Red-rumped Swallow

07th October 2013

The Red-rumped Swallow originally found at Talisker Bay on Skye on 17th June 2011, and photographed subsequently by Ian Fulton on 29th June, has now been identified as belonging to the race daurica japonica which breeds in the eastern Palearctic and Oriental regions. It differs from the European form by streaking on the throat and underparts, a darker face pattern and an incomplete collar and the determination has been made by the British Birds Rarities Committee. This bird represents the first record of Asian Red-rumped Swallow in Britain and the same bird was present on Sanday, Orkney on June 9th 2011. The Skye bird was also photographed by Christine Hammond from Carbost whose image is shown here.

THE BOOK

"A glorious little gem"

AMAZON

"A book such as this has to look backwards and the author does so succinctly, looking at the work of several of the pioneering naturalists before picking out the publications of JA Harvie-Brown and the Rev. Hugh Macpherson. I know this book fills a real gap in the information available for the Isle of Skye and it will surely sell well at local bookshops."

Andrew Currie Miscellany West Highland Free Press

"A total of 238 species have been recorded, with 14 of those 'red listed' as of high conservation concern ... another innovation has been the inclusion of Gaelic names for some birds. While this is not uncommon in a few other books, the addition of some regional Gaelic names is very unusual and very welcome."

Ray Collier Country Diary 'Up in the Skye' The Guardian

"Illustrated with beautiful photographs of current birdlife on the island, the publication also features sketches by Jean Thomas of The Little Gallery, Portnalong, stimulating the reader's interest further and allowing them to identify species they encounter on Skye."

The Hebridean