Rare Birds in Somerset
Our list for Somerset has 38 rare birds recorded regularly there: 7 residents, 3 summer visitors, 2 winter visitors, 14 passage migrants and 12 scarce visitors
Most likely in October
GBIF · Oct
Share of all bird records in Somerset in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 38, most common first
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusPassage migrantRare31–38 cmRegularly Jan
NightjarCaprimulgus europaeusSummer visitorRare24–28 cmRegularly May–Jul
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsPassage migrantRare64–81 cmRegularly Dec–Jan
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufaSummer visitorRare32–34 cmRegularly Mar–Jan
HawfinchCoccothraustes coccothraustesPassage migrantRare17–18 cmRegularly Oct
Grey PhalaropePhalaropus fulicariusScarceRare20–22 cm
Purple HeronArdea purpureaScarceRare78–90 cm
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraResidentRare15–17 cmRegularly Feb–Dec
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusPassage migrantRare120–150 cmRegularly Nov
Purple SandpiperCalidris maritimaWinter visitorRare20–22 cmRegularly Nov–Apr
SmewMergellus albellusScarceRare38–44 cm
Eurasian WoodcockScolopax rusticolaWinter visitorRare33–38 cmRegularly Nov–Feb
European ShagGulosus aristotelisResidentRare65–80 cmRegularly Dec
KittiwakeRissa tridactylaResidentRare37–41 cmRegularly Nov–May
NightingaleLuscinia megarhynchosPassage migrantRare15–17 cmRegularly Apr–Jun
Ring OuzelTurdus torquatusPassage migrantRare23–24 cmRegularly Apr
WryneckJynx torquillaPassage migrantRare16–18 cmRegularly Aug–Sep
Common ScoterMelanitta nigraResidentRare43–54 cmRegularly Aug–Apr
Arctic LoonGavia arcticaPassage migrantRare58–77 cmRegularly Dec
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensisPassage migrantRare36–41 cmRegularly Jul
Manx ShearwaterPuffinus puffinusSummer visitorRare30–38 cmRegularly May–Sep
Northern GannetMorus bassanusResidentRare87–100 cmRegularly Apr–Nov
Arctic JaegerStercorarius parasiticusPassage migrantRare41–46 cmRegularly Mar–May
Data: EOD – eBird Observation Dataset (Cornell Lab of Ornithology), accessed via GBIF.org, CC BY 4.0. Records from 2019–2024, aggregated and filtered by Birdfact. How these lists are made