Fascists!

You won't have noticed this but in the right hand column is a box linked to Bubo, the listing website that I keep my county list on. For a milisecond I was on 331 for Northumberland, until this email arrived...

Dear BUBO listers

As many of you will no doubt be aware, the BOURC has reviewed the 1998 Druridge Bay Slender-billed Curlew record and now no longer considers it acceptable - announcement is here http://www.bou.org.uk/british-list/recent-announcements/changes/

As a result, we've removed the species from BOU and "Britain+Ireland" authorities in BUBO Listing, and those of you who had the species on your lists with those authorities will now find yourself one species fewer. Apologies if this upsets!

There are also a number of records in BUBO Listing on World lists and Western Pal lists that either clearly specify Druridge Bay, or don't give a location. Obviously, we're not removing the species from the underlying World and Western Pal baselists, and we're not planning to unilaterally remove your Druridge SBC records from World or Western P lists either. However, some of you may wish to do so yourselves, particularly if you wish to be consistent with your British lists. Up to you really.

Best wishes

Brilliant. Now technology is so ingrained and tight that we are no longer in control of our own lists!

Oh well, I suppose its the right thing to do. We need a base line even if they are wrong.

(They have thrown out a good record. That bird WAS as Slender-billed Curlew, its only griping politics that have seen it off....)

There will be no more said on the subject.