Abstract

A White-chinned Petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis on Orkney in May 2020 constituted the first record for Britain and the Western Palearctic. This paper details the occurrence and summarises the species’ identification, distribution and movements, conservation status and vagrancy history.The discoveryOn the early morning of 25th May 2020, Robert Foubister (RF) was walking along the coastal path at Scapa Beach, Mainland, Orkney, when he noticed a wholly unfamiliar bird in the sky. It flew along the east coast of Scapa Flow just below Gaitnip Farm before heading over Scapa Bay then up over Lingro Farm, where it gained height and circled. It then headed east again back over Scapa Bay before flying up over the hill towards the airport and disappearing.