Guidelines for Submitting Records & The Dorset List

NOTES FOR CONTRIBUTORS

The Dorset Bird Report is an annual publication by the Dorset Bird Club of records and papers on all aspects of Dorset ornithology. All contributions, from both residents and visitors to the County, in the form of records, papers, drawings and photographs are welcomed. All contributors are acknowledged in the Report. These Guidelines should assist if you would wish to contribute records to the Report.

WHAT RECORDS DO WE WANT?
Due to the volume of records received (in excess of 30,000 per year), it is not possible to list every record in the Report. The Report is a summary of the records and highlights the annual occurrence and status of each species. All records, however, are valuable and are archived in the DBC database, managed through the Dorset Environmental Records Centre.

Please refer to the Dorset List below which lists the type of records requested for each species. Species requiring a full description are marked (*) for national rarities, (D) for Dorset rarities; irregular Dorset species requiring brief notes are marked (N). All these species will be assessed by the Dorset Rarities Panel, and national rarity descriptions will be forwarded to the British Birds Rarities Committee (BBRC). The Dorset Rarities Panel reserves the right to request further information in order to assess records if necessary. Unsubstantiated records will not be published.

AND WHERE FROM?
Records are welcomed from all parts of the County. There is a natural bias towards coastal sites and nature reserves as they are excellent places to see birds. Many of these sites produce their own reports which are incorporated into the Dorset Bird Report. Records away from these sites are often scarce so 'local patch' records and casual recording from less well-watched areas are very important. These enable us to gain as full a picture as possible of what is happening to Dorset's birds. Many national surveys are carried out annually in the County as part of a wider picture of the UK's bird life. A copy of any Dorset results would be greatly appreciated - the information will be added to the database.

HOW SHOULD I SEND MY RECORDS IN?
In 2000, we set up the database from which a systematic printout of records can be produced to speed up the production of the Report. The raw data, however, has to be input into the database and this process can be speeded up if the following methods are used:-

· Use a species record card - one species per card, multiple entries are okay (blank cards available from the County Bird Recorder).

· Send in a species list.
 (i) List birds in the order in the Dorset List below.
(ii) Only use one side of the paper and leave a gap between each species.
(iii) If you hand write a list, PLEASE write clearly.

· You may wish to write a mini Bird Report if you watch one site regularly - many of the nature reserves do this - summarising your species accounts.

WHEN SHOULD YOU SUBMIT YOUR RECORDS?
Records of birds requiring descriptions or brief notes should be submitted as soon after the sighting as possible. BBRC and Dorset rarity forms are available from the County Recorder.

If possible, individual records should be sent to the County Bird Recorder periodically through the year to enable them to be input to the database over a period of time. This will ensure that there will not be a backlog of data inputting to be done at the end of the year (and so delay production of the Report).

Please, at the latest, send records in by the end of January. Late records will be accepted but it may not be possible to include them in the Bird Report for that year.

WHO SHOULD YOU SUBMIT YOUR RECORDS TO?
The following sites publish their own reports and request that records be submitted directly to their recorders. Once collated, these reports are included in the Dorset Bird Report.

Christchurch Harbour Ornithological Group: Mr D.N. Smith, 11 Moffat Road, Purewell, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 1HQ
Durlston Country Park: Durlston Country Park, Lighthouse Road, Swanage, Dorset, BH19 2JL
Portland Bird Observatory and Field Centre: Mr M. Cade, Portland Bird Observatory, Old Lower Light, Portland Bill, Dorset, DT5 2JT.

All other records should be submitted directly to the County Bird Recorder.

An EXCEL spreadsheet is available for submitting your records and will be transferable directly into the database (saving a lot of time). If anyone wishes to receive a copy (instructions will be given on its use), please contact the County Bird Recorder.

Key
A - All records
B - Breeding records
S - All records from May to August
C - Counts of roosts, flocks or monthly maxima
W - All winter records
D - Dorset rarities (full written description required)
N - Scarce in Dorset (brief notes - how identified, distance, view, brief ID notes etc.)
F&L - First and last dates
I - All inland records
U - Unusual records (albino, behaviour, etc.)
M - Migration or weather movements
Text in Red with a * National rarities assessed by BBRC (full written description required)

The Dorset List

The Dorset List is currently (as at 1st February 2008) 411 species.

The List follows the sequence and scientific names given in the British List: A Checklist of Birds of Britain (7th edition) published in Ibis Volume 148 (3), 526-563 by the British Ornithologists' Union (BOU), updated by the British Ornithologists' Union Records Committee: 36th Report (November 2007) published in Ibis (2008) 150, 218-220. In a few cases, the names in the British List are not in common usage (eg Wood Nuthatch); the Dorset List uses the name in common usage, with the British List name given in parentheses.

Species
Codes
Photos & Records
Mute Swan Cygnus olor B,M,C
Bewick's Swan (Tundra Swan) Cygnus columbianus A
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus D
Bean Goose Anser fabalis N
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus N
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons A
Greylag Goose Anser anser A
Snow Goose Anser caerulescens
 N
Greater Canada Goose Branta canadensis B,C
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis A
Brent Goose Branta bernicla C,I,F&L
Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis *
Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca A
Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea A
Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna B,C,M
Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata A
Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope C,M,S
American Wigeon Anas americana D
Gadwall Anas strepera B,C
Eurasian Teal Anas crecca B,C,M
Green-winged Teal Anas carolinensis N
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos B,C,M
Northern Pintail Anas acuta C,M,S
Garganey Anas querquedula A
Blue-winged Teal Anas discors *
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata C,M,S
Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina A
Common Pochard Aythya ferina B,C,M
Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris N
Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca *
Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula B,C,M
Greater Scaup Aythya marila A
Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis *
Common Eider Somateria mollissima A
Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis A
Common Scoter Melanitta nigra C,M
Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata D
Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca A
Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula C,S,M
Smew Mergellus albellus A
Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator C,I,M,S
Goosander Mergus merganser A
Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis A
Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix D
Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa B,C
Grey Partridge Perdix perdix A  
Quail Coturnix coturnix A
Common Pheasant Phasianus colchicus U
Golden Pheasant Chrysolophus pictus A
Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata A
Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica A
Great Northern Diver Gavia immer A
White-billed Diver (Yellow-billed Diver) Gavia adamsii *
Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps *
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis B,C
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus B,C
Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena A
Slavonian Grebe Podiceps auritus A
Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis A
Black-browed Albatross Thalassarche melanophris *
Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis B,I,M
Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea D
Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis D
Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus A
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus A
Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus A
Little Shearwater (Macronesian Shearwater) Puffinus baroli *
European Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus A
Leach's Storm-petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa N
Northern Gannet Morus bassanus I,M
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo B,C,I
European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis B,C,I
Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris A
American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus *
Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus *
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax D
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides *
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis *
Little Egret Egretta garzetta A
Great White Egret (Great Egret) Ardea alba *
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea B,C
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea N
Black Stork Ciconia nigra *
White Stork Ciconia ciconia N
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus *
Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia A
European Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus N
Black Kite Milvus migrans *
Red Kite Milvus milvus A
White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla *
Eurasian Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus A
Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus A
Pallid Harrier Circus macrourus *
Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus N
Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis D
Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus B,M
Common Buzzard Buteo buteo B,M
Rough-legged Buzzard Buteo lagopus D
Osprey Pandion haliaetus A
Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus B,M
Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus *
Merlin Falco columbarius A
Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo A
Gyr Falcon Falco rusticolus *
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus B,I
Water Rail Rallus aquaticus B,C,M
Spotted Crake Porzana porzana N
Little Crake Porzana parva *
Baillon's Crake Porzana pusilla *
Corn Crake Crex crex N
Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus B,C,M
Allen's Gallinule Porphyrula alleni *
Common Coot Fulica atra B,C,M
Common Crane Grus grus N
Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax *
Great Bustard Otis tarda *
Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus B,C,M
Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus *
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta A
Stone-curlew Burhinus oedicnemus A
Cream-coloured Courser Cursorius cursor *
Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola *
Little Ringed Plover (Little Plover) Charadrius dubius A
Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula B,C,M
Killdeer Charadrius vociferus *
Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus N
Eurasian Dotterel Charadrius morinellus N
American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica *
Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva *
European Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria C,M
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola C,M
Sociable Plover (Sociable Lapwing) Vanellus gregarius *
White-tailed Plover (White-tailed Lapwing) Vanellus leucurus *
Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus B,C,M
Red Knot Calidris canutus A
Sanderling Calidris alba A
Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla *
Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri *
Little Stint Calidris minuta A
Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii N
White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis *
Baird's Sandpiper Calidris bairdii *
Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos N
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata *
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea A
Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus *
Records
Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima A
Dunlin Calidris alpina C,M
Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus *
Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis N
Ruff Philomachus pugnax A
Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus A
Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago B,C,M
Great Snipe Gallinago media *
Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus *
Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola A
Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa C,M
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica C,M
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus C,M,F&L
Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata B,C,M
Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda *
Terek Sandpiper Xenus cinereus *
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos C,M,W
Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius *
Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus C,M
Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus C,M
Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia C,M
Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes *
Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis *
Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola A
Common Redshank Tringa totanus B,C,M
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres C,M
Wilson's Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor *
Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus N
Grey Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius A
Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus A
Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus A
Long-tailed Skua Stercorarius longicaudus D
Great Skua Stercorarius skua A
Ivory Gull Pagophila eburnea *
Sabine's Gull Xema sabini N  
Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla B,C,M
Bonaparte's Gull Chroicocephalus philadelphia *
Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus B,C,M
Little Gull Hydrocoloeus minutus A
Ross's Gull Rhodostethia rosea *
Laughing Gull Larus atricilla *
Franklin's Gull Larus pipixcan *
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus A
Common Gull (Mew Gull) Larus canus C,M,S
Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis D
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus B,C,M
Herring Gull Larus argentatus B,C,M
Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis A
Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans A, D  
American Herring Gull Larus smithsonianus *
Records
Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides A
Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus A
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus B,C,M
Sooty Tern Onychoprion fuscata *
Bridled Tern Onychoprion anaethetus *
Little Tern Sternula albifrons B,C,M,F&L
Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica *
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia *
Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida *
Black Tern Chlidonias niger A
White-winged Black Tern (White-winged Tern ) Chlidonias leucopterus *
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis B,C,M,F&L
Lesser Crested Tern Sterna bengalensis *
Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri *
Common Tern Sterna hirundo B,I,M,F&L
Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii A
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea A
Common Guillemot Uria aalge B,I,M
Razorbill Alca torda B,I,M
Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle N
Little Auk Alle alle A
Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica A
Pallas's Sandgrouse Syrrhaptes paradoxus *
Rock Dove (Rock Pigeon) Columba livia C,U
Stock Dove (Stock Pigeon) Columba oenas C,M
Common Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus C,M
Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto C,M
European Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur A
Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri A
Great Spotted Cuckoo Clamator glandarius *
Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus B,M,F&L
Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus *
Barn Owl Tyto alba A
Eurasian Scops Owl Otus scops *
Little Owl Athene noctua A
Tawny Owl Strix aluco B,C
Long-eared Owl Asio otus A
Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus A
European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus A
Egyptian Nightjar Caprimulgus aegyptius *
Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor *
Common Swift Apus apus B,C,M,F&L
Pallid Swift Apus pallidus *
Alpine Swift Apus melba *
Little Swift Apus affinis *
Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis A
European Bee-eater Merops apiaster *
European Roller Coracias garrulus *
Hoopoe Upupa epops A
Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla A
Green Woodpecker Picus viridis B
Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major B,M
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos minor A
Calandra Lark Melanocorypha calandra *
Greater Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla D
Lesser Short-toed Lark Calandrella rufescens *
Wood Lark Lullula arborea A
Sky Lark Alauda arvensis B,C,M
Shore Lark (Horned Lark ) Eremophila alpestris N
Sand Martin Riparia riparia B,C,M,F&L
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica B,C,M,F&L
House Martin Delichon urbicum B,C,M,F&L
Red-rumped Swallow Cecropis daurica *