickinson, E. C. 2004. Systematic notes on Asian birds. 47. Blyth’s Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. ‘Catalogue of the Birds in the Museum Asiatic Society’ and his 1849 Sharpe, R. B. 1875. Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum. II. Catalogue Supplemental Note, with historical comments. Zool. Verhandl., Leiden of the Striges, or nocturnal birds of prey in the British Museum. i-xi, 1-325. 350: 167-181. London: Trustees of the British Museum.

Pacific Golden PloverPluvialis fulva (Charadriidae): first record for Bhutan

Rinchen Singye, Arlyne Johnson & Michael Hedemark

Singye, R., Johnson, A., & Hedemark, M. 2009. Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva (Charadriidae): first record for Bhutan. Indian Birds 5 (2): XX–XX. Rinchen Singye, Department of Forest, Thimpu, Bhutan. Arlyne Johnson & Michael Hedemark, Wildlife Conservation Society-Lao PDR Program, Box 6712, Vientiane, Lao PDR. Arlyne Johnson, Wildlife Conservation Society – Lao PDR, Box 6712, Vientiane, Lao PDR. Email: [email protected] (Corresponding author). Mss received on 3rd January 2009.

n 8th September 2007, at 1530 hrs, we observed a Pacific and the underwing is white with black axillaries (Hayman et al. Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva on the Punakhatshangchu 1986; Robson 2000). River, opposite to Khuruthang town, Punakha, Bhutan This Pacific Golden Plover has not previously been recorded O(27°33’10.35”N 89°52’33.58”E; 1522 m.). in Bhutan (Inskipp et al. 1999; Spierenburg 2005), although it is not The first bird seen was solitary, and paused on a boulder on unexpected that it could occur as a passage migrant in Bhutan, the edge of exposed rocky sand bar at a distance of approximately while moving from its Arctic breeding grounds, across Tibet, to 200 m from the bank of the river. The weather conditions were the Indian Subcontinent—where it is a widespread winter visitor sunny and calm. We observed the bird with a 20x Kowa spotting (del Hoyo et al. 1996). Pacific Golden Plover winter in coastal scope and 10x Bausch & Lomb binoculars. After observing the areas but are also found inland on short grasslands and often individual loafing on the rocky sand bar for approximately 30 min., on playing fields (del Hoyo et al. 1996). Southward migrating the bird flew west across the river towards Khuruthang town and birds depart from the Siberian tundra in late August and early appeared to land in the vicinity of the soccer playing field. After September, moving at night in large flocks (del Hoyoet al. 1996). birdwatching for a few hours more on the north bank, we drove It is noteworthy that in the days preceding our observation of the to the grass-covered soccer field (27°33’11.17”N 89°52’22.51”E), species in Bhutan, the area had experienced continuous, heavy where we thought the bird had landed, and were surprised to rainfall, which may have forced migrating birds to stop en route find two Pacific Golden Plover actively feeding by probing in the to their wintering grounds. ground on and at the edge of the soccer field. We observed them and photographed one individual on the ground at a distance of References 70 m at dusk 1800–1830 hrs. del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Sargatal, J. (eds.). 1996. Handbook of the birds of the We identified all individuals as Pacific Golden Plover from world. Volume 3. Hoatzin to Auks. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. the distinctive dark and white pattern of the head and the golden Hayman, P., Marchant, J. & Prater, T. 1986. Shorebirds: an identification guide yellow scaling on the back. Birds observed were in adult breeding to the waders of the world. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. plumage. The face, breast and belly were black and fore neck Inskipp, C., Inskipp, T., & Grimmett, R. 2004. Birds of Bhutan. New Dehli: mottled black in contrast to the distinct white band stretching Timeless Books. from the supercilium along the flank and vent. In flight, the Robson, C. 2000. A field guide to the birds of Thailand and Southeast Asia. Bangkok: Asia Books. under wing was dusky grey. The species, in this range, which the Spierenburg, P. 2005. Birds in Bhutan. Status and distribution. Bedford, U.K.: Pacific Golden Plover could be confused with is the Grey Plover Oriental Bird Club. P. squatarola, but the upperparts of the Grey Plover are silver-grey

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