It's been a busy few weeks for Yorkshire listing with Andy Gibson benefiting most adding both Fea's Petrel and Baillon's Crake at Spurn to his tally taking him to joint first place with longtime number one Dave Hursthouse. It didn't take long for Dave to strike back though as he quickly ‘insurance ticked’ the Hooded Merganser at Hemlington. However, other County listers have been less fortunate, although Steve Exley has moved up one place in the top ten having added two species at Spurn (Great Shearwater and the Baillon’s Crake). This brings him level with John Hewitt in equal sixth. The standings have been updated accordingly, please remember to send additions to your list in promptly to help keep things up to date.

With the recently published BBRC report containing an accepted Hooded Merganser from Fife last year interest grew in the bird touring Teeside. Like the Fife bird it seems to have a ‘dodgy leg’ suggesting it is the same individual and thus as it has been accepted previously it could potentially go through as a returning bird. The BBRC report comments for this species almost seem to suggest that unless a bird is an obvious escape then one should make up their own mind. At the moment we have decided to keep this species in italics but expect it to be upgraded if BBRC once more give it the nod. Although it is spending most of it's time north of the Tees it has now been inside the Yorkshire boundary on a couple of occasions and a small number of Yorkshire listers have already made the pilgrimage. No doubt it will prove increasingly popular if it returns.

Hooded Merganser. Hemlington, Garry Taylor

The BBRC have deemed the Canvasback from Nosterfield last year as 'not proven' on the grounds that it may possibly exhibit some hybrid features – a bit harsh we feel, however, we stick to the rules and so this bird will not be countable in the Yorkshire Listers League.

Nearly Canvasback! Nosterfield, Stephen Clifton