RSC news - May 2006 · Added 15 May 2006

The RSC has examined the county list and issued the following statement:
"The current County avifauna list has now been reviewed and checked against other published sources of accepted records. In light of this review, 5 species are to be removed from previously published County species lists. These are:

The record of Red-breasted at Dorman's Pool on 7 January 1998 was initially accepted by BBRC. However, in light of subsequent records at Tophill Low and Nosterfield, these records were later reviewed, were considered to be the same bird and to be probably of captive origin (British Birds 94:461).  The old record in Temperley of a bird shot at Cowpen Marsh (pre 1844) is no longer accepted, therefore this species will be removed from the list. 

This species is now categorised as B (species that were recorded in an apparently natural state at least once between 1 January 1800 and 31 December 1949, but have not been recorded subsequently) only by the BOU. It is therefore no longer counted in the record totals. 

The only self-sustaining populations are in Norfolk and SW Scotland with both populations thought to be in long term decline. Given the highly sedentary nature of this species, all records in the County must be considered to be of captive origin. 

There have been 2 records submitted and accepted by BBRC, but both of these have been accepted as Fea's/Zino's rather than to specific species; Whitburn 1 Sep 2002 and Whitburn 23 Sep 2002. While almost certainly likely to be Fea's, the acceptance only as either/or means that neither species can be included on the County's avifauna list.  While not within the record totals, these will be maintained as a special appendix, given their unique position within BBRC reviewed records. 

The only record of this species was at South Gare on 23 Oct 1988. While the bird did fly off north towards the County, due to the foggy weather conditions at the time there is sufficient doubt as to whether the bird passed over land on the other side of the river that this bird cannot be accepted on the County list. 

Removal of these 5 species now puts the County list at 368 species. 

Category D birds are not included in the County's record totals, but are shown appended to the main list. There are two deletions from previously published lists, as in both instances there are no accepted published records: