Changes to Category A of the British List

The British Ornithologists' Union Records Committee (BOURC) has accepted the following to Category A of the British List:

Amur Falcon
Second-calendar-year male at Tophill Low (East Yorkshire), 14th September–15th October 2008.
It should be placed after Red-footed Falcon on the British List.

Amur Falcon, Tophill Low NR, East Yorkshire (Photo: Dave Bryan)

Tufted Puffin
Adult at Oare Marshes (Kent), 16th September 2009.
It should be placed after Puffin on the British List.

Tufted Puffin, Oare Marshes NR, Kent (Photo: Murray Wright)

Eastern Crowned Warbler
First-winter at Trow Quarry, South Shields (Durham), 22nd–24th October 2009.
It should be placed after Long-tailed Tit on the British List.

Eastern Crowned Warbler, The Leas, S.Shields, Durham (Photo: Graham Catley)

'Siberian' Pied Flycatchher
Add subspecies sibirica.
First-winter trapped at Filey (North Yorkshire), 16th September 1996.

Citril Finch
Adult male on Fair Isle (Shetland), 6th–11th June 2008.
It should be placed after Greenfinch on the British List.

Citril Finch, Fair Isle, Shetland (Photo: Mark Breaks)

In addition:

Lesser Sand Plover
Adult or first-summer at Donmouth (Aberdeenshire), 18th–19th August 1991.
The species has already been admitted to Category A, but this individual has now been accepted as the first record, pre-dating the 1997 record from Pagham Harbour (West Sussex). It was accepted as attributable to the C. m. mongolus/stegmanni group.

Further details will be published as part of the BOURC's 39th report due to be published in Ibis in January 2011.

Also considered:

Alder Flycatcher
First-winter at Nanjizal (Cornwall), 8th–9th October 2008.
This file has been returned to BBRC.

Alder Flycatcher, Nanjizal Valley, Cornwall (Photo: Kester Wilson)

The British List now stands at 592 species (Category A=573; Category B=9; Category C=10).