The Birds Section’s main aim is to publish an Annual Bird Report with complete accuracy, so that those who use it in the future may accept the species accounts without doubt or query.

An Adjudication Panel assists the work of the Birds Section by assessing all national and county rarities that require a description. The Panel currently consists of the following members: Mick Cunningham, Geoff Dobbs, Paul Irving, Mike Pilsworth, Graham Speight, Garry Taylor, Craig Thomas, Nick Whitehouse and Steve Worwood. If more than one member of the Panel is unwilling to support a record, it will remain ‘not proven’. It must be stressed this doesn’t necessarily mean that the bird has been mis-identified, but more often, that there is not enough detail to be conclusive.

The work of the Adjudication Panel can be aided considerably if observers submit descriptions as soon as possible. Details should include the description taken in the field, before reference to books; the locality; date and time; habitat; weather conditions; optical aids used; distance from the bird; period of observation; species present for comparison and previous experience of the species. If anyone disagrees with the identification should also be noted. The Birds Section welcomes the electronic submission of records and photographs, with the provision that some detail is supplied about location, first/last dates and the name(s) of the finder(s). 

Descriptions

The following list of county rarities requires a description and/or photographic evidence to secure the acceptance needed for publication within this Report. In addition, the Birds Section reserves the right not to publish records of scarce birds which cannot be attributed to a named observer and are unsupported by photographic evidence. The Panel will require descriptions to support records of difficult to determine races, particularly those whose taxonomic status is under review, including Black-bellied Dipper and Siberian Chiffchaff.

In the cases of closely related species groups, such as American/Pacific Golden Plover and the Pratincole/Dowitcher species, BBRC will not judge records where no specific identification has been reached. Therefore the Adjudication Panel will consider such records for the sake of completeness and to monitor occurrences.

The Panel is also willing to assist in adjudicating any records for local groups and societies.

List of species requiring descriptions: