Northern Wheatear at Alphonse

Northern Wheatear (Tim Kemple)

Dan Richards has reported a female Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe at Alphonse Island on 9 February. The bird was also seen and photographed by Tim Kemple. SBRC has accepted 74 previous records of this species, which is probably an annual visitor in small numbers. Records are still collected because it remains a very rare visitor and there is potential confusion with other vagrant wheatear species. Accepted records include 11 from Alphonse, more than any other locality other tthan Aldabra.

Northern Wheatear records peak later in the season than any other migrant for reasons unknown.  It is also unusual in that the majority of sightings are from the outer islands (60 of 74 records) unlike the vast majority of migrant land birds.