Area Rules?

[Andrew]

What is the common accepted range for a British List? I tried reading up this on the UK400 website but found you need to be a member to get into the website at £20 a year!

I was discussing this recently and think I may have to remove three birds from my list as they were from Guernsey which is part of the UK but comes under doubt as part of a UK list.

Are the Channel Islands not fair hunting grounds? If so then why are the Orkneys and Shetlands permitted?

So the main question is can anyone say what is the complete list of islands and areas that are fair game for ticks for a British List?

[Bluetail]

Hi Andrew

I'm pretty sure the Channel Islands are outside the area covered by the British List on the grounds that, from the zoogeographical point of view, they are really part of France.

The BBRC considers records from the Channel Islands, but they do not appear in the UK rare bird statistics.

Jason

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Andrew,

Basically the same as the political unit of Great Britain. Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands are out, but the rest is in, including Rockall (not that anyone ever goes there much!).

Birds seen on or from ships & oil platforms also have to be counted as 'At sea - sea area [Whatever]' if more than 12 nautical miles from land.

I'd ignore the UK400 setup, they're a law unto themselves, with all sorts of peculiar extras they can add to boost their lists (e.g. they count a lot of escaped cagebirds, split Canada Goose into 57 species, count foreign birds, etc, etc)

Michael

[Jasonbirder]

I'd ignore the UK400 setup, they're a law unto themselves, with all sorts of peculiar extras they can add to boost their lists (e.g. they count a lot of escaped cagebirds, split Canada Goose into 57 species, count foreign birds, etc, etc)


Yeah...like all those escaped White-headed Ducks, but at least not 57 varieties of Crossbill!!!

[Michael Frankis]

Yeah, the escaped White-headed Ducks, Falcated Ducks, Aylesbury Ducks, Baikal Teals, Ross's Geese, Hutchin's Geese, Emperor Geese, Richardson's geese, Red-breasted Geese, Cackling Geese, Black Swans, etc, etc, etc.

Michael

[Bluetail]

Oi! Now just shut up, you lot! At that rate I'd probably qualify for membership! Aargh!

Jason