Here is an Excel spread-sheet of all sightings that are currently being assessed by BBRC.
Work in progress - Last updated 19-Dec-2011
Once a record is published in British Birds Annual Report, which comes out in the October edition, it is no longer held on the WIP file. Therefore the WIP ‘cycle’ can be thought as starting in November when the file starts with all the records submitted for the new ‘current’ year and any earlier ones that have not been completed.
It is then normally updated every 2 months going through to May the next year, and if time permits a last one in late June or early July. There is then a hiatus whilst the next Annual Report is prepared, and the cycle then continues with a new WIP file in November.
How the file is structured
Column A –Ref.No.
A unique 4-digit code which must always be used if you have any queries on a record.
If the Ref.No. includes a decimal point such as #0123.1 then it is considered the same bird as #0123.0 (and #0123.2 etc) This is used especially for birds that cross county boundaries or are returnees from earlier in the year, or previous years.
Column B-Progress
OK = accepted
OK-Cat D, Cat E & ex BBRC = accepted but as either Cat D, E or ex-BBRC (surprise ! )
OK-same = accepted but is either a returning bird or has been seen earlier in another county
NP = not proven
IC = in circulation
Held = the species is being held, usually when work is being done on new identification criteria, or the taxonomy may be in flux
At BOURC = record assessment of a potential First forBritain now completed by BBRC and forwarded to BOURC. NOTE: This procedure of forwarding to BOURC is done whatever the outcome of BBRC’s voting i.e. both Accepted records AND those found Not Proven are sent to BOURC.
Column I-Observer
For those given as ‘per birding information services’ we know of the sighting through photographs published on the internet, through the County Recorder or from articles in birding journals. However no written submission has been received, so no acknowledgement of finder or observers can be given.
NB: Observers are in alphabetical order and do not imply Finder/Submitter/Identifier etc.
How to use:
You can easily filter the records to see just a sub-set. For example to look for a particular species go to the top row, column F ‘Name’ and click on the down arrow. Select the species you require and only those will be shown. Further filtering can then take place. For example, to now look for a particular county where that species occurred go to column G ‘County’ and click on the down arrow again.
To remove the filter(s) click on the down arrows of the same column(s) and select ‘(All)’.
I know that often some records are missing, including high profile ones, but with no written submission then they cannot be in the database.
If you are involved in the finding of such records, then send in a submission using either the on-line form or a downloadable word document. Get to these using the button on the left Submissions/Submission Forms/Rarity Form (doc format) or Online Submission.
