BLACK KITE DELIGHT

The great news for most Yorkshire listers is that last spring’s lingering Black Kite first seen in the Helmsey area on 17^th April has now been officially accepted by YNURC and thus is now deemed countable for the purpose of the Yorkshire Listers League. IF YOU SAW THIS BIRD AND IT NEEDS ADDING TO YOUR TALLY PLEASE LET US KNOW EVEN IF YOU HAVE DONE SO PREVIOUSLY SO WE CAN CHECK IT HAS BEEN ADDED FOR YOU.

 

Black Kite, North Yorkshire, April 23 - Rich Willison

Meanwhile good news looks to be imminent for those who caught up with last autumns Red-headed Bunting at Flamborough. The species has now been accepted onto category A of the British list following the sighting of a first-winter bird on Out Skerries, Shetland from 2^nd – 8^th October 2010. Previously, records in the UK were frequent and generally assumed escapees but since the cessation of legal importation of this species at the turn of the century there have been just three other UK sightings and presumably the location, date and age of the Shetland bird were the key factors in finally taking it onto Category A of the official British list. We will of course still have to wait for official acceptance of the Flamborough bird but as the record pretty much mirrors the Skerries bird we are certainly expecting acceptance as a wild bird soon. Watch this space!

 Red-headed Bunting, Flamborough, Oct 23 - Paul Coombes